The eight rituals which make up the Pagan Wheel of the Year. Happening approximately every six and a half weeks, each one revolves around that particular time of the year and follows the sun and the seasons. They are in order, beginning in the late Fall:
Samhain - mid-fall, when the veil between the worlds is thin, and our ancestors may make themselves known. The last of the harvest festivals
Yule - early winter, the longest night and the rebirth of the Sun. The pagans of the habitat assigned Yule the theme of Dormancy, a time of turning inward, choosing to rest and restore after the work is done. The Sabbat of Yule became a time of reflection and looking forward, to remember what was and wish for what might become.
Imbolc - mid-winter, looking for signs of the land returning to fertility.
Ostara - early spring, when the world is balanced with equal portions of day and night. The signs the earth is coming back to life are unmistakable.
Beltane - mid-spring, the land has sprung up into its fertility, and food is plentiful.
Litha - early summer, the longest day, and the harvest comes in as the days begin to shorten.
Lughnasadh -mid-summer, the first of the harvest festivals celebrated when the first grains of the season are ready for harvest. It is also the time when the symbolism of sacrifice is appropriate, marking the time when the God, as the consort of the Goddess, is sacrificed to assure a plentiful harvest. It becomes evident that the days are becoming shorter and the nights longer.
Mabon - early fall, commonly known in the North American habitats as "Pagan Thanksgiving", when most of the food is now safely harvested and stored for the dark of winter. The feast is the festival.