GRANNYSAGE AT THE CROSSROADS
  • Crossroads Home
    • Who Is Grannysage? >
      • Grannysage-the Crossroads Digest Version
      • Grannysage's Almanac >
        • Zen and the Art of Kitty Litter Raking
        • Dancing Our Way to Enlightenment
        • What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
        • Judges for the Ironbird Competition
        • Cave of Solitude
        • Is the Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Hole Really a Wormhole?
        • The Value of Giving and Receiving
      • How I Became a Hermit
  • Tower of Wisdom
    • The Alchemist's Workshop
    • Scrolls of Enlightenment >
      • Messages from Peace Pilgrim
      • Web of Connection Inspired by the movie Avatar
      • It Is What It Is
      • Looking With Different Eyes Chapt 1 >
        • What is ego - Chapt 2
        • What Is Reality - Chapt 3
        • Good and Evil - Chapt 4
        • Near-Death Experiences - Chapt 5
        • Our Soul's Plan - Chapt 6
    • Crossroads Chamber of Curiosities >
      • The Quest for the Yellow Diamond
      • The Mystery of Moundville Alabama
      • I Love Copper Harbor Michigan
    • The Library >
      • Captivating Critters >
        • Coast to Coast with a Cat and a Ghost
      • Science Fiction Books >
        • The Sleeper Must Awaken
      • Fantasy >
        • Books By L Frank Baum >
          • Following the Yellow Brick Road
          • More about Oz, Mr. Baum!
          • Interesting Tidbits from L Frank Baum’s Oz Books
          • L. Frank Baum's Last Five Oz Books
        • Dobby House Elf
      • Mystery >
        • Delta Crossroads
        • Murder in the Goblins' PLayground
      • Paranormal >
        • Tales of Love and Dying
        • Paranormal Thriller Threshold
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        • Quotes from Zen Books
      • Nonfiction >
        • Women Who Run With the Wolves - The World Needs More Storytellers
        • Thoreau on Productivity
  • Sage Hollow
    • The Clockmaker's Shop
    • Sage Blossom Inn >
      • Breads
      • Soup
      • Beverages -Alcoholic
      • Cheeses
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Desserts
    • Minstrel Hall >
      • Robert Johnson and the Legend of the Crossroads
      • "Who Is Ritchie Blackmore?" I Asked
      • Omnia Pagan Folk Band
      • The Magical Synergy of Queen + Adam Lambert
    • The Metalsmith Guild >
      • Art of Copper Enameling
  • The Crone's Hut
    • Whispers of the Crone
    • Inside the Hut >
      • Gaia Earth Mother
      • The Crone's Book of Shadows >
        • Wiccan Sabbats >
          • The Witch Who Danced With Ghosts
          • Why Is the Autumnal Equinox Named Mabon?
          • The Real Story of the Wicked Witch of the West
          • Joulupukki and Tonttu – Finnish Santa and Elves
          • Ostara, the Sabbat with the Rabbit
          • What to Wear to the Beltaine Maypole Dance
        • What So Mote It Be Means
  • Notes From the Crossroads
  • Crossroads Home
    • Who Is Grannysage? >
      • Grannysage-the Crossroads Digest Version
      • Grannysage's Almanac >
        • Zen and the Art of Kitty Litter Raking
        • Dancing Our Way to Enlightenment
        • What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
        • Judges for the Ironbird Competition
        • Cave of Solitude
        • Is the Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Hole Really a Wormhole?
        • The Value of Giving and Receiving
      • How I Became a Hermit
  • Tower of Wisdom
    • The Alchemist's Workshop
    • Scrolls of Enlightenment >
      • Messages from Peace Pilgrim
      • Web of Connection Inspired by the movie Avatar
      • It Is What It Is
      • Looking With Different Eyes Chapt 1 >
        • What is ego - Chapt 2
        • What Is Reality - Chapt 3
        • Good and Evil - Chapt 4
        • Near-Death Experiences - Chapt 5
        • Our Soul's Plan - Chapt 6
    • Crossroads Chamber of Curiosities >
      • The Quest for the Yellow Diamond
      • The Mystery of Moundville Alabama
      • I Love Copper Harbor Michigan
    • The Library >
      • Captivating Critters >
        • Coast to Coast with a Cat and a Ghost
      • Science Fiction Books >
        • The Sleeper Must Awaken
      • Fantasy >
        • Books By L Frank Baum >
          • Following the Yellow Brick Road
          • More about Oz, Mr. Baum!
          • Interesting Tidbits from L Frank Baum’s Oz Books
          • L. Frank Baum's Last Five Oz Books
        • Dobby House Elf
      • Mystery >
        • Delta Crossroads
        • Murder in the Goblins' PLayground
      • Paranormal >
        • Tales of Love and Dying
        • Paranormal Thriller Threshold
      • Spiritual >
        • Quotes from Zen Books
      • Nonfiction >
        • Women Who Run With the Wolves - The World Needs More Storytellers
        • Thoreau on Productivity
  • Sage Hollow
    • The Clockmaker's Shop
    • Sage Blossom Inn >
      • Breads
      • Soup
      • Beverages -Alcoholic
      • Cheeses
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Desserts
    • Minstrel Hall >
      • Robert Johnson and the Legend of the Crossroads
      • "Who Is Ritchie Blackmore?" I Asked
      • Omnia Pagan Folk Band
      • The Magical Synergy of Queen + Adam Lambert
    • The Metalsmith Guild >
      • Art of Copper Enameling
  • The Crone's Hut
    • Whispers of the Crone
    • Inside the Hut >
      • Gaia Earth Mother
      • The Crone's Book of Shadows >
        • Wiccan Sabbats >
          • The Witch Who Danced With Ghosts
          • Why Is the Autumnal Equinox Named Mabon?
          • The Real Story of the Wicked Witch of the West
          • Joulupukki and Tonttu – Finnish Santa and Elves
          • Ostara, the Sabbat with the Rabbit
          • What to Wear to the Beltaine Maypole Dance
        • What So Mote It Be Means
  • Notes From the Crossroads
GRANNYSAGE AT THE CROSSROADS

