Tag: Mabon

What is Mabon?

What is Mabon?

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Between September 19-22, Wiccans and other pagan religions celebrate the lesser sabbat of Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox. Other names for Mabon are the Autumnal Equinox, Foghar, Alban Elfed, Harvest Home, Fruit Harvest and Wine Harvest. The celebration of Mabon highlights the point where both day and night hold equal power across the land. Mabon is a period during the year. To honor those who have crossed the veil to spirit, to remember lost friends and family members with love and acceptance in the full knowledge that you will meet once again when your time comes.

There are numerous ways to celebrate Mabon, but essentially the controlling focus points either to the Second Harvest, or the equal balance between light and dark during mid September. Spend some time contemplating all of the positive aspects of your existence, both spiritual and material. Allow a feeling of gratitude to overtake you as you examine all of the good around you, light a candle and stare into the flickering flame and thank the gods for your continuing good fortune.

This is also a time to pay homage to the Ancient Deities that have frequented the world since the dawning of creation and continue to do so as the eternal seasons wax and wane in synchrony with the Moon. Some of the Gods originally linked with the Autumnal Equinox are Thor, Thoth, Hermes, The Green Man, Demeter and Persephone. During Harvest Home, the Corn Moon is celebrated in the month of September, the following Harvest Moon is celebrated in October, and Blood Moon on November thereafter.

The first full moon closest to the Mabon celebration is generally known as an Harvest Moon. The term Harvest Moon was taken from the fact that farmers would reap their crops during the night using the illumination of the full moon giving them greater visibility whilst working. European Wiccan/pagan groups do not believe that Mabon is an authentic sabbat therefore give it little credence, though it is widely celebrated in the United States.

Mabon highlights the end of the second of three Harvest Festivals, and is a time when the majority of crops have been gathered and the crop fields become bare in preparation for the upcoming Winter. Mabon sets the marker to the end of the Harvesting Season as the Pagan calendar rotates towards the darkening winter.

Paul Fitzpatrick

Writer of all things Wiccan and Magical.

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

By , About.com Guide

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.

1. Find Some Balance

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 this 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.

2. 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 a 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.

3. Pick Some Apples

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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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 altar. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!

7. 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.

8. 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.

 

9. 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 altar. 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.

10. 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 at making 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

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Mabon History: The Second Harvest

Mabon History: The Second Harvest

By , About.com Guide

The Science of the Equinox:

Two days a year, the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight. Not only that, each receives the same amount of light as they do dark — this is because the earth is tilted at a right angle to the sun, and the sun is directly over the equator. In Latin, the word equinox translates to “equal night.” The autumn equinox takes place on or near September 21, and its spring counterpart falls around March 21. If you’re in the Northern hemisphere, the days will begin getting shorter after the autumn equinox and the nights will grow longer — in the Southern hemisphere, the reverse is true.

Global Traditions:

The idea of a harvest festival is nothing new. In fact, people have celebrated it for millennia, all around the world. In ancient Greece, Oschophoria was a festival held in the fall to celebrate the harvesting of grapes for wine. In the 1700’s, the Bavarians came up with Oktoberfest, which actually begins in the last week of September, and it was a time of great feasting and merriment, still in existence today. China’s Mid-Autumn festival is celebrated on the night of the Harvest Moon, and is a festival of honoring family unity.

Giving Thanks:

Although the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving falls in November, many cultures see the second harvest time of the fall equinox as a time of giving thanks. After all, it’s when you figure out how well your crops did, how fat your animals have gotten, and whether or not your family will be able to eat during the coming winter. However, by the end of November, there’s not a whole lot left to harvest. Originally, the American Thanksgiving holiday was celebrated on October 3, which makes a lot more sense agriculturally.

Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on October 3. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued his “Thanksgiving Proclamation”, which changed the date to the last Thursday in November. In 1939, Franklin Delano Roosevelt adjusted it yet again, making it the second-to-last Thursday, in the hopes of boosting post-Depression holiday sales. Unfortunately, all this did was confuse people. Two years later, Congress finalized it, saying that the fourth Thursday of November would be Thanksgiving, each year.

