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On Friday, September 21, We Celebrate Mabon


Mabon Comments & Graphics

On Friday, September 21, We Celebrate Mabon

From the moment of the September Equinox, the Sun’s strength diminishes, until the moment of the Winter Solstice in December, when the Sun grows stronger and the days once again become longer than the nights…

During this time Mabon, Young Son, Divine Youth, Son of Light also disappears. He is taken at birth when only three nights old.

His Mother Modron laments…

With the help of the wisdom and the memory of the most ancient of living animals – (the Blackbird , the Stag, the Eagle, the Salmon, and the Owl), Mabon is eventually found. His seeker asks the ritual question of each totem animal: “Tell me if thou knowest aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken when three nights old from between his mother and the wall?”

All along, Mabon has been dwelling, a happy captive, in his mother Modron’s magical Otherworld / her womb. Modron is Gaurdian of the Otherworld, Protector, Healer, the Earth herself. Her womb is nurturing and enchanted, but also filled with challenges. Only in so powerful a place of renewable strength can Mabon be reborn as his Mother’s champion, the source of joy and Son of Light.

Once reborn Mabon’s light is drawn into the Earth, gathering strength and wisdom enough to become a new seed.

During this time we celebrate Mabon’s death and his return to Modron’s womb, where he will soon be reborn.

 

The Faeries roam this land and mournful
music fills the air this day, at this hour.
Modron, O! great Queen and Earth Mother,
we call you here to share your sorrow.

O! shadowed God, great son of Modron,
we plead your return from the mysterious world that keeps you.
The power of your brilliance is the joy of your mother.
Modron is Earth and the Mother we all attend.
Her bittersweet lament
nurtures your return to be born again and again.

  Autumn Equinox Celebration  

autumn fantasy
“Smoke hangs like haze over harvested fields
The gold of stubble, the brown of turned earth
And you walk under the red light of fall
The scent of fallen apples, the dust of threshed grain
The sharp, gentle chill of fall.
Here as we move into the shadows of autumn
The night that brings the morning of spring
Come to us, Lord of Harvest
Teach us to be thankful for the gifts you bring us
The bounty of your sacrifice
The warmth and the light of friends gathered around the bounty of the earth.
Dionysus, Osiris, Cernunnos, Dumuzi, Frey,
Lord of the grain,
Welcome!”


–   Autumn Equinox Celebration  

Elements of Celebration for Mabon

Autumn is Comin'

Elements of Celebration for Mabon

 

Herbs of Mabon:
Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon’s seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:
Bread, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and onions.

Incense of Mabon:
Autumn Blend – benzoin, myrrh and sage.

Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown and gold.

Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli and yellow agates.

The Wicca Book of Days for September 21 – Mabon to Samhain

Merry Mabon!

The Wicca Book of Days for September 21 – Mabon to Samhain

Wiccans and Witches observe the autumnal equinox with a lesser sabbat that many call Mabon. The day and night may briefly be of equal length, but from now on the hours of darkness will grow steadily longer, with the signs of natural life fading a pace. With harvest over, the Goddess of the Waning Moon now descends to the Otherworld, where she will reign alongside the Horned God, who has battled hideous being in his quest to become Lord of Death.

—The Wicca Book of Days
Selena Eilidh Ash

The Goddess Book of Days for Friday, September 21

Happy Mabon

The Goddess Book of Days for Friday, September 21

The seventh day of the Eleusinian Mysteries, sports and games. Feast of Divine Life dedicated to the cycle of Maiden, Mother and Crone, as Persephone/Demeter/ Hecate. The concepts of the Morrigan (Ana, Badb, Macha), Three phases of the Moon (Diana, Selene, Hecate), Three Mothers (Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Parvati), Three Fates (Lachesis, Clotho, Atropos), and the Noms, derive from this cycle.

