When does the Wheel of the Year begin to turn for you? When do you feel that unmistakable call within? The one that tells you, “This is it; this is the time. Now we may begin again.”
For many, this time is and has always been January 1st. But things have shifted in recent years, as more and more the collective begins to listen closely: to movement of energies, to the slumbering earth, to their own beautiful bodies…
There seems lately to be a bit of a small uprising against witnessing January 1st as the start of the new year. Many spiritual teachers speak out about this season being a time for rest, and that Spring is the time for setting goals and listing resolutions. I don’t disagree with this, but as with most topics in the spiritual community, in some instances it feels as though this mindset is being taught in that “this is what’s correct and if you do it another way, you’re doing it wrong” sort of tone, and let’s be honest: that type of teaching has never sat well with me.
I am forever encouraging you to always seek the truth which speaks deepest to you. Read, learn, and decide for yourself. If it feels right to speak on it, do so, without pushing your truth as the only truth.
But anyway.
Let’s explore some of the more common days that welcome us to usher in a new year, and thus, a new beginning.
The Gregorian New Year
January 1st. This is the New Year that tends to be most recognizable to most people. It is the very first day of the Gregorian calendar, the common twelve-month system that we’ve grown accustomed to. This is the day our numbered year officially changes, shifting ahead by one more step.
I’ve heard January 1st referred to as the “Patriarchal New Year”. Is this because it was made official by Pope Gregory XIII in the late sixteenth century? I have no idea. A new year approved and pushed by the head of a patriarchal religious organization could, fairly, be considered a patriarchal new year, but I feel like that’s a different conversation.
Back to why we’re here: understanding where your year begins.
It makes perfect sense to consider January 1st your new year, if you so choose. Again, it marks the start of the common calendar year. Everything resets. And while the main argument against January 1st as the new year is that it’s the middle of Winter, which is a time for rest, I might argue that this works in the date’s favour.
Why does the new year need to start with action and excitement? What if it started in a restful state, in a quiet place, with self reflection and contemplation? If you’re the type of person who focuses best when all is soft and quiet, then I feel like this may work very well for you.
In the peaceful quiet of Winter, we are given an opportunity for real clarity. A time to reflect, to go within, to sit in the glorious silent ambience of a world turned to glass (at least for those of us in the North). What better pallet, what more stunning blank canvas can nature offer us to begin anew?
If this time of year calls to you as the start of your new year, embrace it. Allow yourself to settle into the insulating comfort of the winter, when all the world is resting, to decide where you want your life to go next. It is okay to begin making your plans, and perhaps it’s best to allow the resolutions that meet your highest good to come to you when you are in a restful state, rather than an urgent one.
Random Fact: the original Julian Calendar (which was replaced by the Gregorian Calendar) was off every solar year by about 11 minutes. It has since been revised, and is considered by some to now be more accurate than the current Gregorian Calendar.
The Spring Equinox & Astrological New Year
Also known as Ostara, the Spring Equinox tends to fall somewhere around March 21st. This is when the earth begins to awaken from Her long slumber, uncoiling Her limbs towards the warmth of Her divine lover’s Sun. This day also marks the start of the Astrological New Year, when the Sun moves into the First House of fiery Aries.
Perhaps my own Aries Sun makes me biased, but I can get behind this New Year. Aries is headstrong, exciting, and built for action. This is a time to make some moves. I feel like if this time were a tarot card, it would either be the Ace of Wands or the Six of Wands (for there are always two kinds of people).
For some, it is a time to launch into action, to light the spark that ignites the fire within. It drives us, feeding our ambitions. This is powerful magick and a riotously good energy to take advantage of. On the other hand, it may be a time to celebrate the steps you’ve already taken to get here, acknowledging the work that led to victory, and how that victory opens the door to the next chapter. You have situated yourself perfectly to begin something new.
A common analogy for the Spring Equinox is that it is a fertile time, and a time to plant seeds. For this reason, it makes sense for some to consider it the perfect start to their new year. For what are resolutions if not seeds? When embraced wholly, we take them into ourselves, and if we’ve tended our soils well (nurturing a healthy mindset, body and spirit), there is a much greater chance of those seeds taking root and growing into something tangible and beautiful.
Ostara is a pagan holiday celebrating the return of Spring and the Sun’s warmth upon the earth. Some argue it is strictly a Wiccan holiday, one of their eight Sabbats. However, the name Ostara derives from the goddess Eostre, who existed long before Gerald Gardner was dancing around New Forest. Eostre represented spring, the dawn, and new beginnings. She was also closely associated with the symbol of the hare. It is this association that eventually led to the commercialized version of Easter we see today, involving flowers and bunnies.