Symbols of the Season:

The harvest is a time of thanks, and also a time of balance — after all, there are equal hours of daylight and darkness. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead.

Some symbols of Mabon include:

  • Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds
  • Apples and anything made from them, such as cider or pies
  • Seeds, nuts and seed pods
  • Baskets, symbolizing the gathering of crops
  • Sickles and scythes
  • Grapes, vines, wine

You can use any of these to decorate your home or your altar at Mabon.

Feasting and Friends:

Early agricultural societies understood the importance of hospitality — it was crucial to develop a relationship with your neighbors, because they might be the ones to help you when your family ran out of food. Many people, particularly in rural villages, celebrated the harvest with great deals of feasting, drinking, and eating. After all, the grain had been made into bread, beer and wine had been made, and the cattle were brought down from the summer pastures for the coming winter. Celebrate Mabon yourself with a feast — and the bigger, the better!

Magic and Mythology:

Nearly all of the myths and legends popular at this time of the year focus on the themes of life, death, and rebirth. Not much of a surprise, when you consider that this is the time at which the earth begins to die before winter sets in!

Demeter and Her Daughter

Perhaps the best known of all the harvest mythologies is the story of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece. Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter’s grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld. These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox.

Inanna Takes on the Underworld

The Sumerian goddess Inanna is the incarnation of fertility and abundance. Inanna descended into the underworld where her sister, Ereshkigal, ruled. Erishkigal decreed that Inanna could only enter her world in the traditional ways — stripping herself of her clothing and earthly posessions. By the time Inanna got there, Erishkigal had unleashed a series of plagues upon her sister, killing Inanna. While Inanna was visiting the underworld, the earth ceased to grow and produce. A vizier restored Inanna to life, and sent her back to earth. As she journeyed home, the earth was restored to its former glory.

Modern Celebrations

For contemporary Druids, this is the celebration of Alban Elfed, which is a time of balance between the light and the dark. Many Asatru groups honor the fall equinox as Winter Nights, a festival sacred to Freyr.

For most Wiccans and NeoPagans, this is a time of community and kinship. It’s not uncommon to find a Pagan Pride Day celebration tied in with Mabon. Often, PPD organizers include a food drive as part of the festivities, to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and to share with the less fortunate.

If you choose to celebrate Mabon, give thanks for the things you have, and take time to reflect on the balance within your own life, honoring both the darkness and the light. Invite your friends and family over for a feast, and count the blessings that you have among kin and community.

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft –B.14. Skyclad (1953) c.2013

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft –B.14. Skyclad (1953)

B.14. Skyclad (1953)
It is important to work naked from the start, so it becometh as second nature, and no thought of “I have no clothes” shall ever intrude and take your attention from the work.  Also, your skin being so accustomed to unconfinement, when power is given off the flow is more easy and regular.  Also, when dancing you are free and unconfined. . . .
And the greatest of all, the touch of the body of your beloved thrills your inmost soul, and so your body gives out its utmost power; and then it is most important of all that there is not the slightest thing to divert the attention, for then the mind must seize and mold the power generated, and redirect it to the desired end with all the force and frenzy of the imagination.
It has been said that no real knowledge may be gained our way, that our practices are such that they can only lead to lust; but this is not really so.  Our aim is to gain the inner sight, and we do it the most natural and easy way.  Our opponents’ aim is ever to prevent man and woman from loving, thinking that everything that helps or even permits them to love is wicked and vile.  To us it is natural, and if it aids the Great Work it is good.
‘Tis true that a couple burning with a frenzy for knowledge may go straight to their goal, but the average couple have not this fire.  We show them the way, our system of props and aids (i.e., magic ritual).  A couple working with nothing but lust will never attain in any case; but a couple who love each other dearly should already be sleeping together, and the first frenzy of love will have passed, and their souls will already be in sympathy.  If the first time or two they do stay a while to worship Aphrodite, ’tis only a day or two lost, and the intense pleasure they obtain only leads them again to the mysteries of Hermes, their souls more attuned to the great search.  Once they have pierced the veil they will not look back.
This rite may be used as the greatest of magics if it be done with both partners firmly fixing their minds on the object and not thinking of sex at all.  That is, you must so firmly fix your mind on your object that sex and all else are naught.  You inflame your will to such an extent that you may create a strain on the astral such that events happen.

