Embracing Change Through the Wheel of the Year - Part 2
A guide to seasonal rituals & spiritual growth inspired by nature's rhythm
Part 2 - Lughnasadh to Yule
Seasons of the Soul: Changing with the Wheel of the Year
• Lughnasadh • Mabon • Samhain • Yule
In the second half of the year, a beautiful shift begins to unfold. The light softens, energy slows, and the call to turn inward becomes hard to ignore.
While the first half of the year is filled with rising energy—planting, growing, and shining—the next four sabbats guide us through the descent: the sacred practices of harvesting, releasing, remembering, and resting.
This part of the Wheel doesn’t demand production; it invites us to listen.
As we transition from Lughnasadh’s gratitude to Yule’s stillness, we witness how nature embodies a gentler way of growth, honoring death as a vital part of the cycle and embracing quiet as a profound form of wisdom.
Let us follow the falling leaves and early sunsets, uncovering the wisdom they offer.
Lughnasadh
Theme: • Harvest • Gratitude • First Fruits
Lughnasadh’s Message: Celebrate the work you've done, even if you're not "done."
Myth: Named after the Celtic god Lugh, this is the first harvest festival of the year.
Ritual Idea: Bake something from scratch. Before the first bite, offer a word of thanks to Mother Earth.
Mabon
Theme: • Balance • Gratitude • Release
Mabon’s Message: Not all growth is visible. Honor the quiet shifts.
Myth: Sometimes called “Witches’ Thanksgiving.”
Ritual Idea: Make a gratitude bundle, like a bouquet of fall leaves, write down what you’re thankful for, tie it with twine, and place it in nature.
Samhain
Theme: Death, Ancestors, Transformation
Samhain’s Message: Let go. Trust the endings. The veil is thin; your wisdom is deep.
Myth: The original Halloween. The veil between worlds is at its thinnest.
Ritual Idea: Create an ancestor altar with photos or mementos. Light a candle and offer your gratitude.
Yule (Winter Solstice)
Theme: Rest, Reflection, Rebirth
Yule’s Message: Even the dark is sacred. Light returns, but not before the stillness.
Myth: The Holly King is at his strongest, but the Oak King is born anew.
Ritual Idea: Write down one thing you're releasing and one thing you're calling in. Burn it (safely) and watch the smoke rise with your prayer.
Part 2 Wrap-Up
Nature does not fear endings or resist change. It embraces the exhale, the exhale, understanding that rest is not the opposite of growth but an essential part of it.
As we enter the second half of the Wheel, we are reminded that the harvest is sacred, grief is wise, and rest is revolutionary. Just like the Earth, you have the right to pull back, slow down, and begin anew.
The Wheel continues to turn, and with it, so do you.
