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Sabbats and Esbats 
Sabbats
Sabbats are the eight Wiccan holidays of the year.
The Wiccan year starts after Samhain.
YULE circa Dec. 21
The Goddess gives birth to a son, the God, at Yule. Yule is a time of the greatest darkness and is the shortest day of the year. Since the God is also the Sun, this marks the point of the year when the Sun is reborn as well. Thus, the Wicca light fires or candles to welcome the Sun's returning light. The Goddess, slumbering through the winter of Her labor, rests after Her delivery. To contemporary Wiccans it is a reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth.
Yule lore
The altar is adorned with evergreens such as pine, rosemary, bay, juniper and cedar, and the same can be laid to mark the Circle of Stones. Dried leaves can also be placed on the altar.
The Cauldron, resting on the altar on a heat-proof surface or placed before it if too large), should be filled with ignitable spirit (alcohol), or a red candle can be placed within it. At outdoor rites, lay a fire within the cauldron to be lit during the ritual.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and incense, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the cauldron and gaze within it. Say these or similar words:
I sorrow not, though the world is wrapped in sleep.
I sorrow not, though the icy winds blast.
I sorrow not, though the snow falls hard and deep.
I sorrow not; this too shall soon be past.
Ignite the cauldron (or candle), using long matches or a taper. As the flames leap up say:
I light this fire in Your honour, Mother Goddess.
You have created life from death; warmth from cold;
The Sun lives once again; the time of light is waxing.
Welcome, ever-returning god of the Sun!
Hail Mother of All!
Circle the altar and cauldron slowly, clockwise, watching the flames. Say the following chant for some time:
The wheel turns; the power burns.
Meditate upon the Sun, on the hidden energies lying dormant in winter, not only in the Earth but within ourselves. Think of birth not as the start of life but as its continuance. Welcome the return of the God
After a time, cease and stand once again before the altar and flaming cauldron. Say:
Great God of the Sun,
I welcome Your return.
May You shine brightly upon the Goddess;
May You shine brightly upon the Earth,
scattering seeds and fertilizing the land.
All blessings upon You.
Reborn One of the Sun!
Works of magic if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast. The circle is released.
One traditional Yuletide practice is the creation of a Yule tree. This can be a living potted tree which can later be planted in the ground, or a cut one. The choice is yours.
Appropriate wiccan decorations are fun to make, from strings of dried rosebuds and cinnamonsticks (or popcorn and cranberries) for garlands, to bags of fragrant spices which are hung from boughs. Quartz crystals can be wrapped with shiny wire and suspended from sturdy branches to resemble icicles. Apples, oranges and lemons hanging from boughs are strikingly beautiful, natural decorations, and were customary in ancient times.
Many enjoy the custom of lighting the Yulelog. This is a graphic representation of the rebirth of the God within the sacred fire of the Mother Goddess. If you choose to burn one, select a proper log (traditionally of oak or pine). Carve or chalk a figure of the Sun (such as a rayed disc) or the God (a horned circle or a figure of a man) upon it, with the white-handled knife, and set it alight in the fireplace at dusk on Yule. As the log burns, visualise the Sun shining within it and think of the coming warmer days.
As to food, nuts, fruits as apples and pears, cakes of caraways soaked in cider, and (for non-vegetarians) pork are traditional fare. Wassail, lambswool, hibiscus or ginger tea are fine drinks for the Simple Feast or Yule meals.
Imbolc Feb 2
Imbolc marks the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the God. The lengthening periods of light awaken Her. The God is a young, lusty boy, but His power is felt in the longer days. Imbolc is also known as Feast of Torches, Oimelc, Lupercalia and Brigid´s day.
A symbol of the season, such as a representation of a snowflake, a white flower, or perhaps some snow in a crystal container can be placed on the altar. An orange candle annointed with musk, cinnamon, frankincense or rosemary oil, unlit, should also be there. Snow can be melted and used for the water during the circle casting.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Say such words as the following:
This is the time of the feast of torches,
when every lamp blazes and shines
to welcome the rebirth of the God.
I celebrate the Goddess,
I celebrate the God;
All the Earth celebrates
Beneath its mantle of sleep.
Light the orange taper from the red candle on the altar (or at the Southern point of the circle). Slowly walk the circle clockwise, bearing the candle before you. Say theses or similar words:
All the land is wrapped in winter.
The air is chilled and
frost envelopes the Earth.
But Lord of the Sun,
Horned One of animals and wild places,
Unseen, you have been reborn
of the gracious Mother Goddess,
Lady of all fertility.
Hail Great God!
Hail and welcome!
Stop before the altar, holding aloft the candle. Gaze at its flame. Visualize your life blossoming with creativity, with renewed energy and strength.
