Full Super Moon Harvest September 2014 a cause for Gratitude and why is it Orange?!

Well our moon for September 2014 is currently waxing at 83% of her fullness at the time I write this and I can feel her energy ever building. I haven't been lucky enough to see her on the last few nights as it has been cloudy here in England so I'm hoping for a few clear nights as we reach the nights of her fullness. 

This September moon is the moon closest to the Pagan festival of Mabon. Therefore a lot of the names that have been given over time to this full moon are to do with the harvest that takes place around this time of year. Mabon is the second harvest in the Pagan wheel of the Year, we shall see the last one being the traditional one of Samhain or Halloween. Common names for the September moon therefore included Harvest Moon, Barley Moon and Corn Moon.

It is often thought that this harvest moon is a particularly orange colour, is there any truth or science behind this fact? When we see the moon rising it looks much larger to our eyes as we are seeing it against the background of other objects. Due to the fact that we are looking at the moon through a greater amount of atmospheric particles including pollution the moon will take on an orange or reddish tint. The atmosphere will scatter the blue particles but allow the red component of light to travel direct to our eyes. Thus we see a larger looking red/orange Harvest Moon rising in our skies on the evening of the September Full Moon. 

This September Harvest Moon is of course the third in the trio of Super moons that we will have seen in 2014, therefore it's orange glow will look even more spectacular as it will appear slightly larger.  It will not be as large as the Supermoon that occurred in August. That super moon was the largest of the year because the moon was the closest to us. Supermoon's can appear up to 14% brighter and 30% bigger. Supermoons occur because our moon does not follow a circular path around our earth, it follows an elliptical one. Therefore at its furthest away it is 405,000 km away, this is called an apogee, and at its nearest it is 363,000, this is called a perigree. When the time of the perigree aligns with a full or new moon it is called a super moon. Much more information on why Supermoon's occur and how they might affect us can be found here:What is a Supermoon 

Other names for the September Full Supermoon include Mulberry Moon, Leaf Fall Moon, Kindly Moon and Little Chestnut Moon.

The September Mabon moon is all about achieving balance in our lives. We are nearing the Autumn equinox. Look to any areas of your lives that feel our of kilter right now, what do you need to do to bring that balance back? This is also a time of Gratitude. It is a time when we say thank you to our Mother Earth. She has provided us with a lot over this past year asking for nothing in return, the least we can do is offer her our gratitude. It is up to you how you do this, you may like to get together with family and friends or simply spend some time in nature offering up your silent thanks to the Mother Earth that feeds us and keeps us alive.

Do you have a favourite for the September Mabon Moon? I'm going to go with Blackberry Moon this year as the blackberries are early and there are already so many of them in my garden..delicious!

Full Mabon Supermoon Harvest Moon blessings to you,

AstarteAlison

Ten Fun Facts you may not know about Lammas Lughnasadh Lughnassad

Ten Fun Facts about Lammas/ Lughnasadh

You may know that Lammas or Lughnasadh falls on 1^st August.  Below are a few facts you may not know about this point on the Pagan Wheel of the Year celebrating the height of summer. Further information about this Pagan festival may be found here: Lammas History and traditions

Lughnasadh, or Lugnasad is named from the Celtic Sun God Lugh. He was believed to be the son of the Sun and the God of Light.

Lammas is thought to take it’s name from loaf-mass, named for the traditional loaves that were baked at this time.

Lammas has an even older name Bron Trograin meaning painful labour, referring to first fruits the earth gives birth to.

To bring good luck at Lughnasadh farmers would let the first loaves go stale and then sprinkle the crumbs over the corners of their barns.

Trial marriages often took place at Lammas called Teltown marriages.

Corn dollies are hung over the fire place to bring good luck to the harvest at the time of Lammas.

Wakes weeks common in many towns in England originated from the Lammas tradition of fifteen days of feasting.

It was customary to give gifts of gloves at Lughnassadh particularly for workers to receive from their employees.

The Talitean games originated at Lughnassad Lammas, echoes of which may be found in the Olympic games and modern football.

Lughnassadh is the first of the three harvest festivals, the other two being Mabon and Samhain

Supermoon Saturday 12th July 2014. Why does a super moon occur and how will it affect me?

The first super full moon for 2014 happens on Saturday 12^th July 2014.

What is a Supermoon?

These ‘supermoons’ were originally termed Perigree moons until they were given the catchier title of Supermoon by astrologer Richard Nolle, he  defined a supermoon as:

“… a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.”

A supermoon may make the moon appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than usual.

Due to the given Richard Nolle definition we have approximately 4-6 supermoons on average in any given year, this includes full and new moons. In 2014 we will have three full super full moons occurring on July 12^th, August 10^th and September 9^th.

More information on the super moons we had last year can be found here together with some useful diagrams: supermoons 2013 explanations

Why do Supermoons Occur?

www.quantumphoenix.com

Supermoons occur because our moon does not follow a circular path around our earth, it follows an elliptical one. Therefore at its furthest away it is 405,000 km away, this is called an apogee, and at its nearest it is 363,000, this is called a perigree. When the time of the perigree aligns with a full or new moon it is called a supermoon.

How close is the July Super Moon?

Our closest Supermoon this year will be the supermoon in August 2014. On that date the moon is 356,896 kilometres away from our earth. The supermoon on July 12^th 2014 will be 358,285 km away from us.

