Mabon Altar & Rituals

[Flar's Freyja]

Symbols celebrating the season include various
types of gourd and melons. Stalk can be tied
together symbolizing the Harvest Lord and then
set in a circle of gourds. A besom can be
constructed to symbolize the polarity of male
and female. The Harvest Lord is often
symbolized by a straw man, whose sacrificial
body is burned and its ashes scattered upon the
earth. The Harvest Queen, or Kern Baby, is made
from the last sheaf of the harvest and bundled
by the reapers who proclaim, "We have the Kern!"
The sheaf is dressed in a white frock decorated
with colorful ribbons depicting spring, and then
hung upon a pole (a phallic fertility symbol).
In Scotland, the last sheaf of harvest is called
the Maiden, and must be cut by the youngest
female in attendance.


* candles should be brown or cinnamon.
* decorate circle with autumn flowers,
acorns, gourds, corn sheaves and fall
leaves.


http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/1956/mabon.html#anchor506887

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Thank you Freyja!

[Flar's Freyja]

So what's on your altar? My stalk of wheat may not be there much longer as one of the cats has taken a liking to it........

[Flaire-FireStar]

I have nothing yet, but I will be going to gather leaves from the maple trees in the back yard, as well as some from the willow. :)

[Flar's Freyja]

:) That sounds good. I'm going to a ritual where we are making stone soup in a 100 year old cauldron and dressing up like old farmers......our religion is so much fun!

Here's a solitary ritual that I found. I believe that the author is Scott Cunningham.

A Solitaire's Mabon

This is the second harvest Sabbat. The Goddess is entering into cronehood, and the dark of the year is beginning, so this is a time often associated with mysterious lore and wisdom.

The altar and circle should be decorated with autumn leaves, gourds, berries, pine and cypress cones, acorns, oak sprigs and other fruits of the season. New willow staves and wands were traditionally consecrated or empowered on this day, so if you've just recently cut one, you might want to bring it into the circle with you. You should also have a small basket filled with a variety of autumn leaves. The altar cloth shall be brown, and the altar candles shall be red. Light the incense and the altar candles, and cast the sacred circle. Then invoke the God and the Goddess. Pick up the basket of leaves and hold it in both hands. Spill the leaves slowly so that they cascade down to the ground within the circle as you say these words:

The days grow colder, and the leaves fall. Our Lord of the sun rides the winds westward, and the cool, misty night descends.
Fruits ripen, and the seeds drop. This is a time of balance, when night equals day, and though all seems dead or dying, I know that life continues.
Life is not possible without death, and the coming of winter is just another spoke in the great wheel.
Put the basket down, and say:

Oh great Goddess of the waning moon, keeper of the cauldron, of secret magics and forgotten lore,
teach me to be wise and peaceful in thought and deed.
Grant me your wisdom, and do not fear that it may be used unwisely,
or for purposes other than those which encourage peace and prosperity.
Works of magic or any seasonal activities may be performed now. After any such things have been taken care of, you may hold the simple feast, and then banish the sacred circle.

Editing to add the site this is taken from:

http://www.tryskelion.com/mabon1.htm

[Flaire-FireStar]

That sounds good. I'm going to a ritual where we are making stone soup in a 100 year old cauldron and dressing up like old farmers......our religion is so much fun!

Oooh! That sounds like so much fun! :)

[Caelin]

Um, I don't wish to sound ignorant but...whats a gourd?

[)O( ~ Khara~ )O(]

My altar is currently draped in orange silk. I have a basket of fall leaves, nuts, small pumkins on the side. I am using dark gold and mossy green candles this year. On Mabon when we go to our circle, I will add grapes, apples and grain to my basket and leave it after we cleanse the circle for the animals and the Faerie folk.

[Flaire-FireStar]

Originally posted by Caelin
Um, I don't wish to sound ignorant but...whats a gourd?

They're like a pumpkin, except smaller.

[Flar's Freyja]

But they can also kind of look like little squash. They're all different shapes and sizes and many of them have bright splashes of color. They should be hitting the produce sections soon, if they haven't already.

[Pan]

On my altar till Samhain!


a 3-wick rectangular candle with apples, cinnamon, and small pine cones in it
a hefty shock of wheat with pine needle bunches tied to it
Fake autumn leaves
My Blackthorn Wand
3 gourds that were given to me just today!
an autumn-scented candle

and the usual.. athame, bolline, god/dess candles on their tree stump stands..

