Samhain Goodies

I know it was a week ago, but I wanted to share with you all my Samhain pix of some of the cool stuff I got at work this year. Skulls were a big thing this year with me and a few items are remaining on my altar.

 

This was the skull & raven tablecloth.

 

 

 

A bleeding skull candle.

 

 

 

My raven claw bowl. The bowl is made of brass.

 

 

 

My skull & raven pillar candle.

 

 

 

My table runner which is now gracing my altar.

 

 

 

My new wreath that I thought was very cute.

 

 

 

 

 

New Look!!

Ok, I've been fiddling around with new layouts and I think I found one that I am happy with. This is called Gothic Irish (??) and I like how it resonates with me & my blog.

Been really busy with things in my personal life, school started for my son & work is really busy. I did manage to get some new Hallowe'en magazines today. I have a few ideas to make for my Samhain altar using smaller gourds as candle holders (thanks, Martha Stewart) and I will be getting things ready to sew a new altar cloth with my new sewing machine (yay!!) I just have to pick which fabric to use.

As the veil starts to get thinner again, I will be posting pix of the crafts I will be making, as well as any recipes I'll be making.

~Rowan
)O(

My Yule Ritual

I'm still on a high from last night's Yule Ritual & Feast that I attended. It was glorious!!! I got there about 20minutes before it began, sat with my friend, Heddy and her friend, Cathy, who was wearing sandalwood. I had some patchouli in my hair, so we smelled so good last night. That our little joke all night, about how we were the best smelling Pagans there.

We chatted until it was time for the ritual to begin. We all lined up to be cleansed by a sage smudge, so I even smelled better lol!! Cathy & I were the only 2 who shed our winter boots to go barefoot for the ritual. I think it makes the energy flow better when there's nothing between you & the floor. It was an indoor rite, as it is very cold now here in the Maritimes to go outside for a ritual, not as mild as it is over in the UK & Europe to do outdoor rituals.

The room was in total darkness as we joined hands & cast the circle. We chanted, called the quarters (Heddy welcomed the North) and chanted some more. The ritual itself was a beautiful one. It's been ages since I've participated in a group ritual for a Sabbat. The only other one was Samhain in '93 and I had no idea what I was doing when they asked me to call on the element of the West, but I digress.

There was about 30-40 who participated in the rit. There were a few children who got to light the Yule Log. We all got candles to welcome the coming sun as the days are going to be growing longer. The Wheel is definitely turning again.

Then, there was a huge feast after the ritual. We had roast turkey, tofurkey for the vegans, mash potatoes, corn, carrots, mixed veg, 2 kinds of stuffing and gravy. There was also hot apple cider to warm your insides...yummy. Just when you think you've had your fill, out come the desserts: pumpkin pies, cookies, a Yule Log cake, more sweets. I do have to thank my friend, Lisa, who slaved over a hot oven preparing this feast. She did an awesome job!!

I got to meet some more new friends, as well as those who I met at the Witches' Ball a month ago. We all sat around the table discussing issues important to Pagans, books we've read, music and how we should all go see "Avatar". I guess it's has a very Goddess-friendly view of things & an important message as well. I do plan on going to see it after hearing about it from one of the ladies at our table.

All in all, I had a wonderful time last night. I was so energized when I came home I had to ground some of that energy before going to bed, so I danced around my livingroom to Blackmore's Night. I tired myself out so much, I don't even remembering hitting the pillow.

Blessed Be & Happy Yule!!!!

Rowan

My Yule Altar

Well, I've been a little busy this Yule season, with making sure my son has something from Santa under the tree, I managed to get my altar set up for the Sabbat. I'm going to be busy this weekend, I have a group ritual I am attending on Saturday evening. It is my first group ritual in a very long time & I'm looking forward to going. I'll be posting about it for you all. I'm also going to be wrapping gifts...I've been putting it off too long.

On this upcoming Wednesday, I will be heading off to my family's for the holidays. As you all know, I am still in the "closet" about my spirituality, so I know that I will be going to church on Christmas Eve with them. I will do as I did last year & see the Pagan symbolism in the decorations in the church, in the Christmas hymns & in the nativity. I know it's really the Goddess giving birth the to Sun King. While I'm away at the family's, I will not be posting any blogs.

