The wheel of the year is a cycle as old as the earth itself. It turns slowly, clicking at every bend – from light to darkness, from life to death, and back again. Four points – two equinoxes, two solstices, and intermediate points divide the time between these cosmic events into equal intervals. These holidays symbolize the eternal cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth. At the center of this cycle stands the Great Goddess. She manifests in different forms throughout the year, changing with the cycles of nature and reflecting the various stages of existence. Her roles change with the Wheel of the Year:
She is born on Imbolc and becomes a beautiful young girl ready for the love by Ostara. Beltaine is the time of her passion, the manifestation of carnal love and creativity. On Lithu she gives birth to her firstborn son and by Lammas she realizes her role as a mother. On Mabon, her beloved child leaves her and goes on her journey to find her final adulthood and strength, and she is left to evaluate the results of her labors and draw conclusions. By Samhain, she becomes an Old Woman. This is the time of her manifested wisdom and the completion of old deeds. On Yule, the end of the cycle takes place, and preparation for a new turn begins. These images show not only the cycles of nature but also the stages of human life that we go through. We can call these holidays differently, use terms belonging for example to the Celtic tradition or any other, or even invent our own names. It’s not that important. The main thing is that the wheel of the year helps us to synchronize with nature, its rhythms, and changes. Each holiday is not only a tribute to the season but also an opportunity to look inside ourselves, to reflect on the changes that are taking place in our souls and lives. The Great Goddess reminds us in these cycles that change is inevitable, and it is the key to growth, wisdom, and rebirth.
Each half of the year reflects one of the faces of the goddess. Summer and spring represent her bright face, giving life, fertility, growth, and prosperity. Autumn and winter are her dark face, representing destruction, the inevitability of decay, and the renewal that follows. Both faces of light and dark belong to the goddess. Neither of them is better than the other. Light and darkness are eternal companions. We often perceive them as opposites. Light is goodness, clarity, and warmth, darkness is fear, the unknown, and cold. But delving deeper into the essence of these concepts, we can see that one is impossible without the other. Light is born out of darkness, and darkness exists only where there is light. By celebrating the kola year holidays and conducting appropriate rituals we have the opportunity not to be stuck in one of the states, but to move harmoniously between light and darkness together with the goddess. Darkness opens us a space for reflection, for diving into its depths, for self-exploration and purification. Light is the inspiration for action in the outer world and the achievement of results. Darkness gives light a place to manifest, and light illuminates the depths of darkness. Thus through the alternation of light and darkness, there is a slow and inexorable movement of the wheel of the year, which is our life.