Light & Shadows of Majyk presents  Mabon Ritual of Light & Shadows MONDAY EVENING September 22, 2008 7:00pm In the Sacred Circle Chat room You are invited!! Come join your sisters of Light & Shadows as AHPS Lady Majyk Whispering-Owl leads all in our Mabon Sabbat Ritual! Please read the information in its entirety, as there are instructions throughout, including a wonderful project for making your own Corn Husk Mother as well as some delicious Mabon recipes!  (follows this announcement in a seperate message post due to posting length limits) Mabon Lore    Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the Autumn Equinox and is also known as The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed - Celtic (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.    Mabon is the celebration of life’s renewal. Mabon is typically celebrated through harvesting grapes from the vine and apples from orchard. The Feast of Avalon refers to honoring the dead, Avalon is a Celtic name for Land of the Dead, and literally means Land of Apples. One endearing ritual act from Celtic tradition is to place an apple on the head stone of a deceased person or relative. A wish for the living to one day be reunited with their loved ones. The Winter Finding is actually celebrated from the Autumn Equinox to Winters night on October 15th.    For Celts' is it also the celebration of the Welsh God Mabon {Mah-bawn}. Mabon is the son of Modred who was stolen from his mother and rescued by King Arthur. His name means "the Great Son" and he is considered to be a minor sun God. But he is better known as the power in darkness. He is also recognized as the King of Death or the Underworld.     The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year's crops. 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. Wiccans also celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.     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 everyday life. Take time out to look at your life and reassess where you are going, what you have so far achieved and what it is that you are still seeking.       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.   Mabon Correspondences Symbolism Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance. Symbols Wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty. Brown, green, orange and yellow candles Deities Goddesses- Cerridwen, Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona and the Muses. Gods- Lugh, Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man. Traditional Foods Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions. Herbs and Flowers Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables. Sacred Gemstone Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates. Special Activities 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. Mabon Incense Recipe 2 Parts Frankincense 1 Part Sandalwood 1 Part Cypress 1 Part Juniper 1 Part Pine 1/2 Part Oakmoss (or few drops of Oakmoss Bouquet) 1 Pinch Pulverized oak leaf Cut up into small pieces and mix all ingredients together before burning upon lit charcoal in a fire proof container. Preparation and Ritual Information: In addition to your usual altar tools and props, upon the altar should be: ** A deep red (or russet) altar cloth ** One russet and one orange candle, and one white candle as your significator. ** A Wicker Basket ** A Red Apple ** Assorted Fruits and Vegetables of the Second Harvest (Berries, Squash, Corn, etc) ** A Bell ** Cauldron ** Matches or Lighter ** A Fallen Tree Branch, which will ideally be wand-length in size and width. (tie pieces of paper that you have written things you have done this year and things you plan to do this winter, on the branch) ** A Boline ** A Sprig or Two of Ivy, of approximately 2 feet in length each or more if possible. You may have numerous sprigs to make this length. **An Autumn Blend Incense (recipe provided above or use your own) Lady Majyk will be casting the circle and setting her Altar as specified below for all of us, therefore if it is inconvenient or unsafe for you to set up your ritual space around your computer for this, it is quite alright. Sweep area,  in a deosil (clockwise) manner. Outline your Circle with a red cord, low vibration stones, or various Harvest items such as wheat, corn, beans, etc. Set up your altar and place the deep red altar cloth over it. At center top, place the wicker basket, filled with the assorted fruit and vegetables. Place the apple and the boline on your Pentacle or a plate. Place the tree branch to the right of the basket. Place your orange candle to the left of your pentacle or plate and your russet candle to the right. Place your white candle in front of your pentacle or plate. Place the rest of your tools and altar adornments according to your personal preference. Take a shower or bath for purity. Sit quietly and meditate to ground and center. When you are ready, begin by playing some soothing music associated with the Sabbat and our Mabon ritual. At the starting time of the ritual, light your candles beginning with your white candle, then the russet and lastly the orange. Let them burn through the ritual and let them burn after until they all burn out completely. Choose an appropriate sized candle in light of your time availability to have candles lit.