If you’d like, you can carve this with symbols relevant to the Moon or the seasons. A candle - While usually preferred to be white, any color can do so long as your intentions are in the right place.Moon or seasonal decorations, crystals for the altar (optional).The only thing it needs to be is a safe space where you can practice sacred work. This can be a simple table or even a cloth on the floor. Altar space - This doesn’t have to be a fancy shrine to the God and Goddess.A smudging stick - a bundle of herbs used to purify a space and one’s energy.There are many ways to celebrate the Esbats depending on the style of one’s practice or what other elements they’d like to include. In these rituals we are offering to the Moon everything that no longer serves us-asking that in the place of these burdens we be blessed instead with light and love. Magic is worked with the Moon for the sake of personal healing, as well as with one's community and maybe even the world at large. Regardless of the way an Esbat ritual is performed, there will exist a common thread of healing. Celebrations can also be tailored to the astrological influence of the cosmos during the Esbat, as some practitioners feel that there is a large influence on the flow of life as dictated by the heavens. For instance, July’s Blessing Moon marks a period of time in which all of life is in bloom-some may honor the Celtic God Lugh, who holds the power of the harvest and late summer storms. This is dependent largely in part on the God/Goddess that is worshipped by a group or individual, as well as the seasonal attributions of that time. Often a particular aspect of the Goddess is focused on for each Esbat. While the Moon is linked with the female deity, some practitioners may also honor their God at this time as well.
#Wiccan holidays calendar and meanings full
At the full moon, our intentions came to a head as we drew in the energy of this celebration to bolster our personal strength and confidence going forward.Įsbats honor the Goddess as she is associated with the Moon, focusing on her loving wisdom and nurturing guidance. As the beginning of a new cycle, the new Moon provided a subtle time energetically for us to set intentions with a clear mind. During my time leading an informal magic circle, I often asked my fellow witches to meet for both the new and full Moon. Depending on the coven or individual’s schedule, some may choose to gather instead at the new Moon or perhaps even both. The moon is symbolic of the Goddess, or the feminine force of creation that governs over our emotions, familial connections, relationships, and nurturance-so when Mother Moon is at her peak, the energy of the Goddess emanates in full force.Ĭovens or solitary practitioners often gather for every full Moon. While the Sabbats are the “big” festivities documenting pivotal changes in the environment, the Esbats are a somewhat “smaller” celebration that generally marks the full moons that make up the Wiccan calendar. The Wheel consists of eight Sabbats (pronounced SOH-bots) and thirteen Esbats (pronounced ESS-bots). As followers of a nature based path, Wiccans and witches celebrate the Wheel of the Year-or the fluctuating tide of the seasons.