A wet February, a wet Spring.
Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail.
If Candlemas be fair and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.
If a hedgehog casts a shadow at noon, Winter will return.
“Février l’pu court éd chés moés, ch’est l’pire chint foés”.
February is the shortest month and by far the worst.
Colors: White, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Light Green, Brown.
Food: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, muffins, diary products, peppers, onions, raisins, garlic, poppyseed breads and cakes, herbal teas, dairy, spiced wines, potatoes, turnips, bread, rabbit and venison. Use up last of winters supply of food.
Incense: basil, bay, cinnamon, violet, vanilla, rosemary, frankincense, and wisteria.
Candles: brown, pink and red.
Gemstones: amethyst, garnet, onyx, bloodstone, ruby and turquoise
Deities: All Virgin/Maiden Goddesses, Brighid, Aradia, Athena, Inanna, Gaia, and Februa, and Gods of Love and Fertility, Aengus Og, Eros, and Februus.
Symbols: Brideo’gas, Besoms, White , Candle Wheels, , Priapic Wands (acorn-tipped), lamps, yellow flowers and Ploughs.
Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay, blackberry, celandine, coltsfoot, heather, iris, myrrh, tansy, snowdrop, violets, all white or yellow flowers.
In witchcraft, as you know, there is a ceremony known as ‘drawing down the moon’ in which the High Priestess takes into herself the power and wisdom of the Moon. In some traditions the power of the Sun is called down by the High Priest at the beginning of the Esbat or monthly celebration and on other major seasonal ceremonies into the Priestess. There is another ceremony where Sun power is called down into the Priest by the High Priestess or into herself, especially at seasonal solar change points such as the Equinoxes or Solstices.
However, in both cases, whether you work alone as a witch or in a coven or practice less formally, you can at any time of the day or year call into yourself the strength, fertility and joy of your chosen Sun God or Goddess.
At dawn: Draw down the powers of the rising Sun for a new beginning or for a fresh approach or for optimism or inspiration
At noon: Plug into the rush of pure life and light force for a make or break situation or to spur yourself on if you are tired or dispirited – or for sudden illumination.
At dusk. The Sun consoles, heals and harmonizes desperate demands or people and draws gentle abundance to you.
Items You Will Need:
Short length of black thread
The Spell:
This spell is intended to be used to prevent someone from causing you harm.
In order to work properly it requires full concentration. Take a short length of black thread. Tie a knot in one end, saying:
“One to seek him/her/it.”
Tie a knot in the middle, saying:
“One to find him/her/it.”
Tie a knot in the other end, saying:
“One to bring him/her/it.”
Tie the two ends together, saying:
“One to bind him/her/it.”
Bury the knotted thread far away from your property or drop it on a road or waste ground far from where you live.
A protection spell to call upon the strength of self. Nothing is required for this spell.
Simply recite:
“A spell of safety here I cast
A word of might to hold me fast
A shield before me and behind
To right and left, protection bind
To me may no harm or ill whit come
By power of three my magic is from
With the sacred light around me
As above–So Below, Blessed Be!”
PURPOSE To advance spiritual development and attain wisdom
BACKGROUND At Mabon, the hours of daylight and darkness are balanced before darkness prevails. Around this time, many trees shed leaves, fruits, and seed, and nature prepare for the deep cold of winter. There are numerous world myths to explain this seasonal change, many involving a descent into the underworld, to the land of the dead.
HOW TO CAST THE SPELL
TIMING Cast this spell at Mabon
CASTING THE SPELL
As part of your Mabon celebrations, and in a properly prepared circle, work as follows:
1. Light the charcoal disk, then the candle saying:
“I call upon Inanna, Queen of Heaven
Earth, and the land of the dead.
Wise beyond reckoning
To bless my spirit quest
and guide my footsteps
through the darkness.”
2. Sprinkle the dittany onto the charcoal.
3. Slice open the pomegranate, then extract six stones and eat them.
4. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself sinking into the darkness behind your eyelids, going deep into the dark, where there is nothing but silence. Remain there for as long as possible; then slowly return to the circle
5. Blow out the candle, and burn it for an hour at each sunset until it is gone.
Bury the pomegranate deep in your garden, and keep a dream diary throughout the winter.
YOU WILL NEED
One charcoal disk in a fireproof dish
One purple candle
Matches
Two tablespoons of dried dittany of Crete
One whole pomegranate
One sharp knife
Reference:
“The Spells Bible” Ann-Marie GallagherPurpose: To improve your magickal abilities
Background: Mabon coincides with the apple harvest, and apples and apple trees feature quite strongly in world mythologies, both in relation to gaining knowledge and to entering another realm. In the Judaic myth of Adam and Eve, consumption of a single fruit that grows on the Tree of Knowledge results in the first man and woman passing through the gates of Eden into another world. In the Arthurian legend, Avalon, sometimes called the Isle of Apples, is part of a Celtic otherworld. In this spell, you use apple seeds to travel into the realm of magick and gain arcane knowledge to aid your spiritual development and magickal abilities.
