On Sabbat Dates

[thedogisdead]

So, I know that yearly, sabbat dates tend to change. For instance, I assumed Mabon was 21st September this year, but when looking it up I've found dates such as the 22nd and 23rd. I know usually it's acceptible to perform a rite/ritual/celebration on either of these, but is there really any 'official' dates? If so, when is Mabon?

Comments

[menokh]

I've always celebrated it on the 24 hour period from nightfall to nightfall that encompasses the start of autumn, which in this yesr's case would be tomorrow night through Monday night.

Some people prefer to set a definate date that does not change unlike the actual equinox and I don't see any problem with that aproach either.

[thedogisdead]

Thats a really good idea actually D: I might try something like that sometime, though I usually do for Samhain, my favourite Sabbat. And do you know what date the actual Autumn equinox is?

[mageoflamancha]

roughly 5:20 Sept 22, E.S.T.

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/EarthSeasons.php

[mageoflamancha]

Ah yes the Sabbat game

[pinkpolarity]

There are two schools of thought about this kind of thing. One that says that the purpose of ritual is to magically bring the energies of the Sabbat into being, that the Wheel turns because we help turn it. If you're of that mind, the exact time when the solstice or equinox occurs matters quite a great deal

[caredonya]

As we know the equinoxes are the days at which the sun is positioned directly over the earth's equator, making day and night equal. And this does change. There are a couple of resources you can use to find the date for each year, like a farmers almanac, but I found this one that is pretty cool: http://www.hermetic.ch/cal_sw/ve/ve.php a nifty little claculator for all 4 equinoxes.

Sabbats and dates

[draidean]

I was taught all those years ago that 4 sabbats, the cross quarters, had fixed dates, Imbolc, at Feb 2nd, Beltane at May 1st, Lughnasadh at August 1st and Samhain on October 31st. I use my Old Farmer's Almanac to fix the dates of solstices and equinoxes. That's a very handy publication indeed because it's times are accurate and it has correction codes you can use to get perfect times almost anywhere in the USA.