 

The Effects the Full Moon Has On Us

Just A Thought On Remembering Our Ancestors

 

I feel it is important to remember Lady Abyss during a Samhain celebrations, so I bring you an article she wrote in 2013.

I wasn’t going to torture you today with any of my comments. But I have been surfing the web for cartoons (it is actually hard to find good cartoons). I am beginning to think I should never leave the site. I ran across a few images that made my eyes water and then I was taken back centuries ago.

The images were of witches or accused witches tied to a stake and burning. Another was of a woman on a plank being dunked into the water. If you know me well, you know I can talk an hour or two on our ancestors. But what happened today moved my soul. Perhaps in all the hustle and bustle, I had forgotten for a moment what this season is all about. It is the Witches’ New Year but it is also a time to remember our ancestors.

For me, remembering my ancestors is both joyous and heartbreaking. I am into genealogy and was able (thanks to a dear friend) to trace my roots back to Ireland. Knowing where you came from can be a good thing or if your a witch, not so good. I know you are scratching your heads over that one, right? What I mean is, I know how witches were treated in Ireland. Persecuted. Then they sailed to the New World to escape the torment and the persecution. But unfortunately, they didn’t. They were found out and the same thing they were trying to escape confronted them again. No peace whatsoever. What kind of life did they have?

Most of my ancestors were healers. I have ran across a few that were hanged as witches. That makes my blood curdle. Their blood flows through my veins today. I know that for sure. There are times I have flash backs to my ancestors’ time. To see and experience one of your kin being hanged is one of the worse things in your life. You can see it plainly but you are powerless to do anything about it. When the flashback is over, I cry and cry. Why were people so ignorant and judgmental back then? Why couldn’t they just let the witches live in peace?

Perhaps if history didn’t happen the way it did, we wouldn’t have what we do now. Perhaps it was a test of some kind for our ancestors. I know they had to have unbelievable faith, courage and enormous amount of love for our Religion and our Goddess.

One of the reasons I can talk about our ancestors for hours is because I admire them so much. I know what they sacrificed for us. When accused of being a witch, they could have simply turned their backs and denied it. But they didn’t. I know they didn’t want to die anymore than the next person. But sadly enough they did. Some were killed and others went underground to protect our Religion. To ensure it would be passed on from one generation to the next. Everyone of them took risks so we could have what we do today.

This time of the year is very special to all of us. Don’t get caught up in all the festivities and forget what it is really about, remembering our ancestors. We owe them so much. And we never can repay the debt we owe them. But we can remember them. I believe remembering and honoring is the greatest way we can say “Thank You” to them for all they have given us.

Without our ancestors and their sacrifices, we wouldn’t have our Religion. This Samhain, hold the memories of your ancestors dear to your heart. Remember them and give them the honors they deserve. They have given us so much.

In the honor and remembrance of all
our ancestors.
Thank the Goddess for them.
 

Apple Seed Spell – Mabon

Apple Seed Spell

(Mabon)

Purpose:  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 knowledge

2.  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

Calendar of the Sun for September 22

Calendar of the Sun

22 Halegmonath

MABON

Colors: Brown and orange
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of brown and orange, set the fruits of the harvest in many baskets, surrounding the altar if need be. Lay on it also a sickle, a pitchfork, a winnowing basket, and a flail. Have also pots of the four sacred preservation foods: salt, vinegar, wine, and honey.
Offerings: Give food to the hungry.
Daily Meal: Made from the fruits of the harvest.