I had my Mabon ritual today! The one that I wrote! It went wonderfully and beautifully! Everyone loved it and that made me feel really nice. They even liked my lentil-potato-carrot soup. :D:D that made me feel even better!

We left some food behind (soup, cornbread, and a bit of apple muffin all covered with cider) for the Fae and God and Goddess. So it went really well.. my Circle had 11 people show up! That's the largest turnout yet!

[Flar's Freyja]

:) Our ritual tonight was magickal, and lots of fun! We all brought veggies and spices for Stone Soup and all made the soup together, then charged it with a Witch Stone. We had a John Barleycorn play in circle, with the part of John Barleycorn played by one of our members' 12 year old sons.........he did a great job and had lots of fun himself. We all received stalks of wheat and pinches of tobacco to give thanks for what we did get this year, as well as what we didn't get, and threw those into the fire under the cauldron after we put our thanksgiving intent into them. We passed around some wine, mead, apple cider, sun bread and cake and shared lots of love and laughter.

I am looking forward to a bountiful harvest this year!

[Pan]

We had small parts in the ritual (it's posted in this forum, actually) and my sister even participated! I think the Harvest Season is letting her harvest a boyfriend. ;)

I love Mabon.. it's my favourite holiday. :D

Your ritual sounds wonderful! But my group has a tendancy NOT to show up.. so I don't like to plan big things and be disappointed. :(

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by Loki Panwit
We had small parts in the ritual (it's posted in this forum, actually) and my sister even participated! I think the Harvest Season is letting her harvest a boyfriend. ;)

I love Mabon.. it's my favourite holiday. :D

Your ritual sounds wonderful! But my group has a tendancy NOT to show up.. so I don't like to plan big things and be disappointed. :(

:) Yep, I harvested a fiance' this year after lots of heartbreak, and I've had a chance to take about a year off from a very stressful job. Although I'm really broke now, it's been very good in a lot of ways.....in fact, I may not have even met Flar if I hadn't been where I'm at right now.

We didn't have a large turnout either, but I believe that the people who did show up were the ones who were meant to be there. Would you mind bumping your ritual thread? I'm too lazy to look for it! :rolleyes:

[Twilight Garden]

My church had their ritual yesterday, Saturday. We did a combo Equinox/Full Moon Ritual. I had the honor of HPS-ing the Rite. I called Persephone and and the HP called Hades. We discussed the "rape" of Persephone (or more properly, her descent as the Queen of the Underworld). We kind of did the Elusinian Mysteries thing comparing Persephone to the grain and how she returns, just as the grain does every year. And I led a guided visualization on the circle of life and how everything is interconnected. Since it was also a full moon, we worked some energy into dried corn to be placed on people's personal fall altars. Then as usual, we had a pot-luck dinner. I'm very partial to both equinoxes and, my favorite, halloween. I usually beg to HPS those events for the church. I've already got the house decorated for halloween. My altar right now is still in fall attire, but that will change in a few weeks.

[Pan]

Since I was the one that wrote the Mabon/Full Moon ritual.. I wanted to make sure we had it on the Harvest Moon night. I got to play the "HPS", which was the Spirit of Autumn. Our Circle isn't really a Coven.. we just get together and chat and do ritual, but 2 of the members don't like the hierarchy of a Coven so don't want to escalate the group into one. I, on the other hand, want to escalate.. but it didn't work. :wah:

[Flar's Freyja]

Ours was very informal. We played the old version of "John Barleycorn" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer (or is it Traffic? :T) We cast circle and called the elements but left a door open to go out and stir the soup, etc. It was relaxed and quite hilarious.....our young John Barleycorn was a hoot! That's what I love about our religion. I've never had so much fun in church in my life!

[Pan]

Here's a pic of the Altar at our Mabon ritual! :D

The cloth is mine that my mom-in-law gave me. :) The gourds are a close friend's.. and she even let me keep some! :o :D:D

[Pan]

Here's one of me (GASP!) and my older sister decorating a tree. It's 2 bits of wheat, a piece from a pine tree nearby, and a clump of fake leaves that my mom let me borrow. Tied to the tree with string. :D

Edit: I'm the one in front.. with the brown skirt. 8O

[Flaire-FireStar]

:D That looks fabulous, Loki. :)

[Flar's Freyja]

Mabon or Autumn Equinox is September 21.

[CalliopeHellice]

I LOOOOOVE the Harvest Festivals!

