Wiccan Holidays in the Southern Hemisphere

What is the Wheel of the Year, or Wiccan holidays, for those in the Southern Hemisphere?

It gets a little tricky, since Wicca was created in the Northern Hemisphere. Since it's a nature religion, an Earth religion, this makes a big difference.

After all, a Midsummer ritual in the North happens in June.

In the South, though, this is midwinter!

So what does a Southern Witch do?

The Controversy

There are two schools of thought.

1. One viewpoint is that the Sabbats should be celebrated as they were originally created to be... in other words, Samhain is Oct 31, regardless of where you live.
   In the Southern Hemisphere, even though you are just gearing up to summer on Oct 31, this perspective says that you celebrate the cleansing and releasing, the honouring of the dead just as you would if you lived in the Northern Hemisphere.

2. The other viewpoint is that Wicca is a nature religion which must, if it is to be alive and not merely dogmatic procedure, fit your own circumstances.
   So this perspective says that when the Southern Hemisphere is gearing up for spring, you would celebrate Wiccan rituals of Spring. Regardless of what Northern Witches are doing.

Be True To Yourself

Since the only Law of Wicca (the Wiccan Rede) is to "do as ye will, an it harm none," it's really up to you to decide how you want to celebrate the Sabbats.

My personal opinion is that it can't be real or meaningful if the Wiccan Wheel of the Year violates your own experience.

Not to mention... every season has its own energy. When you work in harmony with that energy, you increase the power of your ritual. Working in contrast to it, naturally, decreases the flow.

And this is the way most Southern Wiccans have rituals: in accord with their own natural seasons.

So if you'd like a Southern version of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, here it is...

Major Wiccan Holidays for the Southern Hemisphere

WICCAN SABBAT	ALT. NAME	ASSOCIATED HOLIDAY	EARTH EVENT	DATE	OCCASION
Samhain		Hallowe'en	15° Taurus	May 1	Pagan New Year, Honouring the Dead, Cleansing and releasing
Yule		Christmas	Winter Solstice	~ Jun 21	Rebirth, Life triumphs over death
Bridgid	Imbolc	Candlemas	15° Leo	Aug 1	Purification, Initiation, Dedication
Eostara	Lady Day	Easter	Spring Equinox	~ Sep 21	Conception, Regeneration, New Beginnings
Beltane	May Day	May Day	15° Scorpio	Oct 31	Passion that fuels Life, Joy, Fertility
Litha	Midsummer		Summer Solstice	~ Dec 21	Transition, Planning
Lammas	Lughnasadh	First Harvest	15° Aquarius	Feb 2	Gratitude, Abundance, Fruition
Mabon		Thanksgiving (Second Harvest)	Autumn Equinox	~ Mar 21	Giving thanks, Reflection

With Brightest Blessings,

erin Dragonsong

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