Ritual Note: Like all the eight high holidays, this day should ideally be spent not enclosed and isolated, but in common with the larger pagan community. This can be done a number of ways, including spending the day elsewhere, at the Mabon ritual of another group or tradition, or by inviting in those pagans who would otherwise not be able to attend a ritual. Either way, the eight holidays should be a time of remembering the place of the house in the greater community. If the choice is made to go elsewhere, then no liturgy is needed for the day. If the choice is made to bring the greater community into the lesser one, the following ritual can be used:

(First four who have been chosen to do the work of the ritual cast the quarters with sickle, pitchfork, winnowing basket, and flail.)

East Caller: Spirits of the East, Powers of Air!
You who are the cold steel of the scythe,
You who are the blade that separates
One from another,
Life from death,
You who are smoke on the wind
And the bringer of the new dawn,
Be with us today!

South Caller: Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire!
You who are the Sun who moves towards the west,
You who are the gentle rays feeding the harvest
As summer moves into autumn,
Pulling the crops toward the sky
And drying them to golden as your rays,
Be with us today!

West Caller: Spirits of the West, Powers of Water!
You who are the sweat we have given to this land,
The blood that this land will feed,
The tears of joy that we shed to see
All your bounty brought to harvest
And know that our bellies shall be full of your bounty,
Be with us today!

North Caller: Spirits of the North, Power of Earth!
You who are the ground beneath our feet,
You who sustains and nourishes us,
You who brought us forth,
You to whom we shall all one day return,
We honor you especially today.
Be with us now!

Mabon Invocation

Today the Night and Day stand in balance!
Today the work of the year measures itself
Against the coming of the winter.
The Virgin with her sickle gives way
To the Scales that weigh our harvest,
Our hearts, our deeds, our worth.
On this day, our ancestors could look at their work
And look forward, and know whether they would be
Fat or thin, sharing or lending or borrowing,
Worrying or content. This is the Reckoning Day.
And what have we to reckon?
Bring forth the four sacred foods of Mabon,
Each sacred because they preserve the harvest
And allow what is done now to feed us later.
(The salt is passed around.)
Salt of the earth is wealth.
What wealth have you made or lost?
Have you shared it with others, or kept it to yourself?
(All speak of this in turn, then the vinegar is passed around.)
Vinegar, sour as a bad year,
Yet it is the symbol of hard work.
What work have you done that was a struggle
But that you are proud of?
(All speak of this in turn, then the wine is passed around.)
Wine, joy of Dionysos,
The symbol of gaiety, of bonding,
Of happiness and song. What happiness
Has come to you this year, like a gift unlooked for?
(All speak of this in turn, then the honey is passed around.)
Honey, blood of Aphrodite,
You are love in all its many forms.
What love have you brought to this table?
What has Love given you, and what have you given in turn?
(All speak of this, then a basket of harvest fruit is passed around.)
These are the fruits of our reckoning,
These are the embodiments of our toil,
These are the manifestation of our springtime hopes.
May all partake, in hope for the next year.
But save the seeds, for these too will be our hopes.
Hail to our ancestors, who stood where we stand!
Hail to those who will come after us,
And whose mouths our labors will feed!
Hail!

(A cup is passed around for the seeds, which should be dried and saved. Dismiss the quarters. After the song, all will spend the day in preserving the sacred harvest.)

Song: Reckoning Day

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Witches Spell-A-Day for September 22 – Giving Thanks Spell

Mabon Comments & Graphics

Witches Spell-A-Day for September 22

Giving Thanks Spell

 

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~

The Wicca Book Of Days for September 21 – Autumnal Equinox

Mabon Comments & Graphics

The Wicca Book Of Days for September 21

Autumnal Equinox

 

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.

Meditate on Mabon

 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~

The Magical Energy of Apples

The Magical Energy of Apples

By Patti Wigington

Apples are magical, especially around the time of the autumn harvest.

Apple Divination

Apples have always been popular tools for foretelling the future. There are a number of traditional methods in folklore for seeing who one’s lover might be.

