Mountain Ancestors' holiday rites are an opportunity to engage in inclusive ritual, relevant worship, and diverse fellowship. We encourage families to come pray together. We host eight public holiday AND twelve-thirteen full-moon rites each year that are open to anyone who wishes to attend. These include services connected to a solar calendar, as well as a lunar calendar.
Our Solar Wheel of the Year
Home & HearthFire Festival - Early February
The spirit of this festival is a celebration of the fires that we keep burning to sustain us until the return of spring. During this season of cold and dark, we honor the warmth within our homes as we await the return of the warmth outside. At this time, special honor is given to the spirit of hearth, home, and family.
Vernal Equinox - Late March
This festival marks the first awakening green after the darker time of the year. At this time, daylight once again balances the night, and we celebrate the new beginnings of life in our land. At this time, special honor is given to the Sun as the source of new growth, and tools of our trades are brought to the Fire that they may be blessed.
Mountain Fertility Festival - Early May
This festival celebrates the budding blossoms that signal the beginning of warmer times. At this time, special honor is given to EarthMother, and our local LandKin/Wights, seen and unseen. We acknowledge the waters that flow down from the heights of our snow-capped peaks, honoring the fertility that they bring to the land.
Summer Solstice - Late June
This festival marks the height of the Sun's glory, warmth, and brilliance. At this time of fruition, we gather to celebrate as a folk at dawn, at the beginning of the longest day of the year. Special honor is given to our solar deities, and we revel in the full return of life and prosperity to the land.
First Harvest - Early August
This festival marks the harvest of the first fruits of our land. At this time of abundance and plenty, special honor is given to EarthMother as we know her, Colorado Herself. We acknowledge the connection we inherently share with the natural world, and offer the first of our harvests as a mark of gratitude and appreciation.
Autumnal Equinox (Second Harvest) - Late September
This festival marks the end of the harvest season and the fullness of our bounty. At this time, special honor is given to the return of our local Lady of Autumn, She-Who-Dances-Among-Leaves with the turning of the quaking aspens. As a folk, we celebrate the Earth and the sacrifices that She makes to provide for us throughout the long winter ahead.
Ancestors' Night - Late October/Early November
After the completion of the harvest time when the plants have begun to sleep once more, we remember also those who have gone before us, our honored and beloved Dead. We give thanks for the lessons we have learned from their lives and experiences and keep vigil in remembrance of those of blood and those of heart, of those of hearth and those of wisdom who have led us to where we are today. We honor also those beings who are charged with the care of our Ancestors in the afterlife.
Winter Solstice - Late December
This festival marks the shortest day of the year, the day with the fewest hours of sunlight and the longest night. It is a time of quiet reflection as we mark the events of the past year that have led us to this space of contemplation and preparation. We keep the Fires lit throughout the night that the Sun may be heralded back into new life to be born anew with the dawn of the new year just over the horizon.
To learn about upcoming high day rites and other events, refer to our Calendar.
The spirit of this festival is a celebration of the fires that we keep burning to sustain us until the return of spring. During this season of cold and dark, we honor the warmth within our homes as we await the return of the warmth outside. At this time, special honor is given to the spirit of hearth, home, and family.
Vernal Equinox - Late March
This festival marks the first awakening green after the darker time of the year. At this time, daylight once again balances the night, and we celebrate the new beginnings of life in our land. At this time, special honor is given to the Sun as the source of new growth, and tools of our trades are brought to the Fire that they may be blessed.
Mountain Fertility Festival - Early May
This festival celebrates the budding blossoms that signal the beginning of warmer times. At this time, special honor is given to EarthMother, and our local LandKin/Wights, seen and unseen. We acknowledge the waters that flow down from the heights of our snow-capped peaks, honoring the fertility that they bring to the land.
Summer Solstice - Late June
This festival marks the height of the Sun's glory, warmth, and brilliance. At this time of fruition, we gather to celebrate as a folk at dawn, at the beginning of the longest day of the year. Special honor is given to our solar deities, and we revel in the full return of life and prosperity to the land.