 

Goddesses Associated with Friday

Friday For Freya: Astarte, Aphrodite, Erzulie, Aida Wooo, Eve, Venus, Diana, Isis, the Witch of Gaeta, Chalchiuhtlique

 

Source

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Fall Equinox/Michaelmas

Merry Mabon!
“The Fall Equinox, often called Michaelmas, is the last pagan holiday of the year and occurs somewhere around September 21st or so. This is a thanksgiving feast and signals the beginning of the ‘Hunting Season’, for deer and other large game, in many parts of Europe and North America. Thus, it is dedicated to the Hunting and Fishing deities and the deities of Plenty, in thankfulness for benefits received and hoped for. Outdoor picnics in the woods are a popular tradition in those areas where the weather is still good at this time of year. It is, also, known as Mabon, Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Alben Elfed, and Cornucopia.   This is the time of the year when the god’s power weakens toward his death as the goddess reaches her full maturity as the Crone. It is considered the end of the harvest and a time of gathering in for the forth coming winter. It is a family oriented period during which pagan families draw together and reflect on the value of home and hearth.”


–   Understanding Pagan Holidays 

Harvest Home

Autumn Magic
“At Harvest Home, the sun enters Libra, the astrological sign traditionally represented by balanced scales, and this is appropriate given the fragile balance in which the whole cosmos is poised on this day. Occurring at a point in the year when day and night are again equal in length, Harvest Home represents a time of balance and equilibrium in the natural cycle (as does the vernal equinox), but the thoughts which move us now are not the thoughts which captivated us in Spring. At the time of the vernal equinox, our thoughts turned from winter toward the lengthening hours of sunlight, the greening fields and gardens, and the new life bursting forth everywhere. Now with the harvest completed, the crops gathered in, and the nights becoming longer, we pause to enjoy the warm slanted sunlight of these golden autumn days, to give thanks for summer’s bounty and to prepare ourselves mentally for the coming winter. The gods associated with Harvest Home are harvest (particularly the grape harvest) or vegetation gods such as Dionysus and Bacchus, gods in their maturity like Thor, Mabon, Thoth and Hermes, and nature spirits like John Barleycorn. The goddesses of this time are also mature deities associated with abundance, harvest, home and hearth, and they include Demeter, Ceres, Hestia, Modron, Morgan, the Muses and Persephone.”

– Mabon – Harvest Home, Catherine Kerr

Today is Friday, September 21

Happy Mabon

Today is Friday, September 21

 

Friday is the day of Venus. It takes it name from Frigg, the Goddess of love and transformation. She rules the spiritual side of a person that manifests in the physical. Because of this, Friday is often thought of as dangerously unpredictable. This is expressed in an old East Anglian adage:

Friday’s day will have its trick
The fairest or foulest day of the week.

Deity: Frigg

Zodiac Sign: Taurus/Libra

Planet: Venus

Tree: Apple

Herb: Vervain

Stone: Sapphire/Chrsolite

Animal: Bull/Serpent

Element: Earth

Color: Yellow/Violet

Number: 7

Rune: Peorth(P)

 

The Celtic Tree Month of Muin (Vine) ( September 2 – September 29)

The Runic Half Month of Ken (September 13 – September 27)

Goddess of the Month of Mala (September 6 – October 2)

