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Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 23, 2013 at 10:14am

Here's How:
Decorate your altar with symbols of the season -- a basket of gourds or small pumpkins (http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhainoctober31/p/JackOLanterns.htm), colorful fall leaves, acorns (http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/mabontheautumnequinox/p/OakAndAcorn...), vines (http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/mabontheautumnequinox/p/GodsoftheVi...), grapes or blackberries. You'll also need a pair of orange candles to symbolize the harvest, a cup of cider or wine, and an apple.

If your tradition requires you to cast a circle (http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccanandpaganrituals/ht/Cast_Circl...), do so now.

Light your harvest candles. Face the altar and hold the apple in both hands. If you can do this rite outside, raise the apple up to the sky, and feel the wisdom and energy of the gods coming to you. Say:

The apple is sacred, a symbol of the gods,
and holds the knowledge of the ancients inside.
Tonight I ask the gods to bless me with their wisdom. Slice the apple in half across the middle. Where the seeds are, you will see a five-pointed star. Place the two halves in the center of your altar.

Say:

Five points in a star, hidden inside.
One for earth, one for air, one for fire,
one for water, and the last for spirit. Turn to the north, arms raised to the heavens, and say:

The world passes from light into darkness,
and the golden fields of the earth bring the promise
of food and nourishment through the winter.

Face east, and say:

I stand on the threshold of the darkness,
and know that the summer breezes give way to autumn chill,
which bring forth the blazes of color in the trees.

Next, turn to the south and say:

I call upon the wise ones, the ancient gods,
as the sun moves away and fire fades,
to be replaced with the chill of the night.

Finally, face west, and say:

I will reflect on the guidance of the gods,
and let the cool autumn rains wash over me,
cleansing my heart and soul.

Raise the cup of wine or cider to the sky, and toast the gods. Say:

The wild god returns this night to the belly of the Mother.
The mother goddess tonight becomes the Crone.
As the Wheel of the Year (http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/glossary/g/Wheel_of_Year.htm) turns, the earth dies a bit each day.
I willingly follow the old gods into the darkness,
where they will watch over me, protect me, and keep me safe.

Sip from the cup, and as you drink your wine or cider, think about the power and energy of the Divine, in whatever aspect you choose to honor.

Extinguish one of the candles, and say:

The wild god has gone to rest in the Underworld.
I look to the darkness for renewal and rebirth. Extinguish the other candle, and say:

The mother goddess has entered her most powerful stage.
She is the Crone, the wise one, and I ask for her blessing.

Stand in the darkness for a moment. Reflect upon all the changes that are to come, and those things that will stay constant. Feel the energy of the gods as you connect to them, and understand that even though winter is coming, the light will return again.

When you are ready, end the ritual.

Tips:
Leave the apples on your altar overnight, and the next morning, put them in your garden as an offering to the earth.

Feel free to replace the wild god and mother goddess with the names of deities from your own tradition.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/mabontheautumnequinox/ht/Apple_Rite...
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Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 23, 2013 at 10:01am

here is much written and promoted on the Internet as being the “true” or “correct” way to celebrate the autumn equinox. Much of this can be safely ignored, as it comes from a particularly modern wiccan section of the pagan community. There is no right or wrong way to mark or celebrate any of the points in the year. That is not to say that anything goes; simply do what feels most natural to you, without feeling you must put on any kind of show for your family, friends or deities.

It is common for many pagans to reconnect with the natural world at this time of year. Collecting hedgerow foods, and making jams and preserves is a fine way to do this. If you are fortunate enough to live in the countryside, you may be able to make use of some stalks of straw from the field sides and create a traditional corn dolly.

Corn dollies have been made by country folk for centuries as offerings of thanks for a successful harvest and petitions for continued good fortune in the coming year. The dolly itself was made from the last stalks of straw left standing, said to be where the spirit of the harvest had taken refuge. The corn dolly was effectively the “home” of the harvest spirit for the winter months, with the corn dolly being buried in the field soil the following spring to continue the cycle.

Corn dollies range from simple sheaves of straw tied together, to intricate figures and designs incorporating hearts, spirals and circle shapes. Modern corn dollies made for commercial sale often include ribbons. Home made corn dollies can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire; all you need is some long stalks of wheat, rye, barley or a similar grain, with the grain husks still attached.

