Through fiction, essays, and speaking, Druscilla French, Ph.D. explores how ancient myth, seasonal cycles, and depth psychology illuminate the patterns of modern life.
The Wheel of the Year connects all that is, ever was, and is possible in the future. We repeat nature’s pattern annually, but each revolution offers something new. Should we choose to avail ourselves of the guidance so freely offered, we may bring ourselves to a higher level of consciousness. It is a kind of spiritual self-improvement course, free to all but often declined. The Wheel is a map for conscious living. The reward is a lifetime journey well lived with moments of enlightenment, wisdom, and peace.
| Samhain: November 1 | May Day: May 1 |
| Yule: December 21 | Summer Solstice: June 21 |
| Imbolc: February 1 | Lughnasa: August 1 |
| Spring Equinox: March 20 | Autumn Equinox: September 22 |
Samhain, the first sabbat in the Celtic Wheel of the Year marks the beginning of a new annual cycle. Fifty-one days, each slightly shorter. Time is running out to complete the work necessary for survival. Crops harvested, livestock provided for. Shelter and supplies are prepared. We are exhausted but take pride in accomplishments. These are days of tenacity, strength, determination, and finally, gratitude. We come together in joy and love.
Tribes are crammed into dim quarters, huddled near fires for warmth and sustenance. Planting and harvesting on pause. Disgruntled children and animals are underfoot. Winter has arrived–cold, wet, dark. These are days of introspection. Pride in accomplishment, but also honest assessment of what haunts us. Winter Solstice is the day when the pendulum reverses its swing. Days grow longer, nights shorter. Hours of powerful dreaming, sometimes nightmares. You pay attention to what is happening within.
Midway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox is a sabbat occasionally referred to as Imbolc. With supplies dwindling, those Celtic tribes were growing anxious. Then as now, everyone wonders how much longer winter conditions will prevail. The starshine has dimmed. Our faith is tested but the earliest signs of rebirth bring hope. Creativity is rejuvenated. We have seen our shadows and are beginning to emerge.
The weather is no longer life-threatening but welcoming. We emerge. Nature presents a sensual bouquet of colors and smells. Children and animals run free. Scarcity and fear depart, replaced by a lust for life. Consciousness expands. What was imagined in the dead of winter is beginning to manifest.
Our labors are beginning to bear fruit. All animals, including humans, are thriving in the sunshine. The fecundity of the earth emanates abundance and prosperity. You feel your own sap rising, a kind of erotic attraction to the natural world. You enjoy work and play. You feel connected to the whole. Nights are short. You sleep well and awaken full of energy.
The glorious summer is drawing to a close. The first harvests begin. Less dancing, more working. As Aesop’s fable reminds us, it is time for less grasshopper and more ant. Hearts and minds turn to toward the needs of family and community. The abundance of summer must provide for the austerity of winter. It is still warm, but you can sense the coming autumn. You enjoy the changes.
The party is over. Time for buckling down. So much to do. Harvesting, preserving, preparing. Self discipline is required. You are aware that others depend on us to come together for the common good. We tend the plants and creatures. The equinoxes remind us of the virtues of balance. The cycle is drawing to a close. You take time to appreciate your own contributions and the gifts of others, both past and present.
The Wheel of the Year is a four-part mystery series, with three books currently available.
In the late afternoon of All Hallows Eve, the pregnant widow of a heroic firefighter is viciously assaulted. The attack is attributed to white supremacists, and attorney Mattie Catesdater is hired to seek restitution. Mattie manages to extract sizable damages, including the century-old homestead of the group’s leader…
In the predawn hours of a long winter night, Cate is awakened by an ominous precognition. Alone in the big, dark house, surrounded by forest and mountains, a chilly sense of isolation and vulnerability saturates her soul, compelling her to leave her bed and head for the kitchen in search of a hot drink and the comfort of fire…
In the third novel of the Wheel of the Year series, three exceptional women—grandmother, mother, and daughter—find themselves at a crossroads where they must adapt to uncomfortable inevitabilities and reimagine who they are becoming. The seeds of transformation and change are gathering and beginning to stir.
Druscilla French, Ph.D. is an author, educator, and depth psychologist who blends her deep expertise in cultural mythology with rich, evocative storytelling. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned her doctorate from the Pacifica Graduate Institute. Druscilla is the creator of the Wheel of the Year novel series—including Shadows on Samhain, Solstice on Ice, and Divining Women—a 3-part series that explores the profound rhythms of nature, myth, and human connection. Whether hosting experiential workshops or crafting her next manuscript, Druscilla invites readers to return to center, explore the labyrinth of life, and reignite their personal purpose through the timeless power of both fiction and non-fiction..
Druscilla French, Ph.D. is available for interviews, podcast conversations, literary events, and speaking engagements on mythology, depth psychology, seasonal symbolism, women’s stories, and the creative life.
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