OH I am really feeling this. Thinking of them as the whole seasons would align with my practice and tbh is essentially what I do anyway. This feels so good to me and serendipity with timing as I have been really looking at my wheel. Thank you so much as always Áine.
Earlier this year I also did a deep reflection on my personal wheel of the year and celebrations. Going forward I am keeping Winter Solstice as my main celebratory and spiritual sabbat. For me it has deep meaning and is like my New Moon but for the year. Beyond that I celebrate halloween but not as a defined sacred time but just a family holiday. It also has deep family meanings for us. I know some may find that strange but my celebration of ancestors, deities, and spirit work is part of my every day, not just one focused time. I've been pretty happy with it so far - and it may not be forever, but it is my now :)
Over the years I've whittled them all away and now I celebrate autumn equinox and winter solstice with my family, and keep ritual around winter solstice. I don't bother with the rest of the wheel at all any more. I find more connection with trying to live in flow with the world around me rather than marking certain days if that makes any sense 🤷🏻♀️
I really resonate with "the seasons not looking/feeling like they should or like they were when I was a child" causing anxiety and thus not feeling very celebratory-worthy. I had started thinking about perhaps focusing more on what the sun is doing and not so much the weather. It would still be the equinoxes and solstices, but the focus would be on the light and dark and the balance between rather than typical weather, etc. I am still working on how I might incorporate that. My birthday is right around Beltaine so I have some of the same feelings as you do around Samhain. I sort of had settled on just using that holiday to celebrate my birthday and have that be the entirety of what I did for the holiday. It was too much to try and do my birthday and also try to celebrate the sabbat right around the same time.
I hope you come back to TH-cam (if you want, of course) you were central to my transition to pantheism and witchcraft. I love your deep thoughts and seeing the changes through your journey. I hope you are well!
I am a member of the AODA and they really encourage everyone to wildcraft their own wheel of the year. The common practice and seasonal rituals are written for the solstices and equinoxes only, and obviously you can add whatever you like based on your own spiritual preferences, references and local seasons. Your video has caused me to reflect a bit more as well (and to recognize eco-anxiety for myself). My celebrations for the solstices and equinoxes generally happen with a full ritual. I enjoy the week before I plan on doing the ritual with gathering ideas about what I might do and leave it to the inspiration of the evening itself to actually decide. Ideally I'd do more and have a week filled with significance, but then life happens. I also feel strongly about Bealtaine and Samhain, but tend to spread them out over a longer period of time. The end of April and beginning of May mark some historical celebrations and remembrances in the Netherlands and my birthday. It connects me with my ancestors in a celebratory way. October and November, when it's getting darker and quieter, mark several family birthdays and a big historical celebration in my home town but also the passing of my mom and several other family members. It connects me with my ancestors just as much, but in a spirit of respect, remembrance and reflection. I am ambivalent about Imbolc and Lughnasad and don't quite know what to make of them. Imbolc for me used to be connected to the first snow drops appearing, but lately that's been happening early January and I feel disconnected. But your comment about these sabbats being connected to mythology got me thinking about Brighid and Lugh and I do feel a connection with them. So this cycle, I am going to delve deeper into that connection and see what happens!
For me, the cross quarters never made sense to me because of where I've lived. My husband is active duty military in the USA, so we've lived a bunch of different places. In Alaska, there isn't even an inkling of Spring at Imbolc. Spring doesn't even come close to starting until May. The Solstices were particularly important because of the sunlight. Summer Solstice it literally never got dark, just dusky at midnight. Winter Solstice the sun rose at noon and it was pitch black dark by 4pm. So that got me started with the significance of the Solstices and Equinoxes. With the other places we've lived we honored seasonal changes and local seasonal observances, like full ice freeze and the first ice thaw in Alaska, Fall leaves turning and falling, strawberries ripening and festival, potato harvest festival, the cooling temperatures and rains starting in the Fall in Southern California, first frost, first snow, etc. So for me, celebrating the cross quarters never resonated because they didn't make sense with where I lived. As you said, Solstices and Equinoxes are observable astronomical phenomena. Then I think we need to honor what's local to us, what's happening where we live. That's what makes the most sense to me. I also wonder if you're being too strict with yourself in thinking of how you "need" to or should celebrate the turning of The Wheel. Maybe you don't need to do ritual, if it's not meaningful to you right now. My husband and I have grown fond of decorating and changing our altar seasonally, and that's what we do. We don't do ritual, for a variety of reasons. But we see our altar every day because it's in our living room where we spend a lot of time each day. It gives us joy to see it and reminds us of the season we're in. Ritual is action with intention. It doesn't have to be complicated or overly involved. I know you know that, but I felt it was important to say here. You can find simple ways to acknowledge the season with intention that resonate with where you're currently at. Maybe wiping the slate clean entirely and trying new things you haven't before might be helpful for you to find what resonates with you.