Currently, my altar is a Lammas/Mabon hybrid until after September 1st. Among my "regular" Tools, I have a fake sunflower garland around my altar, an orange basket (with clay fall leaves attached to it) full of (fake) fall leaves, sheaf of wheat, sunflowers, grapes and Indian corn. My altar tile is a pillar candle plate made of glass with fall leaves painted on it, with a pentacle that I painted on it and sealed with varnish. By Mabon there will no longer be sunflowers and grapes, but guords and more fall leaves.

Then my altar will morph from Mabon to Samhain (taking away guords and adding jack-o-lanterns and skeleton/skull decor).

Mabon Ritual 2000)
(A VERY Simple Wiccan Mabon Ritual)

Items Needed
+Athame, Wand or Power Finger
+9 Fall Leaves Per Person
+Consecrated Salt
+Smudge or Incense
+Black Pen or Marker
+Cauldron or Heat Proof Container
+4 Quarter Candles (white votives or tea candles)
+Wine or Cider
+Bread or Cakes
+Matches

Ritual
+Clarify the Circle area with smudge and salt
+Place all items in the center of the Circle area
+Place votives at the Four Corners
+Cast the Circle with the Athame, Wand or Power Finger 4 times

1st time:
I cast a Circle of Air, a Circle of change. Let the old be transformed by spirit rearranged.

2nd time:
I cast a Circle of Fire, a Circle of song as light grows shorter and nights grow long.

3rd time:
I cast a Circle of Water, a Circle of might, to sing to the Gods on this Mabon night.

4th time:
I cast a Circle of Earth, a Circle of peace, so wishes may be released.

+Evoke the God and Goddess
Horned One of the wild hunt
I request you to join me here
The Autumn draws in
Bringing thee near!
Mother Goddess of the Harvest Time
I request your presence at my side
With wishes made and honors cried
Please be my guide!

+Ground and Center
Sitting anyway which is comfortable as long as your spine is straight. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take very long and very deep breaths through your nose, each time you breathe in, hold for 2 or 3 seconds, and let out very slowly. Watch as the Air enters, Circle your lungs at the center of your body and spread, then move back out through your nose. After doing this for 2 or 3 time, begin to feel the air move past your lungs and to your base chakra (or feet, depending on whether you are sitting or standing), and down into the ground, attaching you to the Earth with whisps of Air.

+Meditate on Mabon
Envision the fruits of Summer ripening under the Summer Mother's watchful eyes, Then watch as She harvests them, Herself aging, and bearing fall colors and fallen leaves in Her hair.

Envision the Summer Lord in His bright green garb, bedecked in the greens of the season, frolicking in the forest with the growing rabbits and deer. See the leaves change, the deer rabbits mature. The God ages, wearing browns and a mask of fallen leaves and acorns, atop His great stag hunting the mature rabbit and deer.

+Take up the leaves and marker. Write your wishes upon the leaves. Meditate on each wish as you write it, and envision it coming true while harming none.

+When you have finished writing all your wishes, light the first leaf and place it in the Cauldron. Chant while burning each leaf:

Nine leaves in the Cauldron go
Burn them fast and burn them slow
With wishes writ upon the leaves
Fallen from the sleeping trees
God of the turning trees
See my wishes on thy leaves
Goddess of the turning tides
Hear my wish and be my guide
Burn the wishes into dust
Fulfill my wishes as thou must
Throw the wishes in the wind
Fulfill my wishes for kith and kin
Seasons change as the winds blow
Tell me thy secret as Four Winds blow
Mabon be my Lord's day
Dancing through the vines and hay
Samhain coming for Queen of Night
Feel the change in thy wind's bite
Darker are thy daylight hours
As we summon all Autumn powers
Wishes made on Mabon Night
Fulfilled in the Autumn's light.
Nine leaves in the Cauldron go
Burn them fast and burn them slow
With wishes writ upon the leaves
Fallen from the sleeping trees
God of the turning trees
See my wishes on thy leaves
Goddess of the turning tides
Hear my wish and be my guide

+ Offer the wine or cider and bread or cakes to the gods, and eat and drink a little yourself. Wait for the leaves to finish burning and the Cauldron or container to cool off.

+Throw the ashes to the wind, envisioning the wishes being carried off to be fulfilled while saying:

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Fulfill my wishes as thou must!
Harming none be my creed
Fulfill my wishes by the Wiccan Rede

+Thank the Deities for being in the Circle

+ Thank and dismiss the Quarters widdershins (or counterclockwise) as you extinguish each candle.

