The night is clear. The moon shines bright at its full waxing, its luster appears translucent. Its eminence is reflected in the peaceful waters beneath her. A woman speaks aloud to the skies...

    Preceding was just one example of the way a Wiccan celebrates one of many holy occasions. The above was an excerpt from an Ebsat ritual.
 

    I’d now like to take you on a journey-- A voyage through the life of a witch. To simplify things, I'll give the witch a name, and call her as such. Her name of choice will be Aurora. We'll begin at birth.
The first thing a newborn witch will come in contact with is the welcoming ceremony. This ceremony entails welcoming the baby into this world, giving the baby a name until they are old enough to chose their own, presenting the child to the Lord and Lady and finally, asking for Their blessing upon the child.

    The next rite of passage in the Aurora's life was the Wiccaning. A Wiccaning is the Wiccan equivalent of a baptism.  This ceremony places the child under the Lord and Lady's protection until the time it can protect itself. This ritual is not the same as a baptism though. This ceremony is not done with the belief that the child was born into the Wiccan faith and/ or will be Wiccan when the child grows up. Wiccans believe that no one is born with a religion, that in time, when the child is old enough to make their own informed decision, the child is free to do so. Many Wiccan parents try to introduce their child to many various religions, and hope that they make a worthy choice.

    Next on our journey through the life of Aurora, is the "Coming of Age." You begin to 'come of age' at thirteen. On the night of her thirteenth birthday, she made a time capsule to be opened at the end of her seven-year journey to womanhood.  Also on this night, she sought a guiding force to watch over her journey, be it a faery, a spirit, or a deity. At sixteen, she joined with a group of close friends and went on a retreat with a trusted adult. This retreat should have a theme and a goal.  In essence, they spent a weekend together to chose new names for themselves, participate in various rituals and to "find themselves." At eighteen, her parents presented her to the coven as an adult--including the responsibilities that status entails. At twenty, she had reached the end of her journey. She had fulfilled that which she vowed she would. She opened the time capsule she had made at the onset of her trek. And most importantly--she celebrated!!
    At this point, it was time for her to make a choice. Was she going to follow Wicca, another form of paganism, or something totally different? Aurora chose to pursue the Wiccan faith. This decision was proceeded by an initiation. The point of this initiation is for her to formally introduce herself to the Lord and Lady as one of Their followers and tell them what name she chooses to go by.

    With the decision to follow the Craft made, it was time for her to begin observing the holy days. Since most initiations take place on a full moon, I'll start with that. Those who are pagan call a full moon an Ebsat.  Ebsats mark thirteen intervals in the year divided by the cycle of the moon. The ritual that accompanies this time marking honors the Goddess, as the moon is her symbol. An Ebsat is said to be a time of feminine power, given who it celebrates. Energy is generally raised at this time because the deities said to be listening their hardest this eve. An example of a portion of an Ebsat ritual was given in the beginning.

    In regards to sabbats, which are the solar time markings, I'll start at the New Year. On the Pagan calendar, Samhain (sah-veen) is the New Year. Samhain is the original "Halloween."  Samhain is a celebration of the 'dearly departed.' It is also the time when the veil between the spiritual and physical is said to be the thinnest. Because of this, many people seem to associate seances to witches around Samhain, but most don't perform them. To explain it simply, most pagans believe in reincarnation, and if a spirit is incased in another body, it can't very well come visit for a while, now can it?  In actuality, Samhain is a time for scrying and for looking back over the past year, and coming to terms with things you did since last Samhain. This holy day has unfortunately been devalued. It now seems to be ruled by candy manufacturers and revolves around fear in goblins, ghouls, and ironically, witches. In the Wiccan wheel of the year, Samhain is the time when you say farewell to light and the God as he passes away.
    Next comes Yule, and the end to Wiccan mourning. Yule falls on the day of the Winter solstice. Here it is that the God is born of the Goddess. This is the Pagan equivalent to Christianity's "Christmas," though Yule existed first. Christianity adopted it for their use in 273 CE. Yule is a time for love, a time for fires to symbolize the coming of the God, whose symbol is the sun. Winter is drab and lacking of fertility as the Goddess rests after the hardship of her labor.
    Imbolc, which falls on February 2nd, marks the recovery of the Goddess. As the God grows, his light is enhanced and this celebration is known as Festival of Lights. This is a time of healing.
    Next, comes Ostara, the start of spring, which is celebrated on the day of vernal equinox. This is a celebration of fire and fertility.  The sun grows stronger still.
    Beltane follows on April 31st. Some celebrate it on May 1st. This is the origin of May Day, known as May Eve. A traditional act is the Maypole dance. It marks the return of fertility. The young God grows into manhood, and desires the Goddess. They fall in love, lay among the grasses and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God. This celebrates ultimate passion and hope.
    Midsummer, called Litha proceeds. This arrives on the day of Summer solstice. On this day, the God is his most powerful. T is the longest day of the year and a great time for magick.
    Next comes the Harvest festival, called Lughnasadh on August first. This marks the first harvest. The God has spread His light over the fields, the crops are ready for harvest, and He weakens. This festival is the origin of Thanksgiving.
    The harvesting ends on Mabon, autumnal equinox. The food is gathered for the long winter to come. Nature declines, preparing for God's departure. Samhain comes again, completing the wheel of the solar year.

    Later in Aurora's life, she met who she believes to be her soul mate. She and her mate then participate in a Wiccan Handfasting, or wedding. However, differing from most other religions, Wiccans usually first go through a 'Year and a Day Handfasting.' This is almost like a trial period, and is not legal, only moral and spiritual. After this year and a day has past, the couple looks back over the time they spent together and decides whether to go through with a "Foreverfast," as they are sometimes called. It is believed that the vows made in this ceremony last through lifetimes. For the sake of explanation, let's say that Aurora and her mate decided they weren't suited. They would then go through what is called a "unfasting," equivalent to a divorce. This is a spiritual letting go. The parties involved can then part with few hostilities, on friendly terms.

    What came much later on, when Saturn had returned twice to Aurora's natal point (this happens at age 56), is the Croning ritual, where you enter the wise age.  Aurora was presented with a crone jewel--which is of the color purple--to remind her that she is a teacher, a sister, and a crone of the Goddess.

    Hopefully long after this, Aurora passed from this life to reside with the God and Goddess to await her next incarnation. It is only natural that those who loved her mourned, but they did not mourn for long, because they knew that she was not really dead. Aurora was alive in the hearts and memories of her loved ones. Not only this, but she was born again and again.

And such was the life of a Crone. This is what the life of a typical Wiccan resembles. There are discrepancies due to not being born to Wiccan parents or never finding that particular person you wish to bind yourself to, or being male and thus adaptingthe rituals, such as Eldering in stead of Croning, but nevertheless, you live your life under the protection of the Lord and Lady.