I've been inspired today, it snowed last night. In addition to setting up my altar, I made a pomander to place on the altar, as well as I made a Sun Wheel out of my son's popsicle sticks & painted it gold. I made my own homemade simmering Yule pot-pourri. All I did for that was use orange peel (dried in the oven at 200F for 2 hrs), cloves, juniper berries, cinnamon & lavender. I did cheat, I didn't have any cinnamon sticks on hand, so I used ground cinnamon. I placed all the ingredients (except the dried orange peel) into a bowl and crushed them together with the handle of a screwdriver. A very good substitute if you don't have a mortar & pestle. I placed water in a pot on the stove on low heat and plaed the pot-pourri in a small collander (ok, I don't have a double broiler, either) to simmer over the water. My place just smells divine!!!

Holly, Ivy & Yule Decor

At Yuletide, the Elder Heathens decorated their homes with ivy, holly, and boughs of evergreens. Ribbons were also used and the entire home covered with garlands and wreathes. Modern Heathen should do not less in an attempt to capture the Yuletide spirit. Below are three of the more common house decorations.

Yule Tree: The tradition of the Yule tree comes from Germany. Originally, it is believed the trees were decorated outside and gifts left for the land wights. This custom can still be observed in other parts of Northern Europe. With Christianity, the trees were brought inside to hide from the church. Modern Heathen trees can be decorated with Heathen symbols as well as the commercial lights, glitter, and ornaments. If one wants they can decorate a tree outside instead as the Heathens of old did.

Yule Wreaths: Modern tradition uses a Yule wreath at the Mothers' Night symbol as an oath ring. This wreath is oathed upon as well as wished upon, and then burned at the Twelfth Night blot. Therefore these wreathes are best made out of natural substances such as cedar branches. Other wreathes can be used as decorations around the house.

Lights: In the more northern countries, Lucy Day, which was a festival of lights, is celebrated and seems an ancient holiday in connection with Yule. Candles, torches, and other forms of light were left burning to light up the night skies. Today we can use electric lights for the same purpose.

~Source: Asiya's Shadows

More Yule Stuff

Yule is the time of year when Pagans and Wiccans celebrate the Winter Solstice. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, this will be on around December 21, but if you're below the Equator, your Yule celebration will fall in June. This Sabbat is considered the longest night of the year, and following Yule, the sun begins its long journey back to earth. 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:

Winter is here, and even if the snow hasn't fallen yet, there's a definite chill in the air. Use cold colors to decorate your altar, such as blues and silvers and whites. Also find ways to include thereds, whites and greens of the season. Evergreen boughs never go out of style, so add some dark greens as well. Cover your altar with a cloth in a cool color, and then add candles in a variety of different wintery shades. Use candles in silvers and golds -- and sparkle is always good too!

Symbols of Winter:

Yule is a Sabbat that reflects the return of the sun, so add solar symbols to your altar. Gold discs, yellow candles, anything bright and shiny can represent the sun. Some people even get a large pillar candle, inscribe it with solar symbols, and designate it as their sun candle. You can also add evergreen boughs, sprigs of holly, pinecones, aYule log, and even Santa Claus. Consider antlers or reindeer, along with other symbols of fertility.

Other Signs of the Season:

There's no limit to the number of things you can put on your Yule altar, as long as you've got the space. Consider some of these items as part of your Sabbat decor:

• Fruit and nuts
• Mistletoe
• Snowflakes, icicles, even a bowl of snow
• Candy canes
• Bells
• Sun Wheels
  

~~Courtesy of About.com: Paganism/Wicca

Yule Correspondences:

* Incense: Pine, Cedar, Rosemary, Bayberry, Juniper, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Myrrh

* Metal: Gold

* Stones/Gems: Sapphire, Turquoise, Serpentine, Peridot, Jacinth

* Colors: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold

* Foods: Nuts, Apples, Oranges, Mulled Wine, Turkey, Goose or Ham , Popcorn

* Herbs and Flowers : Holly, Mistletoe, Rosemary, Oak, Spruce, Pine, Ivy, Fir, Poinsettia

* Animals: reindeer, the stag, mouse, deer, horse, bear

Yule Customs and Origins

Nearly every ancient culture held a celebration to mark the shortest day of the year and the return of the Sun. Celebrated annually on the Winter Solstice, generally falling on December 20th or December 21st, it is known as Yule, and serves as the origin for many Christmas traditions.