  • Peel the apple, keeping the peel in one long piece. When the peel comes off, drop it on the floor. The letter it forms is the first initial of your true love’s name.
  • Wait until midnight and cut an apple into nine pieces. Take the pieces into a dark room with a mirror (either hanging on the wall or a hand-held one will do). At midnight, begin eating the pieces of apple while looking into the mirror. When you get to the ninth piece, throw it over your shoulder. The face of your lover should appear in the mirror.
  • If a girl has more than one potential lover, peel an apple and pull out the seeds. Place a wet seed on your cheek for each boyfriend. The last one left stuck to the skin represents the suitor who is the true love.

Apple Magic

Because of its associations with the harvest, the apple is perfect for Mabon magic. Try the Apple Harvest rite, or honor the goddess Pomona at the harvest.

  • Mabon Apple Harvest Rite: This harvest ritual is designed with solitary Wiccans and Pagans in mind, and uses the apple and its five-pointed star as the focus. Honor the ancient gods at Mabon with this harvest ritual.
  • Pomona, Goddess of Apples: Pomona was an obscure Roman goddess, but she still has significance when it comes to the blooming of orchards and fruit trees in the fall.
  • Magic of the Apple Blossoms: The apple is associated with immortality, but is also considered a food for the dead, which is why it often makes its appearance at Mabon celebrations.

Apple Crafts

In addition to being tasty and sweet, apples are perfect for craft projects. Try one of these to decorate your home with magical apple energy.

  • Apple Candleholders: Make a set of decorative candleholders by coring out the top of a pair of apples.
  • Apple Garlands: This easy-to-make craft not only looks pretty, but will leave your home smelling delicious and welcoming!
  • Apple Butter: Brew up a pot of delicious apple butter to celebrate the harvest.

GoooooD Friday Morning, dear, dear friends!

Hello World! How ya’ doing this morning? It’s Friday, almost Mabon, you have got to be doing great! Made any plans for this weekend? I think I am leaving town, lol! Suppose to have company from Florida. They want to spend a few days with me. I really don’t do “come and never leave” company too good. I like the company that comes, stays a few hours then leaves. That is good company. I guess since the kids have left home and married, I have got selfish with my time. I love “me” time. It is totally underrated. Let me tell you it is fabulous. You can do a spell or ritual anytime you like. You can run around the house skyclad (as long as the blinds are shut). You can do anything you want. My kids made a joke about me not having the empty nest syndrome. Everything worked out just like I planned. I had children young enough that when they got grown, I would still be young enough to enjoy life. Now, if the body would cooperate, I would be thrilled to death, lol!

Oops! I just looked at the clock and didn’t realize it was that late. I had a lot more to say but I figure you might want to read your horoscopes or your Tarot.  Besides I am always running late and most of the time it is because I have wrote a book or two.

I am going to run for now. But I would like to remind you that we are still asking for donations for the wildlife refuge. We have received some and I would like to thank those that have opened their hearts to these lovely creatures and us. But as always, we can always use more donations because there are more animals coming in every day. No matter what amount you feel you can give, we can put to good use I guarantee you. Thank you for your love and support.

Well I am off for now. Have a super fantastic Friday! And I will see you tomorrow on Mabon.

Luv & Hugs,

Lady A

Newest addition to the refuge. Yes, we have people drop kittens and puppies off at our doorsteps also.

Mabon Balance Meditation

Mabon Balance Meditation

Celebrating the Dark and the Light

Mabon is a time of balance, and this simple meditation will help you focus on bringing harmony to your life.

A Time of Positive and Negative Energy

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.

Setting the Mood

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.

How To Hold a Hearth and Home Rite for Mabon

How To Hold a Hearth and Home Rite for Mabon

By Patti Wigington

Mabon is a time of balance, and it is the time to celebrate the stability of the hearth and home. This ritual is a simple one designed to place a barrier of harmony and security around your property. You can do this as a family group, as a coven, or even as a solitary. If you live in an apartment, feel free to adapt the rite as necessary. The key here is to focus on the perimeter of your personal space, whether you have a half-acre yard, a big rural spread, or a downtown condo.

