Celtic Holidays and Calendars - Magical Path Through the Year

Celtic Calendars

& Holidays

Though the original versions of ancient Celtic calendars have been lost, it appears that the Celts used a lunar calendar, based on the thirteen full moons of the solar year, as well as recognizing solar Solstices, Equinoxes, and the all-important cross-quarter days between them.

Beltaine and Samhain, are the most important cross-quarter holidays of they year. They appear to be based on the rising and setting (respectively) of the Pleiades star system from which, it is rumored, the Shide or Elvin race originally came to Earth.

Lunar Tree Calendar

Neo-pagan Celts often use the lunar tree calendar created by Robert Graves, which is based on the Ogham tree alphabet. There is some controversy about whether all of the letters of the Ogham were actually named for trees, but it is clear that some of them were.

The calendar below depicts the trees of the Ogham tree alphabet, representing the thirteen months of the lunar year. It is unlikely that it was used by the ancient Celts, but it has now become part of the living tradition of modern Celtic magic.

Interesting article on Ogham and the tree calendar

Solar Quarter & Cross-quarter Days

Quarter and Cross-quarter days are well-documented ancient celebrations of the seasonal changes of the solar year. This wheel of the year is generally accepted in modern magical traditions. Beginning and ending with Samhain (Halloween), which is commonly recognized as the "Celtic New Year," on October 31st, each holiday has a particular meaning and feeling to it.

Based on the length of daylight relative to darkness, this solar calendar celebrates eight main holidays through the year. The Solstices represent the masculine - positive pole and the Equinoxes represent the feminine - negative pole.

Each Solstice or Equinox is related to one of the four directions, or "airts." Litha - Summer Solstice, the longest day, is related to the element of Fire and the South, while Yule - Winter Solstice, the longest night, is connected with the element of Air and North. Ostara - Spring Equinox represents Earth and East, while Mabon - Autumn Equinox represents the Water element and the West. Day and night are exactly equal on the Equinoxes.

Between each of these quarter days are the cross-quarter days, which are the most important holidays and are considered even more magically powerful. Just as a crossroads, twilight, or any place or time "between" one thing and another is more powerful for working magic, the times exactly between the quarters are doorways into the Otherworld. This is why Samhain, Beltaine, Imbolc, and Lughnasa are so widely celebrated in the Celtic tradition, with Samhain and Beltaine, being the most important holidays of all.

Due to the fact that Druids, witches, wizards, and anyone else who might have kept these traditions alive, were systematically persecuted, and that they did not believe in writing things down, we really have very little solid evidence about who they were, and how they actually lived and celebrated. Yet modern magical historians have been able to piece together a semblance of their traditions by studying the ancient myths, gathering folk lore, and intuitively "channeling" information.

What is important is that the information works in our modern magical context, and that it forms a cohesive whole. The Celtic magical tradition is still evolving and it always will be. It can never be "nailed down."

Faehallows E-mail Magic Course

To learn more about these fascinating calendars, the Celtic Holidays, the Ogham tree alphabet, and how to use them in your magical practice, sign up for the Celtic Mystery School Magical E-mail Correspondence Course.

The Faery Calendar

This wheel of the year includes the Four Sacred Hallows of the Irish faerie tradition, as well as the eight chakras of the Hindu tradition. Since the Celts are an Indo-European race, it makes sense to recognize the chakras in our magical tradition. There are eight main chakras in the human body, including the hypothalamus (between the heart and throat chakras), which is said to be the newest chakra we are developing.

A vision of this calendar came to me in the middle of the night. When I saw it with the related colors, I was amazed at how the rainbow spectrum and the chakras all fit together within the context of the magical wheel of the year.

Though it appears to begin with Ostara, the true beginning and ending is Samhain, for things are not always as they appear. Though this calendar can be seen as a spiral, it is also a circle that turns again upon itself.

Imagine a spiral within the circle of the year, starting with red at the outside in the East, and ending with violet at Imbolc, spinning into white in the center of the circle, as follows:

1. Ostara - Spring Equinox

the first, or root chakra is our physical center that "roots" us to Earth and survival

the color red

the Stone of the Four Hallows

the direction East

the element Earth

(The Stone is also connected with the Christian feast of Easter - the stone that was rolled away from the tomb. And Easter, the root of which is Ostara, also contains the word "East.")

2. Beltaine

the Second, or polarity chakra is connected with balance, sexuality, and community

the color orange

3. Litha -Summer Solstice

the third, or solar plexus chakra is our mental center, connected with individuality, will, and personal power

the color yellow

the Sword of the Four Hallows

the direction South

the element Fire

4. Lughnasa

the fourth, or heart chakra represents our connection with others and the balance between physical and spiritual

the color green

5. Mabon - Autumn Equinox

the fifth, or hypothalamus chakra is our emotional center which is connected with unconditional love

the color aqua or turquoise

the Cup or Cauldron of the Four Hallows

the direction West

the element Water

6. Samhain

the sixth, or throat chakra where we speak our truth

the color blue

7. Yule - Winter Solstice

the seventh, or third eye chakra is our spiritual center, governing intuition, perception of Spirit, and the Otherworld

the color indigo

the Spear or Wand of the Four Hallows

the direction North

the element Air

8. Imbolc

the eighth, or crown chakra is our connection with Source and the portal to our Inner World where we find Oneness

the color violet

9. Center

Oneness, wholeness, and balance

the color white - which is all spectral colors combined in perfect balance

the element Ether