Celtic tradition holds life as a cycle rather than a linear state, and also teaches that what is exoteric is intrinsic, what is within is without . At the time of the Winter Solstice as the earth is undergoing the process of death to rebirth and renewal, so also must the human soul. Yule marks that spiral of time when the old sun surrenders its life in order that the new one might come. This corresponds to the belief that the Celtic Sun God, Bel was interrelated with the Celtic Death God, Bile. As with the celebration of Litha, the two Gods appear in form as the Oak King and the Holly King battling for supremacy. This is only one reason that the Druids were initially so accepting of Christianity with Christ as the human embodiment of the new Sun. It is also one of the reasons that Christmas is celebrated at this time, both from a pagan perspective and a spiritually metaphorical one.

The Yule Log

Although not recorded in the Coligny (the Celtic Calendar which dates back to the first century A.D) as one of the great fire festivals, the custom of lighting the Yule log is derived from the Celtic tradition of tending a continual hearth fire to keep spirits from entering the home. In order to keep the fire burning, a large tree was cut down and brought into the home, where the tree was placed trunk first in the hearth and the last remnants of it set aside to burn with the next year's fire.

Yule is a solar festival and one of the Minor Sabbats. This is when the Goddess gives birth to the God. The Sun represents the God reborn. Fires are lit to welcome him. The ancient Pagans had rituals to hasten the end of winter and bring in the spring when nature’s bounty would, again, prevail. The day is a reminder that death isn’t final; there will be rebirth.

The Celebration

The altar cloth is green and candles are red, gold and white in silver holders, the colors of Yule. Holly, ivy, evergreens, mistletoe and fruit studded with cloves decorate the altar as well as the Yule crystals: ruby, cat’s eye, garnets, bloodstone, diamonds and emerald. Incense is myrrh, frankincense, cedar, pine, bayberry or cinnamon.

The tree is adorned with strings of popcorn and cranberries, quartz crystals wrapped wire, oranges, apples and lemons and small sachet bags with cinnamon, rosemary and bay leaves. Wishes written in parchment are hung from holly branches. The Yule log is lit and a piece of it is saved to protect the home and for next year’s celebration.

Love, camaraderie and accomplishments of the past year are celebrated. Reflection is on aspirations for the next year.

Love and accomplishments of the past year are also celebrated. This is also a good time to reflect on your achievements of the last year and what you desire to achieve in the coming year.

Samhain Correspondences

Symbolism: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death.

Foods: turnips, apples, nuts, beef, pork, poultry, gingerbread.

Drinks: Mead, apple cider, mulled cider, mulled wines.

Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sunflower, sage, thyme, wild ginseng, tarragon, mugwort.

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, cosmos, marigold.

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress, hazel, hemlock, yew.

Incenses and oils: Bay, cedar, clove, copal, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, heather, mugwort, myrrh, patchouli, peppermint, sage, sandalwood, vetiver, wormwood.

Colors: Black, brown, orange.

Stones: Amber, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian, clear quartz, diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, jasper, jet, marble, obsidian, opal, pyrite, rose sapphire, ruby, sandstone, smoky quartz, steel, tourmaline, turquoise.

Animals: Stag, jackal, cat, bat, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin.

Mythical creatures: Goblins, harpies.

Some appropriate Gods: all Death, Underworld, and aged Gods; Am-Heh (Egyptian), Anubis (Egyptian), Arawn (Welsh), Cernunnos (Celtic), Dis (Roman), Hades (Greek), Heimdahl (Norse), Herne (English), The Horned God (European), Kronos (Greek), Loki (Norse), Nefertum (Egyptian), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Pluto (Greco-Roman)

Some appropriate Goddesses: all Crone and Underworld Goddesses; Arachne (Greek), Aradia (Italian), Babd (Irish), Cerridwen (Welsh), Elli (Teutonic), Ereshkigal (Assyro-Babylonian), Eris (Greek), The Fates/Moerae (Greek), Fortuna (Roman), Freya/Frigg (Norse), Hecate (Greek), Hel (Teutonic), Inanna (Sumerian), Ishtar (Babylonian), Macha (Irish), Mari (Basque), Morrigan (Celtic), Nephthys (Egyptian), Nicneven (Scottish), Persephone (Greek), Psyche (Greek), Proserpina (Roman), Rhiannon (Welsh)

Decorations: Autumn leaves, fall flowers, pomegranates, apples, pumpkins, ears of corn, sprays of grain, corn dollies, gourds, nuts, seeds.