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Mabon, The Fall Equinox

Autumn Blessings
“In late September, the sun crosses the celestial equator and there is a day where the length of the day and night are approximately equal. These days are called equinoxes, from the Latin meaning “equal night.” The autumnal equinox marks one of the lesser Sabbats, called Mabon, occurring around September twenty-second or twenty-third. Astrologically, this is when the sun moves into Libra. This holiday is the second harvest festival, falling during or at the end of the European grain harvest. It also known as the wine harvest, and often marks the beginning of hunting season. In one old Craft tradition, the fall equinox was named “the Night of the Hunter” and farmers would slaughter livestock too weak to survive the winter on this night.  Druids know this celebration as “Mea’n Fo’mhair” and honor the Green Man, God of the Forest, and his trees with poured offerings of ciders and wine. Norse pagans celebrate this time as Winter Finding, a time period that runs from the Sabbat until October 15th. This night is known as Winter’s Night and is the Norse New Year. The Wiccan New Year is also approaching at October’s end. It is known the ancient Mayans observed this date as well. At the pyramid at Cihickén Itzá, seven triangles of light fall on the pyramid’s staircase on this date only. In Japan, there is a six-day celebration around the equinox. This holiday is to honor Higan-e, the “other shore” and is based on six “perfections”: giving, observance of the precepts, perseverance, effort, meditation and wisdom.  By this time of the year, the days are visibly waning, the temperatures begin to cool and it is time to start preparing for winter. Many people like to refresh their altar(s) for this time, adding elements in autumn colors (orange, brown, gold, dark reds, rust) like acorns, pine cones, leaves, dried plants and herbs, apples, pomegranates, ivy and horns of plenty.”


–   Rae Schwarz, Fall Equinox   

It Is Friday, September 21, Today We Celebrate Mabon, the Autumn Equinox! Wishing You & Yours A Very Bountiful & Plentiful Harvest This Year!

Mabon

Our Goddess has changed from mother to crone.
She holds all our knowledge and wisdom
Her insight radiates from her to us
Her consort, our God is present
He prepares for death then re-birth
This cycle will continue
As the fields empty
Our homes are filled with the harvest.
As we wait for the second harvest.
We watch the beauty of the land change
Red, orange, maroon, brown and gold fill the forest
Day and night are equal A balance between the two
Light and dark maintained
We feel the cold as it creeps into our homes.
Our altars are prepared, covered with pine cones, acorns.
We wear stones of sapphire
Their brilliance dances around the room
Vines of ivy flow
Horns of plenty overflow
We give thanks for our bounty
We share our Blessings with the Goddess
We share our Blessings with the God
We share our bounty with our family
We have cleansed our home
We have prepared ourselves
The hearth is cleaned and prepped
Logs of alder and ash are afire.
The cauldron boils with potatoes, carrots and onions
Aroma from honeysuckle, myrrh, rose and sage fill our homes
A call to gather has been heard
We gather to celebrate
Sisters stand hand in hand
Candles light our space
We bow before she who is present
We accept her love and protection
Whispers of prayers can be heard
Each of us ask for her Blessings
We know that she will bless us
For we follow her path
We follow her grace
The yearly cycle is ending
We look forward to the renewal of life
We share wine and the bounty of the earth
We close our night with prayer
We close our night in peace
We close our night in harmony with all
As Witches we belong to all that is
We belong to all that will be

Blessed Be

–A Witch’s Prayerbook
JoAnne Spiese

If You Were Born Today, September 20

If You Were Born Today, September 20

You seek security and harmony in your life, preferring to keep the peace than to deal with too much conflict. You have a gentle, peaceable manner. Intelligent and analytical, your opinions are strong although rarely forced upon others. Although generally quiet and likable, you have a strength of character that others sense. You have a straightforward manner, yet you are also magnetic and intuitive. Idealistic in love, it can take some time before you see a partner clearly. Famous people born today: Sophia Loren, Upton Sinclair, Alexander the Great, Jon Bernthal, Moon Bloodgood, Asia Argento, Anne Meara.

Your Birthday Year Forecast:

With the Sun and Moon in harmony in your Solar Return chart, the year ahead should be satisfying and balanced overall. You are in comfortable demand and personally popular, and you are able to achieve a decent balance between work and play; personal and professional life. For the most part, you are on top of your game this year, and positive connections with others can be made fairly easily. With the ability to handle your emotions successfully, there is less stress on both your mind and body. Your self-confidence and positive attitude will reward you.

The year can be exceptionally busy and engaging — you have a lot of interests! At times, you may feel like the pace of your life is running ahead of you. You can be especially productive, however, in all types of communications–writing, speaking, learning, and teaching.

