The Wiccan Sabbat Wheel, also known as the Wheel of the Year, is a representation of the eight annual festivals celebrated in the Wiccan tradition. These festivals mark the changing seasons and celebrate the cycles of nature and the divine. Each Sabbat has its own unique significance and is observed with rituals, feasts, and various customs. The Sabbat Wheel is divided into two halves, the light half and the dark half, symbolizing the waxing and waning of the sun's power throughout the year. The light half begins with the Sabbat of Yule, which takes place around the winter solstice and celebrates the rebirth of the Sun God. It is a time of renewal and hope as the days start to become longer.
Today started at 3am for the travel group everyone woke up, packed, and hopped on the travel bus. Thanks to Dalton & Skye for driving us to the airport. Once we checked luggage and made it through TSA we boarded our flight to Charlotte, NC. Once we arrived in Charlotte we headed to our terminal and got lunch at a burger joint in the airport. After the group ate a delicious lunch, we boarded our last flight to Orlando , FL. Once the plane touched down, we all disembarked and headed to baggage claim where we collected all the groups luggage. We then found our shuttle to the universal resort and rode that over to the resort. Once the whole group was checked in, we ate dinner at a grab n’ go restaurant in the resort. Everyone ate quickly and headed up to bed, to rest up for an adventurous day tomorrow!
Also, I really think after traveling the United States these last nine years with Menopause I really have grown to appreciate who I am because of where I grew up. Cavanagh has also had a busy voiceover career, most notably as the voice of Judy Neutron in the Oscar-nominated animated film Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius, the subsequent television series and several TV movies.
It is a time of renewal and hope as the days start to become longer. Next comes Imbolc, which falls in early February and marks the first signs of spring. It is associated with the goddess Brigid and is a time for purification and cleansing.
'League's' memorable Marla continues to affect viewers
Welcome to Questions of Characters, the column that puts a name to some of the most familiar faces in movies and on television, the stage and commercials who either hail from Chicago or have spent enough time here to consider it home.
Name: Megan Cavanagh
AdvertisementChicago connection: Born in Chicago in 1960 to parents Jim and Rita on Nov. 8. Raised in River Forest along with her four siblings, Cavanagh went to Oak Park and River Forest High School, graduating at 16 in 1977. She attended Rosary College in River Forest (now Dominican University), graduating in January 1982.
Career overview: She got the acting bug at 4: "We were singing 'Puff the Magic Dragon' at a pre-kindergarten performance. I was Puff in a big dragon costume, and my job was to skip back and forth, and I could see through my big dragon mouth — especially the sixth-graders — looking terrified. I had so much power in that moment I knew this was what I wanted to do the rest of my life." She appeared in a memorable high school production of "Oklahoma" with classmates Dan Castellaneta, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Kathy Griffin. After graduation Cavanagh worked at several fondly remembered Chicago theaters, including the Body Politic, Victory Gardens and Absolute Theatre, doing anything and everything (house-managing, working the box office, understudying) and performing as much as possible. She joined the comedy troupe New Age Vaudeville in 1984 and performed with them until 1987. In 1988 she moved to Los Angeles and found work in commercials.
AdvertisementCavanagh's big break came in 1990, when director Penny Marshall cast her in the comedy "A League of Their Own." She made an instant impression with her portrayal of Marla Hooch, the so-called "ugly girl" who outshines several members of the all-female baseball team. She had numerous supporting parts in film comedies following that success — "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" and "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" for director Mel Brooks, "For Richer, for Poorer," "Junior," "That Darn Cat" and others. Cavanagh has also had a busy voiceover career, most notably as the voice of Judy Neutron in the Oscar-nominated animated film "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," the subsequent television series and several TV movies. On TV, Cavanagh has had roles in everything from "Home Improvement" to "Exes & Ohs." Cavanagh also has a thriving stage career and is currently touring the country in "Menopause: The Musical." She lives in Hollywood with her partner, Anne Chamberlain. Megan's son, Brendan, is 19 and majoring in Mandarin Chinese and international affairs at college.
Q: I'm going to guess that Marla Hooch is the character you are most often recognized for.
A: That is correct. To this day, every day. People say, "You look so much like that girl from that movie" or they just come right up to me and say, "You were Marla Hooch." A lot of them add, "You're so pretty in real life." That's very sweet when they say that. I get a lot of "That movie changed my life" from young women. So many of us don't feel like the pretty one or the popular one. It's brought up beauty issues in society for a lot of people. I am working on a documentary dealing with this issue. I have had entire teams of softball players of young women who watch it. The amount of people who love this movie astounds me. I went to a baseball signing with some of the original players at a tournament, and there was literally a line about a mile long. They are so emotional about it.
Q: Which actor(s) would you nominate for the Character Actor Hall of Fame?