I like this. The cross quarters were also something I often went through the motions with, but difficult to let go of as they're so ritually significant in the pagan community. Annoyingly the semi official pagan associations often didn't align with what I saw in nature 'on the day' in my land of Wales either! Broadening imbolc, beltane etc to become more like 'seasons' that don't have a very specific 'date' makes more sense.
As I come back to paganism after a decade, I am centering my practice around the equinoxes and solstices. As an astronomer, it felt right. Plus, the seasons here in the American Southwest don’t match the feeling of seasons in other places I have lived, which make the traditional wheel of the year feel more contrived. It’s hard to celebrate “spring” when it’s already 90F outside in March. But the changes in our astronomical positioning is the same, regardless of where you are. I can then adjust the form of that observance to better match my environment.
I love Beltane! Also Samhain and pretty much any full Moon! Lol Everything else is hit or miss, it depends on what's going on in my life... That being said, my reverence for nature is ever present.
This is interesting to me. I have always felt more drawn to the cross-quarters. The time in between seems more quiet and reflective for me, except for Samhain, obviously.
Omg yes climate change has been a huge issue for me when it comes to the wheel of the year. This year has been difficult for me to celebrate any of the sabbats because in NE Ohio (I’m right by the Great Lake Erie) our weather is even more unpredictable than it usually is.
According to pantheiam and their spiritual texts does each and every soul stays immortal or exists for eternal time? Does anyhow any soul gets escape from eternal existen? Please reply 🙏
@@psyqueerdelic ok thank you❤ If you know any religion which believe that soul doesn't exist after death anyhow, anyform, anywhere for eternal time?please reply 🙏
will their be more wonderful content on this channel?
OH I am really feeling this. Thinking of them as the whole seasons would align with my practice and tbh is essentially what I do anyway. This feels so good to me and serendipity with timing as I have been really looking at my wheel. Thank you so much as always Áine.
Earlier this year I also did a deep reflection on my personal wheel of the year and celebrations. Going forward I am keeping Winter Solstice as my main celebratory and spiritual sabbat. For me it has deep meaning and is like my New Moon but for the year. Beyond that I celebrate halloween but not as a defined sacred time but just a family holiday. It also has deep family meanings for us. I know some may find that strange but my celebration of ancestors, deities, and spirit work is part of my every day, not just one focused time. I've been pretty happy with it so far - and it may not be forever, but it is my now :)
Over the years I've whittled them all away and now I celebrate autumn equinox and winter solstice with my family, and keep ritual around winter solstice. I don't bother with the rest of the wheel at all any more. I find more connection with trying to live in flow with the world around me rather than marking certain days if that makes any sense 🤷🏻♀️
I really enjoyed this discussion and the glimpse it offered into how your practice is changing. Thank you for sharing.
I really resonate with "the seasons not looking/feeling like they should or like they were when I was a child" causing anxiety and thus not feeling very celebratory-worthy. I had started thinking about perhaps focusing more on what the sun is doing and not so much the weather. It would still be the equinoxes and solstices, but the focus would be on the light and dark and the balance between rather than typical weather, etc. I am still working on how I might incorporate that.
My birthday is right around Beltaine so I have some of the same feelings as you do around Samhain. I sort of had settled on just using that holiday to celebrate my birthday and have that be the entirety of what I did for the holiday. It was too much to try and do my birthday and also try to celebrate the sabbat right around the same time.
I hope you come back to TH-cam (if you want, of course) you were central to my transition to pantheism and witchcraft. I love your deep thoughts and seeing the changes through your journey. I hope you are well!
I am a member of the AODA and they really encourage everyone to wildcraft their own wheel of the year. The common practice and seasonal rituals are written for the solstices and equinoxes only, and obviously you can add whatever you like based on your own spiritual preferences, references and local seasons.
Your video has caused me to reflect a bit more as well (and to recognize eco-anxiety for myself). My celebrations for the solstices and equinoxes generally happen with a full ritual. I enjoy the week before I plan on doing the ritual with gathering ideas about what I might do and leave it to the inspiration of the evening itself to actually decide. Ideally I'd do more and have a week filled with significance, but then life happens.
