The Wheel of the Year is the way of the agrarian spiritualist, connected to the land. Our tribal ancestors, across the globe, looked at the Wheel in connection to Earth Herself. This handout is specifically focused on Euro-centric/Celtic traditions. (Though I hope to address more Indigenous teachings in the future) I wrote this originally as a guide for a class on the wheel, a guide for the individual to look into traditional rhythms lore, and culture of the land in which they reside today. Honor the land, honor Earth Mother on which you co-exist.
Traditionally within the modern spiritualist community, (i.e. Pagan, Wiccan, etc.) the Wheel of the Year consists of 13 moons, or Esbats, and 8 Sabbats, comprising of 4 cross quarters and 4 solar celebrations. This represents the balance of both the feminine and the masculine in life.
In previous posts, I started with my Journey through the cross-quarter focused wheel between Samhain of 2022 and Solstice of 2023. I also went into an overview of the Tides and flow. This post is a brief look at the moon or "Estbats".
The purpose of recognizing and celebrating the cycle of the year is to connect us to the ebb and flow of nature, connecting us to the power tides of the earth. This is a basic aspect of what the Spiritual/Organic way of life is all about. If we are unable to connect to the energy of the earth around us, we are unable to connect to our true selves, the Divine within us.
The Esbats are celebrated to honor the Mother Goddess. The moon is considered to have a psychic effect in the pagan world mind and therefore its phases have magickal influences. The phases of the Moon are also important. The Moon rules the tides of the sea and also believed to rule the tides of the mind. The Moon rules the twilight side of life, the wild, the uncanny, the preternatural. Civilization tries to ignore the Moon because she is the liberator of the oppressed and shines her light into the nooks and crannies, revealing the deeds that are done by night. But the Moon always returns with her messages from the subconscious, from the endless sea of dreams.
The Moon is a visible representation of the light and dark, happy and sad, awake and asleep, the enlightened and the shadow of the self. Though each tidal froth to full, and shrinks then to nothing and back again, we can visually see the cycles of our own consciousness. The moon represents the powerful impact of both woman and man in the balance of our lives, the need for reciprocity in all interactions to keep the flow constant, dynamic, and balanced.
As the moon moves she is influenced by the sun and the angles she makes between the sun and the earth. To use the moons’ energies to the fullest one must be aware of her phases and how they interact with the seasons themselves.
Waxing Moon or the Crescent Moon is the New Moon Moving to the Full.
This is the time for growth, moving toward a goal and powerful spell work on completion and fruition. The start of new projects, starting your goals. This is the Moon during her “Maiden” phase.
Full Moon
This represents the female, during her “Mother” phase and is to acknowledge her benevolence, and our gratitude, reaffirm our intent to live in harmony with the earth, and often to come together as a community to honor Her. Often traditional groups will celebrate the fullness over a period of three days, celebrating the Maiden, Mother, and Crone aspects of the Goddess.
Waning Moon or Dark Moon; from the Full Moon to the New Moon
This is a time of reflection, inner growth, and work on the subconscious. This is also traditionally called and recently a revival in the words “shadow work”. This working time is often the most misunderstood and feared. This is the time of the Crone. This is the time to banish things from your life.
New Moon
This represents the phase where we celebrate the journey toward the Underworld or the awakening of our inner consciousness. This is often celebrated in private for the modern practitioner. This is the time of the rebirth of the self.
Half Moon (Quarter Moon)
This is when the light and dark are equal—is a time of stasis and rarely used or even acknowledged except for maintaining balance or restoring balance in one's life. I find the connection here to be most potent when connecting into Earths consciousness.
Blue Moon
The second Full Moon in the same solar month is called a Blue Moon. This is used to increase stronger energy in realization and intention toward goals. This energy can be used to focus on a difficult task accomplished or to speed up what needs to be done.
