The Wheel of the Year
Pagans honor the turning of the Wheel of the Year - a continuing cycle of the seasons that begins with the new solar year at Winter Solstice and carries through the same point the following year. Our family does the same. While the traditions you find here may be different that what you would normally expect to discover, they reflect our family's approach to honoring the natural cycles around us.
One of the key aspects of paganism is the acceptance of diversity. This allows us to create a path that is uniquely our own. If you're familiar with the concept of the Sabbats (sacred days in the solar year), then you may notice that we name ours a little differently than you might find in books. In our family, we honor the journey of the sun and the changes we can observe in the natural world over established history or tradition. The names our family uses for the Sabbats simply reflect what we experience when we interact with the natural world.
You may also notice that the dates we honor the cross-quarter Sabbats (the dates that aren't a solstice or equinox) on differ from what's traditionally celebrated. Each year we calculate the mid-point between each of the observable astronomical dates and celebrate our cross-quarter Sabbats on that date.
Winter Solstice to First Spring
December 22, 2011 to February 4, 2012
Our Winter Holidays
In our pagan traditions, Winter Solstice is much like Christmas and New Year's wrapped up in one heart-centered holiday.
Telling Children About Santa
At some point, each parent is confronted by a child who asks if Santa is real. This is how we answer the question in our own family.
Winter Solstice Sunrise
Per their annual tradition, Jeffrey and Bri go out to greet the sunrise and reflect on the newly arrived solar year to be met an extraordinarily magickal event.
Calculating the Sabbats
Our modern calendar is a functional mess, so our family turns to science and observation of the natural world to set the dates of our holidays.
Frost Moon
After (literally) years of preparation, Jeffrey and Bri begin to assign names to the lunar months in their world. Drawing upon years of data and climate patterns, on tradition and personal connection, they begin with the first new moon in the solar year.
Thoroughly Modern Magick
While I often embrace older traditions in my own practice, I also fearlessly experiment with new concepts. What's important to me isn't the specifics that a rite follows, but the symbolism and energy it contains. Simple concepts, like crafting a poppet for a magickal rite, can take on completely modern twists.
Life Stories
A life story is simply a magickal myth that rekindles that sense of wonder in all of us. We all have them. Santa Claus is a perfect example. Here's the tale we share with our children about the rainbows that seem to be everywhere this time of year.
First Spring (February 4th)
Spring Equinox (March 20th)
Beltane (May 5th)
Summer Solstice (June 20st)
First Harvest (August 6th)
Autumnal Equinox (September 22nd)
Samhain (November 6th)
Winter Solstice (December 21st)
Thoughts? Comments? You can contact us at connect@oldways.com or interact with Jeffrey, Briana, and the Old Ways community on our Facebook page.