The Wheel of the Year

PictureBy Imbolc. cerddwr via Wikimedia Commons

Wheel of the Year: A term for the seasons or cycles of Nature marked by the Sabbats of Wicca/Witchcraft. It is often symbolized by an eight-spoke wheel indicating each solstice and equinox, as well as the days that fall exactly between each, the midpoints or cross-quarters.

Source: Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft, by Raven Grimassi


Dates used relate to the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere the Sabbats are reversed.


PictureHaunted Castle Photography Background - ad
Samhain - Oct. 31

A Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Also known as Halloween.


I've written a little story
about a witch and some ghosts who pay her a visit at Samhain.

The Witch Who Danced With Ghosts


 



PictureImage via Pixabay

Yule/Winter Solstice - celebrating the rebirth of the sun.


Joulupukki and Tonttu – Finnish Santa and Elves
Explores the tradition of Santa and his elves in Finland.








PictureImage courtesy of magickalgraphics.com
Imbolc/Candlemas - Feb 2

I haven't written any articles about Imbolc myself so I am re-directing my readers to an excellent article about the holiday of the Goddess Brigit by well known pagan author Mike Nichols.



Candlemas: The Light Returns
by Mike Nichols








Picture
Image adapted from Pixabay



Ostara/Spring Equinox - May 1

An article I wrote about the pagan celebration of the Spring Equinox, also known as Ostara.

Ostara: The Sabbat with the Rabbit


PictureJengod [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]


Beltaine/May Day - May 1

The Wheel of the Year has spun half way around from Samhain. It marks the beginning of summer. Let's learn a bit more about it.


What to Wear to the Beltaine Maypole Dance




PictureImage by Andrew Dunn via Wikimedia Commons
Litha/Midsummer/Summer Solstice - June20/21

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. Although modern calendars name this the first day of summer, the older pagan traditions marked May 1st as the beginning of summer. Thus the Summer Solstice marks the middle of summer. The days begin to get shorter until we reach the opposite solstice of winter also known as Yule.

For more information about Litha/Midsummer visit
Litha History - Celebrating the Summer Solstice




PictureImage via Pixabay
Lammas/Lughnasadh - August 1
Lammas is also known as Lughnasadh, ((pronounced Loo-NAS-ah) is the first harvest festival of the three that are celebrated in the Wheel of the Year. The harvest of grain was welcomed and it was the custom of early Christians to bring a loaf of bread to the church to be blessed.

Lughnasadh is a pagan festival giving honor to the god Lugh, a sun god and the god of crafts and skill, Festivals were scattered about the countryside and artistsans were gathered to display their wares.

The names Lammas and Lughnasadh are interchangeable in modern Wicca. It has a complex history and story line and I bow to those who truly understand the spiritual message of abundance and gifts the sun and Mother Earth have provided for us. This video explains Lammas/Lughnasadh quite well.




PictureImage via Clipart Panda
Mabon/Autumnal Equinox - Sept 22/23

The autumnal equinox is much like the spring equinox in that it is a day that has an equal amount of day and night. To most pagans, it is the second of three harvest festivals. Many people choose to call it Harvest Home. On Mabon we celebrate with harvests of apples, squash, and nuts.

I invited Arawyn Walense to tell us more about Mabon. He was my husband and spirit mate who transitioned to the Summerland in 2017.

Why Is the Autumnal Equinox Named Mabon?




© Diane Wallace  All Rights Reserved

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