If you need to look into the future or past, now is an ideal time.
Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
The circle is released.
Imbolc lore
It is traditional upon Imbolc, at sunset or just after ritual, to light every lamp in the house - if only for a few moments, or light candles in each room in honour of the Sun’s rebirth. Alternately, light a kerosene lamp with a red chimney and place this in a prominent part of the home or in a window.
If snow lies on the ground outside, walk in it for a moment, recalling the warmth of summer. With your projective hand, trace an image of the Sun on the snow.
Foods appropriate to eat on this day include those from the dairy, since Imbolc marks the festival of calving. Sour cream dishes are fine. Spicy and full-bodied foods in honour of the Sun are equally attuned. Curries and all dishes made with peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic or chives are appropriate. Spiced wines and dishes containing raisins - all foods symbolic of the Sun are also traditional.
OSTARA Circa Mar. 21
Ostara, or Spring Equinox, marks the first day of true spring. The Goddess blankets the Earth with fertility, bursting forth from Her sleep, as the God stretches and grows to maturity. On Ostara the hours of day and night are equal. Light is overtaking darkness
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Flowers should be laid on the altar, placed around the circle and strewn on the ground. The cauldron can be filled with spring water and flowers, and buds and blossoms may be worn as well. A small potted plant should be placed on the altar.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and incense, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God in whatever words please you.
Stand before the altar and gaze upon the plant as you say:
Great Goddess, you have freed yourself from the
icy prison of winter.
Now is the greening, when the
fragrance of flowers drifts on the breeze.
This is the beginning.
Life renews itself by Your magic, Earth Goddess.
The God stretches and rises, eager in His youth, and bursting with the promise of summer.
Touch the plant. Connect with its energies and, through it, all nature. Travel inside its leaves and stems through your visualization - fingers and into the plant itself. Explore its inner nature, sense the miraculous processes of life at work within it.
After a time, still touching the plant, say:
I walk the earth in friendship, not in dominance.
Mother Goddess and Father God, instill within me
through this plant a warmth for all living things.
Teach me to revere the Earth and all its treasures.
May I never forget.
Meditate upon the changing of the seasons. Feel the rousing of energies around you in the Earth.
Works of magic if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the simple Feast.
The circle is released.
Ostara Lore
A traditional Vernal equinox pastime: go to a field and randomly collect wildflowers. Or, buy some from a florist, taking one or two of those that appeal to you. Then bring them home and define their magical meanings by the use of books, your own intuition, a pendulum or by other means. The flowers you’ve chosen reveal your inner thoughts and emotions.
It is important at this time of renewed life to plan a walk (or a ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest and other green places. This is not simply exercise, and you should be on no other mission. It isn’t even just an appreciation of nature. Make your walk celebratory, a ritual for nature itself.
Other traditional activities include planting seeds, working on magical gardens and practicing all forms of herb work - magical, medicinal, cosmetic, culinary and artistic.
Foods in tune with this day (linking your meals with the seasons is a fine method of attuning with nature) include those made of seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, as well as pin nuts. Sprouts are equally appropriate, as are leafy, green vegetables. Flower dishes such as stuffed nasturtiums or carnation cupcakes also find their place here.
Beltane April 30
Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature, He desires the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms, and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God. The Wiccans celebrate the symbol of Her fertility in ritual. The flowers and greenery symbolize the Goddess; the May Pole, the God. Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion and hopes consummated.
If possible, celebrate Beltane in a forest or near a living tree. If this is impossible, bring a small tree within the circle, preferably potted; it can be of any type.
Create a small token or charm in honour of the wedding of the Goddess and God to hang upon the tree. You can make several if you desire. These tokens can be bags filled with fragrant flowers, strings of beads, carvings, flower garlands - whatever your talents an imagination can conjure.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the altar and say, with wand upraised:
Mother goddess, Queen of the night and of the Earth;
O Father God, King of the day and of the forest,
I celebrate Your union as nature rejoices in a riotous
blaze of colour and life.
Accept my gift, Mother Goddess
and Father god, in honour of Your union.
Place the tokens on the tree.
From Your mating shall spring fourth life anew;
a profusion of living creatures shall cover the lands,
and the winds will blow pure and sweet.
Ancient Ones, I celebrate with You!
Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
The circle is released.
Beltane Lore
Weaving and plaiting are traditional arts at this time of year, for the joining together of two substances to form a third is in the spirit of Beltane.
Foods traditionally come from the dairy, and dishes such as marigold custard and vanilla ice cream are fine. Oatmeal cakes are also appropriate.
Litha circa June 21
Litha arrives when the powers of nature reach their highest point. The Earth is awash in the fertility of the Goddess and God. Midsummer is a classic time for magic of all kinds.