How To Cast The Spell
TIMING Cast this spell at Mabon
CASTING THE SPELL
As part of your Mabon celebrations, and in a properly prepared circle, work as follows:
1. Light the candle, saying:
Old one of the apples Waiting with your sickle Give me the courage To grow in your knowledge2. Halve the apple horizontally, then place all the seeds in the pouch and tie it around your neck.
3. Eat half of the apple, and close your eyes.
4. Imagine you are walking in an orchard of apple trees. In its center stands an ancient tree and below it, an old woman. Approach her and repeat the last two line of the rhyme you have spoken. Mark carefully all that she does and says and when she is finished, return from your inner journey to your circle.
5. Bury the remaining half apple outdoors.
6. Wear the apple seed talisman for one lunar cycle, keeping a dream diary, and note any “coincidences” that happens around you –it is now for you to interpret these symbols and their meaning.
YOU WILL NEED:
One black candle
Matches
One seeded apple
One sharp knife
One white square drawstring pouch
One length of fine cord
Reference:
“The Spells Bible” Ann-Marie Gallagher
Known as the Witch’s Thanksgiving, Mabon occurs at the Autumnal Equinox. As the year shifts from light to dark, the focus shifts from the masculine to the feminine, from the God to the Goddess, and from external work to internal reflection. On this day Lugh, honored at Lughnasadh, sacrifices himself in battle with his dark twin. In Wiccan mythology, the Goddess, full and radiant in her own abundance, waits to give birth to the new Sun God at Yule. Also known as Harvest Home, the Feast of Avalon, Wine Harvest, and the Festival of Dionysus, Mabon can also be seen as a celebration of the God of the Vine. In either form, it marks the second harvest and is a time to relax, enjoy, and give thanks for the bounty of the Earth. Create an altar with the colors, fruits, and flowers of Fall. Decorations could include leaves, grain, acorns, apples, grapes, a cornucopia, the Empress card from your favorite tarot deck, and a picture or statute of Demeter, Persephone, Lugh, or Dionysus. Light an orange or rust candle, and reflect on all that you have harvested in the past year. Light another candle in thanks for each item or event, saying: “Thank you, Lady for your great gift of abundance.” End by raising a chalice containing a small amount of juice, wine or mead, saying: “Thank you, Lord, for your gift of sacrifice and bounty.” Take one sip, and then go outside and offer the rest in libation to the Earth. Let the candles burn down and leave the altar, adding fresh items as needed until Samhain.
Reference:
“Giving Thanks Spell”
by Lady MoonDance
Llewellyn’s Witches’ Spell-A-Day Almanac
~Magickal Graphics~
*Saturday (Saturn): Longevity, exorcism, endings, homes and houses.
Moon Sign: *Sagittarius
*Sagittarius: Encourages flights of imagination and confidence. This is an adventurous, philosophical and athletic Moon sign. Favors expansion and growth.
*Waxing Moon
*The Waxing Moon (from the New Moon to the Full): is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.
Moon enters *Capricorn 3:20 pm
*Capricorn: Develops strong structure. Focus on traditions, responsibilities, and obligations. A good time to set boundaries and rules.
Moon Phase: Second Quarter 3:41 pm
Incense Patchouli
Color: Indigo
Sun enters *Libra 10:49 am
*Libra: Favors cooperation, social activities, beautification of surroundings, balance, and partnership.
On the Autumnal Equinox, which generally occurs on September 22 – give or take a day – Wiccans celebrate the (lesser) Sabbat that they may call Mabon. With the fruits of the earth safely gathered in, there is at last time for a harvest festival, and for thanksgiving. Yet while day and night may be of equal length, the balance will imminently shift in favor of darkness, and everything associated with it, including death. And it is now that the Horned God, having conquered the demons of the underworld, returns to Earth to claim the Goddess, so that together they descend to their dark realm.
Mabon heralds a time of turning inward. This is a good occasion on which to give thanks to the Goddess and Horned God for their fruitfulness and for all that you have metaphorically reaped this year. You may also want to plan your spiritual development for the coming months.
~Magickal Graphics~
Farewell, O Sun, ever returning light. The hidden
God, who ever yet remains. He departs to the land
of youth, through the gates of Death, to dwell
enthroned, the judge of Gods and man. The horned
leader of the hosts of Air. Yet, even as stand unseen
about the circle the forms of the Mighty Lords of
the Outer Spaces, So dwelleth he, ‘the lord within
ourselves.’ So dwelleth he within the secret seed, the
seed of new reaped grain, the seed of flesh, hidden
in the earth, the marvelous seed of the stars.