+Uncast the Circle, moving widderhins, envisioning the energy from the Circles moving into the Athame, Wand or Power Finger, being stored for later use. Say:

This Circle is Uncast
This rite is done!
Blessed be to all
And harm to none!

+Ground the energy by doing a reverse of the meditation and grounding. Envision the energy flowing from the ground, stable and steady and solid, moving into you and solidifying any stray pieces of energy within you.

By: Calliope Hellice

[Jenne]

Thanks Freyja! Another reason to set up my altar in my new bedroom (we moved in May and I haven't gotten my crap together long enough to set it up! Bad Pagan, Bad!)...

Wow, Calliope! That's an awesome rit! I write ones like that for myself. Since I moved, I've gotten out of the habit...time to hop to it, as I was saying above! And I REALLY need to do a thorough cleansing and practicing done on my crystal ball before Samhain!!!

[LittleRhiannon]

My calandar says the equinox is the 23rd...but I don't completely trust it as it's a school calandar. So, Mabon is the 21st this year, or am I reading this wrong?

[Amethyst Rose]

My calendar also says that its the 23rd this year.....

[Nymph]

My LunaBar almanac says the 23rd.

[CalliopeHellice]

Here's the Mabon Ritual I wrote for a few of my friends and I to perform on Sunday, the 21st (I actually wrote it in the time span of 5 minutes while hanging out at a friend's place):

Mabon Ritual
September 21, 2003
© Calliope Hellice

Items Needed:
On Altar
-Athame (for casting Circle)
-Smudge
-Offering plate
-God and Goddess symbols/candles
-Salt and bowl, water and bowl, incense and censer, candle and holder
-Plate with corn bread
-Chalice with ale
-Pentacle
-Representations of the season (fall leaves, grapes, grains, etc)
In Circle
-Fall leaf garlands to outline Circle
-Perhaps markers in each Quarter
People
-4 Quarter Callers
-God and Goddess evoker
-Circle Caster

Ritual:
1. Smudge Circle area
2. Cast Circle with Athame (round 3 X)
3. Smudge all who enter
4. Call Quarters:
East:
Fall Winds blow
And join us here
At Harvest time
As cold grows near.

South:
Fall Fires flare
And join us here
At Harvest time
As cold grows near.





West:
Fall Waves swell
And join us here
At Harvest time
As cold grows near.

North:
Fall Stones stand
And join us here
At Harvest time
As cold grows near.

5. Each Caller takes their element around the Circle, sprinkling or waving it about, chanting:
Elements of fall
Heed our call.

6. Evoke and Offering to the God and Goddess:
Dionysus, Lord of vines
Lord of Harvest, field and wine
Join us now, in our Circle and dine
For it’s thanksgiving, at Harvest time.
Place a piece of cornbread in offering bowl and pour ale over it.

Demeter, Lady of fruits
Lady of Harvest, grain and roots
Join us now, in our Circle and dine
For it’s thanksgiving, at Harvest time.
Place a piece of cornbread in offering bowl and pour ale over it.

7. Pass cornbread widdershins. Each person eats a piece (then offers one to the God) and says:
“I eat of the Lord, and give thanks for______________.”
Pass ale widdershins. Each person drinks a sip (then offers one to the Goddess) and says:
“I drink of the Lady, and give thanks for _____________.”

8. Farewell to the God and Goddess:
Dionysus, Lord of fall
Thank You for hearing our call
We thank You for our hunger quelled
We bid You farewell!


Demeter, Lady of fall
Thank You for hearing our call
We thank You for our thirst quelled
We bid You farewell!

9. Farewell to the elements:

North:
Standing Stones in the North
We thank You for coming forth
Farewell and blessed be!

West:
Swelling Waves in the West
We thank You for being our guest
Farewell and blessed be!

South:
Flaring Flames in the South
We thank You for bringing Yourself
Farewell and blessed be!

East:
Blowing Winds in the East
We thank You for joining our feast
Farewell and blessed be!

10. Uncast Circle
11. Feast

Feast Food:
-squash
-pumpkin
-corn
-root vegetables
-grains
-apples
-blackberries
-ales, ciders, blackberry or red wine

[Gwynna Starr]

I've been taking a Wicca class for the last several weeks. Last friday our instructor showed us a Mabon ritual. It's the first ritual I have ever experienced! The energy was uplifting and it was much better than just reading about it.

