"The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time.... Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World...."
- Akasha, MABON
"The definition of a Harvest
Moon is: the full moon closest to the fall equinox. The Harvest Moon
was thus named because it rises within a half-hour of when the sun
sets. In early days, when farmers had no tractors, it was essential that
they work by the light of the moon to bring in the harvest. This
moon is the fullest moon of the year. When you gaze at it, it looks
very large and gives a lot of light throughout the entire night. No
other lunar spectacle is as awesome as the Harvest Moon."
- HARVEST MOON LORE
- HARVEST MOON LORE
"The tale of Mabon of Modron,
the Welsh God, (the "great son of the great mother"), also known
as the Son of Light, the Young Son, or Divine Youth, is celebrated.
The Equinox is also the birth of Mabon, from his mother Modron, the
Guardian of the Outerworld, the Healer, the Protector, the Earth.
Mabon was taken after he is a mere three nights old (some variations
of the legend say he is taken after three years). Through the wisdom
of the living animals -- the Stag, Blackbird, Owl, Eagle and Salmon --
Mabon is freed from his mysterious captivity. All the while Mabon
had rested within his mother's womb; a place of nurturing and challenge.
With strength and lessons gained within the magickal Outerworld
(Modron's womb), Mabon is soon reborn as his mother's Champion, the Son of
Light, wielding the strength and wisdom acquired during his
captivity."
- JOYOUS MABON
- JOYOUS MABON
On the Autumnal Equinox, around September 21st, in Sacramento, California, Northern Hemisphere, Earth,
we have around 12 Hours of Daylight and 12 Hours of Nighttime.
"Equal dark, equal light
Flow in Circle, deep insight
Blessed Be, Blessed Be
The transformation of energy!
So it flows, out it goes
Three-fold back it shall be
Blessed Be, Blessed Be
The transformation of energy!"
- Night An'Fey, Transformation of Energy
Flow in Circle, deep insight
Blessed Be, Blessed Be
The transformation of energy!
So it flows, out it goes
Three-fold back it shall be
Blessed Be, Blessed Be
The transformation of energy!"
- Night An'Fey, Transformation of Energy
"To many ancient people, the
waning of the light signaled death. For example, in Welsh mythology, this
is the day of the year when the God of Darkness, Goronwy, defeats the God
of Light, Llew, and takes his place as King of the world. To this day in
Japan, the equinox is celebrated by visits to the graves of family
members, at which time offerings of flowers and food are made and incense
is burned. The three days preceding and following the equinox are
called "higan," or the "Other side of the River of Death."
- SEPTEMBER FOLKLORE
- SEPTEMBER FOLKLORE
"Drink a toast to Dionysus, the
God of wine and ecstasy - The son of the Moon! Gather with
friends to celebrate the vine with a bottle of good wine and good
cheer. Catch the Moon's reflection in your cup and raise it up in
salutation. Now drink in Her essence and feel the presence of the
God and Goddess."
- September, The Harvest Moon, MOON LORE
- September, The Harvest Moon, MOON LORE
"The best and safest thing is
to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in
us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really wise."
- Euripides (484 BC - 406 BC)
- Euripides (484 BC - 406 BC)
"The ancients celebrated a full
barn with crops and that the family and friends were all safe and well. It is
also a time of balance, a balance of what we have and what we will have or have
not in the future. Honour both the darkness and the light in our lives. A time
for focusing on life, death and rebirth, a time to consider where we are and
where we need to be. This is the time of the Crone and her consort
as he prepares for death and rebirth. She carries the sickle and scythe and is
preparing to reap what has been sown. The earth dies a little each day; we
embrace this descent into the darkness before we can truly appreciate the light
and warmth when it returns. The Druids call this celebration Mea'n
Fo'mhair and honour the Green Man the god of the forest. The Norse call it the
Winter Finding, which runs until October 15th, which is the Norse New Year. The
Ancient Mayans observed September 21st as a special time in their calendar. In
Japan there is a six day celebration around the Equinox. The Welsh make up Corn
Dollies and hang them around their house, hoping for a good month. Other names
for Mabon include: The Second Harvest Festival, the Wine Harvest and the Feast
of Avalon. The burning of a large wicker figure around this time was
common for the Druids."
- RAYVENSCLAW ,AXIS MUNDI
- RAYVENSCLAW ,AXIS MUNDI
"Mythically, this is the day of
the year when the god of light is defeated by his twin and alter-ego, the god
of darkness. It is the time of the year when night conquers day. And as I have
recently shown in my seasonal reconstruction of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd,
the Autumnal Equinox is the only day of the whole year when Llew (light) is
vulnerable and it is possible to defeat him. Llew now stands on the balance
(Libra/autumnal equinox), with one foot on the cauldron (Cancer/summer
solstice) and his other foot on the goat (Capricorn/winter solstice). Thus he
is betrayed by Blodeuwedd, the Virgin (Virgo) and transformed into an Eagle
(Scorpio). Two things are now likely to occur mythically, in rapid
succession. Having defeated Llew, Goronwy (darkness) now takes over Llew's
functions, both as lover to Blodeuwedd, the Goddess, and as King of our own
world. Although Goronwy, the Horned King, now sits on Llew's throne and begins
his rule immediately, his formal coronation will not be for another six weeks,
occurring at Samhain (Halloween) or the beginning of Winter, when he becomes
the Winter Lord, the Dark King, Lord of Misrule. Goronwy's other function has
more immediate results, however. He mates with the virgin goddess, and Blodeuwedd
conceives, and will give birth -- nine months later (at the Summer Solstice) --
to Goronwy's son, who is really another incarnation of himself, the Dark
Child. Llew's sacrificial death at Harvest Home also identifies him with
John Barleycorn, spirit of the fields. Thus, Llew represents not only the sun's
power, but also the sun's life trapped and crystallized in the corn. Often this
corn spirit was believed to reside most especially in the last sheaf or shock
harvested, which was dressed in fine clothes, or woven into a wicker-like
man-shaped form. This effigy was then cut and carried from the field, and
usually burned, amidst much rejoicing. So one may see Blodeuwedd and Goronwy in
a new guise, not as conspirators who murder their king, but as kindly farmers
who harvest the crop which they had planted and so lovingly cared for. And yet,
anyone who knows the old ballad of John Barleycorn knows that we have not heard
the last of him."