Traditional activities: divination, drying winter herbs, feasting and partying to defy the coming darkness (bob for apples, roast nuts, pop popcorn), Witches' Ball.

Spell/ritual work: astral projection, past life recall, Dark Moon mysteries, mirror spells, scrying, protection, inner work, clearing obstacles, transition, culmination, transformation. Releasing bad habits and toxic relationships, illness, failure and poverty; everything you do not want to carry into the new year.

Are You Ready??

I love this time of year!! The autumn chill is in the air, leaves have turned into wonderful shades of golds, reds & oranges. The chestnuts are falling from their limbs. And...can you feel it?? I can. The Veil is getting thinner as the days go by. It feels thinner this year, over last year. The Goddess is showing us those who have gone on before us.

Samahin is a very special Sabbat for me. It was the very first ritual I ever got to participate in when I was in college. It was with a group of eclectic witches. I can still feel the magick it had that night. That was when I first saw one of my Patron Deities, Cernunnos. I didn't know who he was at that time, as I was was still very fresh to the Pagan ways.

I have a "To Do: list that I have been working on this past week. To prepare of the Samhain Sabbat, I have been getting things in order. I cleaned up my Facebook, by deleting those who I really don't talk to, or do not want to talk to anymore.

I've been cleaning house, as well. As this is the Pagan New Year, I wanted to make sure things are fresh & clean. I changed all the bedding in my house, caught up on my laundry, I cleaned my patio outside by sweeping all the dead leaves away, brought in all the summer things (patio chairs, etc) I refreshed my protection barriers around the outside of my place, including the main doors to the building. I swept & mopped all my floors, vacuumed what needed to be. Everything got a good dusting and now I feel I'm ready to proceed with the Sabbat.

My altar cloth is ironed and I've set up my altar for Samhain. I'll be using my copper cauldron, in honor of Hecate, this year. My meal is planned for the Dumb Supper, hopefully my son will be as quiet as he can be (he has Autism). After we return from "Trick or Treating" I will be doing my ritual, honoring those who have gone on before me. I will listen to what the Great Mother has to say to me. And what would a New Year's be without a resolution?? I will be making one, but it won't be the usual things that muggles do on the 1st of January. mine will be a special resolution.

Anyway, I have some folding of laundry to do. May the Goddess bless you this special time of the year. May you behold visions & wonders this Samhain.

)O( Blessed Be,
Rowan

How to Make A Scrying Mirror

Samhain is a time to do some serious divination - it's the time of year when the veil between our world and that of the spirits is at its thinnest, and that means it's the perfect season to look for messages from the metaphysical. Scrying is one of the best known forms of divination, and can be done in a variety of ways. Basically, it's the practice of looking into some sort of reflective surface -- such as water, fire, glass, dark stones, etc. -- to see what messages, symbols, or visions may appear. A scrying mirror is a simple black-backed mirror, and it's easy to make one yourself.

To make your scrying mirror, you'll need the following:

• A clear glass plate
• Matte black spray paint
• Additional paints (acrylic) for embellishment

To prepare the mirror, first you'll need to clean it. Use any glass cleaner, or for a more earth-friendly method, use vinegar mixed with water. Once the glass is clean, flip it over so that the back side is facing up. Lightly spray with the matte black spray paint. For the best result, hold the can a couple of feet away, and spray from side to side. If you hold the can too close, the paint will pool, and you don't want this. As each coat dries, add another coat. After five to six coats, the paint should be dense enough that you can't see through the paint if you hold the glass up to a light.

Once the paint has dried, turn the glass right side up. Use your acrylic paint to add embellishments around the outer edge of the plate -- you can add symbols of your tradition, magical sigils, or even your favorite saying. The one in the photo says, "Thee I invoke by the moonlit sea, the standing stone, and the twisted tree." Allow these to dry as well. Your mirror is ready for scrying, but before you use it, you may want to consecrate it as you would any other magical item.

If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now. If you'd like to play some music, start your cd player. If you'd like to light a candle or two, go ahead, but be sure to place them so that they don't interfere with your line of vision. Sit or stand comfortably at your workspace. Begin by closing your eyes, and attuning your mind to the energy around you. Take some time to gather that energy.

