How to Navigate the Wheel of the Year

Hello my magickal friend! Today we’re going to talk about the Wheel of the Year and how to navigate it. 

We’re in that time of the year where the cycle turns again. At this time of year, we’re in that between time from the new year at Samhain to the rebirth of the sun at Yule. This is the time where the Wheel of the Year resets to turn through another cycle of life. 

This is a really good time of year for introspection and really sitting with yourself. Take some time to get in touch with your inner self and the natural world around you as the Wheel of the Year turns again. This is the time for reflection and being in tune with where you are, right now. 

What is the Wheel of the Year?

If you’ve done any research into magick and Wicca, I’m sure you’ve heard the term “Wheel of the Year.” You’re probably wondering what the heck it is, why it’s so important, and what it has to do with you and your magickal practice. 

The Wheel of the Year is the journey of the birth, death, and rebirth the sun goes through every year. This also corresponds with the journey of the Goddess and God, which we’ll talk more about in a bit. 

This is the cycle we all live by, whether we know it or not. We all experience this cycle in various forms, big and small. Everything we do has a beginning, growth period, and a completion, which leads to the birth of something else. 

Why is it important to know about the Wheel of the Year?

The Wheel of the Year is important because it helps us to track our own cycle of life. It then gives us something to measure our days, through each of the seasons of the year, and by the pagan holidays. The pagan holidays mark various points in the Wheel, helping to give us celebrations with which to mark the time. 

These markers are important to observe as they teach us how to embrace the cycle. Each holiday has a meaning and a purpose within the Wheel of the Year. By learning about the cycle and the different meanings of the holidays, we can more easily attune our own life cycles to it. 

The pagan holidays

The cycle begins with the holiday of Yule, which marks the rebirth of the sun. From this point, we enter the waxing part of the year, when the sun starts getting stronger and daylight gets longer every day. We then celebrate one of the growing holidays every 6-8 weeks from then, which would be Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane. 

We reach the apex of the Wheel at the Summer Solstice, or Litha, which is the longest day of the year. From this point, we enter the waning part of the year, when the daylight becomes shorter and weaker. From Litha, we celebrate the harvest festivals every 6-8 weeks, until we come back to Yule. The harvest holidays are Lughnasadh, Mabon, and Samhain. 

The Wheel comes to its end with the pagan new year, which is celebrated on Samhain, and the end of the harvest season. From now until Yule, when the Wheel resets, there is a period of reflection and introspection, waiting until the year is reborn. 

The story of the Goddess and God

The cycle of the Wheel of the Year also follows the life cycles of the Goddess and God. 

The cycle starts with the birth of the God at Yule from the Goddess, who is in her last phase of her journey as the Crone. This is when the Wheel resets. From the birth of the God, the Goddess goes to rest as the Crone and awakens at Imbolc as the Maiden. 

The Goddess and the God grow through the springtime setting the world to growing along with them. Then, at Beltane, they reach sexual maturity and join together in celebrating the peak of the growing season. Then their union is celebrated at Litha, the Summer Solstice, with bonfires and revelry. 

From here, the Goddess enters her Mother phase, the God reaches his prime, and the harvest season has begun. The harvest continues to the God’s sacrifice at Mabon and the Goddess prepares to accompany the God into the Underworld. 

At Samhain, when the veil between our world and the spirit world is thinnest, the Goddess and God journey to the Underworld to complete the God’s transformation. The Goddess then returns to our world as the Crone, waiting to rebirth the God at Yule, starting the cycle over again. 

What does the Wheel of the Year have to do with me?

This is part of our life’s journey, as we are born, grow, wane, and transition through death until we are reborn again. The holidays of the Wheel of the Year help mirror our cycle so that we can find comfort in the journey, as everyone must experience this cycle. 

Once we have embraced the cycle, this can help to ease the transitions we make throughout our lives. We learn to embrace the beginnings, the growing periods, the harvest seasons, and the eventual endings, which leads to new beginnings. 

The more we lean into the Wheel of the Year cycles, the easier the transitions become. Your soul becomes comforted by the changing of the seasons and by the cycles of the years. 

Tapping into this energy can even help us with our magick if we allow it to flow with the cycle of the Wheel. By using the energy of the Wheel of the Year, our magick can align with the natural order of the energetic cycle. How you use this energy is up to you. 

How do I navigate the Wheel of the Year?

This part becomes extremely personal. There are many ways to navigate the Wheel of the Year. It’s about aligning yourself with the cycle of nature and the natural order of life. There are always beginnings, middles, and ends that lead into new beginnings. This is nature and this is magick. 

Here are a few ways that you can start navigating your own path through the Wheel of the Year:

• Observe and celebrate the Sabbats
• Make magick through the ebb and flow of the year
• Adjust your diet to only eating food that is in season to help you tap into the seasonal energies
• Refine your wardrobe to dressing for each season
• Create a garden to observe the waxing and waning of the year
• Familiarize yourself with the various deities associated with each of the holidays and work with them on your magick

How you choose to navigate the Wheel is completely up to you. Try a few different ways and see what resonates for you. If you need some help energetically, try the simple spell below to tune into the Wheel. 

Tune into the Wheel of the Year Spell

Materials needed:

• Green candle for the Maiden
• Orange candle for the Mother
• Purple candle for the Crone
• Lighter or matches

Sit in a comfortable place and breathe deeply to center yourself. Imagine the Goddess stands before you. She is the embodiment of the Maiden aspect. Feel that energy of newness enveloping your being. This calls to mind springtime, new life, and plants just starting to bud. Light the green candle and say the following:

I call upon the energy of beginning

To fill me with the newness of spring

When hope’s alive and starts to grow

And the energy builds and starts to flow

Now see the Goddess before you, transforming into her Mother aspect, life filling her body. Feel the energy of fullness filling your body. The air is alive with the smells and sights of crops ripe for the picking. The harvest season is all around you. Light the orange candle and say the following:

I call upon the energy of life

Where days are long and the air is rife

With harvests ready to be reaped

And in this energy I am steeped

Then the Goddess transitions into her Crone aspect, her eyes full of the wisdom of a lifetime. Feel the energy of the heaviness of knowledge from a life of lessons and learning. Your mind expands as your body wanes and we enter the slumbering season. Light the purple candle and say the following: 

I call upon the energy of rest

And walk the way that I know best

Then lay my head down when day is done

And rest until the rebirth of the sun

Now the Goddess bids you to rest and recharge for the cycle to begin again. You feel refreshed and at peace with this transition, knowing that new beginnings are coming. Bring this energy with you as you start a new cycle of your life. 

Until next time, my magickal friend, be well and choose joy! Blessed be.