- Mike Nichols, HARVEST HOME
- Mike Nichols, HARVEST HOME
"The Fall Equinox, or Mabon, is
celebrated as the final harvest of the season. This holiday was pivotal
in ancient times, since a good final harvest was crucial to surviving the
winter months ahead. This is the time of year where we truly reap what we
have sown and we prepare for the long winter that lays before us. The day
and night are again equal in time and the God has traveled at last to His place
of rest. Now, He has sacrificed the last of Himself to provide us with
a final harvest of food before the winter begins. Celebrants gather to
mark the turning of the wheel and to give thanks for the ultimate sacrifice of
The God, recognizing that He will be reborn at Yule. This holiday has
been called "The Witches' Thanksgiving" and is a time for feasting
together with family and friends. This is also the time to welcome the
season of the Crone. Kore' goes to the Underworld to learn the secrets of
the Crone (or in some stories she is kidnapped by Hades), and the earth is bare
as Her mother, Demeter, mourns Her loss. But although the winter is
before us, we know that the wheel will turn again, life will be reborn, and our
blessings are bountiful."
- FALL EQUINOX
- FALL EQUINOX
"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
- RAE SCHWARZ ,FALL EQUINOX
"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. 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."
- MABON HISTORY
- MABON HISTORY
"For
among the many excellent and indeed divine institutions which your Athens has
brought forth and contributed to human life, none, in my opinion, is better
than those mysteries. For by their means we have been brought out of our
barbarous and savage mode of life and educated and refined to a state of
civilization; and as the rites are called "initiations," so in very
truth we have learned from them the beginnings of life, and have gained the
power not only to live happily, but also to die with a better hope. ”
- Cicero, Laws II, xiv, 36; ELEUSIAN MYSTERIES
- Cicero, Laws II, xiv, 36; ELEUSIAN MYSTERIES
"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
- MABON HARVEST HOME, Catherine Kerr
"This is the second harvest
festival of the year, that of fruits and vegetables. Mabon is the Welsh God
of all things wild and free. He is also associated with the Sun God
whose power dies on this day. We also give thanks to the
spirit of vegetation for the sacrifice made so that we can live through
the winter. The Goddess at
this Sabbat is the grandmotherly crone, warm and wise. Here are some ideas to get your familystarted in celebrating this season: Have a potluck feast with a group of friends and loved ones to celebrate the abundance of the season. Feel the warmth of being part of a community. Adopt someone in a nursing home. As a family, take your special person baked goodies and colored pictures. Read them books or tell them stories. Walk around your neighborhood picking up garbage. Do what you can to improve your home and prepare for winter. Pick a subject that interests the whole family. Go to the library or find other resources and study that subject. Together, share what you've learned. Look at old family photo albums or scrapbooks. Try to tell stories about each person in the pictures. Leave an apple on the grave of an ancestor. Cut an apple in half to show your children the star inside. This is a reminder that all life is renewed in some way. Bake cored apples filled with butter and cinnamon as a special treat. Create decorations for your front door out of colored leaves, pinecones, nuts, acorns and Indian Corn bundles. Take a walk in a wild place. Gather seedpods and dried plants. Sing songs and talk about all the things you've done over the summer. Make plans for the winter. Honor the birds and small animals in the wilderness or by your home by making a birdfeeder or mandala filled with seeds and grain. Make rattles out of empty gourds and sunflower seeds or seeds collected from nature walks. Use the rattles to make music or scare away bad dreams. Look at your family habits and figure out what you can do to improve your conservation habits. Can you use less water or recycle more of your garbage? Make a Vine God (stick-type male figure with a hollow body) filled with foil-wrapped cornbread and sacrifice him on the campfire (or barbeque!). Give thanks to the god for his sacrifice and enjoy the cornbread!"
- 13 IDEAS FOR A FAMILY MABON
this Sabbat is the grandmotherly crone, warm and wise. Here are some ideas to get your familystarted in celebrating this season: Have a potluck feast with a group of friends and loved ones to celebrate the abundance of the season. Feel the warmth of being part of a community. Adopt someone in a nursing home. As a family, take your special person baked goodies and colored pictures. Read them books or tell them stories. Walk around your neighborhood picking up garbage. Do what you can to improve your home and prepare for winter. Pick a subject that interests the whole family. Go to the library or find other resources and study that subject. Together, share what you've learned. Look at old family photo albums or scrapbooks. Try to tell stories about each person in the pictures. Leave an apple on the grave of an ancestor. Cut an apple in half to show your children the star inside. This is a reminder that all life is renewed in some way. Bake cored apples filled with butter and cinnamon as a special treat. Create decorations for your front door out of colored leaves, pinecones, nuts, acorns and Indian Corn bundles. Take a walk in a wild place. Gather seedpods and dried plants. Sing songs and talk about all the things you've done over the summer. Make plans for the winter. Honor the birds and small animals in the wilderness or by your home by making a birdfeeder or mandala filled with seeds and grain. Make rattles out of empty gourds and sunflower seeds or seeds collected from nature walks. Use the rattles to make music or scare away bad dreams. Look at your family habits and figure out what you can do to improve your conservation habits. Can you use less water or recycle more of your garbage? Make a Vine God (stick-type male figure with a hollow body) filled with foil-wrapped cornbread and sacrifice him on the campfire (or barbeque!). Give thanks to the god for his sacrifice and enjoy the cornbread!"