Your studies, learning, and focus run deep this year. You’re likely to find some especially engrossing projects and activities during this period that keep you motivated and enthused.

This can be a year in which you are bolder, more assertive, and energetic. You are especially interested in setting goals and challenges for yourself this year, as well as taking the necessary action to meet them. You may meet or interact with others who encourage or inspire you in some way to have more confidence in yourself. Independent work is favored and competitive activities may also thrive this year. Your passions and enthusiasm run high, and the trick is to channel this extra energy constructively.

You are especially enterprising and resourceful during this period. Both professional and personal opportunities emerge. Your faith in your ability to produce and win takes you places.

Energy fluctuates this year, however. If you aren’t too rash or impulsive, you might be able to free yourself from restrictive circumstances. You could also have more courage than usual to do things that break the routine, and confrontations engaged in this year could clear the air and help you to move forward.

With Venus and Mars in a square aspect to each other in your Solar Return chart, your affections are strongly stimulated, and you are more acutely aware of your powers of attraction. Romance, love, sexuality, competition, and creative projects occupy your mind more than usual. You can enjoy an increase in personal magnetism but be wary of competitiveness or tension in existing relationships, as this aspect ignites your passions in general, whether they’re feelings of love or anger!

You’re also quite driven to make improvements and effect positive change in the year ahead. This positively impacts many areas of your life beyond the personal, including relationships and work.

This is a time when you feel confident and supported enough to pursue your desires. It’s a good time to take steps towards making yourself feel more secure and safe, and for family or domestic activities. This is also a period when you more readily support or defend your loved ones, and they do the same! New connections and opportunities can be sudden but welcome.

The year ahead is likely to be an especially enterprising one, although at times a bit erratic! In certain areas of your life, you’re inclined to rock the boat during this period so that you can break free from a limiting situation. Be mindful when/if making sweeping changes. In other areas, you’re super-focused and determined to succeed. Some relationships (or a key one) can be competitive or up-and-down, but you’re also making special connections. Special care with finances is wise this year, particularly when it comes to impulse spending.

2018 is a Number Four year for you. Ruled by Uranus. This is a year of work and development. It’s “nose to the grindstone” time. It’s a time to pay special attention to practical matters, and it’s not a time to be lazy or especially gregarious. Sometimes, it can be a year that feels hard, monotonous and routine, and/or lonely. Positive new relationships are often not formed in a Four personal year. However, it can be a wonderful year for building, development, and laying a solid foundation for future successes. Advice – get yourself organized, work to build your resources, keep busy.

2019 will be a Number Five year for you. Ruled by Mercury. This is a year of discovery and freedom. It’s a time when exploration and reaching out to others brings opportunities. It’s a good time to advertise, promote, and sell. Surprises are in store, and the routine is broken for the better. This is a year when exciting relationships can be formed; or, if you are already in a partnership, new life is breathed into the relationship. Advice explore, look for adventure, keep your eyes open for opportunities, diversify, mingle.

Your Daily Cosmic Calendar for Thursday, September 20

Love vibrations increase in frequency as the moon in Aquarius parallels Venus (2:16am) while Venus forms an inspirational, 72-degree connection with Pluto (4:12am). However, don’t take dear ones for granted since just 2 hours later the moon squares Venus (6:47am). A highly-encouraging dynamic duo of alignments materializes later on and just 12 minutes apart when a fairly rare 72-degree link between Saturn and Neptune (6:41pm) nearly coincides with a mind-expanding Superior Conjunction of the sun and Mercury (activating 29 degrees of Virgo at 6:53pm). The eminent astrologers of the twentieth century Dr. Marc Edmund Jones and Dane Rudhyar referred to this union as a Full Mercury wherein human souls could eagerly receive ingenious seed-ideas originating from high levels of consciousness. Find time to study metaphysics or read a literary classic.

[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]

Copyright 2017 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd. 

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