As the end of the year approaches, many pagans celebrate the arrival of the new year with a blessing. This practice is rooted in ancient pagan traditions and is a way to give thanks for the past year and welcome in the blessings of the new year. The pagan new year blessing typically includes words and actions that express gratitude for the past and hope for the future. It is a time to reflect on the lessons learned and the growth experienced over the past year, and to set intentions for the year ahead. The blessing can be done individually or as part of a group ritual. One common element in pagan new year blessings is the use of fire.
"The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays."
While Wicca utilizes old Celtic holidays, it s not a Celtic tradition, and I have never felt any real personal connection to the Ancient Celts all while having some Welsh heritage. Midsummer makes celestial sense as the start of a new turn, but the time I feel the most transition and change on a year to year basis is in September.
One common element in pagan new year blessings is the use of fire. Fire is seen as a symbol of purification and transformation, and is used to release the old and make way for the new. Some pagans may light a candle or build a bonfire and offer prayers or words of blessing as they watch the flames dance.
Happy Pagan New Year?
For many Pagans Samhain is the Pagan New Year. That feeling isn’t universal by any means, there are some Pagan groups that celebrate the “New Year” at Beltane, and I’d be willing to guess that there have to be at least a few groups who celebrate it at Yule. World wide there are dozens of “New Years” ranging from the well known Chinese New Year to the Buddhist Songkran April 13-15. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year (always 163 days after Passover) and the Russian Orthodox Church holds to the Julian Calendar and celebrates the new year on January 14. The astrological New Year occurs on the Spring Equinox, and in Iran the New Year is still celebrated on that day.
Mexican Calendar from 1791. From WikiMedia.For most Americans and Europeans the new year is celebrated on January 1, and despite being a Pagan, that’s generally when I celebrate it too. I like the party, and there’s a distinctive cultural shift at the time of year as well. The Christmas stuff finally comes down and most of society takes a figurative deep breath as it recovers from the bustling holiday season. Celestially, January first makes little sense as the start of a new year, but it’s where we’ve ended up in the Western World, and I’m not one for big battles.
In ritual, I play lip-service to the idea that Samhain marks the beginning of a new year, and I probably do it because it’s generally expected in Pagan circles. My Samhain rituals this year and last opened up with the line: “We gather here tonight to celebrate the passing of the Old Year and to welcome in the new.” The Celts who celebrated Samhain allegedly used that night to mark the new year, so putting those echoes into my own rituals is a bit of an homage, but I’ve never made a New Year’s Resolution on Samhain.
Perhaps that’s because Samhain has never felt like the start of a new year to me, instead it’s always felt like the beginning of the end. There are many sabbat celebrations during the “dark” part of the year that feel more like a new start. Yule is an obvious answer here; it’s the darkest night of the year, but it’s also the start of the sun’s waxing phase. From winter solstice to summer solstice the days will continually get longer. In ritual I’ve often acknowledged that return of the light, but it’s not something I really feel in December. If anything I just feel the darkness and the stillness of early winter; with work often starting before the sun fully rises and not ending until it goes down.
George Cruikshank – Herne’s Oak from ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor. From WikiMedia.
Imbolc has always felt like the true “return of the light” sabbat. By early February the days are finally noticeably longer, and in some parts of the country there are even signs of Spring. Even when I lived in Michigan there were always stirrings of the Spring yet to come in early February. Sometimes you’d find a bud on a tree, hear a bird chirp, or see a little creature stirring. (In Northern California lots of things bloom in early February, February showers bring March flowers.) Yule and Imbolc for very different reasons feel more like a “Pagan New Year” to me than Samhain does.
There are groups that celebrate Beltane as a Pagan New Year, something which has never quite worked for me. By Beltane everything has been reborn. The grass is green, flowers are blooming, and formerly empty branches are now full of leaves. The Maiden is now a young woman, to me, celebrating a new year here would be like celebrating someone’s “first birthday” on the day they turn seventeen. No problem here with those that celebrate a new turn of the wheel in early May, but my brain doesn’t quite grasp it.