- 13 IDEAS FOR A FAMILY MABON
"The word "equinox"
was derived from Latin term "æquinoctium" which, in turn, came
from "æquus" (equal), and "nox" (night).
It refers to the time that occurs twice a year when the nighttime is equal to
the daytime -- each being 12 hours in duration. In Old English, the language
spoken circa 450 to 1100 CE, called it efnniht."
- FALL EQUINOX CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
- FALL EQUINOX CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
"Everything that we know about
the RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS of the pagan Anglo-Saxons comes from a book written by the
Christian monk, the VENERABLE
BADE, entitled DE TEMPORUM RATIONE, meaning The Reckoning of Time, in which he described the calendar of the year. The pagan
Anglo-Saxons followed a calendar with twelve lunar months, with the occasional
year having thirteen months so that the lunar and solar alignment could be
corrected. Bede claimed that the greatest pagan festival was MODRANIHT (meaningMother Night), which was situated at the WINTER SOLSTICE and which marked the start of the Anglo-Saxon
year. Following this festival, in the month of Solmonað (February), Bede claims that the pagans offered cakes to
their deities. Then, in EOSTUR-MONATH Aprilis (April), a spring festival was celebrated, dedicated
to the goddess EOSTREand the later Christian festival of EASTER took its name from this month and its goddess. The month of
September was known as Halegmonath,
meaning Holy Month,
which may indicate that it had special religious significance. The month of
November was known as Blod-Monath,
meaning Blood Month,
and was commemorated with ANIMAL
SACRIFICE, both in offering to the gods, and
also likely to gather a source of food to be stored over the
winter. Remarking on Bede's account of the Anglo-Saxon year, the
historian Brian Branston noted that they "show us a people who of
necessity fitted closely into the pattern of the changing year, who were of the
earth and what grows in it" and that they were "in fact, a people who
were in a symbiotic relationship with mother earth and father sky"."
- ANGLO-SAXON PLOYTHEISM
- ANGLO-SAXON PLOYTHEISM
"To
the Celts, Avalon is the mysterious place for the land of the dead and literally means the "land of apples". Thus this is a holiday for celebrating the bounty of the
harvest and the desire for the living to be reunited with their deceased loved
ones. The holiday is also named for the Welsh God Mabon. Mabon
means the "great
son". He was the son of MORDRED, kidnapped at the age of 3 and later rescued by KING ARTHUR. His life represents the innocence of youth, the strength
of survival and the growing wisdom of the elderly. Perhaps it is this view of
the cycle of life that brings Mabon to his most popular role, the King of the
Other world and the God of Darkness. His myths overlap with other Gods such as
the WELSCH
GOD GWYN AP NUAD, which means "white son of darkness". He is seen as the God of war and death, the patron God of
fallen warriors. Once again this is a representation or connection to the Land
of Avalon. The
Purpose of Mabon as a holiday- Mabon
represents the time of honoring the dead, visiting burial sites, giving
thankfulness for the end of the harvest season and the bounty it provides.
These are the themes of closing, letting go and remembering. For the year, the
harvest and for those who were lost to land of Avalon during the year. Although
many view the Harvest season as a celebration of life, it is also a celebration
of death. The bounty you gather from your garden provides nourishment for you,
family and friends. But it is also the death of those plants and vegetables
which have been harvested from that garden. Thus Mabon is a celebration of the
cycle of life."
- MABON FEAST by Junebug
- MABON FEAST by Junebug
"Mea'n Fo'mhair honors The
Green Man, God of the Forest, by offerings of wines, ciders and herbs. The
Goddess is commemorated as she passes from Mother to Crone. Mabon is an
occasion of the Mysteries and to honor deities and the spirit
world. Finery is worn in shades of red, maroon, violet, orange,
gold, brown, yellow, russet and indigo. Jewelry is made with yellow topaz and
agate, carnelian, sapphire, amethyst and sapphire, crystals. The feast includes
breads, nuts, acorns, grains, corn, beans, squash, root vegetables, some
seasoned with sage, dried fruits, pomegranates, grapes and apples spiced with
cinnamon and cloves, ale, wine and cider. It’s a gathering of family as people
ready for Samhain and a time to finish old business for a phase of reflection,
rest and relaxation. Activities include scattering offerings in
harvested fields, making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and pods,
walking in the woods and adorning graves with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to
honor those who have gone on. Spellwork is for protection, harmony, prosperity,
balance, security, and self-confidence. The animals of Mabon are
dogs, wolves, stags, salmon, goats and raptors, especially eagles and owls, and
black birds."
- MABON, PAGAN FIRE FESTIVAL by Jill Stefko
- MABON, PAGAN FIRE FESTIVAL by Jill Stefko
"Autumn Equinox, around
September 21, is the time of the descent of the Goddess into the Underworld.