Before the rite, make up a small cloth pouch filled with herbs such as lavender, camomile, St. John’s wort, vervain, or any of the Midsummer herbs listed. Mentally pour all your troubles, problems, pains, sorrows and illnesses, if any, into this petition as you construct it. Tie it shut with a red string. Place this on the altar for use during the rite. The cauldron should also be there or nearby. Even if you use candles to mark the quarters, the red candle in the holder should also be on the altar. For outdoor rituals, light a fire - however small - and drop the pouch into this.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the altar and say, with wand upraised:
I celebrate the noon of summer with mystic rites.
great Goddess and God,
all nature vibrates with your energies
and the Earth is bathed with warmth and life.
Now is the time of forgetting past cares and banes;
Now is the time for purification.
O fiery Sun,
burn away the unuseful,
the hurtful,
the bane,
in your omnipotent power.
Purify me!
Purify me!
Purify me!
Lay the wand on the altar. Take up the herbal petition and light it in the red candle on the altar (or, if outdoors, the ritual fire). When it is burning, drop it into the cauldron (or some other heat-proof container) and say:
I banish you by the powers of the Goddess and God!
I banish you by the powers of the Sun, Moon and Stars!
I banish you by the powers of Earth, Air, Fire and Water!
Pause, seeing the hurts and pains burning into nothingness. Then say:
O Gracious Goddess, O Gracious God,
on this night of Midsummer magic
I pray that you charge my life with
wonder and youth. Help me in attuning with
the energies adrift on the enchanted night air.
I give thanks.
Reflect upon the purification you have underdone. Feel the powers of nature flowing through you, washing you clean with divine energy.
Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast
The circle is released.
Litha Lore
Midsummer is practically the classic time to perform magics of all kinds. Healings, love magic and protection are especially suitable. Hers can be dried over the ritual fire if you’re celebrating out doors. Leap the fire for purification and renewed energy.
Fresh fruits are standard fare for Midsummer.
Lughnasadh Aug 1
Lughnasadh is the time of the first harvest, when the plants of spring wither and drop their fruits or seed for our use as well as to ensure future crops. Mystically, so too does the God lose His strength as the Sun rises farther in the South each day and the nights grow longer. The Goddess watches in sorrow and joy as She realizes that the God is dying, and yet lives on inside Her as Her child.
Place upon the altar sheaves of wheat, barley or oats, fruit and breads, perhaps a loaf fashioned in the figure of the Sun or a man to represent the God. Corn dollies, symbolic of the goddess, can be present there as well.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the altar, holding aloft the sheaves of grain, saying these or similar words:
Now is the time of the First Harvest,
when bounties of nature give of themselves
so that we may survive.
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,
grant me the understanding of sacrifice as you
prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the
Goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon,
teach me the secrets of rebirth
as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.
Rub the heads of the wheat with your fingers so that the grains fall onto the altar. Lift a piece of fruit and bite, savouring it's flavour, and say:
I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies
with mine that I may continue my quest for the starry
wisdom of perfection.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses,
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.
May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in
the Mother’s breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth
of the coming Spring.
Consume the rest of the fruit.
Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
The circle is released.
Lughnasadh Lore
It is appropriate to plant the seeds from the fruit consumed in ritual. If they sprout, grow the plant with love and as a symbol of your connection with the Goddess and God.
Wheat weaving (the making of corn dollies, etc.) is an appropriate activity for Lughnasadh. Visits to fields, orchards, lakes and wells are also traditional.
The foods of Lughnasadh include bread, blackberries and all berries, acorns (leached of the poisons first), crab apples, all grains and locally ripe produce. A cake is sometimes baked, and cider is used in place of wine.
If you do make a figure of the God from bread, it can be used in the Simple Feast.
Mabon circa Sept 21
Mabon is the completion of the harvest begun at Lughnasadh. Once again day and night are equal, poised as the God prepares to leave His physical body and begin the great adventure into the unseen, toward renewal and rebirth of the Goddess. Nature declines, draws back its bounty, readying for winter and its time of rest The Goddess nods in the weakening sun, though fire burns within Her womb. She feels the presence of the God even as He wanes.
Decorate the altar with acorns, oak sprigs, pine and cypress cones, ears of corn, wheat stalks and other fruits and nuts. Also place there a small rustic basket filled with dried leaves of various colours and kinds.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the altar, holding aloft the basket of leaves, and slowly scatter them so that they cascade to the ground within the circle. Say such words as these:
Leaves fall,
the days grow cold.
The Goddess pulls her mantle of Earth around Her
as You, O Great Sun God, sail toward the West
to the land of eternal enchantment,
wrapped in the coolness of night.
Fruits ripen, seeds drip,
the hours of day and night are balanced.
