An Esbat is a gathering under a full moon to work and celebrate. There are at least twelve full moons a year and sometimes thirteen. Each moon has a specific type of magic and rituals that it favors.
January: The Wolf Moon
•Rituals for independence, good fortune, and changes in luck.
•Rituals for protection in and around the home.
•Rituals for divining the future and for happiness in years to come.
February: The Storm Moon
•Rituals for protection against poverty.
•Rituals for harmony, strengthening existing relationships, and for better communication.
•Rituals for re dedication of purpose and strengthening mind and memory.
•Rituals for travelers and animals.
•Rituals for love and heart matters.
March: The Chaste Moon
•Rituals for freedom and new beginnings.
•Rituals for good judgment and positive action.
•Rituals for banishing sickness, despair, and bad luck.
•Rituals for fertility, abundance, and growth.
•Rituals for children, flowers, and life force.
•Rituals for the moon and mothers.
•Rituals to promote dream divining and clairvoyance.
April: The Seed Moon
•Rituals for planting, crop growth, and good weather.
•Rituals for flowers and things of beauty.
•Rituals for all types of travel and new beginnings.
•Rituals to banish fear and sadness, to dispel anger, hate, and problems.
•Rituals for balance, decisions, truth, progress, and goals.
May: The Lover’s Moon
•Rituals for the goddess, mothers, and female energies.
•Rituals for cleansing mind, body, and spirit.
•Rituals for home and family.
•Rituals to honor the Crone.
•Rituals for love, fertility, prosperity, bounty, and abundance.
•Rituals for beauty, body, and perfection.
June: The Honey Moon
•Rituals for marriage and life partners.
•Rituals for love, unions, and reunions.
•Rituals for wisdom, strength, and endurance.
•Rituals for bounty of the earth.
•Rituals for the Maiden.
•Rituals for conception, youth, or initiation.
July: The Festive Moon
•Rituals for marriage and life partners.
•Rituals for peace, protection, and harmony.
•Rituals for freedom and choices.
•Rituals for enlightenment and intuition.
•Rituals for gathering magical herbs.
August: The Poet’s Moon
•Rituals for the first harvest.
•Rituals for writing, creating, and performing.
•Rituals to remove obstacles and obstructions.
•Rituals to bless perfumes, oils, and incenses.
•Rituals involving Faeries, Gnomes, Elves, and Elements.
•Rituals to promote play times, fantasies, and daydreams.
September: The Fire Moon
•Rituals honoring the second harvest.
•Rituals for banishing negativity.
•Rituals for change.
•Rituals with bonfires.
•Rituals for bounty, dancing, and gardening.
•Rituals for oracles, divinity, and tools.
•Rituals to reveal secrets.
October: The Harvest Moon
•Rituals honoring the third harvest.
•Rituals for protection and safety in travel.
•Rituals to celebrate life and death.
•Rituals for clocks, brooms, and graveyards.
•Rituals for the release of grief and suffering.
•Rituals for healing and clearings.
November: The Hunter’s Moon
•Rituals involving peace and comfort.
•Rituals to bless the kitchen and the hearth.
•Rituals for sunsets, mourning, cleanliness, and purification.
•Rituals involving honor, rest, cauldrons, woodlands, animals, and crafts.
•Rituals for peace among family and friends.
December: The Laughing Moon
•Rituals for honoring the birth of the god child.
•Rituals for success, prosperity, and bounty.
•Rituals for laughing, happiness, and harmony.
•Rituals for birth, beginnings, babies, mothers, and the Mother.
•Rituals to banish sleepiness and stillness.
•Rituals for Winter Faeries.
•Rituals for wishes and hope, as well as gifts and generosity.
The Thirteenth Moon: The Blue Moon
•Rituals for special blessings.
•Rituals to inspire and rededicate life.
•Rituals to make dreams reality.
•Rituals for love, health, and prosperity.
•Rituals to make new or higher goals.
•Rituals involving the purification of magical tools.