I have a question though... Is there a certain date that Mabon must be done on, or can it be anytime during the fall season?

[Pan]

IF you want to get technical, Mabon is done on the first day of Autumn. I like to do it on the Harvest Moon night .. whichever day the full moon falls on in September is usually my Mabon ritual. :)

But that's just me. I'm pretty sure you can do it whenever your heart tells you to. ;) Or just your schedule dictates! :T

[Hippywitch]

Looking forward to Mabon...I love Autumn...that delicious crispness in the morning and the leaves changing.

My Mabon altar cloth is gold and on it this year will be blackberries and elderberries from the bushes at the back of my house (and then I'll be making blackberry and apple crumble YUM :tongueout )...the last of the sunflowers from the garden...leaves...a few stalks of corn...and maybe some roses too! They have been beautiful this year and I'm not a huge fan of roses but they were so unexpected it was breathtaking!
We moved into this house in January and the garden was a widerness. In the midst of clearing it we came across this scrabby old rose bush. At first I thought of digging it up and chucking it... it was a mess... but I pruned it back and thought 'let's see'. I'm so pleased I did because it came back really strong and put forth the most enormous pink/red blooms with the sweetest scent :flowers:

Happy happy

[Hippywitch]

In the last few years my Mabon rituals have been pretty simple ... just giving thanks and asking for strength and wisdom as I was doing a degree. That's all finished now :graduate: so I'll be giving mega thanks for that this year and probably just asking for inspiration on what to do next! :eyebro:

I liked the leaf ritual Calliope. Would you mind if I adapted it for a solitary ceremony for myself?

I'm taking my boys out this weekend to collect leaves and look for pine cones, acorns and conkers... wonder if they're too old now to make leaf print piccies... 6 and 10 years... hmm maybe it'll just be me in the kitchen with the finger paints! :lol:

[13thChylde]

I'm doing my Mabon either tomorrow or Saturday...because I'll be Thailand on the 20th. I love autumn, and want to celebrate it where I feel it, which is home. Me and the kids love making leaf prints! And we have such a huge harvest of apples this year, so it will be pie-day also. I don't have an altar set up this year since we're not really settled anywhere as of yet. And won't be until Yule, so I'll do it up right then.

[CalliopeHellice]

I liked the leaf ritual Calliope. Would you mind if I adapted it for a solitary ceremony for myself?

Not a problem...I'm glad you like it!

Well, I'm nervous about hosting the Mabon Ritual...there will be more people there than expected. :) No problem...just more people to do ritual in front of...LOL. Myself and my friend will be "leading" the rite, and doing the God and Goddess evokations.

And my mom is making me my robe in time for the ritual! It's greco-roman style, in a flowing brown material, and will be tied with simple gold cord around the waist in a criss-cross pattern (to cinch the waist and hold my athame sheath).

[Cobalt Cobra]

Ooh yay Mabon stuff!

I'm decorating with leaves, acorns, and blackberry branches for natural decor, then I'm going to get some cinnamon and vanilla scented candles, and hrm.. not sure what else for decor.

I *am* having a feast for friends though. This is the menu so far:

~Spiced nut bread with honey cream spread
~Blackberry wine
~Apple-Pecan glazed chicken
~Cranberry stuffing (inside the chicken ^_^)
~And some kind of pie.. I'm thinking apple most likely.

I usually have appetizers and stuff spread out, like herbed bread with vinegar and warm oil to dip it in, lots of cheeses and wheat crackers.. harvesty stuff ^_^

I love holidays!

[Elfa Wylde]

:) That sounds good. I'm going to a ritual where we are making stone soup in a 100 year old cauldron and dressing up like old farmers......our religion is so much fun!


We're doing the same thing!

I'm working on re-writing our usual ritual to incorporate the "putting together" of the soup as part of the ritual itself!

I keep hearing about cornbread being a big deal, but we tend to use half or whole wheat bread for Mabon.

On either side of the altar we're putting up sheafs of corn as we don't have wheat. however, next year we will since we're going to grow winter wheat as a garden cover.

Anyone know any good "story rituals" that we might add? I read one about the old god and the young god fighting then ending up killing eachother, but it just doesn't seem.... apropriate. *shrug*

Thanks for the ideas!

Love light and blessings,

[DixieWitch]

This will be the first time I celebrate Mabon. I am looking forward to it. In fact, this ill be the first year I celebrate ANY holidays. I officically started my year and day study today!

