Yule is coming around the corner, and soon someone will most likely be wishing you a happy new year. Most of us honor the end of the year on October 31. The first day of the new year may be November 1, or it may be on Yule or Imbolc. When the first day of the new year falls depends on your point of view. If you choose to celebrate it on Yule or Imbolc, you will probably view the time in between as a period of rest. This year Yule will arrive on December 21 at 10:03 am EST, and the moon will be a barely visible waxing crescent. This creates a wonderful moment for magic that opens the way to new beginnings. To learn more about the Pagan celebration of Yule, you can explore my post HERE .
Now let us turn to the ideas of linear and cyclical time. Linear time moves ever forward in a pattern that does not repeat. It is the form of time we observe in our modern lives. Cyclical time is the awareness of time moving in circles, and it can even be imagined as a spiral. The greatest cycle we experience is the cycle of life, death and rebirth. It offers hope that life continues, although it may be a new one. Who can say whether we would want to return to life as we know it? Death is understood as a natural part of the cycle. Do you remember anything before you were born? Most likely not. It could make you wonder about your existence before you was conceived. That should give pause to your fear of death. In our modern society death is often feared, yet many see birth as a more difficult passage than death.
Next comes the Wheel of the Year, during which we celebrate the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. All the dates given are for the Northern Hemisphere, and the dates for the Southern Hemisphere are about 6 months different. Yule is the first sabbat, falling on December 21 or 22. It holds the shortest day and the longest night of the year and marks the first day of astronomical winter. This is the moment when the God is reborn. About six weeks later Imbolc falls on February 2. In Celtic thought it is the start of spring. This is when the young Goddess and God experience the first blush of romance. In another six weeks on March 19 or 20 is Ostara, the astronomical start of spring. In about another six weeks (Do you see a pattern?) comes Beltane on May 1. It ushers in the light half of the year and is the Celtic start of summer. This is the time of the Great Rite when, for the first time in the year the Goddess and God join in union. In about another six weeks is Midsummer also called Litha. It falls on June 20 or 21 and is the astronomical start of summer with the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The Goddess and God are in their fullness. In about another six weeks comes the first of the three harvest festivals, Lughnasadh, which falls on August 1. On Lughnasadh or on Mabon the God sacrifices himself and dies. About six weeks after that is the second harvest festival, Mabon, which falls from September 21 to 23. It is also known as the Witches’ Thanksgiving. In about yet another six weeks is the third harvest sabbat, Samhain, which falls on October 31. On Samhain the God throws open the gates between the worlds of the living and the dead. Then we start the year all over again. This is cyclical time because it repeats over and over again.
The year is also divided up into segments during which certain constellations rule: the zodiac. Basically it tells you about yourself based on when and where you were born. But, it can also can suggest an auspicious time to do spells. It is a complex system with sun signs, moon signs, rising signs, houses and so on, so I am keeping it simple here. Here are the signs with descriptions of energies and qualities people born under a sign might have.
Aries: March 21 – April 19; Aries tend to be people who are assertive, direct, independent, honest and who are leaders. Their personalities and actions are not subtle. They feel the fear but do not let fear stop them from doing it anyway.
Taurus: April 20 – May 20; People under the sign of Taurus tend be practical, grounded, organized and appreciate stability. They lead organized lives. They value commitment in themselves and others.
Gemini: May 21 – June 20; People born under the sign of Gemini tend to be sociable, great communicators, fun-loving and fast learners. They are great at multitasking. As they are adaptable change does not bother them.
Cancer: June 21 – July 22; Cancerians tend to be people who are intuitive, are in touch with their emotions and who make great care takers. They like to turn their homes into retreats away from the overwhelming world.
Leo: July 23 – August 22; Leos tend to be confident, ambitious, and brave who like to express themselves. They have big hearts. They have a great sense of humor which they use to uplift the mood. They protect those they love.
Virgo: August 23 – September 22; Virgos are modest and are good communicators. They are quick learners, and can acquire new skills quickly. They pay great attention to details, and they like things they do to be kept to a high standard.
Libra: September 23 – October 22; Those born under this sign tend to have a strong moral sense of code. They are easygoing and are great listeners. They value peace and are good mediators.
Scorpio: October 23 – November 21; Scorpios tend to be independent, patient and persistent opting to complete tasks alone. They see the tasks through to their completion. They are good at keeping outward display of emotions in check.
Sagittarius: November 22 – December 21; Sagittarians tend to love adventure and are curious about the world around them. They are optimistic, honest and open-minded. They value independence with a focus on personal growth.
Capricorn: December 22 – January 19; People born under this sign tend to be ambitious with a lot of determination to achieve goals. Even if the going gets tough they persevere in meeting their goals.
Aquarius: January 20 – February 18; Yes, I am born under the sign of Aquarius and we tend to be intelligent, humanitarians and unconventional thinkers. Although we are adaptable, we do not seem to fit in to mainstream society, a quality I have and in which I take great pride.