Regardless of the season’s origins that may resonate with you most, the unmistakable “awakening” of Spring can absolutely lend strong energies to your new beginning. Should it speak to you, breathe deep the fresh scents of a world released from Winter’s hold, feel the warmth of the primaveral Sun against your skin. Your time for rest has met its gentle end, as the energy within you comes alive once more. Embrace the rising tides inside you, and plant the seeds you wish to sow with enthusiasm, knowing inspired action will guide you until they’re ready for harvest.
Another Random Fact: the Solar Hijri Calendar (also called the Persian Calendar and Iranian Calendar) calculates time astronomically, using the Earth’s movement around the Sun to determine dates. It is considered by many to be the most accurate calendar in the world.
Samhain & the Celtic New Year
*sigh* I myself am an autumn soul. I live for the moments I feel the warm sun on a cool day, as leaves of gold and fire dance about my feet. The entire season is a bittersweet farewell. I long for its arrival and lament its quiet goodbye. But I know it will return. And I know its passing means the Wheel has turned again, and the opportunity to begin anew is once more upon us.
Samhain falls on what we now know as Halloween (however, there is also “true” astrological Samhain, which falls somewhere in the first week of November, but for the sake of ease, we’ll be discussing it as Halloween). It is said that in ancient Celtic tradition, this day was viewed as the end of the year, November 1st marking the new beginning. It has also been referred to, lovingly, as the Witches New Year.
This makes sense, as Samhain is also the final harvest festival of the year, a last call to bring in that which you’ve sown, before the blanket of winter descends upon the land and all is quiet ’til Spring. This time represents a closing, an ending before a beginning.
Now, you may be wondering, if everything is ending and falling quiet, how does that carry the energy of a new beginning? I think of it similarly to beginning the new year at the height of Winter: for some, beginning the new year with a bang and the fertility of inspired action is the way to go, but for others, a new year that begins in a time of quiet can be much more beneficial.
Think of it this way: as the harvest season finally ends, all the hard work is done. Everything is ready for Winter, preparations are all in order, and you’ve created a comfortable foundation to rest upon through the dark months of Winter. The external work is accomplished. Now, it is time to move within.
Why not make your plans now? Why not sit with yourself, as the world grows quieter, and reflect upon the year that has ended? Where did you struggle? Where did you rise up? When did you prove you were stronger than you thought? When were you filled with joy? What passed the hours in the most comfortable sense of contentment?
This is a wonderful time to know yourself. To see where you wish to grow come Spring. It is perfectly fine to begin now. To sit with yourself and decide what your resolutions will be. Even if the big actions don’t come for a time, that’s okay. Start within. Every witch worth her black salt knows that the real work happens within. It is the foundation on which we build, the soil in which we plant, and the sacred key to all intention and manifestation.
So yes, Samhain also makes sense as a perfect choice for the New Year.
If the idea of only starting over once a year feels like it doesn’t offer enough support for you at this time, never forget that the New Moon offers new beginnings every single month, love.
Choose the Dawn That Calls to You
I invite you, little wildling, to sit with yourself and feel into each of these times.
When do you feel the stirrings of a new beginning?
The quiet heart of Winter?
The fiery awakening of Spring?
The deep embrace of Autumn?
Perhaps Midsummer is your New Year. For some people, Winter doesn’t feel like a time of rest because it takes more work and energy to move through their day-to-day. For some, Summer is when the world slows down, settling into a lazy rhythm of sunshine and swaying grass. Maybe this is your perfect time for reflection and inner work, preparing to move into another year of your journey.
Always follow the call you hear clearest, the song you feel most, the direction that pulls you like gentle hands and warm laughter.
Friendly reminder that you don’t have to tell anyone – your New Year can exclusively be your thing. If that’s what feels right and best to you.
For me, personally, I like to work with all three (I do like threes).
At Samhain I reflect, go within, set intentions and make loving resolutions. Then I rest, preparing myself for those intentions and resolutions. In January, I begin to wiggle the fingers and toes of my creativity, allowing that part of me to come awake and begin to create. I listen to my body and do what feels right, taking gentle steps along my path. And when Ostara comes, well, it’s Aries Season, baby. And that’s my time. That’s when I light the fire and spring into action, making bigger moves and fulfilling promises (goals) to myself.
Because I fucking love myself. And I owe this bitch everything.
That’s where it starts, wildling: not with the harvest, the snowfall, or the flowers.
With you.
Choose wisely.
Wishing you well, wherever you are on your path today,
