Hello, my lovely.
As I hit send on my latest Samhain newsletter, my life flashed before my eyes.
I’d shared ways to venerate our ancestors, October folklore and autumnal rituals – all integral parts of Pagan life. But not once did I mention one of the most foundational aspects of a modern witchcraft practice:
The Wheel of the Year.
The very reason I began The Green Witch Substack in the first place.
So I knew I had to come on here this week and change that!
My work with the Wheel of the Year began when I first started my witchcraft practice back in 2003. But it wasn’t until my late 20s that I realised just how much I needed it as a vital structure to my Pagan practice, and as a key source of healing to my physical, mental and spiritual health.
I’ve spoken about my love of the Wheel of the Year far and wide. In 2025 and 2026, I travelled to Blackwell’s Oxford on the cross-quarter festival days to share my teachings of witchcraft’s most-used calendar, and co-created The Divine Void podcast with to talk about the liminality of the Pagan year.
In 2027, I want to bring this knowledge to The Green Witch Substack as part of a brand-new series:
One full turn around the Wheel of the Year.
Over the next year, in the build-up to each festival, I’ll be sharing an in-depth guide and a sabbat blessing with my paid membership, as well as my usual free Wheel of the Year newsletter, with plenty of ways to celebrate, recipes and rituals.
I’ll also be looking at how you can work with the Wheel of the Year to:
discover the hidden symbolism of the plants and wildlife in your local area
heal from stress held in the mind and the body
create mindful seasonal routines that will enrich your magickal life
But right now, let’s get into the history, purpose and celebrations behind the Pagan Wheel of the Year.
It might surprise you to know our ancestors wouldn’t have celebrated each spoke on the Wheel of the Year as we do now. The concept of eight key dates, each roughly six weeks apart, is a modern one.
However, the idea of cyclical living is as old as time.
What is the Wheel of the Year?
There is no one Pagan path – as any green witch, Druid or Wiccan will tell you.
But under the green canopy of Paganism, many practitioners subscribe to the idea of the Wheel of the Year; a circular calendar divided into eight spokes. The calendar (pictured in my book The Wheel above) depicts the eight festival days observed throughout the year – usually enjoyed with a lot of seasonal food and dancing about!
And a healthy dose of ritual magick too.
Originally published on Substack