A: I would nominate Margaret Rutherford, who I adore. I love Helen Mirren. I really like Melissa McCarthy. She's genius. I think Sarah Silverman is genius. Some of the young women coming up right now in comedy are so refreshing. Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler are all so brilliant.
Q: What's an archetypal character role you have played often?
A; I've played lots of character-y roles, but I play average gals who are looking for love a lot (laughs).
Q: What's a character part that you would like to play?
AdvertisementA: Where do I begin? I've always wanted to do an Irish sister part in "Dancing at Lughnasa." The character-ier the better. I like to play women who are somewhat not liked that make you feel sorry for them.
Q: Most unusual character/costume/location/prop?
A: I had to wear a crocodile outfit when I played the crocodile in "Peter Pan." I helped my mom make it. I had to wear a Santa Claus suit in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." It was extremely warm. When I went to the audition they told me to stuff clothing in my sleeves. I went out and got a Santa suit from a rental shop and went completely dressed as the character. I put my hair up and I walked in the door to meet Mel (Brooks) as the character, and he hired me on the spot. It is a very dicey thing to do, but it worked out. I would love Mel Brooks to do this as a musical. I would love to do this onstage. Hey Mel, I'm ready!
Q: Has being from Chicago helped in your career?
A: Yes. Chicago is a very well-respected theater town. Having that on my resume has given me a deeper sense of what kind of actor I am. Also, I really think after traveling the United States these last nine years with "Menopause" I really have grown to appreciate who I am because of where I grew up. I'm generalizing here, but to me Chicagoans are a very real, warm-hearted kind of people. There's no B.S., no pretension, you get what you get. I think that's very well respected — especially in the film business.
A: That is correct. To this day, every day. People say, "You look so much like that girl from that movie" or they just come right up to me and say, "You were Marla Hooch." A lot of them add, "You're so pretty in real life." That's very sweet when they say that. I get a lot of "That movie changed my life" from young women. So many of us don't feel like the pretty one or the popular one. It's brought up beauty issues in society for a lot of people. I am working on a documentary dealing with this issue. I have had entire teams of softball players of young women who watch it. The amount of people who love this movie astounds me. I went to a baseball signing with some of the original players at a tournament, and there was literally a line about a mile long. They are so emotional about it.
Following Imbolc, the Sabbat of Ostara takes place during the spring equinox. It symbolizes the balance between light and dark and represents the awakening of nature and fertility. The Sabbat of Beltane occurs on May 1st and celebrates the arrival of summer. It is a time of passion, abundance, and growth. This is followed by Litha, which coincides with the summer solstice in June. Litha is the longest day of the year, and it honors the Sun God at the peak of his power. The light half of the year concludes with Lammas, observed on August 1st, which marks the beginning of the harvest season. It is a time to give thanks for the bounty of the Earth and the fruits of one's labor. Mabon, the autumn equinox, comes next and signifies the balance between light and dark once again. It is a time of gratitude and reflection. The dark half of the year begins with Samhain, celebrated on October 31st. It is considered the most sacred of all Sabbats and is associated with death and rebirth. Samhain is a time to honor ancestors and communicate with the spirit world. Finally, there is Yule once again, completing the cycle of the Wheel of the Year. The Wiccan Sabbat Wheel creates a meaningful and cyclical framework for Wiccans to connect with nature, observe seasonal changes, and celebrate the divine. It serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things and the continuous cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Through the observance of the Sabbats, Wiccans seek to attain harmony and spiritual growth, aligning themselves with the natural rhythms of the Earth..
Reviews for "The power of Beltane on the Wiccan Sabbat Wheel"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Wiccan sabbst wheel". The information provided felt very basic and surface-level. I was hoping for a deeper exploration of the Wiccan sabbats and how they connect to the cycles of nature and spiritual growth. Instead, it felt like a regurgitation of general knowledge that is easily found with a quick internet search. I was also disappointed with the lack of practical guidance or suggestions for celebrating the sabbats in a meaningful way. Overall, it just fell short of my expectations and left me wanting more depth and substance.
2. Michael - 1 star - I found "Wiccan sabbst wheel" to be extremely underwhelming. The book lacked structure and organization, making it difficult to follow. It jumped from one topic to another without any clear progression or flow. The information provided was also very generic and did not delve into the rich history and significance of the sabbats. It felt like a missed opportunity to truly educate and engage readers. Additionally, the writing style was dry and uninspiring, making it difficult to maintain interest. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and would not recommend this book to others.
3. Jessica - 2 stars - I was hoping "Wiccan sabbst wheel" would be a comprehensive guide to the Wiccan sabbats, but unfortunately, it fell short. The explanations provided were too vague and lacked depth, leaving me with more questions than answers. The book also did not offer any unique insights or perspectives on the sabbats, making it feel like a rehash of information that is readily available elsewhere. I was also disappointed with the lack of illustrations or visuals to help bring the content to life. Overall, I would not recommend this book to someone who is looking for a thorough and insightful exploration of the Wiccan sabbats.