When you are ready to begin scrying, open your eyes. Position yourself so that you can look into the mirror. Stare into the glass, looking for patterns, symbols or pictures -- and don't worry about blinking, it's fine if you do. You may see images moving, or perhaps even words forming. You may have thoughts pop spontaneously into your head, that seem to have nothing at all to do with anything. Perhaps you'll suddenly think about someone you haven't seen in decades. Use your journal, and write everything down. Spend as much time as you like gazing into the mirror -- it may be just a few minutes, or even an hour. Stop when you begin to feel restless, or if you're getting distracted by mundane things.

When you are finished gazing into the mirror, make sure you have recorded everything you saw, thought and felt during your scrying session. Messages often come to us from other realms and yet we frequently don't recognize them for what they are. If a bit of information doesn't make sense, don't worry -- sit on it for a few days and let your unconscious mind process it. Chances are, it will make sense eventually. It's also possible that you could receive a message that's meant for someone else -- if something doesn't seem to apply to you, think about your circle of family friends, and who the message might be meant for.

**About.com: Paganism/Wicca**

Samhain Traditions & Lore

I found this great website all about Samhain. Thought I would share a bit here:



Samhain (pronounced sow-en) is the most important and least understood of all Celtic festivals. Unlike its counterparts of Halloween and All Hallow's Eve, the Witch holiday of Samhain has nothing to do with evil practices or horrific costumes. There are no poison apples, razor blades, or scary masks. Witches do not have green faces or wear pointy hats. Tall pointy hats were simply the fashion of the day among the peasants during the late Middle Ages. In ancient Celtic times, everyone was a Witch and everyone practiced Witchcraft. Witchcraft is still very much alive, and it is a way of life for many people today.

Samhain is a holiday infused with positive energy and filled with hope for the planet's future. With the icy cold months of Winter ahead of us, it is fitting that on every Samhain Eve, the Morrighan, one of a triplicity of Celtic Goddesses with the power to give birth to a new land, celebrates her ritual with the Dagda, the "Good God", one of the highest most illustrious of Celtic Gods. The Morrighan is a Goddess of gigantic proportions, who is straddling the two sides of the river when she encounters the Dagda eating from a cauldron along the river's edge. Although she possesses many abilities and has many roles, the Morrighan's role on that night is to reaffirm life in the face of Winter's impending hardships.

To the ancient Celts, the great holiday divided the year into two seasons -- Winter and Summer. Samhain the day on which the Celtic New Year and Winter begin together, so it is the time for both beginnings and endings. On Samhain the ancient tribes celebrated the Celtic feast of the Dead. Today, we continue to honor the memories of our ancestors. This practice has directly influenced countless other religions and folk customs. All Soul's Day on November 2nd, commemorates the Christian dead. On Samhain, the veil between the worlds in the thinnest, and the living and dead are more likely to exchange psychic information. On Samhain Witches celebrate and perform rituals to keep anything negative from the past -- evil, harm, corruption, and greed -- out of the future. We cast spells to psychically contact our deceased friends and relatives, and retrieve ancient knowledge. Thus, we preserve the great web that stretches through many generations of human families.

Samhain is a time for change and a time to look to the future. Today, Pagans dress for Samhain in costumes reflecting what we hope to achieve in the coming year. How we dress for Samhain is, in a manner of speaking, a Witch's New Years Resolution.

The idea of trick or treating, though radically altered, is also descended from Witch tradition. In our celebrations, there is no trick -- only treat. Witches pull no pranks and perform no mischief on Samhain Eve. After the rituals of the magick circle, we go not to the houses of strangers, but to the houses of friends and show off our costumes and sample treats.

Samhain is a magickal and enchanted night when magick can be done to benefit ourselves and our plant.

What Do Witches Do On Samhain?

Well, most people think we all dress up and go to Salem MA to cause trouble. Seriously, many of us try to avoid the Salem tourist rush, or avoid the trick-or-treating scene. Most Witches dislike the commercialization of the sacred holiday.

So what do we really do? The following is a list of some of the things Witches tend to do on this holiday:

* Decorate our altars with pine cones, pumpkins, gourds, autumn leaves, pictures of deceased loved ones, and the colors approprate to the holiday.

* Performing rituals of divination to predict the future. We may use the i-ching, a pendulum, tarot cards, runes, rods, etc.

* remember our loved ones who have passed on.

* Reflect upon changes we would like to bring about in our lives, and perform rituals to manifest those changes.

