Additional information
by Edain McCoy (Author)
In The Sabbats, Edain McCoy reveals the eight major holidays of Witchcraft and the many ways in which they are celebrated.
There are two basic types of holidays. The first come at the Solstices and Equinoxes. The others divide the time between those dates in two, resulting in eight major holidays or Sabbats with approximately the same amount of days between them. The balance, here, gives the appearance of spokes in a wheel, so this cycle is commonly called the Wheel of the Year.
The holidays represent two things. First, the harvest cycle. Each holiday represents a time in the growth of crops. From planting to growth, from harvesting to letting the lands lie fallow in the cold winter, the festivals follow the agricultural cycles of ancient times. However, they also represent the eternal love of the God and Goddess, following the God's birth from the Goddess and his death before she gives birth to him again. This also follows the pattern of the Sun which moves from warm and high in the sky to cold and low in the sky.
The book is filled with ways you can follow the Wheel of the Year, whether you work with a coven, with your family, or by yourself. You will learn the secrets of ritual construction and handicrafts appropriate to each of the festivals. You will also learn recipes for traditional foods for each holiday and even songs appropriate to the Sabbats.
This is a wonderful, joyous book filled with color, information, and wisdom. If you are involved with Paganism in any way, this book is a must for your studies and practices. This book functions as both a resource and as a practical manual for the celebration of the holidays.
Author Biography
Edain became a self-initiated Witch in 1981 and was an active part of the Pagan community since her formal initiation into a large San Antonio coven in 1983. Edain had researched alternative spiritualities since her teens, when she was first introduced to Kabbalah. Since that time, she studied a variety of magickal paths.
An alumnus of the University of Texas with a BA in history, she was affiliated with several professional writer's organizations and occasionally presented workshops on magickal topics or worked individually with students who wished to study Witchcraft.
Edain was the author of over fifteen books, including Bewitchments, Enchantments, and Ostara: Customs, Spells & Rituals for the Rites of Spring.
