Sharon Murphy

Lughnasadh is Gaelic for the modern Irish word “Lunasa,” meaning August. It is a fire festival and the first of three harvests. This festival is not only about life and bounty, but of harvest and death, the complete cycle of life.

Mabon is the modern reconstruction of the ancient Pagan festivals surrounding the Autumn Equinox. Light and dark are in equal length, but now the darkness will start to overtake the light. This is the second harvest festival. It is a celebration of thanks for the crops that were harvested (also called “Witches’ Thanksgiving”). Autumn leaves……

This is the day that the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest. This is a good time for divination. At dinner, remember to set a place for your loved ones that have past this year. Leave an offering of food and drink on your……

This is the shortest day of the year. A yule log is usually decorated with evergreen & holly strands before being lit at sunset and burned until sunrise. Today is a celebration of family and friends, as well as a celebration of peace, love and positive energy. Yule is a time of rest for the……

Happy Imbolc! This is the first planting of spring. This lesser-known pagan holiday falls exactly halfway between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara). Imbolc falls between the Wolf Moon in January and the Snow Moon in February. Celebrate the increasing daylight and the impending spring season. This is the perfect time to……

Happy Ostara! Happy Spring Equinox! Today is a day of balance. On this day, light overtakes the dark. There is a rebirth of life. Now is the time to contemplate new beginnings and fresh ideas. Focus on rebirth and planting, not just in our yard and gardens, but in our daily lives, our dreams, and……