The Samhain Altar

Deep golds, scarlets, dark browns and bronze are predominant colors of Autumn and the Samhain altar. The candles on the altar should be black, orange, white, silver, and gold. Black absorbs light and keeps you warm. Orange represents the magic of fire as well as the remainder of fire in the autumn leaves. White sends out energy, and silver and gold represent the moon and the sun. Candles should always be lit with altar matches (matches with no advertising on the box). A stone native to your region might be present on the altar as a symbol of the Earth. An animal horn, feather or talon can be placed on the altar to represent the final harvest.

What to Wear

On Samhain, Witch's should wear black robes for ritual. Orange and gold, the fire colors of the sun, are used during this time to attract sunlight to the Wheel of the Year. A costume to signify light or a glittery robe or headdress is also appropriate. Face painting, an old Celtic art, can be practices and glitter can be added to the paint.

Samhain Correspondences

Symbols used to represent Samhain: jack-o'-lantern, balefire, besom, masks, cauldron, Waning Moon

Foods appropriate for Smahain: apples, pumpkin pie, beets, turnips, hazelnuts, corn, gingerbread, pomegrantates, cider, herbal teas, pork dishes

Plants and herbs associated with Samhain: mugwort, allspice, sage, gourds, catnip, apple trees.

Incense and oils appropriate for Samhain: : frankincense, basil, yarrow, lilac, ylang-ylang, clove, camphor

Colors associated with Samhain: black, orange, red, brown, golden yellow, silver, gold

Stones associated with Samhain: obsidian, onyx, carnelian

Animals and mystical creatures associated with Samhain: bats, cats, dogs, Phooka, goblins, Medusa

Goddesses appropriate for Samhain (Crone Goddesses and Underworld Goddesses): Hecate (Greek), Carlin (Scottish), Edda (Norse), Pamona (Roman), Crobh Dearg (Irish), Lilith (Hebrew), Psyche (Greek), the Morrigu/Morrigan

Appropriate Samhain Gods (all Death Gods, Aged Gods, Underworld Gods): Arawn (Welsh), Dis (Roman), Kronos/Cronus (Greco-Phoenician), Xocatl (Aztec), Woden (Teutonic), Pluto (Greco-Roman), Hades (Greek), Nefertum (Egyptian)

Altar appropriate for Samhain: small jack-'o-laterns, foods from the harvest, photographs of your loved ones who have departed this world, statue or figurine of the Goddess in her Crone aspect.

Activities appropriate for Samhain: divination, past-life recall, spirit contact, drying of winter herbs.

Spellwork appropriate for Samhain: protection, neutralizing harm

Sources

Celebrating the Earth by Laurie Cabot

A Tour of my Apt. for Samhain

My Esbat Altar setup

Here is my altar for tonight's full moon. Inside my cauldron, I have Moon Water (I collected water in a bottle and left it out to charge by the full moon) I collected it last month. I forgot my dish of sea salt, but it will be there for my ritual tonight.

Blessed Full Moon!! )O(

The Countdown is On!!!

So, it's the first day of October, how exciting!!! The chill is in the air, the leaves are starting to change and Samhain is around the corner. At my house, I've been decorating up a storm & it's still not finished. My "unused" diningroom is my Samhain room. That's where the most of the decorating has taken place. I haven't updated my altar as of yet. Between now & Samhain, my family may show up & since I am still in the broom closet...

As the month progresses, or this week, I will be posting pix of my decorating efforts. I will be adding to my Rubbermaid containers of stuff this year.

We all know that Samhain is a time of reflection of those who have gone on before us. As it is a joyous Sabbat, it is also one that brings memories of those we lost to the forefront. In my household, I will be hosting a "Dumb Supper" with my son, before I take him out Trick or Treating, to honour my family members who have past on, as well as friends who are no longer here with me.

After sending my son off to bed, I will be honouring the Sabbat with my deities. This will be my 3rd Samhain ritual I will be doing as a solitary & my 4th Samhain ever. My first was back in '93 in a coven setting.

Have a Blessed October
)O(

Mabon

Mabon is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats of Neopaganism. It is celebrated on the autumn equinox, which in the northern hemisphere is circa September 21 and in the southern hemisphere is circa March 21.

Also called Harvest Home, this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the Earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and God during the winter months.

Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas and followed by Samhain.

Mabon was not an authentic ancient festival either in name or date. The autumn equinox was not celebrated in Celtic countries, while all that is known about Anglo-Saxon customs of that time was that September was known as haleg-monath or 'holy month'.