First Harvest - Early August
This festival marks the harvest of the first fruits of our land. At this time of abundance and plenty, special honor is given to EarthMother as we know her, Colorado Herself. We acknowledge the connection we inherently share with the natural world, and offer the first of our harvests as a mark of gratitude and appreciation.
Autumnal Equinox (Second Harvest) - Late September
This festival marks the end of the harvest season and the fullness of our bounty. At this time, special honor is given to the return of our local Lady of Autumn, She-Who-Dances-Among-Leaves with the turning of the quaking aspens. As a folk, we celebrate the Earth and the sacrifices that She makes to provide for us throughout the long winter ahead.
Ancestors' Night - Late October/Early November
After the completion of the harvest time when the plants have begun to sleep once more, we remember also those who have gone before us, our honored and beloved Dead. We give thanks for the lessons we have learned from their lives and experiences and keep vigil in remembrance of those of blood and those of heart, of those of hearth and those of wisdom who have led us to where we are today. We honor also those beings who are charged with the care of our Ancestors in the afterlife.
Winter Solstice - Late December
This festival marks the shortest day of the year, the day with the fewest hours of sunlight and the longest night. It is a time of quiet reflection as we mark the events of the past year that have led us to this space of contemplation and preparation. We keep the Fires lit throughout the night that the Sun may be heralded back into new life to be born anew with the dawn of the new year just over the horizon.
To learn about upcoming high day rites and other events, refer to our Calendar.
Our Lunar Wheel & it's Moon Rites
January - Song Moon - In times of cold, we gather beneath the moon and fill the nights with song to build fellowship and mirth.
February - Stay-at-Home Moon - Traditionally, the worst parts of Winter fall during this moon. As such, these rites are conducted via FB LiveStream
March - Crow Moon - The return of Crow-song (cawing) heralds the end of Winter.
April - Sprouting Grass Moon - Bits of green begin to return to our land.
May - Flower Moon - Color returns to the prairie, and the pollinators begin their work.
June - Joyful Moon - In full bloom, the land encourages us to celebrate what there is to celebrate!
July - Bull Elk Moon - Summer is ending. Maturation is in the air. Wapiti shed their antler velvet, thus marking this time of "growing-up".
August - Green Corn Moon - The land prepares for the great harvest, and the forthcoming Fall season.
September - Hunter’s Moon - Hunting season begins! This is the time to get the "tools of the hunt" blessed for a successful year!
October - Harvest Moon - The final bits of harvesting are completed, and as a people, we settle in for the cold once again.
November - Frost Moon - The cold is here. What was in the fields is now frosted over. We prepare for the introspective nature of winter.
December - Long Nights Moon - The nights are longer than any other time in the year. Moon is our companion as we look within.
Blue-moon/Intercalary - In-Between Moon
To learn about upcoming moon rites and other events, refer to our Calendar.
February - Stay-at-Home Moon - Traditionally, the worst parts of Winter fall during this moon. As such, these rites are conducted via FB LiveStream
March - Crow Moon - The return of Crow-song (cawing) heralds the end of Winter.
April - Sprouting Grass Moon - Bits of green begin to return to our land.
May - Flower Moon - Color returns to the prairie, and the pollinators begin their work.
June - Joyful Moon - In full bloom, the land encourages us to celebrate what there is to celebrate!
July - Bull Elk Moon - Summer is ending. Maturation is in the air. Wapiti shed their antler velvet, thus marking this time of "growing-up".
August - Green Corn Moon - The land prepares for the great harvest, and the forthcoming Fall season.
September - Hunter’s Moon - Hunting season begins! This is the time to get the "tools of the hunt" blessed for a successful year!
October - Harvest Moon - The final bits of harvesting are completed, and as a people, we settle in for the cold once again.
November - Frost Moon - The cold is here. What was in the fields is now frosted over. We prepare for the introspective nature of winter.
December - Long Nights Moon - The nights are longer than any other time in the year. Moon is our companion as we look within.
Blue-moon/Intercalary - In-Between Moon
To learn about upcoming moon rites and other events, refer to our Calendar.