I also feel strongly about Bealtaine and Samhain, but tend to spread them out over a longer period of time. The end of April and beginning of May mark some historical celebrations and remembrances in the Netherlands and my birthday. It connects me with my ancestors in a celebratory way. October and November, when it's getting darker and quieter, mark several family birthdays and a big historical celebration in my home town but also the passing of my mom and several other family members. It connects me with my ancestors just as much, but in a spirit of respect, remembrance and reflection.
I am ambivalent about Imbolc and Lughnasad and don't quite know what to make of them. Imbolc for me used to be connected to the first snow drops appearing, but lately that's been happening early January and I feel disconnected. But your comment about these sabbats being connected to mythology got me thinking about Brighid and Lugh and I do feel a connection with them. So this cycle, I am going to delve deeper into that connection and see what happens!
For me, the cross quarters never made sense to me because of where I've lived. My husband is active duty military in the USA, so we've lived a bunch of different places. In Alaska, there isn't even an inkling of Spring at Imbolc. Spring doesn't even come close to starting until May. The Solstices were particularly important because of the sunlight. Summer Solstice it literally never got dark, just dusky at midnight. Winter Solstice the sun rose at noon and it was pitch black dark by 4pm. So that got me started with the significance of the Solstices and Equinoxes. With the other places we've lived we honored seasonal changes and local seasonal observances, like full ice freeze and the first ice thaw in Alaska, Fall leaves turning and falling, strawberries ripening and festival, potato harvest festival, the cooling temperatures and rains starting in the Fall in Southern California, first frost, first snow, etc. So for me, celebrating the cross quarters never resonated because they didn't make sense with where I lived.
As you said, Solstices and Equinoxes are observable astronomical phenomena. Then I think we need to honor what's local to us, what's happening where we live. That's what makes the most sense to me.
I also wonder if you're being too strict with yourself in thinking of how you "need" to or should celebrate the turning of The Wheel. Maybe you don't need to do ritual, if it's not meaningful to you right now. My husband and I have grown fond of decorating and changing our altar seasonally, and that's what we do. We don't do ritual, for a variety of reasons. But we see our altar every day because it's in our living room where we spend a lot of time each day. It gives us joy to see it and reminds us of the season we're in.
Ritual is action with intention. It doesn't have to be complicated or overly involved. I know you know that, but I felt it was important to say here. You can find simple ways to acknowledge the season with intention that resonate with where you're currently at. Maybe wiping the slate clean entirely and trying new things you haven't before might be helpful for you to find what resonates with you.
I like this. The cross quarters were also something I often went through the motions with, but difficult to let go of as they're so ritually significant in the pagan community. Annoyingly the semi official pagan associations often didn't align with what I saw in nature 'on the day' in my land of Wales either! Broadening imbolc, beltane etc to become more like 'seasons' that don't have a very specific 'date' makes more sense.
As I come back to paganism after a decade, I am centering my practice around the equinoxes and solstices. As an astronomer, it felt right. Plus, the seasons here in the American Southwest don’t match the feeling of seasons in other places I have lived, which make the traditional wheel of the year feel more contrived. It’s hard to celebrate “spring” when it’s already 90F outside in March. But the changes in our astronomical positioning is the same, regardless of where you are. I can then adjust the form of that observance to better match my environment.
Beltain blessings 🌛🌕🌜🧚♂️
I love Beltane! Also Samhain and pretty much any full Moon! Lol
Everything else is hit or miss, it depends on what's going on in my life...
That being said, my reverence for nature is ever present.
This is interesting to me. I have always felt more drawn to the cross-quarters. The time in between seems more quiet and reflective for me, except for Samhain, obviously.
Omg yes climate change has been a huge issue for me when it comes to the wheel of the year. This year has been difficult for me to celebrate any of the sabbats because in NE Ohio (I’m right by the Great Lake Erie) our weather is even more unpredictable than it usually is.
According to pantheiam and their spiritual texts does each and every soul stays immortal or exists for eternal time? Does anyhow any soul gets escape from eternal existen?
Please reply 🙏
@@psyqueerdelic ok thank you❤. Very glad to know your opinion. And what the pantheism religion says about it?
@@psyqueerdelic so what is the believe of expert practitioners and others from ancient time in the religion about my question? Please reply
Please reply friend 🙏
@@psyqueerdelic ok thank you❤
If you know any religion which believe that soul doesn't exist after death anyhow, anyform, anywhere for eternal time?please reply 🙏
@@psyqueerdelic but if you know that some religions, please let me know
The accents on the letters of your channel name make it like impossible to find
If you just type Aine Orga without the accents literally the first video that comes up is from her channel…