Here’s How:

  1. You’ll need the following items:
    • A bowl of fresh earth from your yard
    • An assortment of iron nails* (railroad spikes work nicely if you can get them)
    • A brown or green candle to represent the land

    There is no need to cast a circle before beginning this rite, because you will be casting a magical perimeter as part of the working.

  2. Begin at the entrance to your property that sees the most traffic. If you have a yard and house, this will likely be the end of the driveway, where it connects to the street. If you live in an apartment or town home, you may wish to use your front door, or the hallway in front of your door. You may want to put your supplies on a tray or in a bag, if you’re doing this alone. If you have other people participating, give each person some items to carry. You can do this rite at any time of the day, although evening may be better if you don’t want your neighbors to come over and ask what you’re up to.
  3. Place the bowl of earth at the entrance to your property. If you like, you can place it on a table, or you can just set it on the ground. Place your hands into the bowl, and feel the cool soil on your fingertips. Feel the energy of the earth, traveling from the ground, up into the bowl, through the dirt, and into you.
  4. Focus on the bowl of earth, and say:

    Earth, symbol of security and stability, bring peace and harmony into my home at this season of thanksgiving. May my family be well, my house be a haven, and my table be one of hospitality. May the earth, the soil, the land, ground me and protect me and those whom I love, and that which I call mine. My property shall be a safe place, a secure place, a harmonious place for all those who enter. As I will, so it shall be.

  5. Leave the bowl in place, and begin slowly walking around the perimeter of your property, traveling in a deosil, or clockwise, direction. Feel the energy of your land, and the way in which you connect with it. Is there a tree you particularly love? Or the big rock where the kids always sit? Or that weird piece of root that you trip over every time? Consider why your property is home instead of just a place to live. Even if you live in an apartment, you can do this — what about that creaky spot by the door that your mom always hears when you come in late? All of these make a house personal and connect us to it.
  6. Periodically — and depending on how many iron nails or railroad ties you’ve got — stop and touch the ground. Drive a nail or spike into the dirt – iron is known as a protective material  throughout many cultures. As you push it into the earth, say:

    Iron spike, in the ground, protect my home, my family and me. Keep out that which would cause us harm.

  7. Repeat this with each iron nail or spike, until you’ve placed a protective barrier around your property. By now, you should have returned to your bowl of earth at the entrance. Light the green or brown candle, and place it within the bowl. Pack the earth lightly around it so that the candle doesn’t topple over. Say:

    Dark and light, equal parts at the time of Mabon. Fire and earth, together. Balance, harmony, security, these things shall be mine.

  8. If there is a particular deity of your tradition that represents hearth and home, now might be a good time to call upon them asking for assistance. If you do so, be sure to make an offering in their honor. If you choose not to call upon deity at this time, just take a few moments to reflect on your home life, and the things that mean security to you. When you are finished, bring the bowl with the candle inside, and place it in a spot where all can see — on your hearth, or the kitchen table — and allow it to sit until the candle goes out. When the candle has burned away, return the earth to your property.

Tips:

  1. Even if you just live in one room of a home, you can still do this rite. Simply adapt it so that you’re going around the perimeter of the room, beginning with the doorway. Instead of pounding iron spikes into the ground, you can tuck a small nail up under the edge of the carpet.
  2. It has been pointed out that in some areas, the ground may freeze enough to push iron nails out of the ground, which could cause problems once things warm up – no one wants a small child to step on a rusty nail! If you live in an area where this may be a problem, you may wish to remove the nails at certain times of year, or at the very least, check to make sure they are securely in the ground.