With her departure, we see the decline of nature and the coming of winter. This
is a classic, ancient mythos, seen the Sumerian myth of Inanna and in the
ancient Greek and Roman legends of Demeter and Persephone. In September, we
also bid farewell to the Harvest Lord who was slain at Lammas. He is the Green
Man, seen as the cycle of nature in the plant kingdom. He is harvested and his
seeds are planted into the Earth so that life may continue and be more
abundant. Mabon ("Great Son") is a Welsh god. He was a great hunter
with a swift horse and a wonderful hound. He may have been a mythologized
actual leader. He was stolen from his mother, Modron (Great Mother),when he was
three nights old, but was eventually rescued by King Arthur (other legends say
he was rescued by the Blackbird, the Stag, the Owl, the Eagle, and the Salmon).
All along, however, Mabon has been dwelling, a happy captive, in Modron's
magickal Otherworld -- Madron's womb. Only in this way can he be reborn.
Mabon's light has been drawn into the Earth, gathering strength and wisdom
enough to become a new seed. In this sense, Mabon is the masculine counterpart
of Persephone -- the male fertilizing principle seasonally withdrawn. Modron
corresponds with Demeter."
- MABON RITUALS
- MABON RITUALS
"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
- UNDERSTANDING PAGAN HOLIDAYS
"Activities of Mabon: Select
the best of each vegetable, herb, fruit, nut, and other food you have harvested
or purchased and give it back to Mother Earth with prayers of thanksgiving.
Hang dried ears of corn around your home in appreciation of the harvest season.
Do meditations and chanting as you store away food for the Winter. Do a
thanksgiving circle, offering thanks as you face each direction - - for home,
finances, and physical health (North); for gifts of knowledge (East); for
accomplishments in career and hobbies (South); for relationships (West); and
for spiritual insights and messages (Center). Decorate the table with colorful
autumn leaves in a basket. Display the fruits of the harvest - corn, gourds,
nuts, grapes, apples - preferably in a cornucopia. Or decorate with
wildflowers, acorns, nuts, berries, cocoons, anything that represents the
harvest to you. Like its sister equinox, halfway across the Wheel of the Year,
the Autumn Equinox is a good occasion for a ritual feast. Plan a meal that uses
seasonal and symbolic fruits and vegetables. You can serve bread, squash, corn,
apples, cider and wine. Make some homemade wine or cordial gather and dry
herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods. Make grapevine wreaths using dried bitter-sweet
herb for protection. Use ribbons of gold and yellow to bring in the energy of
the Sun, and decorate with sprigs of dried yarrowor cinnamon sticks. Make a
protection charm of hazelnuts (filberts) strung on red thread. Make a witch's
broom. Tie dried corn husks or herbs (broom, cedar, fennel, lavender,
peppermint, rosemary) around a strong, relatively straight branch of your
choice. Make magic Apple Dolls Gifts of the Harvest can be used to make tools
and emblems that will remind us of their bounty all year round. Look for
colored leaves. Collect fallen leaves and make a centerpiece or bouquet for
your home. Save the leaves to burn in your Yule fire. Vist an apple orchard
and, if possible, pick your own apples. Hang apples on a tree near your home. Watch
the birds and other small animals who will enjoy your gift. This is also the
time for replacing your old broom with a new one. As the broom corn is ripe
now, besom making is traditional and magickal this time of year. Begin the
festival with a vineyard or orchard harvest. You might check the farm lands in
your area to see if there's an orchard or pumpkin patch that allows customers
to harvest produce for themselves. Traditionally Sabbat festivals begin at sun
set on the eve of the Holiday. You can use the daytime hours of this holiday
eve to prepare baskets for harvesting the next day. Baking a pumpkin pie (from
scratch if possible) is a wonderful way to bring in the fragrance of the
holiday season."
- ACTIVITIES OF MABON
- ACTIVITIES OF MABON
"As autumn returns to earth's
northern hemisphere,
and day and night are briefly,
but perfectly,
balanced at the equinox,
may we remember anew how fragile life is ----
human life, surely,
but also the lives of all other creatures,
trees and plants,
waters and winds.
and day and night are briefly,
but perfectly,
balanced at the equinox,
may we remember anew how fragile life is ----
human life, surely,
but also the lives of all other creatures,
trees and plants,
waters and winds.
May we make wise choices in how and
what we harvest,
may earth's weather turn kinder,
may there be enough food for all creatures,
may the diminishing light in our daytime skies
be met by an increasing compassion and tolerance
in our hearts."
- KATHLEEN JENKS
may earth's weather turn kinder,
may there be enough food for all creatures,
may the diminishing light in our daytime skies
be met by an increasing compassion and tolerance
in our hearts."
- KATHLEEN JENKS
"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."
- MABON HISTORY
- MABON HISTORY
"Last day of Summer,
ripe red peaches drop —
form is emptiness.
ripe red peaches drop —
form is emptiness.
First day of Autumn,
pond completely dry —
emptiness is form."
- Mike Garofalo, -ABOVE THE FOG
pond completely dry —
emptiness is form."
- Mike Garofalo, -ABOVE THE FOG
"The quest for
wisdom was realized by pursuing the white doe (as the blue roebuck) under a
wild Apple tree. In the Welsh Câd Goddeu (The Battle of the Trees),
the Apple is described as the noblest tree of them all, the tree that
symbolized poetic immortality. The Apple Tree is closely linked to
Druids, in their aspect as magicians and shamans."In Druid lore, the essence
of three sacred apples growing on the Tree of Knowledge came from three drops
that fell from Cerridwen's cauldron, which correspond with the Druid's most
holy symbol, the Three Rays of Light." Bards (poets) and
Ovates (shamans) carried apple branches, (with bronze, silver, or gold bells),
called the Craobh Ciuil (Branch of Reason) as symbols of their
office. Pulling the Ogham stave Quert is a mandate to rest and heal
yourself from strife, illness, fatigue, or injury. It is an invitation to
regain your sense of wholeness and connection with nature. Associated with the
holy isle of Avalon, the apple represents rest and healing, recovery, and a
peaceful relaxing Otherworld journey to the magical isle. Within the
Apple Branch you are invited to work with "the divine madness of the
shaman." It calls you to journey to the Otherworld by its many names -
Avalon, Avallach, Tir na Og, Eamhain Abhlach. Apple also represents the
spiritual warrior who fears not to travel beyond the mortal realm to face
death, sacrifice, and hardship, in order to benefit his or her tribe. The apple
branch represents shelter and protection on these intense shamanic
journeys."
