180 Degrees of Separation – The Wheel of the Year part 3

Global Group Practice

Baring the Aegis and Elaion have developed a traditionally based calendrical system for Hellenism, specifically Dodekatheism, that incorporates what is named PAT – Practicing Apart Together.  The idea of PAT is that though many of us live far apart from each other, by observing the rituals of certain of these festivals, we can still practice together even though we are apart.  We all observe the specific ritual at around the same time – within a 24 hour or less period, sometimes exact to the minute.  Hellenion does a similar thing with their monthly libations.  So it is that we have potentially thousands of Hellenes world wide making similar offerings to the same deities or entities in a single day.

Sounds a bit powerful right?  The same is true for other observances, such as the Rite of Her Sacred Fires.  Not a traditional festival of Hellenism, very new in fact and thus kind of a sore point for some Hellenes and Polytheists – but it is a limited time period in which thousands of people worldwide are making offerings and singing praises to Hekate.  Even though we are all separated by small and large distances, the act of these rituals, knowing you are not really alone, feeling that you are not really alone in this is very powerful indeed, and empowering.

And this is why I actually suggest you do not throw the typical 8 Pagan Sabbats by the wayside on a whim, just because your seasons have “changed”.  I don’t want to call it PAT, because that is specific to Elaion, so I am referring to it in this post as Global Group Practice.  Thousands of people all over the world celebrating the same festivals and practising very similar rituals, all at much the same time.  Powerful and empowering.

As I state above, the solstices and equinoxes are immutable moments, they are solar and light festivals – which we already know, but sometimes forget in the face of the four seasons.  But they are what they are and they are relevant no matter what your seasons are.  So if you personally want to celebrate them, then you most certainly should do so!  And take comfort in the fact that thousands of people around the world are doing the same.

Even if the light festivals are opposite between north and south, I don’t think this actually detracts from the global group practice idea.  Indeed I think that it makes it uniquely more powerful – two opposites meeting in the middle, dark and light coming together and being celebrated at the same time.

The cross quarters are admittedly a little more difficult to negotiate.  Nonetheless, I still don’t suggest you abandon them without some deep thought and consideration.  What I outlined about them above is really very minor, because that is not all they are about – there are also the God and Goddess transitional aspects to those festivals that you personally may find relevant no matter your local seasons.   It is possible that you have already adapted these festivals for your own personal practice making them entirely relevant to you no matter what.

More Than Eight

The 8 Pagan Sabbats are not the only festivals, holidays and observances that exist.  I mentioned above the Rite of Her Sacred Fires, performed in the full moon of May every year.  This is for anyone, of any path or tradition, who wishes to honour Hekate.  That is an alternative that has nothing to do with the seasons.  And it is just one, there are others, some deity based, some not – Earth Day is a good example of a non-theistic celebration.  Though it is not uniquely Pagan, it can certainly be adapted as your own Pagan festival.  Which leads us to the idea of adapting other non-Pagan and non-religious festivals and holidays into your practice – international ones, national ones and even ones unique to your area.

My town has a rockabilly festival every October which is fantastic, and I wonder how I might incorporate some religiousness into that day – for myself, I am not suggesting we go preaching or anything!  Australia of course has ANZAC Day and Australia Day, contentious as that may be, or even better Clean up Australia Day.  Globally, well I suppose you could say we already have those in the Sabbats, but there are other ones like Valentines Day or even Scotch Whiskey Day. Okay so the last one is a stretch (though Dionysus may like it) it’s merely an example and the linked site is pretty fun for looking at all the international days that exist, which may inspire you.

But in the end it is up to the individual.  I don’t celebrate the 8 Sabbats at the moment, and I haven’t suffered any harm from it.  If you don’t want to celebrate them, if they don’t feel right to you, then you should certainly not force yourself to celebrate them.  But it is important to not rely on things like the seasons alone for our inspiration, there is much more to this world, and thus there can be much more to your practice.

So do or don’t, but make sure you think about it before you make the decision.

Next week should be the final instalment of this series – unless something comes up and it gets even bigger again!  We will be looking at the cardinal points, elements and the really confusing one, what are deosil and widdershins when you live down here in the Under?

All 180 Degrees of Separation Posts

Intro Post
The Moon part 1
The Moon part 2
Wheel of the Year part 1
Wheel of the Year part 2
Wheel of the Year part 3
Cardinal Elements