This paper deals with the gendered
roles of participants in particular neo-pagan rituals connected to the ritual
year. In neo-pagan worldview, there are many parallels between the life cycle
and the seasonal progression or "Wheel of the Year". Within neo-pagan
cosmology, the individual human life cycle is understood as meaningful when
viewed as a microcosm of wider cycles that exist in the universe. These cosmic
forces are often themselves interpreted as gendered: gods, goddesses, male and
female spirits can all be interpreted as gendered personifications of the
divine.