The name Mabon has only been applied to the neopagan festival of the autumn equinox very recently; the term was invented by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s as part of a religious studies project. (The use of Litha for the Summer Solstice is also attributed to Kelly).

Previously, in Gardnerian Wicca the festival was simply known as the 'Autumnal Equinox', and many neopagans still refer to it as such, or use alternative titles such as the neo-Druidical Aban Efed, a term invented by Iolo Morgannwg.

The name Mabon was chosen to impart a more authentic-sounding "Celtic" feel to the event, since all the other festivals either had names deriving from genuine tradition, or had had names grafted on to them. The Spring Equinox had already been misleadingly termed 'Ostara', and so only the Autumn Equinox was left with a technical rather than an evocative title. Accordingly, the name Mabon was given to it, having been drawn (seemingly at random) from Welsh mythology.

The use of the name Mabon is much more prevalent in America than Britain, where many neopagans are scornfully dismissive of it as a blatantly inauthentic practice. The increasing number of American Neopagan publications sold in Britain by such publishers as Llewellyn has however resulted in some British neopagans adopting the term.

The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the 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. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

Other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs of Mabon:
Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passion flower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Incense of Mabon:
Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.

Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.

Deities of Mabon: Goddesses: Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Demeter, Pamona and the Muses. Gods: Thor, Toth, Hermes and the Green Man.

Mabon is considered a time of the mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life.

My Pagan Wishlist

As I receive the items on this list, I will check them off:

• A larger cauldron, so I don't burn myself anymore.


• A wand, preferably made out of Rowan, but if not, that's ok.


• A censor.


• A Boline, to assist with magickal workings.


• More candles, a witch can never have enough.


• A mortar & pestle, so I can make my own insense, grind herbs, etc.


• A Goddess/God statue for my altar.


• Some pretty fabric to make new altar cloths.


• Books on the Craft, I can never stop learning.


• A candle snuffer.


• Runes, I've always wanted to learn them.


• Some more crystals, like candles, I can never have enough.


• Some essential oils & herbs


• A chrystal ball for scrying

Ostara

Ostara was this past weekend. To celebrate the Sabbat, I went out on Friday after work with my friend, Catt, where we had a lovely Chinese dinner at our favorite buffet. Over dinner, we "broke bread" together, shared a few laughs and made a cherry Coke float. I did like my fortune that was in my Fortune Cookie. It read, "You will receive praise for a job well done." I had just finished up my 1st week at my new job, so this sounded hopeful.

The next day, we went for a road trip to a beautiful place about an hour's drive from the city. The sun was shining, the air was cool (freezing when we were at her cottage). We walked around the little town, perusing shops. We went into a Pagan store, cleverly disguised as a souvnir shop where I purchased more crystals...as if I need anymore, but there was a deal, fill up a pouch for $5.99. I did with 7 beautiful new stones. I also bought a pretty shell that's big enought to hold some of my crystals or my smudge stick, I haven't yet decided. I saw a Faerie that I would like to someday get. Catt said it reminded her of me, as she was sitting on a pile of books reading. I also saw a small clear gazing ball (I won't use the term 'crystal' as it was probably made of glass). There was a Bluestone in the shop that came from Stonehenge. It was about 2', floating above a misty fog. Catt wanted me to touch it, but I chickened out. Bluestone freaks me out for some reason, whenever I touch it, a burning hot shoots up my arm and it's not a good feeling.

I took a lot of pictures that day of our drive back to the city, mostly of a beach where we were tempting the Gods to get our feet wet. Everytime a wave would come in, if it didn't reach our feet, we would heckle (ok, I heckled). A few times, we did have to run back a few feet as the waves came barreling onto the shore. It was great fun!! It was a great day to usher in the 1st full day of Spring.

I did set up my altar (see above) for the Sabbat. I had planned to do a solitary ritual, but the day's activities pooped me out. I had it all set up, ready to go, but I crashed and fell asleep. The next day, I planned to do it after my son went to bed, but I was thrown for a loop by my father. I have that story in another blog posting (see "I'm Back!!).

So, I guess that even though I didn't do a "proper" ritual, I did indeed celebrate Ostara. I spent it with my good friend, we had dinner, enjoyed the sunshine and welcomed Spring in our own unique way. That's all that matters, isn't it??