‘In him is life, and life is the light of men,’
that which was never born and never dies.
Therefore the Wicca weep not, but rejoice.”
– The Book of Shadows (1957)
Gerald Gardner
I give thanks to you, my Lord and Lady,
eternal God and Goddess, for all my
worldly blessings.
I give thanks for a beautiful year and a
glorious harvest. Your bounty is never
ending!
You give much more than needed, and in
your name I will share my good fortune
with my family and neighbors.
Praise be my eternal parents, the Lord
and Lady!
Blessed Be.
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
Demeter and Persephone are strongly connected to the time of the Autumn Equinox. When Hades abducted Persephone, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to the earth falling into darkness each winter. This is the time of the Dark Mother, the Crone aspect of the triple goddess. The goddess is bearing this time not a basket of flowers, but a sickle and scythe. She is prepared to reap what has been sown.
The earth dies a little each day, and we must embrace this slow descent into dark before we can truly appreciate the light that will return in a few months.
Mabon is a time of balance, and this simple meditation will help you focus on bringing harmony to your life.
Mabon is one of those times of year that affect people in different ways. For some, it’s a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it’s a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. No matter how you see it, Mabon is traditionally a time of balance. After all, it’s one of the two times each year that has equal amounts of darkness and daytime.
Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit “off”. If you’re feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life.
Now that fall is here, why not do an autumn version of Spring Cleaning? Get rid of any emotional baggage you’re dragging around with you. Accept that there are darker aspects to life, and embrace them, but don’t let them rule you. Understand that a healthy life finds balance in all things.
You can perform this ritual anywhere, but the best place to do it is outside, in the evening as the sun goes down. Decorate your altar (or if you’re outside, use a flat stone or tree stump) with colorful autumn leaves, acorns, small pumpkins, and other symbols of the season. You’ll need a black candle and a white one of any size, although tealights probably work best. Make sure you have something safe to put them in, either a candle holder or a bowl of sand.
Light both candles, and say the following:
A balance of night and day, a balance of light and dark Tonight I seek balance in my life as it is found in the Universe. A black candle for darkness and pain and things I can eliminate from my life. A white candle for the light, and for joy and all the abundance I wish to bring forth. At Mabon, the time of the equinox, there is harmony and balance in the Universe, and so there shall be in my life.
Meditate on the things you wish to change. Focus on eliminating the bad, and strengthening the good around you. Put toxic relationships into the past, where they belong, and welcome new positive relationships into your life. Let your baggage go, and take heart in knowing that for every dark night of the soul, there will be a sunrise the next morning.
By Patti Wigington
Mabon is the time of the second harvest, and of thanksgiving.
Mabon is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly bare, because the crops have been stored for the coming winter. Mabon is a time when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It is also a time of balance and reflection, following the theme of equal hours light and dark. Here are some ways you and your family can celebrate this day of bounty and abundance.
Mabon is a time of balance, when there are equal hours of darkness and light, and that can affect people in different ways. For some, it’s a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it’s a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit “off”. If you’re feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with a simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. You can also try a ritual to bring balance and harmony to your home.
Hold a Food Drive
Many Pagans and Wiccans count Mabon as a time of thanks and blessings– and because of that, it seems like a good time to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. If you find yourself blessed with abundance at Mabon, why not give to those who aren’t? Invite friends over for the feast, but ask each of them to bring a canned food, dry goods, or other non-perishable items? Donate the collected bounty to a local food bank or homeless shelter.
Apples are the perfect symbol of the Mabon season. Long connected to wisdom and magic, there are so many wonderful things you can do with an apple. Find an orchard near you, and spend a day with your family. As you pick the apples, give thanks to Pomona goddess of fruit trees. Be sure to only pick what you’re going to use — if you can, gather plenty to take home and preserve for the coming winter months. Take your apples home and use them in rituals, for divination, and for delicious recipes that your family can enjoy all season long.
Count Your Blessings
Mabon is a time of giving thanks, but sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and make a gratitude list Write down things that you are thankful for. An attitude of gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way — what are things you’re glad you have in your life? Maybe it’s the small things, like “I’m glad I have my cat Peaches” or “I’m glad my car is running.” Maybe it’s something bigger, like “I’m thankful I have a warm home and food to eat” or “I’m thankful people love me even when I’m cranky.” Keep your list some place you can see it, and add to it when the mood strikes you.
Honor The Darkness
Without darkness, there is no light. Without night, there can be no day. Despite a basic human need to overlook the dark, there are many positive aspects to embracing the dark side, if it’s just for a short time. After all, it was Demeter’s love for her daughter Persephone that led her to wander the world, mourning for six months at a time, bringing us the death of the soil each fall. In some paths, Mabon is the time of year that celebrates the crone aspect of a triune goddess. Celebrate a ritual that honors that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Call upon the gods and goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings this time of year.