~~Rowan

[writitive]

This will be the first time I celebrate Mabon. I am looking forward to it. In fact, this ill be the first year I celebrate ANY holidays. I officically started my year and day study today!

~~Rowan

Congratulations! This will be my first Mabon too (sort of...my birthday is actually on the 22nd, so I've always thought of this as a special time of year anyway...). I'm not really sure what I will do, but I was thinking of doing some baking, collecting some pine cones, etc., and just sort of going with the flow.

[BlueFlame]

About the issue of the date of Mabon. This year the Autumnal equonox is on the 23rd of September (In EST in the Northern Hemisphere) Most books give the 21st as the date of Mabon, and on average, it is the 21st but this year is kinda a fluke.

Some people are very picky about getting the excact time and such for their ritual. For the 4 lesser Sabbats I try to be close to the actual day of the solstice or equinox. The 4 greater Sabbats however, which in theory, come evenly between a solstice and an equinox, never fall on the exact midpoint. Samhain should really be the 5 of November if we are going by astronmy.

To me atleast the Sabbats are less about precision and mathmatics, and are more about tradition and culture. My Samhain is on the 31st of October.

[banondraig]

*bump*

[RoisinDubh]

Mabon/Harvest Home Ritual 2007
(c) Shauna McShane


Setup:
Candles are lit, marking the Four Quarters. The altar is set up with Deity candles, chalice, fire candle, bowl of water, bowl of salt, censer with incense, offering cakes and wine, smudge, lighter, anointing oil, and Sun Wheel.

Near the altar is the besom, and a cauldron sits near by. At the East of the Circle sits the bowl for the offering to the outdwellers.

All candles are pre-lit, and a fire is set in the cauldron.

1) Smudging

The Circle area is smudged with sage.

2) Sweeping

The Circle area is swept with a ritual besom.

3) Casting Circle

The Circle is cast by each element:

Incense is carried around the Circle boundaries, stopping at each Quarter and raising the censer:

I cast a Circle of Air, of Zephyrs and Wind,
Come to us from the East, where inspiration begins.

A candle is carried around the Circle boundaries, stopping at each Quarter and raising the candle:

I cast a Circle of Fire, of Embers and Flames,
Come to us from the South, where Your heat remains.

Water is sprinkled around the Circle boundaries, stopping at each Quarter and raising the bowl:

I cast a Circle of Water, of Waves and Streams,
Come to us from the West, the land of visions and dreams.

Salt is sprinkled around the Circle boundaries, stopping at each Quarter and raising the bowl:

I cast a Circle of Stones, of Pebbles and Earth,
Come to us from the North, the land of stability's birth.

4) Smudge and Anoint Participants

Each participant is smudged with sage, and then have their forehead anointed with oil in the shape of the solar cross, in honour of the dying Sun God.

5) Honouring of Ancestors

Oil is poured into the cauldron:

Ancestors, old ones, wise ones! We give you this offering in thanks for your wisdom and guidance! Welcome this Harvest Tide day!

6) Offering to Outdwellers

Cakes and drink are poured into a bowl near the outer regions of the Circle:

Cowans, outdwellers, beings not of our faith. Mishchief makers, all! We ask that you take your leave, and allow us to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox this night! So mote it be!

7) Honouring Deities

Cakes and ale are added to the cauldron:

Dionysus, we honour You tonight,
Lord of the vines, of unabated merriment,
We ask for You to bless our ritual this night.
Hail, and welcome!

Cakes and ale are added to the cauldron:

Demeter, we honour You tonight,
Lady of the earth, of fields and harvests,
We ask for You to bless our ritual this night.
Hail, and welcome!

8) Working

The Sun Wheel is passed around the Circle, and each person ties a golden string to it, naming what they give thanks for over this harvest time. After everyone has added their string, it is passed a second time, with everyone tying a string and making a wish or affirmation until the return of the Sun King (Yule). The Sun Wheel is then put into the cauldron and left to burn as everyone chants (drums, rattles, what have you) the following chant:

Hoof and horn, hoof and horn,
All that dies shall be reborn.
Vine and grain, vine and grain,
All that falls shall rise again.

(and if we're REALLY good, we can add:

Horned One, lover, son
Leaper in the corn,
Deep in the Mother,
Die and be reborn. )

Tapering off after the Sun Wheel is fully burned.

