If you've ever looked at a pagan calendar and felt immediately overwhelmed, you're not alone. There are eight sabbats, each with their own history, correspondences, rituals, foods, crystals, deities, and traditions. Multiply that by the dozens of books and websites all giving slightly different information, and something meant to bring you closer to nature starts to feel like homework.
We started Raven in a World Tree because we felt exactly this way. Between us, we have years of practice — and we still sometimes struggle to find the time and energy to mark each turn of the Wheel the way we'd like to. So we stopped trying to do it perfectly, and started doing it simply. Here's what that looks like for us.
What Is the Wheel of the Year?
The Wheel of the Year is a cycle of eight seasonal festivals — called sabbats — spaced roughly six weeks apart throughout the year. They mark the solstices, equinoxes, and the cross-quarter days between them. Together they follow the natural rhythm of the sun, the seasons, and the agricultural cycle that our ancestors lived by.
The eight sabbats are:
- Samhain (October 31) — the pagan new year; the veil between worlds is thin
- Yule (Winter Solstice, ~December 21) — the longest night; the return of the light
- Imbolc (February 1) — first stirrings of spring; Brigid's fire
- Ostara (Spring Equinox, ~March 21) — balance and new beginnings
- Beltane (May 1) — fire, fertility, and the height of spring
- Litha (Summer Solstice, ~June 21) — the longest day; the peak of the sun's power
- Lughnasadh (August 1) — first harvest; gratitude and abundance
- Mabon (Autumn Equinox, ~September 21) — second harvest; preparation and balance
Why It Feels Complicated (And Why It Doesn't Have To Be)
The Wheel of the Year accumulated a lot of baggage in the 20th century. Different traditions emphasize different things. Celtic, Norse, Wiccan, and eclectic approaches all frame the same festivals differently. Add in the internet and its endless lists of "correct" correspondences, and it's easy to feel like you're doing it wrong before you've even started.
Here's our honest view: there is no wrong way to mark the seasons. The point is to notice them — to step outside, look at the sky, feel the temperature change, and acknowledge that time is moving and the earth is turning. Everything else is optional.
Three Ways We Keep It Simple
1. Use a physical tracker
One of the reasons we created our Alder Wood Sabbat Tracker was because we wanted something tactile — something we could hang on the wall and actually see. When the next sabbat is visible in your space, you're far more likely to notice when it's approaching. Digital calendars get buried. A physical wheel on your wall doesn't.
2. Do one thing, not eight
You don't need a full ritual, a feast, and an altar rearrangement for every sabbat. Light a candle. Go for a walk and notice what's changing outside. Cook one seasonal meal. Write one sentence in your journal about what this time of year means to you. One intentional act is infinitely more meaningful than a perfect ritual you never got around to doing.
3. Follow the season, not the date
The sabbat dates are approximate — they're tied to astronomical events and traditional agrarian timing, but the actual feeling of each season doesn't arrive on a single day. If Imbolc falls on February 1st but the first snowdrops don't appear until the 15th in your part of the world, mark it then. The Wheel of the Year is a relationship with nature, not a compliance calendar.
A Place to Start
If you're new to tracking the Wheel of the Year, our Sabbat Tracker is a beautiful and practical starting point — it keeps all eight sabbats visible at once and helps you stay oriented throughout the year. And if you want a deeper foundation in the practice, our Workbook of Shadows walks you through the basics in a clear, step-by-step way.
The Wheel is always turning. You don't have to catch every spoke — just enough to feel the rhythm.
— Daniel & Sue, Raven in a World Tree