The Wheel of the Year is a modern pagan calendar of eight seasonal festivals: the two solstices, the two equinoxes and four "cross-quarter" days that fall between them. It weaves together old Celtic, Germanic and folk customs and was popularized in the mid twentieth century. Each festival honors a turning point in nature's cycle, and herbs have always been part of the celebrations: evergreens at midwinter, fresh greens in spring, sun-loving flowers at midsummer and roots and seeds at harvest. Working with seasonal herbs helps us live in rhythm with the earth, whatever our path. Samhain, the first festival of the new year in many traditions, arrives on October 31.
Each season offers its own plants, and each plant carries the medicine of its season.
The eight festivals and their herbs
Samhain (October 31)
Theme: ancestors, the thinning veil, endings and new beginnings.
Herbs: mugwort, rosemary (for remembrance), apple, sage, pumpkin.
Ritual: set a place at the table or an altar for loved ones who have passed, with rosemary and apples. See Signs From Loved Ones on the Other Side.
Yule (winter solstice, around December 21)
Theme: the return of the light, rest, hope.
Herbs: pine, fir, holly, ivy, cinnamon, clove, orange.
Ritual: bring evergreen boughs indoors and light a candle on the longest night.
Imbolc (February 1)
Theme: the first stirrings of spring, hearth and inspiration.
Herbs: rosemary, bay, chamomile, angelica.
Ritual: clean your home and light candles for new inspiration.
Ostara (spring equinox, around March 20)
Theme: balance, renewal, fertility.
Herbs: violets, nettle, lemon balm, dandelion greens.
Ritual: plant seeds with an intention. See Dandelion: The Sacred Weed.
Beltane (May 1)
Theme: life force, love, blossoming.
Herbs: hawthorn, rose, mint, meadowsweet.
Ritual: gather flowers at dawn and weave a crown.
Litha (summer solstice, around June 21)
Theme: the sun at its height, joy and abundance.
Herbs: St John's wort, lavender, calendula, chamomile.
Ritual: gather sun herbs at midday and dry them for winter.
Lughnasadh or Lammas (August 1)
Theme: the first harvest, gratitude, skill.
Herbs: wheat, corn, calendula, basil.
Ritual: bake bread and share it with thanks.
Mabon (autumn equinox, around September 22)
Theme: the second harvest, balance, gratitude.
Herbs: sage, apple, rose hips, yarrow.
Ritual: make a gratitude list and share a meal of seasonal food.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the festivals are celebrated about six months later, matching local seasons.
Ways to bring the wheel home
- Keep a small seasonal altar and change it eight times a year
- Cook with seasonal herbs
- Walk outdoors on each festival and notice what is growing
- Journal what you are planting, growing and harvesting in your life
A gentle note: Some ritual herbs, such as mugwort and St John's wort, are not safe for everyone to take internally, especially in pregnancy or with medicines. Use them as decoration or scent unless a trusted practitioner advises otherwise.
Explore the Season of Magick and seasonal wisdom on Gaia
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In The Starseed Chronicles
Flora the Greenkeeper tends herbs and green growth. Kids can build a seasonal herb altar inspired by her. Meet them here, or explore The Starseed Chronicles.
A sound companion for this practice
In Nature by Nadja Lind is a psychoacoustic immersion where recordings of flowing water and rustling leaves meet soft compositions and binaural delta rhythms. It was inspired by Fish Creek in Southern Utah and made for deep delta relaxation.
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Continue with Sacred Herbs and Their Spiritual Meanings and Kitchen Witchery Light.
Part of The Plant Spirit Series
- How to Meet a Plant Ally: Plant Spirit Communication
- Flower Essences: What They Are and How to Make One at Home
- Dandelion: The Sacred Weed
- Herbs for the Wheel of the Year: A Seasonal Guide From Samhain to Mabon (you are here)
- Your Elemental Body Type: An Ayurvedic Dosha Guide
- Sacred Herbs and Their Spiritual Meanings
- The Celtic Tree Horoscope: Find Your Birth Tree
- Reiki for Animals: Sharing Calm Energy With Your Pets
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