The word Esbat means minor holiday. All Wiccans celebrate these, but make no mistake, these holidays are not to be taken lightly. It would be like celebrating a birthday or a raise or promotion at work. Generally the Esbats are celebrated at the Full Moon, when Her power is at its peak. As we see in the Rede of the Wiccae - "When the Moon rides at Her peak, then your heart's desire seek". All things are possible. Some people celebrate each phase of the moon - New, Waxing, Full, and Waning. Sometimes, if we have a particular need that would be best served by performing our ritual at the New Moon or at a different phase, we can hold that as our Esbat celebration for the month - we're not limited to just the Full Moon, though that is the most common time.

In the calendar year there are usually only twelve Full Moons, though every two and a half years or so, there are thirteen Full Moons. This second Full Moon in a month is referred to as the Blue Moon, though if you go with the Farmer's Almanac definition, a Blue Moon is the fourth Full Moon in a season. The old Lunar Calendar, however had thirteen Full Moons, and I will list them all here. For a year where there is not a Blue Moon, you can combine two Esbats into one, or celebrate on on the New Moon and the next on the Full Moon two weeks later. Just be mindful of the season and what that particular moon means.

To begin the Lunar Year, we start with the Full Moon closest to the Winter Solstice. This is referred to as the Oak Moon, because at the Winter Solstice, the Oak King takes over rulership of the year as we transition from the dark half to the light half. It honors the male aspects of Divinity, for the mistletoe, which grows on oak branches, sprouts around this time, and its white berries represent the semen of the Lord of the Wood.

The rest of the Esbats fall in succession throughout the year. Due to the difference between the length of the Lunar Month, versus the varying lengths of the calendar months, these Esbats will not always fall in the same month, though they will be close.

After the Oak Moon we have the Wolf Moon. This Moon waxes Full during a time when predator supplies are scare, and wolves are driven out of the forest and into villages in search of food. The wolf also represents family togetherness. Wolves are pack animals, and they mate for life. Without their family, they simply pine away and cease to exist. Use this time to get closer to your family or mend a rift.

Next comes the Storm Moon. This occurs around the time of year when the worst winter storms hit. It represents the earth's dreaming period, and is a good time to focus on lucid dreaming, or to start a dream journal. This journal can be kept in your Book of Shadows, or you could have a separate journal for just your dreams. Record them as soon as you awake before you forget, and look for patterns in them, to see if they're trying to tell you something. If you have a piece of amethyst, place it under your pillow to add to the clarity of your dreams.

After this comes the Chaste Moon. Snow, pristine and pure, is still on the ground in places, though spring is on its way. It is a time for cleansing and purification of the mind, body, and spirit. It is also a time of innocence and joy, for the new year is still in its childhood.

Next comes the Seed Moon. The snow has melted away, and tiny sprouts of green suddenly become daffodils overnight. Leaves have budded, some crops are planted, and nature is gearing up for the greening of the earth.

Then comes the Hare Moon. This moon heralds the start of the earth's greatest fertility. Flowering trees blossom, animals mate, and the bees emerge and begin to do their work.

The Dyad Moon honors the symbolic marriage of the Lord and Lady, and usually falls near Beltane. The earth is at its most fertile, and this is a great time to find a new love.

The Mead and Honey Moon signals an end to the earth's fertility, and represents a time of fruition. Animals give birth, baby birds hatch, and butterflies emerge from their cocoons. This moon generally occurs near the Summer Solstice, Litha.

The Wort Moon is next. The word "wort" means herb. Around this time of year is the ideal time to harvest herbs for use or for drying for the winter. Any efforts we have put forth thus far this year will begin to show results, either good or bad.

The coming of the Barley Moon signals the approach of the harvest season. It is also a time to remember those who have come before us, because just as the grains we harvest came from the very first grains on earth, so we are a part of all the ancestors that have come before us. Their blood flows through our veins, and through the veins of everyone around us - we are all related and connected, no matter how distantly.

The Wine, or Harvest Moon, is next. Grapes are harvested and wine is produced. The altered state produced by alcohol and other drugs was once thought to put a person more in touch with the Divine. Therefore this is a time of introspection and spiritual journeying, a time of communion and reflection on where we've been and where we'd like to go.

Near October, we come to the Blood Moon. This refers to the start of hunting seasons everywhere. It is a time to give thanks for what we have harvested during the year, new friendships, a raise, good fortune, etc. It is also a time to give thanks for the plants and animals that had to die that we might continue to live. It is not a time of guilt, for if nothing had to die, the balance of nature would not be maintained. This is simply a time to acknowledge that we are a part of the natural cycles, and not separate or exempt from their influence.

The final Esbat of the Lunar Year is the Snow Moon. This signals a time of growing darkness, the old age of the year, and marks the first snow falls and the beginning of the earth's winter sleep. It is a time to tie up loose ends, and thus, we come full circle.

Again, I haven't included any specific rituals, but simply ideas and themes for you to build your own on. You don't have to limit your celebrations to the particular Esbat that should come next. Just do magick as you have need or want, but don't forget to at least acknowledge the particular season around you.

May the Full Moon smile upon you from above, and not drive you crazy. Remember that the Full Moon is a time of celebration, and so long as you don't distance yourself from the natural cycles, you can fully enjoy the power and energy that comes during this time of fulfillment.