Get Back to Nature
Fall is here, and that means the weather is bearable once more. The nights are becoming crisp and cool, and there’s a chill in the air. Take your family on a nature walk, and enjoy the changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Listen for geese honking in the sky above you, check the trees for changing in the colors of the leaves, and watch the ground for dropped items like acorns, nuts, and seed pods. If you live in an area that doesn’t have any restrictions on removing natural items from park property, take a small bag with you and fill it up with the things you discover along the way. Bring your goodies home for your family’s alter. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!
Tell Timeless Stories
In many cultures, fall was a time of celebration and gathering. It was the season in which friends and relatives would come from far and near to get together before the cold winter kept them apart for months at a time. Part of this custom was storytelling. Learn the harvest tales of your ancestors or of the people indigenous to the area in which you live. A common theme in these stories is the cycle of death and rebirth, as seen in the planting season. Learn about the stories of Osiris, Mithras, Dionysius, Odin and other deities who have died and then restored to life.
Raise some Energy
It’s not uncommon for Pagans and Wiccans to make remarks regarding the “energy” of an experience or event. If you’re having friends or family over to celebrate Mabon with you, you can raise group energy by working together. A great way to do this is with a drum or music circle. Invite everyone to bring drums, rattles, bells, or other instruments. Those who don’t have an instrument can clap their hands. Begin in a slow, regular rhythm, gradually increasing the tempo until it reaches a rapid pace. End the drumming at a pre-arranged signal, and you’ll be able to feel that energy wash over the group in waves. Another way of raising group energy is chanting, or with dance. With enough people, you can hold a Spiral Dance.
Celebrate Hearth & Home
As autumn rolls in, we know we’ll be spending more time indoors in just a few months. Take some time to do a fall version of spring cleaning. Physically clean your home from top to bottom, and then do a ritual smudging. Use sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water as you go through your home and bless each room. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season, and set up a family mabon alter. Put sickles, scythes and bales of hay around the yard. Collect colorful autumn leaves, gourds and fallen twigs and place them in decorative baskets in your house. If you have any repairs that need to be done, do them now so you don’t have to worry about them over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that’s no longer of use.
Welcome the Gods of the Vine
Grapes are everywhere, so it’s no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate winemaking, and deities connected to the growth of the vine. Whether you see him as Bacchus, Dionysus, the Green Man, or some other vegetative god, the god of the vine is a key archetype in harvest celebrations. Take a tour of a local winery and see what it is they do this time of year. Better yet, try your hand atmaking your own wine! If you’re not into wine, that’s okay — you can still enjoy the bounty of grapes, and use their leaves and vines for recipes and craft projects . However you celebrate these deities of vine and vegetation, you may want to leave a small offering of thanks as you reap the benefits of the grape harvest.
Northern Hemisphere
Imbolc – Feb 2nd
Ostara – Mar 21st/22nd
Beltane – April 30th/May 1st
Lithia – June 21st/22nd
Lammas – July 31st/Aug 1st
Mabon – Sept 21st/22nd
Samhain – Oct 31st
Yule – Dec 21st/22nd
Southern Hemisphere
Imbolc – August 1st
Ostara – September 21st/22nd
Beltane – Oct 31st/Nov 1st
Lithia – Dec 21st/22nd
Lammas – Feb 1st/2nd
Mabon – March 21st
Samhain – April 30th/May 1st
Yule – June 21st
Our Next Sabbat is Ostara
Spring Equinox ~ March 20th
Summer Solstice ~ June 20th
Autumn Equinox ~ September 22nd
Winter Solstice ~ December 21st
Equipment:
For New or Dark Moon Esbat:
For Winter Solstice (Yule):
For Spring Equinox:
For Beltane Sabbat:
For Initiations:
For Blessings:
Furze is also used in money spells; it attracts gold.
The moon is perhaps humankind’s oldest form of marking time. According to some scholars, the Celts used a Lunar Calendar that consisted of 13 months, each 28 days in length. Each month of the Celtic Lunar calendar bears the name of a tree, which also stands for one of the consonants in the Celtic ‘tree alphabet’. There are basically two different versions of this Lunar calendar: the Beth-Luis-Nion (which begins on the Winter Solstice) and the Beth-Luis-Fearn (which begins on Samhain). I work with the Beth-Luis-Nion simply because it seems to work the best for my style of Witchcraft.
The five vowels I, A, O, U, and E have corresponding tree names to the nights of the solstices and equinoxes:
Document Copyright 1999-2006 by Sarah Nunn (Sarah the SwampWitch). This document can be re-published and shared only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others. Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by Sarah Nunn.
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