9) Thanking Deities

The God candle is snuffed:

Dionysus, we thankYou tonight,
Lord of the vines, of unabated merriment,
We thank You for blessing our ritual tonight.
Go if You must, stay if You will!
Farewell, and blessed be.

The Goddess candle is snuffed:

Demeter, we thankYou tonight,
Lady of the earth, of fields and harvests,
We thank You for blessing our ritual tonight.
Go if You must, stay if You will!
Farewell, and blessed be.

10) Dismissing Quarters

The North candle is snuffed:

Circle of Stones, of Pebbles and Earth,
Return to the North, the land of stability's birth.

The West candle is snuffed:

Circle of Water, of Waves and Streams,
Return to the West, the land of visions and dreams.

The South candle is snuffed:

Circle of Fire, of Embers and Flames,
Return to the South, where Your heat remains.

The East candle is snuffed:

Circle of Air, of Zephyrs and Wind,
Return to the East, where inspiration begins.

11) Thanking Outdwellers

Turning towards the Eastern part of the Circle:

Cowans, outdwellers, beings not of our faith. Mishchief makers, all! We thank you for taking your leave, and allowing us to celebrate the Autumnal equinox this night! Farewell, and blessed be.

12) Thanking Ancestors

Incense is sprinkled into the cauldron:

Ancestors, old ones, wise ones! We give you this offering in thanks for your wisdom and guidance! Thank you for joining us in our Harvest Celebration! Go is You must, stay if You will. Farewell, and blessed be.

13) Uncasting Circle

Everyone says in unison:

The Circle is open, and never broken. Merrily met, and merrily part. Blessed Be!

[thyself]

Not sure exactly what I will be doing this year, but I am excited. I plan to gather acorns (since there are about ten different kinds of oak trees on my property) pine cones, and a vine from my grapes I grow in my garden! I was hoping someone could give me a good recipe for wine making, but I know it takes a while and a lot of effort, so I want to do it right.

I have yet to set up my altar decorations and decor for around my home, but I am excited to do it tonight, and I can't wait for samhain! That is by far my favorite sabbat.

Blessed be!

[scrumpygirl13]

anyone have plans so far for this year?

i think i'll be going to an apple orchard to pick apples, make my favorite pumpkin soup and bake some homemade rye bread, have a bonfire and figure out some kind of ritual to do.

my altar is already kind of decked out for the season but i want to find a new altar cloth - the one i have right now is way to busy!

you guys?

[thyself]

Merry Meet Scrumpy Girl! This year, my husband and I are in an apartment, and we just moved in so we do not yet have a garden set up. (Fiddle sticks!) I am working very hard on it, as we do have a patio, we just need to find the time to plant. My husband also has a green thumb, so we plan to garden together. =) Your ideas sounds wonderful! I still need to set up my altar for Mabon, as I have old decor on it from last Holy Day.

I think I will go to the fabric store and look in their scrap fabric bin, and get a nice dark brown silk piece to use as my altar cloth. I do have some new trinkets for my altar on the way, so I will also use those. I still need a bell, but all in good time. I will put my deer antler that I found in the woods on my altar, it will be the center piece. It symbolizes Cernunnos, the Horned God, and my thanks to him for giving his life at this time of year, and for giving a bountiful harvest. Everything that dies, is reborn.

I also am going to put some small gourds on my altar to represent the harvest. And on the eve of the sabbat, I will bake home made wheat bread, and I will leave a slice for the Gods and Goddesses. I will say words of thanks and praise, and will be grateful for what I have in life, and hopeful for what is to come. =)

Happy Harvest/Mabon everyone!

[Windsmith]

Oh so much to do!

On Saturday we're going to "our" farm (a.k.a. our CSA's farm) for their big Fall Festival. We've been members for 3 years and have never made it to the festival, so we're stoked. It's definitely a ritual experience for us: connecting with our community, with the harvest, the land.

Sunday is the community ritual for a group we've recently become involved with. It's very relaxed, not tradition-specific, just a big gathering of people who like to get together and say "Yay Earth!"

On the actual day, we'll be helping out the Community Council with their annual Share the Road event. Not sure how we're going to "witch it up", but we'll think of something.

[scrumpygirl13]

now i need to readjust what i was going to do a smidgeon because i got a second job and it starts this afternoon! i had pretty much forgotten that today was mabon until late last night. too much stuff going on! it's been ridiculous so i'm hoping to figure something out that would just be relaxing...but i hope i still get to do something with harvest stuff!