Virtue Ethics: Meditations of the Pagan Wheel of the Year
by Rev. Laurel Holmstrom-Keyes, Pagan Community Minister Paperback
Green Magic, Mar. 25, 2025. 104 pp, ISBN 978-1915580269
Email: info@greenmagicpublishing.com
Laurel writes: “I am thrilled to announce the publication of my book: Virtue Ethics: Meditations on the Pagan Wheel of the Year. A wonderful publisher in the UK, Green Magic agreed to publish it and they were wonderful to work with. The book discusses the virtues found in the Charge of the Goddess and how they can be related to the Sabbats of the Year. It is my wish to start a discussion in the Pagan community about virtues.”
It would indeed be a great way to start the discussion using this new book as a starter. Using the following line from the Charge of the Goddess (attributed to Doreen Valiente)
“And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you……”
Laurel has assigned each virtue to one of the 8 seasonal festivals. Traversing the Wheel of the Year and the Wheel of Life, she looks at each festival from this perspective. As she points out in the introduction,
“There are many books that discuss the Wheel of the Year for Wiccans and other Pagans. The names of the holidays, their correspondences, even recipes for each are easily found in books and online. Most Pagan holidays during the year have mythological stories associated with them or specific Gods or Goddesses that are linked to the holiday. Some see the Wheel of the Year in terms of the human life cycle. Some view the Pagan holidays as observing the changes in nature throughout the year. The discussions in this book are centered on a Wiccan framework, however, any Pagan tradition could adapt this approach.”
Interestingly she begins with Winter Solstice or Yule with ‘Reverence’ … the time when the Sun is at it’s lowest point, when darkness reigns. However, she does not see ‘darkness’ as negative.
“Darkness is the rich, mysterious place where we encounter deity, where seeds start their journey, where the stars live, where the growing baby lives in the womb until birth. Darkness takes us deep inside ourselves to discover the wondrous self that is us. In darkness, we dream. In mediation, we “see” in the darkness, allowing us to commune with deity, uncover and engage our own shadow for healing and find the calm space within for renewal. We can “stand in awe” of the darkness, of all that it provides to us.”
And so she moves to the Cross-Quarter day of Imbolc and the virtue ‘Power’. What has Power got to do with the physical birth at this time of the year? Here, the emphasis is on ‘energy’ and sustainability. Facing the challenges of mid-winter when the stocks are the lowest – when life is fragile.
And so the journey continues – through the seasons, through the tides. In her ‘After Thoughts’, Laurel writes,
“As a Pagan Community Minister, it is my wish that you either use these virtues as additions to your practices or that you put your own virtues on the Wheel. I fervently hope this small book begins a conversation among Pagan folk about what it means to be a good person in our faiths.”
For anyone involved in Interfaith, this book is a gem, although I highly recommend it to everyone who is looking for guidance in a daily practice.
NB Laurel is looking at the Wheel from the perspective of the NORTHERN Hemisphere. She makes this clear. However, she also recommends, “that you put your own virtues on the Wheel.” It would be interesting to hear how our friends in the SOUTHERN Hemisphere would adapt their Wheel of the Year. Would ‘Reverence’ at Winter Solstice – June 21/22 still be a fitting virtue?
More about Laurel:
“I’m a native Californian, born in Los Angeles. I’m a Libra with Capricorn rising and a Virgo Moon. I graduated from Psychic Horizons in 1993 and have been a professional clairvoyant since then. I graduated from Cherry Hill Seminary in 2021 with a Certificate in Pagan Community Ministry. I also have a BA in Anthropology and have taught Feminist Theology at Sonoma State University. I am a former member of the Board of Directors for Cherry Hill Seminary and am ordained clergy with the Sacred Well Congregation. I am a member of the Pagan Federation International. I am a Devotee of the Covenant of Hekate.
I moved to northern California in the early 1980’s and worked in higher education for 30 years. I was living in Sonoma County with my wife and dogs, until I retired in 2022 and we all moved to Pueblo, Colorado. I’m a knitter and I sew. I love to cook. I love listening to music, especially on vinyl. I like to travel. I hope to continue traveling in retirement. I’ve been across the US a couple of times, and visited Spain, England, Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand. I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan and an avid movie watcher.
I’m a devotee of Hekate, a hard polytheist, and an avid student of Pagan history. I seek to serve Pagans of all types with spiritual support and meaningful ceremony.”
