The Wheel of the Year ~ for Creatives
A 'Quick' Guide
For artists, writers, & makers who experience the ebb and flow of creative energy with the changing seasons, I’ve created the following guide to tracking seasonal energy with the 'Wheel of the Year,' which divides the year into 8 distinct seasons. It includes; dates for both hemispheres, summaries of the seasonal energies, creative practices for each season, and links to my original posts for each season. So with each new turn of the wheel, you can consider how the energies & activities could be made relevant to your unique creative practice.
The W H E E L of the Y E A R : A Guide for Creatives
The Celtic-Pagan ‘Wheel of the Year’ is a modern (mid-20th century) combining of ancient holidays that marked the turn of a new season. It is divided by the four Equinoxes and Solstices—events celebrated by cultures worldwide since prehistory—and the four midpoints between them, known as 'cross-quarter' days, which the Celts celebrated as fire festivals. The dates in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and Southern Hemisphere (SH) differ slightly from year to year.
Let’s begin when we are just waking after the deep sleep of winter…
W I N T E R - S P R I N G
Feb 1-2 NH | Aug 1 SH ~ Celtic cross-quarter celebration: Imbolc (imm-bulk)
Seasonal Energy: Waking, Self-care & Nurturing, Tidying & Cleansing, Crafting, Goal Planning
Creative Practice: Peruse old sketchbooks and idea collections. Tidy project files, de-clutter drawers. Browse art books and pin boards to awaken inspiration. Learn a new skill or technique. Take up tactile hand-crafting projects. Start making project goals for the year. Stay restful.
Original Post: Studio Practices for Mid-Winter-Spring, and A Dreary Season, Transformed
S P R I N G
Mar 19-21 NH | Sep 21-23 SH ~ Spring Equinox celebration: Ostara (oh-star-ah)
Seasonal Energy: Rebirth & Renewal, Planting & Restoring, Growth, Hope & Potential, Balance
Creative Practice: Clean and air the studio. Organize projects; refresh current projects needing attention, get new projects in motion. Write and draw from nature. Have a sketching/writing tea party.
Original Post: Three Studio Practices for the Spring Equinox
S P R I N G - S U M M E R
May 1 NH | Oct 31-Nov 1 SH ~ Celtic cross-quarter celebration: Beltane (bell-tane)
Seasonal Energy: Passion, Big Creative Energy, Fairy Realms & Magic, Community Connection
Creative Practice: Put away projects from winter months, set up summer projects. Seek out inspiration to ignite passion. Read fantasy & fairytales. Connect with creative community to exchange inspiration. Dance. Create!
Original Post: Light the Spring-Summer Fire
S U M M E R
Jun 19-21 NH | Dec 20-22 SH ~ Summer solstice celebration: Litha (lee-thah)
Seasonal Energy: Enjoyment & Merriment, Abundance, Adventure, Clarity, Higher Perspective
Creative Practice: Take the work outdoors, bask in the abundance of life & nature. Daydream. Attend art, music, & author events. Take a 360 view of current projects and creative practice. Look back and ahead to appreciate where you’ve been and where you’re going. Adjust goals for the year as needed.
Original Post: Midsummer for Creatives
S U M M E R - A U T U M N
Aug 1 NH | Feb 1-2 SH ~ Celtic cross-quarter celebration: Lúnasa (loo-nah-sah)
Seasonal Energy: Slowing & Savoring, Gathering & Exchanging, Generosity, Paring Down
Creative Practice: Rest and soak in the sun. Share and exchange skills with other creatives. Tend to the sales and promotion of the work. Gather at maker’s markets. Start paring down projects to prioritize the most important ones.
Original Post: Late Summer, Early Creative Harvest
A U T U M N
Sep 21-23 NH | Mar 19-21 SH ~ Autumn Equinox celebration: Mabon (may-bonn)
Seasonal Energy: Harvesting, Preserving, Gratitude, Finishing, Simplifying, Balance
Creative Practice: Appreciate and share your work. Begin to wrap up this year’s projects. Be productive in short bursts. Seek balance in work/rest hours. Choose one space to re-order and deep clean. Identify potential autumn/winter projects.
Original Post: How to Bring the Autumn Equinox Into the Studio
A U T U M N - W I N T E R
Oct 31-Nov 1 NH | May 1 SH ~ Celtic cross-quarter celebration: Samhain (SOW-in)
Seasonal Energy: Mischievousness & Chaos, Transitions, Spirit realms, Death & Endings, Completion
Creative Practice: Fully wrap up projects. Tie up loose ends. Play catch up on missed items and let others go. Catch as catch can! Bring play into your work, embrace the shadow side. Honor and remember past creative heroes, mentors, and influences and channel their wisdom.
Original Post: Creativity in Late-Autumn
W I N T E R
Dec 20-22 NH | Jun 19-21 SH ~ Winter solstice celebration: Yule (yool)
Seasonal Energy: Celebration, Rest & Hibernation, Rumination & Reflection, Dreaming, Survival
Creative Practice: Pack away tools, set down all projects for a deep sleep. Feast, sing, share stories, give gifts, write letters. Fill the days with non-work-related crafting, reading & entertainment. Ruminate on the past year and heal from its difficulties. Reflect on the year: what has nurtured me the most? What needs the most rest in my work & life? Do the minimum. Survive. Dream.
Original Post: How To Yule: For Creatives
If you found this guide enjoyable, please let me know!
RESOURCES & REFERENCES:
The Wheel of the Year: An Illustrated Guide to Nature's Rhythms, book by Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux
The Wheel of the Year: the calendar of pagan festivals explained (article)
Wheel of the Year - Mabon House (website)
What are the Quarter Days and What Do They Mean? (article)
Visit my books for young & kid-hearted readers, request them at your library, or gift to a friend:
Love this, Eliza! Thank you for creating and sharing it with us!