An Overview of My Personal Wheel of the Year

As I have mentioned, I go by an eight-holyday Wheel of the Year.  It is not a secret that I'm going by a Wiccan ritual calendar, but this is how I feel on the matter:

It is commonly known that much of the Northlands had three "official" major Blots a year: Yule, the Summer Solstice, and Winternights.  That being said, May Day customs have survived since Anglo-Saxon times, as has Harvest Home/Lammas.  If we are going to strictly reconstruct a Northern practice, it would make sense to do away with the "feasts of the martyrs" and extraneous ahistorical holidays such as "Vali Day" that you find on almost every Heathen calendar, because you know, chocolate and flowers really makes me think of the God of vengeance.

Furthermore, to look at things realistically, we are very much out of touch with Nature.  There may not be much that can be done about the progression of society, marching towards ecological, economical, and political crises.  However, observing an agricultural calendar will keep one mindful of one's relationship to the Earth.  Three major rituals seems to be too few, whereas eight seems to be about right (and it is noted that Sleipnir, Odin's steed who can travel between the worlds, has eight legs).  Even in parts of the world where the climate is not like that of Scandinavia -- Southern California, for example -- there are changes in vegetation and animal behavior pertaining to the station of the calendar.  And it should go without saying that the rules completely change when dealing with the Otherworlds.  Vanaheim, for example, gets a four-season agricultural cycle much like you would find in England or New England.  Niflheim, by contrast, is always frozen, and Muspellheim is always hot.  Since I am focused on the Vanir, it makes sense to work with a calendar reflecting the changes of the year as it pertains to Vanaheim.

That being said, my Wheel of the Year observations are Vanic-focused yet not strictly Vanic, as I'm aware that the Vanir have alliances with Aesir and Jotnar, and so They factor into my rites in the spirit of frith-weaving and friendship.  My perceptions of what each holytide stands for may be agreed upon or disagreed upon by Heathen groups but since it is for my own personal practice, it has to be personally relevant to me; however, I think people looking at a Vanic-focused Northern Tradition practice, while still honoring Aesir and Jotnar, can appreciate my version of the Wheel of the Year, and observe and adapt as they feel appropriate.


Yuletide -- Winter Solstice to New Year's Day
The "peak" of Yuletide is a commemoration of the truce between the Aesir and Vanir.  The Jotnar, Aesir, and Vanir are hailed alike during these twelve days, as well as the beloved dead, Alfar, and Duergar.  The focus is on gifting and good will.

Charming of the Plow -- around February 2nd
Celebrating the relationship between Frey and Gerda, and Their energy is given to bless items for mundane work (e.g. seeds for gardening, power tools, kitchen utensils, books, computers -- anything involved in a trade or profession).

Eostre -- Spring Equinox
The Vanir Goddess Idunna/Eostre is hailed as the keeper of the sacred apples which gives health and life to the Gods.  The Gods are also blessed with our own healing energy.

Walpurgisnacht, Beltaine -- April 30th/May 1st
On Walpurgisnacht, the night before Beltaine, Freyja, Nerthus, and Holda are honored as the Goddesses of the Vanir, and the bearers of the knowledge of Witchcraft.  Their magick is sought, that of beauty/sexuality, life/death, and wisdom/competence.  On Beltaine proper, Frey and Freyja ritually mate for the fertility and sexual pleasure of the Nine Worlds, and the life of The Tree itself is sustained for another year with the force of Their orgasms.  Dancing the Maypole is symbolically weaving Wyrd around and through Yggdrasil to manifest need and desires.

Summer Solstice
Sunna is given honor as the bearer of light to all of the Nine Worlds, and the Nine Worlds are blessed with loving and warm thought.  The Gods are hailed by turns, with loving and warm thought given Them as well.

Lammas/Loaf-fest -- around August 1st
Frey is sacrificed and returned, foods of grain are shared out among the people, and Frey gives guidance and blessings to individuals who honor Him.

Harvest -- the Fall Equinox
Commemoration of Sif's hair being cut off, and Loki's gifts to the Gods, which is symbolic of the harvest and the financial prosperity it brings.  A feast is had and gold pieces can be distributed to the gathered attendants for luck in the coming year.  Sif, Loki, Odin, Thor, and Frey are honored in this rite.

Feast of the Dead -- October 31st-November 2nd
The death Deities of the three Northern tribes are honored: Odin is honored as the Valfather, Nerthus is honored as Devouring Mother, and Hela is honored as Keeper of the Dead.  Ancestors and beloved dead are given offerings, and a list of those who were murdered in my locality (esp. the Los Angeles area) is read off to be mourned.


Also, it should be noted that there is a polarity with my observance of the holytides.

On the Summer Solstice, Sunna is honored primarily, but all the Gods and Nine Worlds are hailed and blessed.  On the Winter Solstice, that is, Yule, all the Gods and wights are blessed again, especially on "High Yule" when gifts can be given to specific Deities.

At the Charming of the Plow, Frey and Gerda are honored in Their courtship and marriage.  At the opposite end of the year, during Lammas, Frey's sacrifice and return is honored.

On Walpurgisnacht, we see the "spooky faces" of the Vanir Goddesses, and on Beltaine we see the life and vitality the Vanir bring.  At the opposite end of the year, during the Feast of the Dead, we see the Gods in Their death-dealing capacity.

On Eostre, the story of Idunna being kidnapped by Loki is recounted, to demonstrate Her importance as keeper of the sacred apples.  At the opposite end of the year, during Harvest, the story of the Vanic Goddess Sif's hair being cut off by Loki, and His wergild resulting in the Gods' best gifts, is recounted.

(C) 2008 Sigrun Freyskona.