What You Need

  • A bowl of earth
  • Iron nails or railroad spikes
  • A green or brown candle

Mabon Harvest Incense

Mabon Harvest Incense

 

You’ll need:

  • 2 parts sandalwood
  • 2 parts pine
  • 1 part rosemary
  • 1 part cinnamon
  • 1 part dried apple
  • 1 part dried oak leaf

Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or blossoms need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation, such as:

Mabon, a season of dark and light,
balance of day turning to night.
Counting my blessings in all I have and do,
love and harmony, and gratitude too.
Mabon herbs, bring balance to me,
As I will, so it shall be.

 

Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

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.

Setting Up Your Mabon Altar

Setting Up Your Mabon Altar

By

Patti Wigington,

Mabon is the time when many Pagans and Wiccans celebrate the second part of the harvest. This Sabbat is about the balance between light and dark, with equal amounts of day and night. Try some or even all of these ideas — obviously, space may be a limiting factor for some, but use what calls to you most.

Colors of the Season:

The leaves have begun to change, so reflect the colors of autumn in your altar decorations. Use yellows, oranges, reds and browns. Cover your altar with cloths that symbolize the harvest season, or go a step further and put brightly colored fallen leaves upon your work surface. Use candles in deep, rich colors — reds, golds, or other autumn shades are perfect this time of year.

Symbols of the Harvest:

Mabon is the time of the second harvest, and the dying of the fields. Use corn, sheafs of wheat, squash and root vegetables on your altar. Add some tools of agriculture if you have them – scythes, sickels, and baskets

A Time of Balance:

Remember, the equinoxes are the two nights of the year when the amount of light and darkness are equal. Decorate your altar to symbolize the aspect of the season. Try a small set of scales, a yin-yang symbol, a white candle paired up with a black one — all are things which represent the concept of balance.

Other Symbols of Mabon:

· Wine,Vines and grapes

· Apples, cider, and apple juice

· Pomegranates

· Ears of corn

· Pumpkins

· Godes Eyes

· Corn dolls

· Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds

· Seeds, seed pods, nuts in there shells

· Baskets, symbolizing the gathering of crops

· Statuary of deities symbolizing the changing seasons

THE STORY OF MABON

THE STORY OF MABON

Author Unknown

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.

Merry Mabon To You & Yours!

Good afternoon to all my dear friends! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Mabon. I will try to keep this short (short for me, means a full-page letter, lol!). I don’t know if you noticed or not but yesterday was the WOTC’s Mabon Edition.  Even though, the weatherman said “Happy Fall to All,” this morning at 6:00. He also mentioned today was the Fall Equinox. Then I began to wonder, does anyone really know when Fall starts anymore? I guess whenever you want it to, lol!

Also I need to apologize for the comment I made yesterday. The one about Pagans having four days to celebrate Mabon. I have no earthly idea what I was thinking. I must have been out in the twilight zone. I must correct myself, we have three days to celebrate if we want too. See I told you I had been celebrating the night before. Too much broom flying for me, lol!

I guess that pretty well covers it. Have a great Mabon and please don’t fly too much, I am living proof of what it can do to you, lol!

Have a very Blessed Mabon and a Fantastic Weekend,

Lady A

Autumn’s Element is Water

As Autumn’s element is water, all study of rivers, lakes, ponds and oceans
apply, including the science of hydroelectric energy.  Emotions are ever near
the surface in Autumn. Blend water and emotion and we may easily feel grief at
this time of year. For older children, exploring issues of sadness, guilt and
regret as they pertain to history and the environment–honestly facing the
ambiguities, integrating the shadows and the light–can serve to deepen the
learning experience and heal immigrant consciousness. As emotions take us deeper
in understanding in Autumn and we begin to ready ourselves for the cold, we
watch for the signs and patterns in nature: seeking patterns in stories and
lessons, history and crafts (quilting, weaving, journaling, beadwork) at Mabon.
Watching for clues about how what has come before shapes us today.

Nature–wild nature–dwells in gardens just as she dwells in the tangled woods,
in the deeps of the sea, and on the heights of the mountains; and the wilder the
garden, the more you will see of her there. …..Herbert Ravenel Sass