Chill winds blow in from the North wailing laments.
In this seeming extinction of nature’s power, O Blessed
Goddess, I know that life continues.
For spring is impossible without the second harvest,
as surely as life is impossible without death.
Blessings upon you, O Fallen God, as you journey into
the lands of winter and into the Goddess’ loving arms.
Place the basket down and say:
O Gracious Goddess of all fertility, I have sown and
reaped the fruits of my actions, good and bane.
Grant me the courage to plant seeds of joy and love in
the coming year, banishing misery and hate. Teach me the secrets
of wise existence upon the planet.
O luminous one of the night!
Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
The circle is released.
Mabon Lore
A traditional practice is to walk in wild places and forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants. Some of these can be used to decorate the home; others saved for future herbal magic.
The foods of Mabon consist of the second harvest’s gleanings, so grains, fruit and vegetables predominate, especially corn. Corn bread is traditional fare, as are beans and baked squash.
Samhain Oct 31
At samhain, the Wicca say farewell to the God. This is a temporary farewell. He isn't wrapped in eternal darkness, but readies to be reborn of the Goddess at Yule. Samhain is a time of reflection, of looking back over the last year, of coming to terms with the one phenomenon of life over which we have no control - death. The Wicca feel that on this night the separation between the physical and spiritual realities is thin. Wiccans remember their ancestors and all those who have gone before.
Place upon the altar apples, pomegranates, pumpkins, squashes and other late autumn fruits. Autumn flowers such as marigolds and chrysanthemums are fine too. Write on a piece of paper an aspect of your life which you wish to be free of: anger, a baneful habit, misplaced feelings, disease. The cauldron or some similar tool must be present before the altar as well, on a trivet or some other heat-proof surface (if the legs aren’t long enough). A small, flat dish marked with an eight-spoked wheel symbol should also be there.
Prior to the ritual, sit quietly and think of friends and loved ones who have passed away. Do not despair. Know that they have gone on to greater things. Keep firmly in mind that the physical isn’t the absolute reality, and that souls never die.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones..
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Lift one of the pomegranates and, with your freshly-washed white-handled knife, pierce the skin of the fruit. Remove several seeds and place them on the wheel-marked dish. Raise your wand, face the altar and say:
On this night of Samhain I mark your passing,
O Sun King, through the sunset into the Land of the Young.
I mark also the passing of all who have gone before,
and all who will go after. O Gracious Goddess,
Eternal Mother, You who gives birth to the fallen,
teach me to know that in the time of the greatest
darkness there is the greatest light.
Taste the pomegranate seeds; burst them with your teeth and savour their bittersweet flavour. Look down at the eight-spoked symbol on the plate; the wheel of the year, the cycle of the seasons, the end and beginning of all creation.
Light a fire within the cauldron (a candle is fine). Sit before it holding the piece of paper, gazing at its flames. Say:
Wise One of the Waning Moon,
Goddess of the starry night,
I create this fire within your cauldron
to transform that which is plaguing me.
May the energies be reversed:
From darkness, light!
From bane, good!
From death, birth!
Light the paper in the cauldron’s flame and drop it inside. As it burns, know that your ill diminishes, lessens and finally leaves you as it is consumed within the universal fires.
If you wish, you may attempt scrying or some other form of divination, for this is a perfect time to look into the past or future. Try to recall past lives too, if you will. But leave the dead in peace. Honour them with your memories but do not call them to you. Release any pain and sense of loss you may feel into the cauldron’s flames.
Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
The circle is released.
Samhain Lore
It is traditional on Samhain night to leave a plate of food outside the home of the souls of the dead. A candle placed in the window guides them to the lands of eternal summer, and burying apples in the hard-packed earth "feeds" the passed ones on their journey.
For food, beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wines and pumpkin dishes are appropriate, as are meat dishes.
Esbats
Esbats are full moon rites, celebrated at night when the Goddess's powers are at their highest. There are 12 or 13 per year.
This ritual can be performed indoors with candles lit, or outdoors gazing at the moon, feeling the energy entering you while you say these words:
Wondrous Lady of the Moon
You who greets the dusk with silvered kisses;
Mistress of the night and of all magics,
who rides the clouds in blackened skies
and spills light upon the cold Earth;
O Lunar Goddess,
Crescented-One,
Shadow maker and shadow breaker;
Revealer of mysteries past and present;
Puller of seas and ruler of women;
All-wise Lunar Mother,
I greet Your celestial jewel
at the waxing of its powers
With a rite in Your honor.
I pray by the moon,
I pray by the moon,
I pray by the moon.
After meditating at the end of this ritual for a few minutes, magic of all types can then be performed.
This is taken from Scott Cunningham´s book "Wicca, A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner"
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