Everything Under the Moon

Just wondering if any wiccans, witches, or pagans who don’t celebrate the sabbats and why?

Sometimes I just don't feel inspired, so I gave myself permission to pick & choose according to weather conditions & my gimpy, arthritic status at the moment. Ive always been solitaire so can suit myself. I don't work with "a" deity but just the forces of Nature which are divine enough. Nobody's bothered if I skip but me. If I want the communion I have only to make the effort. What I cannot do is active celebrations any more so by default observance is now a folding chair outdoors & star gazing if weather permits; a travel mug of tea & something to share. I'd made a tradition of making popcorn just for the birds to share & sometimes popcorn's all I can manage; I mean why should they go without just because I'm in a gimpy funk?

The seasons will come & go whether I'm there to notice or not. Their flux & reflux will still flow with or without me. I can choose to be part of it or not. Same goes with the Esbats, although I am partial to a clear, full moonlit night when I can get one, just to schmooze with nature.

I'm rather new to this stuff so I've skipped some. Thinking about changing that next year though. I tend to stick up more with ancient Finnish holidays, midsummer and yule being the biggest parties, also there's Kekri which corresponds with samhain/halloween, the time is around the same and I think also some of the reasons for celebration. That holiday used to be bigger thing than christmas in before times.

Moon Petal wrote:Just wondering if any wiccans, witches, or pagans who don’t celebrate the sabbats and why?

If we're speaking broadly, there are some pagan recon groups that don't celebrate the sabbats, since they're a more modern construct semi-based on Celtic and Norse holidays, and other pagan cultures had their own holidays. For example, Hellenic (Greek) pagans have a completely different festival calendar that looks more like this - http://www.hellenion.org/2019calendar/ It includes both monthly and yearly festivals, and sometimes festivals that take place every fourth year. Basically, any recon pagan that's not Celtic or Germanic will have their own culture's calendar - and even stricter Celtic and Germanic recons might not use the wheel, as again, it's modern. Some witchcraft groups also have their own festival calendars. That said, sometimes these folks will still celebrate the wheel in groups because it's more widely known and practiced among pagans, and it can be a way to stay connected to the broader pagan community.

Speaking personally, I celebrate the wheel as part of my witchcraft practice, as it aligns very well with the seasons where I live, but I do also follow many Hellenic festivals being a Hellenic pagan as well.

I just don’t think I want to celebrate the sabbats though I do want to do full moon rituals.

It's your path. You get to do what you want.

But isn’t it considered wrong to not celebrate the sabbats?

I guess its up to everybody's own decision if they do or not? Unless you're devoted to a practice in which its held in a high importance. Or being a member of a coven who do it for example? I think its a good thing to do, no matter which holidays you follow.

I should find out how closely the Finnish tradition follows the timing of sabbats, its mostly quite close as our tradition follows the seasons which are well defined in our climate. Although the "new year" starts at weird point kind of, it starts with the winter, so kekri/samhain is the last holiday(s) of the year, with the dying of the nature is seen as the end and the darkest time of the year is the beginning. Bit like how the moon is dark just before it starts to grow again.

Moon Petal I can't say what's right/wrong for another Crafer. We each discover what we believe and decide whether or not to follow our beliefs; & how to do so within our means.

It's a good thing to really feel what draws you to observe the Moon's. Like what do you give to the practice & what do you get out of it? See if you can apply that same give & take feeling to seasonal Sabbats if you want to know anything about them. If you aren't getting anything out of a practice you can adjust. Solitary practice is self-guided. What makes the most sense?

Edit:
Just 'cuz you don't want to ... well, if you thinks it's "wrong" then you're not comfortable with that or we wouldn't be chatting . How to move to a comfortable place? Probably just being honest to yourself on why you don't want to observe the Sabbats is enough; just think on it (I don't need to know that.)

Moon Petal wrote:But isn’t it considered wrong to not celebrate the sabbats?

Unless you have been initiated into a group practice where it's been very clearly established that the sabbats are a necessary part of the tradition, then no, it's not wrong at all. The eight sabbats aren't an ancient/universal practice. The vast majority of ancient pagan cultures didn't celebrate the sabbats as they have come to be known. They're based on old holidays from a few cultures, and some modern mythos in many cases. As many ancient pagans didn't even know these holidays, many modern ones do not celebrate them, either. Especially those living in climates that are very different from the Celtic/Norse regions these holidays were taken from.

You have to do what works for you, and what makes sense for your path and practice. If that's focusing more on the moon cycles, that's fine - and many ancient pagan calendars did the same. If in the future you want to celebrate the sabbats or other holidays, you can always add them into your practice as you go, but there's no need to force them in.

I guess because I live in the Southern Hemisphere, it seems weird to celebrate them at different times.

I’m more drawn to the moon because it looks so mystical, and I’ve read that magick is at it’s strongest during a full moon.

Have you looked into traditional rites of Polynesia ? The Haka has alot of elements to it and is a powerful rite just to watch, and there must be myths and stories of the local peoples. Stories of the harvest, and when it ws best to fish or hunt or travel?
There are also other holidays like Saturnalia, or distaff day. You could celebrate major achievements in history like the wheel, telescope or pyrimids?
Some would say the Sabbats are Wiccan. If you are not on that path you will not be judged by anyone. I personally think it's very mystical how we blend into another season right around the same time every year!
Bb, FF

>I guess because I live in the Southern Hemisphere, it seems weird to celebrate them at different times.

Makes sense. Since there's a goodly sized Craft presence in NZ & Oz there must be some local references. The seasons cycle where ever we are. But as has been said, there's no obligation.

May the Summer Solstice be pleasant, whatever you might do.

Thank you everyone for your advice and thoughts. I guess finding what feels right to you isn’t always easy.