The Apple Branch in the Dianic Tradition
The Apple Branch in the Dianic Tradition
"I have come to a still,
but not a deep center,
A point outside the glittering current;
My eyes stare at the bottom of a river,
At the irregular stones, iridescent sandgrains,
My mind moves in more than one place,
In a country half-land, half-water.
I am renewed by death, thought of my death,
The dry scent of a dying garden in September,
The wind fanning the ash of a low fire.
What I love is near at hand,
Always, in earth and air."
- Theodore Roethke, The Far Field
A point outside the glittering current;
My eyes stare at the bottom of a river,
At the irregular stones, iridescent sandgrains,
My mind moves in more than one place,
In a country half-land, half-water.
I am renewed by death, thought of my death,
The dry scent of a dying garden in September,
The wind fanning the ash of a low fire.
What I love is near at hand,
Always, in earth and air."
- Theodore Roethke, The Far Field
“The Wheel rolls more, and Autumn
returns.
Cooler the rain; the Sun lower burns.
The coloring leaves presage the Year:
All things move into harvest’s sphere.
I vow to savor fruits first picked;
nor into grief shall I be tricked.
I vow to offer what once I spurned,
and face the Turning reassured.
- Asleen O’Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon, p. 116.
Cooler the rain; the Sun lower burns.
The coloring leaves presage the Year:
All things move into harvest’s sphere.
I vow to savor fruits first picked;
nor into grief shall I be tricked.
I vow to offer what once I spurned,
and face the Turning reassured.
- Asleen O’Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon, p. 116.
"Lord, it is time. The summer
was very big. Lay thy shadow on the sundials, and on the meadows let the
winds go loose. Command the last fruits that they shall be full; give them
another two more southerly days, press them on to fulfillment and drive the
last sweetness into the heavenly wine."
- Rainer Maria Rilke
- Rainer Maria Rilke
"Hear us, Son of Two Mothers,
Blessed Dionysus, God of Wine,
Lysian, Evion Bacchus, Many-named, secret and holy, fertile and nourishing,
Who brings the spark of life and makes the fruits to flourish and increase,
Lysian, Evion Bacchus, Many-named, secret and holy, fertile and nourishing,
Who brings the spark of life and makes the fruits to flourish and increase,
Resounding,
Magnanimous Power, Many-Formed God of Health, Holy Flower,
Mortals find repose from labor in Your magic, and You are desired by all.
Fair, Bromian, Joyful God who bears the vined wand
Mortals find repose from labor in Your magic, and You are desired by all.
Fair, Bromian, Joyful God who bears the vined wand
Incline to these rites, Whether You
favor Gods or mortals,
Be welcome and listen as Your mystics pray,
And come rejoicing, bearing abundant fruits." Dionysos! Dionysos!
He is sweet upon the mountains.
He drops to the earth from the running packs.
He wears the holy-fawn-skin.
He hunts the wild goat and kills it.
He delights in the raw flesh.
He runs to the mountains of Phrygia, to the mountains of Lydia he runs!
He is Bromios who leads us!
Evohe!
Be welcome and listen as Your mystics pray,
And come rejoicing, bearing abundant fruits." Dionysos! Dionysos!
He is sweet upon the mountains.
He drops to the earth from the running packs.
He wears the holy-fawn-skin.
He hunts the wild goat and kills it.
He delights in the raw flesh.
He runs to the mountains of Phrygia, to the mountains of Lydia he runs!
He is Bromios who leads us!
Evohe!
With milk the earth flows!
It flows with wine!
It runs with the nectar of bees!
Like frankincense in its fragrance is the blaze of the torch he bears.
Flames float out from his trailing wand
as he runs, as he dances,
kindling the stragglers,
spurring with cries,
and his long curls stream to the wind!
And he cries as they cry:
Evohe!
It flows with wine!
It runs with the nectar of bees!
Like frankincense in its fragrance is the blaze of the torch he bears.
Flames float out from his trailing wand
as he runs, as he dances,
kindling the stragglers,
spurring with cries,
and his long curls stream to the wind!
And he cries as they cry:
Evohe!
Blessed, blessed are those who know
the mysteries of the god.
Blessed is he who hallows his life in the worship of the god.
Blessed is he whom the spirit of the god possesses,
who is one with those who belong to the holy body of the god.
Blessed are the dancers and those who are purified,
who dance on the hill in the holy dance of the god.
Blessed are they who keep the rite of Kybele the Mother.
Blessed are the thrysus-bearers,
those who wield in their hands the holy wand of the god.
Blessed are those who wear the crown of the ivy of the god.
Blessed, blessed are they: Dionysos is their god!"
- Dionysos Autumn Equinox
Blessed is he who hallows his life in the worship of the god.
Blessed is he whom the spirit of the god possesses,
who is one with those who belong to the holy body of the god.
Blessed are the dancers and those who are purified,
who dance on the hill in the holy dance of the god.
Blessed are they who keep the rite of Kybele the Mother.
