Some of the differences between the Northern and Southern hemispheres are quiet obvious while others aren’t and even the obvious may slip the notice of an unaware novice. Unfortunately the majority of books written about Wicca are by those living in the Northern Hemisphere; there is a very small selection of books about Wicca written by Southern Hemisphere witches.
Wicca is about attuning oneself to the season and the environment of your local and thus the earth so changes are always beneficial. Following are some of the differences between Northern and Southern Hemisphere Wicca. While not every Southern Hemisphere Witch follows all of these variances which could be due to the Tradition of the path they follow or cultural blood background.
Wicca is about attuning oneself to the season and the environment of your local and thus the earth so changes are always beneficial. Following are some of the differences between Northern and Southern Hemisphere Wicca. While not every Southern Hemisphere Witch follows all of these variances which could be due to the Tradition of the path they follow or cultural blood background.
The Sabbats
There is a six months difference between the two hemispheres and pretty much all southern witches make this change it would seem odd to be celebrating a winter festival in the middle of summer, it is by the celebration of the seasons that we connect with the environment around us, the Gods and the Earth.
Southern Hemisphere
Samhain – April/May Yule - June Imbolc - August Ostara - September Beltane - October/November Litha - December Lughnasadh - February Mabon - March |
Northern Hemisphere
Beltane - April Litha - June Lughnasadh - August Mabon - September Samhain - October Yule - December Imbolc - February Ostara - March |
Deosil and Widdershins
Deosil translates to “prosperous course” which to the Scots meant sun-wise. As it just happens to be that both sun-wise and clockwise in the northern hemisphere are in the same direction. The direction of the sun was transferred to the direction of clocks, if time pieces were created in the southern hemisphere their movement would be in what we now call counter-clockwise.
Southern Hemisphere
In the southern hemisphere the sun moves across the sky from East to North to West which appears to be counter-clockwise. Not all southern witches cast their circle in this direction. At first doing so feels a bit awkward only because you’re not use to doing so. |
Northern Hemisphere
In the northern hemisphere the sun moves across the sky from East to South to West appearing as clockwise. |
Widdershins; literally it means to take a course opposite to the movement of the sun. While some Wiccans never move in this direction others choose to use it for banishing or opening the circle.
Southern Hemisphere
Widdershins is clockwise for us in the southern hemisphere the opposite direction the sun moves across the sky |
Northern Hemisphere
This is counter-clockwise for those in the northern hemisphere |
The Weather
Weather patterns also move in the opposite direction to the Northern Hemisphere. Here in the Southern Hemisphere a High Pressure System (fine weather) builds up with the air circulating in a counter clockwise direction with the air moving in a down and outward direction, when this high pressure system breaks down it results in a Low Pressure System (poor weather) which moves in a clockwise direction with the air moving in towards the centre and up.
The Elemental Placements
This is also a reflection of the suns movement the direction in which we cast the circle and our placement in relation to the equator. In the southern hemisphere the further north we go the hotter it gets and the further south we go the colder it gets vice-versa for the northern hemisphere. Some witches may change Air and Water around thinking that because they changed the other two they need to change these as well, this is
not so as the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west like it does in the northern hemisphere. Some times these may be changed due to geographical location.
not so as the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west like it does in the northern hemisphere. Some times these may be changed due to geographical location.
Southern Hemisphere
South - Earth East - Air North - Fire West - Water |
Northern Hemisphere
South - Fire East - Air North - Earth West - Water |
Horns of the Moon
You may have read that the horns of a crescent moon will tell you whether the moon is waxing or waning by there direction they are pointing and often this is explained with the Triple Goddess Symbol, the left crescent representing the Maiden, the full disc the Mother and the right crescent the Crone. But of course this is different in the Southern Hemisphere.
While the left crescent still remains the Maiden and so forth on the Triple Goddess symbol regardless of which hemisphere you are in it is the position at which you stand Southern or Northern Hemisphere to view the moon that changes the directions of the crescent horns in which they point, and this changes the closer you get to the equator.
While the left crescent still remains the Maiden and so forth on the Triple Goddess symbol regardless of which hemisphere you are in it is the position at which you stand Southern or Northern Hemisphere to view the moon that changes the directions of the crescent horns in which they point, and this changes the closer you get to the equator.
Southern Hemisphere
A waxing crescent (increasing from new to full) point towards the west, while a waning crescent (decreasing from full to new) point towards the East |
Northern Hemisphere
In the northern hemisphere the horns of the crescent that point eastward indicate a waxing - growing to full moon, those pointing to the west tell of a moon that is waning turning from full to new. |