Exploring Pagan Cycles || the moon, the holidays, & the planets

I think that one of the biggest differences between Paganism & other religions such as Christianity is that Pagans see the world as a series of cycles. This is different from the Christian worldview which in my opinion more linear - you live and then you die and you’re in heaven or hell for eternity.

Our Pagan ancestors viewed the world in quite a bit of a different way. You can even see it in the symbolism and the architecture which focuses on understanding the many cycles of life and the wider universe. As a modern Pagan I strive to connect with this more cyclical view of life.

THE CYCLE OF LIFE & DEATH
I think that most Pagans seek to find comfort in understanding the cyclical nature of life & death - that when things die, new life is always around the corner.

In the Pagan worldview the division between the realm of the living & the dead is not like a solid wall; it’s more like a veil. There are even certain points during the year, such as Samhain & Beltane, where this veil is very thin and you have the opportunity to connect with your ancestors and those that have passed on.

THE CYCLE OF THE MOON
Many pagans like to track the movements of the moon and tie certain rituals to the full & new moon. These celebrations are often called Esbats.

Certain phases of the moon can also be used to help enhance spellwork. For example, if you want to create a sigil to bring wealth into your life, it would make sense to create the sigil on a new moon - with each passing day the light of the moon will increase, symbolically connecting with your increase of wealth until the spell finally culminates at the full moon.

THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR
Most Pagan holidays are focused around the solstices and the equinoxes. The earliest pagan civilizations recognized these points in the year as spiritually significant and many ancient pagan buildings were built in a certain way to celebrate these points of the year, such as Stonehenge which is positioned in relation to the solstices.

Most modern Pagan holidays are still based on the cycles of solstices & equinoxes, which is often called the Wheel of the Year. Which Pagan path you choose will determine which points on the wheel of the year you celebrate. For example, Wiccans celebrate 8 holidays in the year which consists of the solstices, the equinoxes, and the points in between.

HOW TO KEEP TRACK OF THE CYCLES
At the start of each month, I usually grab my planner and mark the days of the full & new moon, and any pagan holidays that will be occurring that month. I also sometimes will make notes of any important astrological aspects that will be occurring.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF OBSERVING THE CYCLES?
Well I can only speak for myself, but I have found a lot of joy in connecting with these cycles. Those of you that have been following me for a while know that I love to celebrate the Pagan holidays in the wheel of the year. Each Pagan holiday is unique and helps me to connect with the beauty of nature and the seasons. The esbats and sabbats are ultimately something fun to look forward to and help break up the monotony of day to day life.

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