-Sabbats-
There are eight holidays a year called Sabbats. Four of the eight are major Sabbats known as Fire Festivals. The other four are minor Sabbats that correspond to the seasons.
Fire Festival: Candlemas
Imbolc
February 1st or 2nd
Candlemas is the Feast of Candles and symbolizes the banishment of winter. This Fire Festival is dedicated to burning out the old and bringing in the new. The days are getting longer and the boy god is growing and learning. This is a time of purification, changes, and fertility. Sprout seedlings and care for your animals and their young. The colors of note are lavender and white. Rituals include the lighting of candles (all colors) to symbolize the power of the sun god. Sweep out any negative or stagnant energy. Feast with wine and cakes.
Season of Spring: Spring Equinox
Ostara
March 22nd
Ostara is the time to plant seeds, reconcile differences, and focus on health, rebirth, change, and fertility. It is also a time of dedication and purpose. Rituals include choosing an indoor plant you wish to grow. Choose a plant that best represents what you desire for the year. For instance, plant peppermint for prosperity or aloe vera for health. Make a runic stick for your plant. Choose an appropriate candle, oil, and incense to burn. As the plant grows, so will your wishes.
Fire Festival: Beltane
May Day
May 1st or 2nd
Rejoice that the sun god has reached manhood. This is a time for beauty, wealth, fertility, and union. The festival colors are red and white; make flower bouquets, maypoles, and colored eggs. Rituals include coloring hard boiled eggs and serving them at a Beltane feast. Crack another egg into a glass of water and light a floating candle near the yolk to scry the future. Create brightly colored woven baskets to give to your loved ones.
Season of Summer: Summer Solstice
Litha
June 22nd
Litha is the longest day of the year and is also known as Midsummer’s Day. It is a time to collect magical herbs and store them for winter. Colors are red and yellow. Find field faeries and elves and ask them for their help in achieving your desires. Rituals include walking sky-clad through the garden for fertility. Bathe in a stream at midnight to encourage faeries to approach you. Harvest magical herbs, leaving one third of the plant in insure its growth. Tonight is the night to harvest the mandrake. Create a decorative wreath of fallen feathers.
Fire Festival: Lammas
Lughnassadh
August 1st or 2nd
The days start to shorten. This is the first harvest of fruits and grains. Harvest the remaining magical herbs. This is the Festival of Faeries. Be thankful for the bounty and prepare for autumn. Rituals include feasts with bread as the main course. Decorate your home with fruits and vegetables. Clean your broom and make a point to complete an unfinished project.
Season of Fall: Autumn Equinox
Mabon
September 22nd
This is the time for the second harvest. The veil between worlds grows thin. The goddess is in full bounty while the god ages steadily. Rest and fill your inner emotional well. Honor the rivers and streams. All remaining plants and herbs may be harvested. Colors are orange, red, gold, and brown. Prepare a cornucopia. This is an excellent time to create dolls and poppets. Collect fallen leaves to make a wreath. Toast to the god with cider and cakes. Cast binding spells against negativity.
Fire Festival: Samhain
All Hallow’s Eve
October 31st
This is the time of the final harvest. The god has died and the goddess ripens. The veil between worlds is at its weakest. Witches should dress traditionally in black when sleeping so as to be identified by carousing fey. Rest and honor the spirits. Colors are orange and black. The feast should include the bounty from your harvest. Rituals include decorating with gourds and cornucopias. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds to promote romance. Offer rituals for the persecuted witches of the past and for the tragedy of the Burning Times.
Season of Winter: Winter Solstice
Yule
December 22nd
The rebirth of the sun god and the pledge of the returning sun. This is the shortest day of the year. Colors are red and green. The beginning of the death of winter and for the spring to come to end are the focus points of the festival. This is a time for enlightenment and to increase intelligence. Rituals include the making of holly and ivy wreaths for protection. Kiss under a mistletoe for love. Give gifts to promote harmony of heart.
