Showing posts with label Mabon. Show all posts

So over the course of the last few months I have been trying to manage life, work, and well, more life. I've suddenly become very poor at all of this. Too many things to do, not enough time, but one major priority is my family. We've been spending lots of time together, riding the motorcycle (me and CJ or CJ and Olivia) and spending time outside.

Olivia and I did manage to get the alter set for Mabon, that's when I realized I have a ton of Samhain stuff but not much Mabon stuff at all!

My birthday is tomorrow - I hope I get some "Witches Brew" candles, my absolute favorite fall scent!

It's Mabon! My absolute FAVORITE time of year! I LOVE the weather, the scents, the earlier darkness...all of it!

Today is officially the first day of Fall--well, here in the northern hemisphere ;) I have been so busy with work and getting ready for vacation that I still haven't even decorated my altar!!! I feel like such a slacker!

I will definitely get things up and arranged this weekend. I LOVE this time of year!

Yesterday Olivia and I organized all my witchy tools and decorated my altar for Mabon.She now knows the directions and the colors and Elements associated with each direction! YAY!

Can you believe it's Fall already?! Where did this year go?! Today is indeed the Autumn Equinox, however, it will not occur until 11:09 pm EST (where I am anyway) and so I've heard many people say that tomorrow is the first 'official' day of Fall. Olivia told me that is what her teacher told the class; I told her to feel free to correct her teacher.

I used to decorate my Altar before a Sabbat, to get ready for it but I've recently decided to make decorating part of our Sabbat traditions; so today when Olivia gets home and finishes her homework, we will decorate the Altar for Mabon. I'm roasting a chicken for our harvest dinner tonight. Pictures of our evening will be posted later today or tomorrow. In the meantime:

I was certainly hoping to have a more festive celebration for Mabon this year but unfortunately everyone here is sick - really sick. I haven't even had he energy to decorate my altar.

Although I love the Autumn season, I really dislike how colds an viruses seem to emerge this time of the year.

I hope you all are well~

Mabon is upon us! Finally, Autumn! This is, hands down, my favorite season!
Here's a bit of info on Mabon:

The Equinox is an in-between time; the end of something, the beginning of something else, the cusp of change. The zodiac shifts from Libra, ruled by Venus, goddess of love, sex, beauty and relationships, to Scorpio, ruled by Mars and Pluto, planetary Gods that rule death, insight and transformation.
The calendar date of the equinoxes vary, usually between the 19th and 23rd of the month (tending towards later as we approach a leap year). This year Mabon falls on the 22nd.

The Autumn Equinox is the second in the trilogy of harvest festivals. Mabon marks the completion of the grain harvest begun during Lughnasadh. Celebrations revolve around the gathering of crops and thanksgiving for the abundances of the harvest, and rituals to insure the success of next year's harvest are characteristic during this harvest time. The making of corn dollies from the last sheaf of corn that is harvested is a typical custom. She is kept until the spring - keeping the spirit of the corn, when she is ploughed back into the field to breath the life of the corn back into the soil.

Mabon is referred to as the 'Witches Thanksgiving' - in my house anyway! We usually have a big feast on Mabon night! There goes my diet! Tomorrow my best friend Cherie and I will be attending an open Circle for Mabon. I am really excited! I hope to remember to take pictures!

Autum​nus

Autum​n Equin​ox (​Vario​us Locat​ions)​

Theme​s:​ Harve​st;​ Abund​ance;​ Thank​fulne​ss;​ Balan​ce;​ Wisdo​m;​ Fores​ight;​ Autum​n.​

Symbo​ls:​ Fall Leave​s;​ Harve​sted Items​

About​ Autum​nus:​ This is the Roman​ perso​nific​ation​ of the autum​n seaso​n.​ While​ the actua​l gende​r of this being​ is often​ left to the imagi​natio​n,​ the stron​g conne​ction​ with the harve​st,​ wines​,​ and fruit​s intim​ates a power​ful earth​ godde​ss,​ bloss​oming​ with her seaso​nal array​.​

To Do Today​:​ In magic​ tradi​tions​,​ today​ is a time to appre​ciate​ the earth​’s abund​ance somew​hat cauti​ously​.​ After​ this festi​val,​ the dayli​ght hours​ will begin​ to wane,​ meani​ng wise prude​nce is calle​d for. So while​ we reap Autum​nus’s​ bount​y from the sowin​g seaso​n,​ we also begin​ prude​ntly plann​ing.​

Decor​ate your dinin​g table​ or sacre​d space​ with color​ful autum​n leave​s today​.​ Enjoy​ as many harve​sted fruit​s and veget​ables​ (​perha​ps from a farme​r’s marke​t)​ as possi​ble today​ to inter​naliz​e Autum​nus’s​ prosp​erous​,​ wise energ​y.​ Leave​ out a libat​ion of wine or grape​ juice​ for the godde​ss to pleas​e her and to encou​rage conti​nuing​ provi​dence​ when her store​s begin​ to wane.​

For Child​ren,​ today​ is a perfe​ct time to have a leaf-​rakin​g party​ in which​ they figur​ative​ly gathe​r what they need from the Godde​ss,​ then play happi​ly in her energ​y after​ward by jumpi​ng in the piles​.​

Here are a few ways to recognize the darker aspects of the day on the Equinox, Mabon with your Witchlets - hold a Falling Leaves ritual out doors.

Take an offering of grains and vegetables out to a large tree, preferably an oak that is beginning to color and lose its leaves.
Speak about the Wheel as reflected in the life of the tree-

• In Spring the first new signs of life appear, moving into maturity at summer, then to ripe acorns in late summer, now to dying as acorns and leaves fall, and the tree will "die" and slumber under Winter's cold before beginning again in early Spring.
• At ritual's end, have the children gather a few favorite leaves to press between waxed paper with an iron(supervise the ironing!); cut around leaves and hang in the witchlet's window.

I made a lovely wreath for Mabon this year. What do you think? I LOVE the autumn months!!! This wreath was very simple to make. I got all the things I needed at a craft store. I didn't use anything live because I think I'm going to keep this up year round - somewhere in my house!

I tend to forget to pack things away a lot of the time. Hey, at least I have a festive home year round!


If you want to make a Mabon wreath, here's what you will need:


* Acorns
* Pomegranates
* Pine Cones
* Autumn colored leaves
* Apples
* Ivy
* Cornucopias - Horn of Plenty
* Grapes

Like I mentioned, some of these things can be real or you can buy silk flowers and such at your local craft store. Use your imagination and remember to have fun!

This is a fun activity you can do with your children to celebrate Mabon.

What you will need:
1 bag each of semisweet chocolate and white chocolate morsels (chips), broad leafed herbs such as mint, basil, celery, etc.

What to do:
Select your sprigs of leaves in the produce section of your grocery store or from your garden. Wash leaves thoroughly and pat dry. Melt chocolate with 2 tsp. of butter, stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate into small bowls and give each child a clean small paintbrush. Paint the underside of the leaves with the chocolate and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Slowly pull real leaves away from chocolate leaves.

Explain to your child(ren) how art is a reflection of the true beauty of Nature.

September has arrived and a new season is upon us. As we glance at the surrounding landscape, we begin to note subtle changes occurring. Leaves are beginning to fall gently from the trees and evening breezes feel cooler as darkness slowly invades the day.

This is the time of the Autumn Equinox, also known as Mabon. It is the second harvest, a time of thanksgiving for nature's bounty. We gather and store our crops getting ourselves ready for the darker days ahead. As we slowly enter into a time of quiet reflection, may this season bring you peace, contentment, and the realization of all the gifts you hold within your hearts.