Pisces: February 19 – March 20; People born under this sign tend to be generous, compassionate, empathetic and creative. They are always willing to help out. They have a great connection to the Universe and appear to be old souls.
If you want to learn more about the zodiac and astrology check out this book by clicking HERE.
The words month and moon come from the same root word.
A moon cycle is approximately 29.5 days, so it is a little less than a month except for February. Starting with the dark moon or new moon, the moon goes through different phases. During the dark moon we generally do not do magick. Next there is the waxing crescent then the waxing gibbous. During the time that the moon is waxing or getting bigger, and it is an auspicious time for spells about growth, attraction and abundance. Then the full moon occurs which is the time for the release of a spell and for celebration. Then during the waning moon, a time during which the moon gets smaller as a waning gibbous then waning crescent, is an auspicious time for spells about decrease and letting go. Then the cycle starts over.
Let us talk about planetary days and hours. Each day of the week is ruled by a “planet”. Two of heavenly bodies are not planets, namely the sun and the moon. The planets are heavenly bodies that can be seen with the naked eye that appear to move or wander. This system was set up in Ancient Rome, long before lenses or the telescope. The following are the days of the week along with the associated planets and basic meanings.
Sunday is ruled by the sun. The sun imparts joy, creativity and energy. This time for getting projects done.
Monday is ruled by the moon. The moon represents the feminine nurturing self. Mondays are a good time to get a massage.
Tuesday is ruled by Mars. Mars is the Roman god of war, and as such, the attributes for this time are strength, aggression and physical activities. This is a good time for running in a race.
Wednesday is ruled by Mercury. Mercury governs the intellect, travel and trade. As such, a grand opening of a business on a Wednesday is a good policy.
Thursday is ruled by Jupiter. King of the Roman gods, Jupiter is associated with growth, healing, freedom and justice. This is a great time to join in a march for justice.
Friday is ruled by Venus. Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Therefore Friday is a great day for spells about love and good looks.
Saturday is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is the Roman god of agriculture and magick is done that encourages growth and bears fruit as well. This a great time to plant seeds, be they metaphorical or actual seeds.
Day and night are another cycle replete with sunrise, noon, sunset and midnight. Throughout the year sunrise and sunset occur at different times creating another cycle.
There are planetary hours for the day. They are like planetary days only they are hours during the day. On line you can find calculators for planetary hours like the one you can find HERE.
Jokingly referred to as Pagan Standard Time, this is the time one can be fashionably late to arrive for an event. Usually it is about fifteen minutes late. Organizers I know generally wait to start the event for fifteen minutes. A ritual gathering often starts with a meditation to get everyone grounded. Someone arriving late can interrupt the flow of the meditation. Pagan Standard Time is not inherently bad, but it is a matter of expectations. For the group are people expected to be on time, or is the start time of a ritual just a suggestion with people welcome if they are late, and if so how late?
Are you curious about traveling through time? Some Wiccans, Witches, Pagans and those who honor the Goddess and/or God practice time travel. Time is bendy which allows you to travel through it. Use meditation or astral projection to travel through time. Yep, you can travel into the past or into the future. You cannot rewrite history, but you can gain wisdom. Do not forget to care for yourself when you decide to travel. Hydrate before and after with a glass of water or a mug of tea, adopt a shield or call upon a spirit guide, and allow some time to be kind to yourself afterward. It is not scary, but it can be a weird experience. Going backwards in time digging up pieces of yourself has been called “soul archeology,” and seeing yourself in a future time after making it through life’s hard lessons can simply be beautiful. Remember to keep a journal for time travel. While you travel do not analyze or force the experience. Go with the flow and stay curious. To learn more about time travel click HERE.
To my friends in the Northern Hemisphere have a joyous Yule, the longest night of the year. To my friends in the Southern Hemisphere rejoice in Midsummer, the longest day of the year.
Auburn Greene
Suggested Investigation:
Astrology.com.tr. “Planetary Hours Calculator,” https://www.astrology.com.tr/planetary-hours.asp.
Manson, Megan. “The Merits of ‘Pagan Standard Time.’” Pagan Tama, June 30, 2016, https://www.patheos.com/blogs/pagantama/2016/06/30/the-merits-of-pagan-standard-time.
Ravenswood, Scarlet. “A Pagan Perspective on the Concept of Time.” Pagan Happy Hour, YouTube 3 years ago, https://www.youtube.com/live/9ViGipprWBQ?si=sR_g18eNfrjt9ZmC
Squire, Lindsay. The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Astrology Magick: Love Yourself Using Magick. Align with the Wisdom of the Stars, Leaping Hare Press, November 8, 2022. https://a.co/d/1brXKPv. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited, Goodreads as well as paperback.
Witches Lore. “The Witch’s Guide to Time Travel.” April 13, 2025. https://witcheslore.com/bookofshadows/witches-workshop/the-witchs-guide-to-time-travel.
My Inner Wiccan 