Celebrating Sabbats when you're a solitary?

[Avalonia]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this, but, anyway.

I'm a solitary practioner. Up to this point (five years now), I have never celebrated an actual Sabbat. Yeah. Why? Because I don't know how. Everything I read about Sabbats are for groups, and I attempt to work something out to do by myself but then I kind of give up before I get around to it.

I actually have no idea how to properly commemorate a Sabbat. I understand what they represent, but I have no idea how to do *something* that won't look weird to my parents (I'm in the broom closet), and not feel slightly stupid when I'm doing it (I don't understand big rituals at all).

The only thing I've actually thought of that I could do, would be to find some sort of food traditionally connected to that Sabbat and make it.

Any other solitaries have any suggestions about how to celebrate Sabbats? :spinnysmi

[IvyWitch]

Normally I don't do huge involved rituals for the Sabbats, and I don't really observe them all. The best thing I have done is for the solstice's and the equinoxes. I love the changing of the seasons, and I get into it, a lot. Before I got my own place I would head to the craft store and make seasonal stuff to decorate my room with. Now I get to decorate the whole house.
Now that I have my own place I also make special seasonal meals and re-decorate my kitchen altar.
If I do a ritual, usually I simply reflect on the meaning and symbolism of the Sabbat in question and think of what that means in my life personally, whether it be literal or symbolic (a "harvest" time for my life, simply to celebrate winter, or to remember a friend of family member past).
It doesn't have to be elaborate, what's important is that it's meaningful to you. ^_^

[Rosana]

I'm a solitary. At the beginning, I felt like you - including the bias against formal, full-blown rituals. So I developed more "personal" ways to attune with the cycles of the Earth, with the energies of each Sabbat. For Lammas, I like to:

* bake bread or oatmeal cookies. Often we eat our daily bread mechanically, without any single thought on how it was brought to us, who was raising the grain and so on. Try to meditate on this, to give thanks for the abundance in your life.
* meditate. What are you thankful for? What was brought to you in last twelve months? What lessons you have learned, and what blessings were given to you?
* observe the cycle of the day. Go for a long walk in the forest or park, sit down and notice that sun is setting a little earlier, and the dawn comes a little later. Think about the next months, about the upcoming winter and the rebirth in spring.
* bless my tools of the trade. Magickal, but also the mundane - like a computer, notebooks etc. They ensure me my "crop" - so give thanks to them.
* go for an outdoor picnic.
* decorate the house with baskets of corn, fruits and flowers, corresponding with the season.
* go berrypicking.

I'm sure you will figure out your own ways of celebrating :) Good luck!

[acorn elf]

I usually dress up and make food ^^ and nobody suspects a thing, because I'm always doing that. I haven't done anything big yet, at the moment I'm solitary, but I don't know how much that would change if you're in a coven. You might end up doing the same thing as a group that you would alone, except..with more people.

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Rosana is on the right track. My husband and I take my son and go berrypicking at Lughnasadah and then do things like bake pies with the "first harvest." Perhaps ask some of your friends or even your family to go with you. Just because they aren't thinking of it the same way you are doesn't mean they can't enjoy it. A picnic is another fun idea, perhaps you could make seasonal foods (including the pies from the berries) yourself and take those. During many of the Lughnasadh festivals, there were war games so try some of your own. Play tug of war and other games in that vein. My husband and I also like to go to a Renaissance Festival because it was at this time that the markets were open. Or you could even find a Farmer's Market nearby to go to and buy your seasonal fruits and vegetables there. Of course these are all Lughnasadh ideas, but I think you're starting to get the point.

For me, I tend to research what was done historically and update it to be done in a more modern setting. There are a lot of books out there that are full of this type of information and other folklore associated with the festivals. And yes, I will even recommend the Llewellyn Sabbat series. Though I'm not typically a fan of most neo-pagan literature, these books have some good info and ideas on how to celebrate. Even the stuff that is intended for groups can be modified to work for a solitary practioner. It just requires a little creativity and imagination.

[blueiris]

My Sabbat celebrations generally include reflection and meditation. For example, today I baked a loaf of bread, and then had a slice while reflecting on the sacrifices people have made for me, and how I am grateful to them. I then wrote down a list of things that I will do to contribute back to society and Mother Earth, and then pondered my harvests, such as good grades and so forth.
It's really hard to do them alone, and I always sort of get lonely on Beltane just because it seems like a holiday made for parties and groups. I know exactly where you're coming from. :)

[zilith]

Today I made bread to celebrate. It's the first time I've celebrated lammas and the first time I've ever made bread :D. It was a little strange trying to explain to my mom that its a pagan holiday and that we should bake some bread, but it was fun. (tastes good too) ;)

[Nemesis Descending]

I'm a solitary practioner. Up to this point (five years now), I have never celebrated an actual Sabbat. Yeah. Why? Because I don't know how. Everything I read about Sabbats are for groups, and I attempt to work something out to do by myself but then I kind of give up before I get around to it.

I actually have no idea how to properly commemorate a Sabbat. I understand what they represent, but I have no idea how to do *something* that won't look weird to my parents (I'm in the broom closet), and not feel slightly stupid when I'm doing it (I don't understand big rituals at all).

Try taking a look at something that just came out for solitary practitioners. It's a deck of images that can be used for solitary rituals and magic. The images are doorways for guided meditations, which take you through the experience of a Sabbat or even a Full Moon ritual. The deck comes with a book that shows examples of how to perform rituals with the cards.

Pop into the author's forum and check out a discussion there (Raven Grimassi - Well Worn Path).

Here's a link to the website too:

http://www.wellwornpath.com/home.htm (http://www.wellwornpath.com/home.htm)

[Fairyelf]

alot of good ideas here.

[Flar's Freyja]

What they all said, and since the colors, decorations, etc. are so similar to what's selling seasonally out in the world, it's easy just to observe them by simply making a special meal and/or redecorating the house. You can also celebrate in this manner without friends, neighbors or non-pagan family being any the wiser......

[Sibylle]

I do my own solitary rituals, eat food appropriate for the sabbat, and generally treat sabbats as "holidays". I love them!

Hugs!!