Blessed are the thrysus-bearers,
those who wield in their hands the holy wand of the god.
Blessed are those who wear the crown of the ivy of the god.
Blessed, blessed are they: Dionysos is their god!"
- Dionysos Autumn Equinox
"Leaves fall,
the days grow cold.
The Goddess pulls her mantle of Earth around Her
as You, O Great Sun God, sail toward the West
to the land of eternal enchantment,
wrapped in the coolness of night.
Fruits ripen,
seeds drip,
the hours of day and night are balanced."
- Mabon Sabbat and Lore
the days grow cold.
The Goddess pulls her mantle of Earth around Her
as You, O Great Sun God, sail toward the West
to the land of eternal enchantment,
wrapped in the coolness of night.
Fruits ripen,
seeds drip,
the hours of day and night are balanced."
- Mabon Sabbat and Lore
"Lavender's
blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green,
When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen.
Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.
When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen.
Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.
Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set
them to work
Some with a rake, dilly, dilly, some with a fork.
Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to thresh corn.
While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.
Some with a rake, dilly, dilly, some with a fork.
Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to thresh corn.
While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.
Lavender's green, dilly, dilly,
Lavender's blue,
If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you.
Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, And the lambs play;
We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harm's way.
If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you.
Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, And the lambs play;
We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harm's way.
I love to dance, dilly, dilly, I
love to sing;
When I am queen, dilly, dilly, You'll be my king.
Who told me so, dilly, dilly, Who told me so?
I told myself, dilly, dilly, I told me so."
- Lavender Blue, circa 1680
When I am queen, dilly, dilly, You'll be my king.
Who told me so, dilly, dilly, Who told me so?
I told myself, dilly, dilly, I told me so."
- Lavender Blue, circa 1680
"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
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
"O Autumn, laden with fruit,
and stained
With the blood of the grape, pass not,
but sit
Beneath my shady roof, there thou may'st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe;
And all the daughters of the year shall dance,
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers. "
- William Blake, To Autumn
With the blood of the grape, pass not,
but sit
Beneath my shady roof, there thou may'st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe;
And all the daughters of the year shall dance,
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers. "
- William Blake, To Autumn
"As autumn returns to earth's
northern hemisphere,
and day and night are briefly,
but perfectly,
balanced at the equinox,
may we remember anew how fragile life is ----
human life, surely,
but also the lives of all other creatures,
trees and plants,
waters and winds.
and day and night are briefly,
but perfectly,
balanced at the equinox,
may we remember anew how fragile life is ----
human life, surely,
but also the lives of all other creatures,
trees and plants,
waters and winds.
May we make wise choices in how and
what we harvest,
may earth's weather turn kinder,
may there be enough food for all creatures,
may the diminishing light in our daytime skies
be met by an increasing compassion and tolerance
in our hearts."
- Kathleen Jenks, Autumn Lore
may earth's weather turn kinder,
may there be enough food for all creatures,
may the diminishing light in our daytime skies
be met by an increasing compassion and tolerance
in our hearts."
- Kathleen Jenks, Autumn Lore
"May there be peace in the
North;
May there be peace in the South;
May there be peace in the West;
May there be peace in the East.
May there be peace throughout the whole world."
- Druid Blessing, Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
May there be peace in the South;
May there be peace in the West;
May there be peace in the East.
May there be peace throughout the whole world."
- Druid Blessing, Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
"The Wheel turns on - 'tis
Mabon-tide.
Dawn and dusk abreast now ride
darkness, brightness, calm and storms.
The hand that holds the scythe transforms.
I vow this wisdom shall be my own:
poise will let my power be known.
From balance the Wheel now turns toward the deep.
Through Winter, by vow and faith, I'll keep."
Ashleen O'Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon, p. 160.
Dawn and dusk abreast now ride
darkness, brightness, calm and storms.
The hand that holds the scythe transforms.
I vow this wisdom shall be my own:
poise will let my power be known.
From balance the Wheel now turns toward the deep.
Through Winter, by vow and faith, I'll keep."
Ashleen O'Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon, p. 160.
"Hail Freyja, Golden One!
Holder of the glorious Brisingamen, that brings fertility and abundance.
As we love and honor you, may we find love and power within us. Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Freyja!
Hail Freyr, Harvest God!
Keeper of the rain and the sunshine!
As we love and honor you, may we find creativity and inspiration within us.
Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Freyer!
Hail Sif, Great Lady!
We come to this place grateful for your gifts.
Golden-haired goddess of the ripening grain, as we love and honor you, may we find beauty and grace within us.
Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Sif!
Hail Thor, son of the Earth Mother!
Strong and noble keeper of Thunder, Red-Bearded Guardian of us all, guide us through the seasons and the cycles of life.
We thank you for the fertility of our lands and for the abundance we have received this year.
As we love and honor you, let us find strength and wisdom with us.
Join us and accept out thanks.
Hail Thor!"
- Kristen Madden, Autumn Celebration Ritual
Holder of the glorious Brisingamen, that brings fertility and abundance.
As we love and honor you, may we find love and power within us. Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Freyja!
Hail Freyr, Harvest God!
Keeper of the rain and the sunshine!
As we love and honor you, may we find creativity and inspiration within us.
Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Freyer!
Hail Sif, Great Lady!
We come to this place grateful for your gifts.
Golden-haired goddess of the ripening grain, as we love and honor you, may we find beauty and grace within us.
Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Sif!
Hail Thor, son of the Earth Mother!
Strong and noble keeper of Thunder, Red-Bearded Guardian of us all, guide us through the seasons and the cycles of life.
We thank you for the fertility of our lands and for the abundance we have received this year.
As we love and honor you, let us find strength and wisdom with us.