http://www.helium.com/items/1691657-how-to-make-a-mabon-corn-dolly

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 23, 2013 at 9:57am

Day and night are equal and the God prepares to depart and begin the journey back to the strength and development within his mother's, the Goddess', womb. Both sad and joyful, the Goddess lovingly awaits her God's rebirth. Mabon is very much like Thanksgiving. Most of the crops have been reaped and abundance is more noticeable than ever! Mabon is the time when we reap the fruits of our labor and lessons, both crops and experiences. It is a time of joy, to celebrate that which is passing (for why should we mourn the beauty of the year or dwindling sunlight?), looking joyously at the experience the year has shared with us. And it is a time to gaze into the bright future. We are reminded once again of the cyclic universe; endings are merely new beginnings. The tale of Mabon (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. Also, (from a variation in legend) the Equinox is the day of the year when the god of light, Lugh, is defeated by the god of darkness, Lugh's twin and alter-ego, Tanist. The night conquers day. The tales state that the Equinox is the only day which Lugh is vulnerable and the possibility of his defeat exists. Lugh stands on the balance (Autumn Equinox-Libra) with one foot on the goat (Winter Solstice-Capricorn) and the other on the cauldron (Summer Solstice-Cancer). He is betrayed by Blodeuwedd, the Virgin (Virgo) and transformed into an Eagle (Scorpio). Two events occur rapidly with Lugh's defeat. Tanist, having beaten Lugh, now takes over Lugh's place both as King of our world and lover to the Goddess Tailltiu. Although Tanist now sits on Lugh's throne, his official induction does not take place for another six weeks at Samhain, the beginning of Winter, when he becomes the Dark King, the Winter Lord, the Lord of Misrule. He mates with Tailltiu, who conceives, and will give birth nine months later (at the Summer Solstice) to her son, another incarnation of Tanist himself, the Dark Child. Enjoy the day send out a Mabon Greetings to all!

Comment by Rev. Allen M. Drago ~ Traveler on September 23, 2012 at 10:51am

Mabon Ritual.

Set-up altar and cast the Sacred Circle.

Decorate the altar with acorns, oak sprigs, pine and cypress cones, ears of corn, wheat stalks and other fruits and nuts. Also place there a small rustic basket filled with dried leaves of various colours and kinds.

Stand before the altar, holding aloft the basket of leaves, and slowly scatter them so that they cascade to the ground within the circle. Say such words as these:

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.
Chill winds blow in from the North wailing laments.
In this seeming extinction of nature's power, O Blessed
Goddess, I know that life continues.
For spring is impossible without the second harvest,
As surely as life is impossible without death.
Blessings upon you, O Fallen God, as you journey into
The lands f winter and into the Goddess' loving arms.

Place the basket down and say:

O Gracious Goddess of all fertility, I have sown and
Reaped the fruits of my actions, good and bane.
Grant me the courage to plant seeds of joy and love in
The coming year, banishing misery and hate. Teach me the secrets
Of wise existence upon the planet.
O luminous one of the night!

~Close the circle the way you usually do.

Comment by Rev. Allen M. Drago ~ Traveler on September 23, 2012 at 10:51am

Technically, an equinox is an astronomical point and, due to the fact that the earth wobbles on its axis slightly , the date may vary by a few days depending on the year. The autumnal equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on its apparent journey southward, and we experience a day and a night that are of equal duration. Up until Mabon, the hours of daylight have been greater than the hours from dusk to dawn. But from now on, the reverse holds true.

Mabon marks the middle of harvest, it is a time of equal day and equal night, and for the moment nature is in balance. It is a time to reap what you have sown, of giving thanks for the harvest and the bounty the Earth provides. For finishing up old projects and plans and planting the seeds for new enterprises or a change in lifestyle. Mabon is a time of celebration and balance.

This is the time to look back not just on the past year, but also your life, and to plan for the future. In the rhythm of the year, Mabon is a time of rest and celebration, after the hard work of gathering the crops. Warm autumn days are followed by chill nights, as the Old Sun God returns to the embrace of the Goddess.

The passing of Mabon is inevitable and The Sun God should be mourned. We too, must remember that all things must come to an end. So the Sun God journeys into the lands of winter and into the Goddess' loving arms, but endings are a good time to celebrate our successes, thank our selves and those who helped us, and take part in the balance of life!

Comment by Rev. Allen M. Drago ~ Traveler on September 23, 2012 at 10:51am

Mabon: Autumn Equinox - September 21st-23rd

Gwyl canol Hydref or Mabon: (Also known as Harvest Home, Harvest Tide, Fall Equinox, Autumn Equinox etc.), September 21-24.

Comment by Rev. Allen M. Drago ~ Traveler on September 23, 2012 at 10:45am

Pomegranate Spell
Mabon

PURPOSE To advance spiritual development and attain wisdom

BACKGROUND At Mabon, the hours of daylight and darkness are balanced before darkness prevails. Around this time, many trees shed leaves, fruits, and seed, and nature prepare for the deep cold of winter. There are numerous world myths to explain this seasonal change, many involving a descent into the underworld, to the land of the dead.

HOW TO CAST THE SPELL

TIMING Cast this spell at Mabon

CASTING THE SPELL

As part of your Mabon celebrations, and in a properly prepared circle, work as follows:

1. Light the charcoal disk, then the candle saying:

“I call upon Inanna, Queen of Heaven

Earth, and the land of the dead.

Wise beyond reckoning

To bless my spirit quest

and guide my footsteps

through the darkness.”

2. Sprinkle the dittany onto the charcoal.

3. Slice open the pomegranate, then extract six stones and eat them.

4. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself sinking into the darkness behind your eyelids, going deep into the dark, where there is nothing but silence. Remain there for as long as possible; then slowly return to the circle

5. Blow out the candle, and burn it for an hour at each sunset until it is gone.

Bury the pomegranate deep in your garden, and keep a dream diary throughout the winter.

YOU WILL NEED

One charcoal disk in a fireproof dish

One purple candle

Matches

Two tablespoons of dried dittany of Crete

One whole pomegranate

One sharp knife

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 22, 2012 at 10:13am

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 22, 2012 at 10:12am

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 22, 2012 at 10:06am

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