Oak Wisdom agenda

Almost all Pagans celebrate a cycle of eight festivals, which are spaced every six or seven weeks through the year and divide the wheel of the year into eight segments.


The main four festivals have Celtic origins and are known by their Celtic names. They are Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. The rites practiced at these festivals help to attune yourself with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the moon and the seasonal quarters.

The other four festivals are related to the solar calendar. These are: Spring Equinox, Autumn Equinox, Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice or, as they are called in the Celtic tradition: Alban Eilir, Alban Hefin, Alban Elfed and Alban Arthan. Neolithic sites such as Stonehenge (UK) and Pömmelte (DE) act as gigantic solar calendars which marked the solstices and equinoxes and show that solar festivals have been significant dates for thousands of years.


At the “Keltische Schule für Naturspiritualität“Oak Wisdom – in Altdorf bei Nürnberg we are regularly celebrating these festivals. When you are interested in learning more about these festivals write us an email at info@oakwisdom.org.

Celtic name



Imbolc           


Alban Eilir      


Beltaine         


Alban Hefin   


Lughnasadh 


Alban Elfed   


Samhain    


Alban Arthan       

Also known as





Spring equinox       




Summer solstice




Autumn equinox




Winter solstice


Calendar date     



2 -feb   


20/21 -mar       


1 -may    


21/22 -jun        


1 -aug         


22/23 -sep    


1 -nov  


21/22 -dec

Theme



First spring festival, season of new-borns


Day and night equally long, start of sowing season


Spring festival; growth and fertility


Power of the Sun, abundance, longest day, declining light


First harvest festival; transformation


Day and night equally long; end of harvest


Endings, beginnings, Otherworld, remembering ancestors


Shortest day, return of the light