#1 Summer Solstice, Cardinal Cross and the Wheel of the Year
Hey there,
Today Sun is moving to Cancer, beginning the most cozy and caring time of the year. At the same time today, we celebrate Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year. This holiday is part of a neo-pagan tradition called The Wheel of the Year.
We are not neo-pagans but we find this tradition quite useful in modern time. Especially considering that it has an astrological foundation and gives a good opportunity to synchronise with Earth's cycle.
In this letter, we will talk about Zodiac Crosses and their connection with the Wheel of Year. Be careful, the text is long but interesting!
Zodiac cross and the weather changes
On the Zodiac Circle, signs opposite to each other create a cross. They are united by two challenging aspects: opposition and square. It shows that all of these signs share similar energies which are needed to be combined in order to harmonise their qualities.
Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn form the "Cardinal cross". It is associated with the quality of decisiveness, the ability to find practical solutions to difficult situations, and getting off the beaten track.
The symbolism of Zodiac crosses is deeply connected with nature and lies in the foundation of pagan holiday traditions.
For example, the Cardinal Cross is named so because of weather changes. When the Sun enters Cardinal signs, the weather undergoes a significant transformation, marking the beginning of a new season. Aries begins spring, Cancer summer, in Libra comes autumn, and Capricorn begins winter.
Cardinal Cross: Equinox and Solstice
At the zero degrees of the Cardinal signs, the Sun is in a special position: in Aries and Libra, it marks the Equinox, when day and night are equal; in Cancer and Capricorn, it marks the Solstice, the longest day and night of the year.
These dates were important for many ancient cultures and were celebrated as holidays. Back then, people's lives depended on the harvest. The Sun naturally divided the year into seasons: in spring people sowed, in summer they worked, and in autumn they harvested. This is how the concept of the Wheel of the Year was born.
The days of solstices and equinoxes are endowed with special mystical meaning. It is said that magical power increases, which can be used for rituals and magical actions.
The position of the Sun in Cardinal signs creates the main framework of the Wheel of the Year. In pagan tradition, these holidays are known as Ostara (Spring Equinox), Litha (Summer Solstice), Mabon (Autumn Equinox) and Yule (Winter Solstice).
Fixed Cross: middle points
There are four other important points in the Wheel of the Year: the middle between the days of solstices and equinoxes. Astrologically, this is 15 degrees of Fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. In the pagan tradition, these holidays are called Beltane, Lammas, Samhain, and Imbolc.
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Fixed signs are known for their qualities of stability, perseverance, stubbornness, and resistance to change. So the holidays transmit these energies. For example, Beltane is a festival of fertility and abundance. Like Taurus, which is associated with stability and the earth, Beltane rituals often involve grounding practices, such as planting new seeds or creating maypoles, which symbolise growth and the steadfast nature of the earth's fertility.
For some reason, these holidays have shifted and are celebrated earlier. For example, Samhain is celebrated on October 31st, when the Sun is just in the 9th degree of Scorpio. However, from an astrological perspective it would be more accurate to celebrate them in the middle of the fixed signs.
Mutable Cross
There is also the Mutable Cross, formed by Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. These signs possess flexibility, adaptability, variability, and the ability to adjust. But they are so inconsistent that nothing is celebrated in these signs 🤷♂️
Why it matters
Historically, people lived in close connection with nature, and celebrating the Wheel of the Year was a natural way to keep up with the Earth’s cycle. Holidays like Samhain or Ostara were the time for concluding vital activities such as sowing or harvesting.
After the industrial revolution, we lost the connection with nature. Nature does not have so much power in our lives anymore. Thanks to technological progress we don't depend on the weather. Winter won’t bring existential horror in case of a lack of supplies nowadays. Maybe a heating bill can but definitely not enough to start celebrating death on Samhain like our ancestors did.
Celebrating the Wheel of the Year today is an opportunity to synchronize with global flows and with the cycle of the Mother Earth. It’s an opportunity to remember our roots and our connection with everything living on the planet. And maybe bring a bit more awareness to the climate and ecological situation.
What to do
Neo-pagans and witches celebrate the Wheel of the Year to enhance their magical abilities and powers. It is believed that on these days the Earth's energy changes and the Subtle World becomes closer to our "ordinary" Material World.
At Sagiplutarium, we do not practice magical thinking. Instead of focusing on desires and manifesting power, we recommend opening up to the world and trusting your True Self. Magic can help you to manifest your desires, but the real magic is to go beyond the desires and limiting concept of Self.
However, we believe that rituals have powerful therapeutic potential. Based on our experience the holidays of the Wheel of the Year indeed intensify our abilities. Rituals or just a simple 10-minute meditation on such a special day can help you achieve greater stability and grounding.
You can achieve the maximum effect by celebrating every holiday of the Wheel during the year. In that case, the Zodiac will become the great clock and the Sun will show the time of Mother Nature. Thus you will synchronise with the yearly cycle and will move in sync with Earth.