Join us and accept out thanks.
Hail Thor!"
- Kristen Madden, Autumn Celebration Ritual
"Great Goddess, Mistress of
cats,
Lady of love, beautiful Vana-Goddess,
Fulfill my greatest needs, O glorious one.
Teach me the magic I need.
Give me a glimpse of your deep wisdom.
Teach me in dreams. Enrich my life.
O Lady, you are Golden-Tears of Asgard
Lady of love, beautiful Vana-Goddess,
You are the Shape-shifter, the Sayer,
The Independent One.
Give me the strength and the magic I need."
- Prayers to Freyja
Lady of love, beautiful Vana-Goddess,
Fulfill my greatest needs, O glorious one.
Teach me the magic I need.
Give me a glimpse of your deep wisdom.
Teach me in dreams. Enrich my life.
O Lady, you are Golden-Tears of Asgard
Lady of love, beautiful Vana-Goddess,
You are the Shape-shifter, the Sayer,
The Independent One.
Give me the strength and the magic I need."
- Prayers to Freyja
"I
call on Thee, kind Muse, to grant a gift,
To loose a stream of swiftly flowing words,
A spring of inspiration, crystal clear,
To nourish fruit from which to feed the soul,
A rushing stream to cleanse my inner eyes
So I may see the ageless mythic truth.
I ask assistance by these very words.
As I have prayed, so may it be!"
- John Oposopaus
To loose a stream of swiftly flowing words,
A spring of inspiration, crystal clear,
To nourish fruit from which to feed the soul,
A rushing stream to cleanse my inner eyes
So I may see the ageless mythic truth.
I ask assistance by these very words.
As I have prayed, so may it be!"
- John Oposopaus
"Day turns to Night,
Light turns to Death,
The Dark Mother teaches us to dance.
Hecate, Demeter, Kali,
Nemesis, Morrighan, Tiamet,
Bringers of destruction
You who embody the Crone,
I honor you as the Earth goes Dark,
As the World slowly Dies.
Light turns to Death,
The Dark Mother teaches us to dance.
Hecate, Demeter, Kali,
Nemesis, Morrighan, Tiamet,
Bringers of destruction
You who embody the Crone,
I honor you as the Earth goes Dark,
As the World slowly Dies.
Hail! Hail! Hail!
The grapes have been gathered!
The wine has been pressed.
The casks have been opened.
Dionysus and Bacchus,
Watch over our celebration,
Bless us with merrymaking!
Hail! Hail! Hail!"
- Patti Wigington
The grapes have been gathered!
The wine has been pressed.
The casks have been opened.
Dionysus and Bacchus,
Watch over our celebration,
Bless us with merrymaking!
Hail! Hail! Hail!"
- Patti Wigington
"Lady,
In swirling cloak of crimson,
of burnt orange and saffron,
You ride the winds of morning.
The scent of burning leaves fills the air;
the Second Harvest draws near.
Solitary once again You embody balance -
You are an archetype of the Self -
consummate, remote.
I long to follow as You seek the
formless wilderness
with never a thought to the cost.
You are the bright flame of morning,
impelling and unrestrained.
Bless me with Your passion."
- Galen Gillotte, Mabon Morning Prayer
In swirling cloak of crimson,
of burnt orange and saffron,
You ride the winds of morning.
The scent of burning leaves fills the air;
the Second Harvest draws near.
Solitary once again You embody balance -
You are an archetype of the Self -
consummate, remote.
I long to follow as You seek the
formless wilderness
with never a thought to the cost.
You are the bright flame of morning,
impelling and unrestrained.
Bless me with Your passion."
- Galen Gillotte, Mabon Morning Prayer
"Autumn colors of red and gold
As I close my eyes tonight
Such a wonder to behold
I feel the Goddess hold me tight
Watch leaves turning one by one
Though it grows dark, I shall not fear
Captured bits of Autumn Sun
For Divine Love protects all here
Soon they'll fall and blow away
Through the night, until the morn
The golden treasures of today
When the shining Sun's reborn
When the trees are bare
Time to sleep, time to dream
And the ground grows cold
Till warm gold rays upon me stream
These warm memories."
- Adapted by Akasha Ap Emrys
Shared by Silverfox in Realms of the Earth
As I close my eyes tonight
Such a wonder to behold
I feel the Goddess hold me tight
Watch leaves turning one by one
Though it grows dark, I shall not fear
Captured bits of Autumn Sun
For Divine Love protects all here
Soon they'll fall and blow away
Through the night, until the morn
The golden treasures of today
When the shining Sun's reborn
When the trees are bare
Time to sleep, time to dream
And the ground grows cold
Till warm gold rays upon me stream
These warm memories."
- Adapted by Akasha Ap Emrys
Shared by Silverfox in Realms of the Earth
"Wind, fire, sea, stone
Breath, flame, wave, bone
Long light has lingered here, Earth still is warm,
Deepening shadows lost by the dawn.
Long darkness rising here, though heat lingers on,
Twist of the Equinox - Mabon has come.
Dead leaves fall silently, drift on the air,
Trees standing, slumbering - dry, cracked and bare.
Time passes quietly, echoing past:
Earth calls the winter in. Mabon at last!
Shadows through the mist I see:
Time passing silently.
Starlight, as the Spiral bends.
Moonlight, as the daylight ends."
- Leanne Daharja Veitch, Mabon: Song of the Autumn Equinox
Breath, flame, wave, bone
Long light has lingered here, Earth still is warm,
Deepening shadows lost by the dawn.
Long darkness rising here, though heat lingers on,
Twist of the Equinox - Mabon has come.
