Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon [Paperback]

Ashleen O'Gaea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2008

This second volume of Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon explores Wicca's relationship with other religions. Wicca is the largest and best-known Neo-Pagan religion, but it is not the only one-Northern Paganism (Asatru) and Druidry share its traditions. Do you know which Runes are associated with Summer Sabbats? Are you aware of the Druid associations with them? Celebrating the Seasons of Life acknowledges these links and incorporates material designed to emphasize these religions' shared heritage. The stories of the Sabbats help us to reconnect with our lore and bring new meaning and twists to our current practices, in a variety of ways. Celebrating the Seasons of Life gives us the history of each holiday and explains its place in modern life. Through it, you can discover a variety of rituals that are ideal for covens, solitaries, and Wiccan families-including special sections on what children of various ages are ready to learn about these holidays: * Beltane (May 1st) * Litha (June 21st) * Lammas (August 1st) * Mabon (September 21st)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Career Press (October 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564147320
• ISBN-13: 978-1564147325
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm not an Arizona native; I was born in the Pacific Northwest, but can't imagine calling anywhere but Tucson home.

I'm a Third Degree Wiccan priestess and the author of several books about Wicca . . . and I'm just breaking into fiction with short stories and novels.

I'm a co-founder of the Tucson Area Wiccan-Pagan Network, and with my husband Canyondancer I'm a co-founder of the Adventure Tradition of Wicca. I'm on the board of and the writing priestess for Mother Earth Ministries-ATC, a Tucson-based Neo-Pagan prison ministry.

I'm on the board of the Society of Southwestern Authors, for which I coordinate the annual Writing Contest. In our spare time (!) 'dancer and I love to entertain; we like to camp and travel, too, even though we miss our old dog and three kitties when we do.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting perspective on the Wheel of the Year, November 18, 2004

By 

Boudica (Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon (Paperback)

I think, after reading both of these books (Book One covers Samhain to Ostara), the author sums up the Wheel of the Year and it's approach to our spirituality very nicely with these words:

"The more things change, the more things stay the same." Have you heard that before? Sure you have. I think that turning it around makes it even more true from Wicca's perspective: "The more things stay the same, the more they change." This is certainly true in the way Wicca celebrates the season of life. Even when we conduct our Sabbats with the same script every years, whether we read it or memorize it, even when we meet in the same place at the same time and bring to our feasts the same foods, we are not reliving old moments, we are living new ones."

Ashleen O'Gaea presents in her second book on the "Seasons of Life" her perspectives and her connections of Beltane to Mabon. The book is laid out as her previous one, with the Sabbats listed, and each having four "chapters" each on Lore, Rituals, Activities and Symbols.

Each holiday is explored not so much from the history and origins, but from the present day aspects of the holiday; how it is celebrated today. She examines some background to the holiday and how that has become part of the celebrations we have today. She examines the Sabbat in it's connection to the previous Sabbat and the next. The main purpose here is to look at and explore the interconnectedness of each of these holidays, how they relate with each other; you can not separate each from the other.

Again, too, Ms. O'Gaea explores modern rituals. We have traditional rituals, like the Maypole dance, and we have children's rituals, such as the Morning Ritual for Two Year Olds (and inner children). There are rituals for Covens and for Solitaries and even a notation on working with non-pagans in ritual. And then there is my favorite, the "Consecration for Sunscreen" which will prevent "burnt offerings" during summer rituals.

Activities looks at those things we do which connect us with these holidays. Fairy flags at Beltane, Sun Wheels for Litha, recipies for blueberry corn muffins for Lammas and mushroom and barley soup for Mabon. There are many more activities and recipes, and each is appropriate to the season.

There is also the symbolism within the "big three" pagan religions (Druid, Asatru and Wicca) and these Sabbast and Ms. Ogaea presents some interesting connections. We have Fairy Rings at Beltane, Druid Fire for Litha, Wiccan Bread for Lammas and Runes at Mabon.

The two books together present an interesting and sometimes challenging look at the seasonal Wheel of the Year, and life, and give some food for thought about how we celebrate, live, embrace and discover the seasons each year. We are given a wide open look at who we are now, rather than were we came from. We see how we have adapted from many sources, and how we have incorporated those things which help us to connect to the earth, the seasons and our chosen spiritualities both as individuals and as groups.

This is a lovely set of books, easy to read and providing many chances to consider, ponder and discover what our spirituality is and what we mean when we say "Celebrating the Seasons of Life". boudica

3.0 out of 5 stars Good., January 3, 2012

By 

Casey L. Helenski (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon (Paperback)

Not an amazing book but it does give you some ideas for how to celebrate each of the summer sabbats.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book on the Sabbats, July 6, 2009

By 

Lisa A. Nofzinger (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon (Paperback)

This and the companion guide Celebrating the Seasons of Life, Samhain to Ostara, are good books on the Sabbats. The author includes rituals and lore from her own coven experiences as well as Asatru and Druidry. She also has a helpful section on how to introduce children, teens, and young adults to the Sabbats.