“Prince Arthur and the Faerie Queen” by Henry Fuseli. From WikiMedia
Midsummer makes celestial sense as the start of a new turn, but the time I feel the most transition and change on a year to year basis is in September. Part of that is most certainly conditioning. Late August/early September has traditionally been the start of the new school year (I say traditionally because that’s starting to change) for my entire lifetime. Even with or without kids (or school) we are all used to the “back to school sales” and dial into the feeling of new beginnings. Top that off with the beginning of new television and football seasons and you’ve got a lot of new starts all near the first week of September. The transition from Summer to Fall has always been the most dramatic seasonal shift for me as well. Samhain occurs either in the middle or at the end of that shift (depending on where one lives), and as a result doesn’t feel like a logical start to the new year.
When I became a Wiccan I adopted all the traditions that go along with that religious choice. One of those adoptions were the seasonal rituals first celebrated by the Celts along with the cross-quarter celebrations of equinoxes and solstices. While Wicca utilizes old Celtic holidays, it’s not a Celtic tradition, and I have never felt any real personal connection to the Ancient Celts (all while having some Welsh heritage). I’ve always been most connected to Greek deities, but since I’m most comfortable with Wiccan ritual I’ve never felt the need to adopt a Hellenic Re-constructionist holiday cycle. If I ever did, maybe I’d celebrate the Ancient Greek New Year (the first new moon after the summer solstice) or maybe March 1, the Roman New Year.
Instead of one “New Year” perhaps we all celebrate multiple New Year’s throughout the course of twelve months? There’s the acknowledgement of the year’s turn at Samhain, and the welcoming of the light at Imbolc or Yule. The secular New Year is always good for a party, and legally at least marks society’s change from one year to another. There are the early autumn re-starts as well, giving me at least four “New Year Celebrations” each Turn of the Wheel. I love holidays, so the more the merrier, but don’t look at me funny if I don’t wish you a “Happy New Year” next Samhain.
Estimated delivery: 1-2 days in USA.
Free shipping on all orders over 100$.
Another important aspect of the pagan new year blessing is the connection to nature. Pagans often feel a deep reverence for the earth and all its cycles, and the new year is seen as a time to honor and align with these natural rhythms. Some may choose to go for a solitary walk in nature, meditating on their intentions and offering gratitude for the beauty and abundance around them. There are many different ways to perform a pagan new year blessing, and each person may have their own unique approach. The important thing is to create a sacred space that feels meaningful and authentic to you. This could involve creating an altar with symbols and objects that represent the past year and the year ahead, or simply finding a quiet corner of your home where you can reflect and connect with your intentions. As you perform your pagan new year blessing, remember to take time for self-care and nourishment. This is a time to honor yourself and your own needs, and to set intentions for how you want to care for yourself in the coming year. Whether it's through meditation, journaling, or engaging in a creative activity, find a way to nurture your spirit and set the tone for a year of growth and fulfillment. In conclusion, the pagan new year blessing is a way for pagans to celebrate the arrival of the new year and set intentions for the year ahead. It involves expressing gratitude for the past, releasing the old, and welcoming in the blessings of the new. Through rituals involving fire, nature, and self-care, pagans create a sacred space to reflect, set intentions, and connect with the cycles of the earth and their own spiritual journey..
Reviews for "Blessings for Transformation: Embracing the Pagan New Year"
1. Jessica - 2 stars - I found "Pagan new year blessing" to be quite disappointing. The story lacked depth and was filled with cliches and predictable plot twists. The characters were one-dimensional and the dialogue felt forced. I was expecting a more engaging and thought-provoking read, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.
2. Michael - 1 star - "Pagan new year blessing" was a complete waste of my time. The writing was amateur and the storyline was incredibly dull. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, and it felt like the author was trying too hard to be profound. The concept had potential, but it was executed poorly. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Pagan new year blessing", but it failed to deliver. The pacing was inconsistent, and the plot felt disjointed. The author introduced several subplots that never seemed to be fully developed or resolved. I also found the overall writing style to be clunky and riddled with unnecessary descriptions. It's a shame because the premise had potential, but the execution fell flat.
4. Robert - 1 star - "Pagan new year blessing" was a complete letdown. The characters were unlikable and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their struggles. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic, and the constant use of cliches was off-putting. The plot was predictable and lacked originality. Overall, I found this book to be a tedious read that I would not recommend to anyone seeking a satisfying reading experience.
5. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really hoping to enjoy "Pagan new year blessing," but I found it to be quite underwhelming. The story dragged on with unnecessary details and lacked a compelling plotline. The characters felt flat and lacked growth throughout the book. The writing style was unimpressive and failed to create a captivating narrative. Unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.