Dead leaves fall silently, drift on the air,
Trees standing, slumbering - dry, cracked and bare.
Time passes quietly, echoing past:
Earth calls the winter in. Mabon at last!
Shadows through the mist I see:
Time passing silently.
Starlight, as the Spiral bends.
Moonlight, as the daylight ends."
- Leanne Daharja Veitch, Mabon: Song of the Autumn Equinox
"O now is the time of the
Harvest,
As we draw near to the years end
Now is the time of Mabon
Autumn is the time to descend.
Old Woman waits patiently for us
At the threshold of the labyrinth within
She offers her hand that we may understand
The treasures that await at journey’s end.
O Great Mother has given of Her body,
We give thanks for Her fruit and Her grain
We then clear the fields so that next harvest’s yields
Will be full and abundant again.
Old Woman leads us through the darkness
Our most ancient and trusted of friends
She carries the light of spiritual insight
And leads us to our wisdom once again.
And as we journey through the darkness
And as we continue to descend
We learn to let go of what obscures our soul
And re-discover our true being in the end."
- Lisa Thiel, Circle of the Seasons: Mabon
As we draw near to the years end
Now is the time of Mabon
Autumn is the time to descend.
Old Woman waits patiently for us
At the threshold of the labyrinth within
She offers her hand that we may understand
The treasures that await at journey’s end.
O Great Mother has given of Her body,
We give thanks for Her fruit and Her grain
We then clear the fields so that next harvest’s yields
Will be full and abundant again.
Old Woman leads us through the darkness
Our most ancient and trusted of friends
She carries the light of spiritual insight
And leads us to our wisdom once again.
And as we journey through the darkness
And as we continue to descend
We learn to let go of what obscures our soul
And re-discover our true being in the end."
- Lisa Thiel, Circle of the Seasons: Mabon
"Now
is the time of balance, when night and day face each other as equals,
Yet
at this season the night is waxing and the day is waning;
For
nothing remains without change
In
the tides of earth and sky.
Whatsoever
rises must also set,
Whatsoever
sets must also rise.
Celebrating,
I will dance the dance of going and returning.
Farewell,
O Sun, Ever-Returning Light,
The
Hidden God, Who ever yet remains.
He
now departs to the Land of Youth
Through
the Gates of Death
To
dwell enthroned,
The
Judge of Gods and Men,
The
Horned Leader of the Hosts of Air.
Yet,
as He stands unseen without the Circle,
So
dwelleth He within the Secret Seed,
The
seed of newly repeated 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 Man,
That
which was never born, and never dies.
Therefore,
the Wise Ones weep not, but rejoice."
At the Autumnal Equinox, the
daylight hours are equal to the nighttime hours. Light and darkness are
balanced. The end of summer has arrived, harvesting is nearing
completion, and the cooler days and longer nights and rains of autumn are
anticipated.
In Red Bluff, California, enjoying a
Mediterranean climate, all our crops are irrigated. The reservoirs, the
lakes, the rivers, the streams, the dams, the ponds, the aqueducts, the wells,
the pipes, and the irrigation ditches all keep all the plants, crops, animals,
and mankind alive. In our home sacred circle, Mabon is associated with due West, facing the great
Pacific Ocean, symbolized by the blue pole/stile and the blue cauldron and well
pot. Water is precious to us, to All. Without the wells we could
not survive.
We now know that the end of the long
period of summer sunshine and heat, with little or no rain, is coming to an
end. The cooler days ahead will bring rain again soon. The old dry
half of the year is nearly done, and the wet half will begin soon. We
have two seasons: the cool wet season of November through April, and the hot
dry season from May through October. The end of the Dry Year is
celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox, Mabon (late September); and, the beginning
of the Wet Year is Samhain (Halloween), on October 31st. Samhain is both
the end and beginning, at the edge of the many worlds, past and present, a
borderline time, a doorway into the Other Realms. In our home sacred circle, the opening to the inner grove is between the East pole
(Mabon, Alban Elfed) and the North-East pole (Sahmain, Halloween).
The Salmon fishing season runs from
early August through late October in our area. The salmon come in from the Pacific Ocean
and return north via the Sacramento River to the northern creeks and streams of
their birth, to lay eggs and sperm, and then die. Dying and rebirth - the
theme of the high holiday. Creeks like Battle Creek in our area are
filled with salmon running and leaping up river to their place of birth.
Grapes are harvested in the great
valleys of Northern California during the period of August and September
depending upon the varieties of grapes and purposes of use in winemaking.
Wine drinking is part of the Mabon celebration. This is also the harvest
season for apples, peaches, figs and prune plums.
The Greenman is sacrificed at
Mabon. The Horned God of Wicca is sacrificed at Mabon. The God goes
into the underworld at Mabon. We begin to plow under what remains of the
past harvest, return something to Mother Earth, composting the past, leaving
the stalks and fruitless plants to rot and replenish the earth.
In Welsh legends, Mabon, Child of
Light, son of the Mother Earth Goddess, Modron, is stolen as a infant and
hidden behind the stone wall at Caer Loyw. Later Kilwich, and his band of
companions, overcome many obstacles and complete many tasks, and free Mabon
from his captivity at Caer Loyw. The Child of Light is freed from the
darkness of Winter and released in the coming Spring. For his reward,
Kilwich gains the hand in marriage of the beautiful Olwen.
In the Greek religion, Persephone
(daughter of Demeter) now returns to the underworld to be with Hades for six
months. DEMETER, still angry about this choice of Persephone, and trickery
by Hades, causes the world to grow cold, plants to die, and darkness (Winter)
to descend on the earth.
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