Demonstration of super moon from NASA

Does the Supermoon really look bigger?

The good thing about having the supermoon during the summer months is that it appears low on the horizon. This means that with the trees and buildings as reference it actually looks bigger to our eyes. The moon is the same size on the horizon as it is in the sky it just looks bigger to us when it is on the horizon so it really does look like a supermoon! We will have therefore three really super summer moons to enjoy this year therefore, make sure you see them rising, our beautiful super moon rises shortly after sunset.

Why does the supermoon affect me?

We don't really know why the full moon affects some people. However one explanation may be to do with the way the moon affects the water on our planet. All full moons bring higher-than-usual tides, and perigee full moons bring the highest (and lowest) tides of all. These are called Perigean Spring Tides.  Similarly these supermoons have an increased affect on the cells in our bodies. At the full moon all water on our planet is pulled towards the moon. Therefore if the moon is closer there is a greater pull and the affects will be felt more strongly. You may feel the usual affects of the full moon are accentuated during the time of the supermoon therefore. The full moon affects different people in different ways and thus the same applies to the supermoon. 

How will the supermoon affect me?

You may find you are more restless than usual or you may have more energy. We may often experience much more turbulent emotions than we are used to and it is important to recognize that when we are decision making.

If you are able to then try and plan ahead as to how you may use any excess energy you may have and plan your supermoon nights! Prepare for the increased emotion and use it as an opportunity for growth, however do not make any rash decisions that you may later regret. It is important to recognize in yourself any emotional changes that may be due to the effect that the moon is having on you that may be making you not act like your normal self!

Perhaps meditate on where your life is now, where your priorities lie and where you would like them to be heading. Channel this wonderful energy into growing your life, do not be fearful of the energy but use it to your advantage, the world is your oyster and this supermoon could be your key to unlocking as yet untapped potential.

July Capricorn Supermoon

This July supermoon is in Capricorn. This particular sign tells us to pay attention to balancing our own needs. We should look at what is needed in areas of our lives such as home, work and children and see what should be done to address any areas that might be out of kilter. Demands that are put upon us might need to be changed slightly so that we can accommodate more pressing issues. Prioritising issues is key right now, you are only one person and you cannot be stretched to breaking point! One of the names given to the full moon for July is the Buck Moon which is a perfect symbol for the Capricorn Moon. Other names for the July supermoon are Hay Moon and Blessing Moon. Check out the post on July moon names for further info! July Moon Names. I like Blessing Moon. This Super Moon is closest to the Pagan feast of Lammas or Lughnassad which is a particular time for giving gratitude and blessings. I send out blessings to you all! More information on Lammas may be found here  Lammas History and Traditions

So get ready for the three supermoons in a row July August September 2014. Buckle your seat belts it is sure to be a bumpy roller coaster of a ride but enjoy that roller coaster, raise your hands in the air and embrace that wonderful energy! Lean into the corners and scream if you need to but above all enjoy it and send out joy and love into the universe.

Supermoon blessings to you, Alison

Ten fun facts about the Summer Solstice or Litha

Ten fun facts about the Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and is  generally celebrated on the 21^st June. So those are facts that you knew already! Below are a few facts that you may or may not know about this wonderful time of year, a celebration of the wonderful strength of our amazing sun.

The common name used amongst Pagans for the Summer Solstice is Litha. Other names for Litha include: Lithia, Alban Hefin(Gaelic for light of the shore), Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Feill-Sheathain, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia(Roman), The Feast of Epona(Ancient Gaulish) Thing-Tide, Sank Hans Aften(Denmak) and St. John's Day. If you have heard of any more I would love to hear from you!

The word Solstice comes from the Latin ‘solstitium’ meaning 'Sun stands still' because the apparent movement of the Sun's path north or south stops before changing direction.

Litha is often synonymous with Midsummer and is said to be associated with Faeries or the fey folk. Offerings of milk and honey were often left out for them.

Transformed by Ruth Calder Murphy

As well as faeries there were thought to be evil sprits around at this time of year therefore our ancesters wore garlands of herbs and flowerflowers to protect themselves. The most popular of these was St Johns wort which was known as ‘chase’devil’

Litha was known as Sankt Hans Aften in Denmark and was an official holiday until 1770.

Litha was celebrated with bonfires as a reflection of the sun. Folk would jump through the fires and it was said that the height that they jumped would be the height of their crops the following year.

The Chinese celebrate this time of year by honouring Li the Goddess of Light

The Druids celebrated the day as the wedding of heaven and earth. They believed this to be a very sacred day, seeing the wonderful long day as a blessing given to us by mother earth. Handfasting ceremonies became very popular during June and even today it remains popular to have a June wedding.

The full moon that occurs near the time of the Summer Solstice is often termed Mead moon, name for the drink made from honey, often served at handfasting ceremonies.

In Poland the night of merrymaking - also known as St. John’s Night or “Noc Świętojańska” - is still observed in some areas and some Polish communities in the United States

We are born as magical beings, each of us has the innate ability to be magical. Pagan Spiritual Quotation

We are born as magical beings, each of us has the innate ability to be magical, we just need to tap into that source.

Mother nature teaches us that all we need we already have. In our busy lives we have often forgotten the ways of the old. In following a simple Pagan lifestyle we learn to follow the ways of the earth and listen to the ancient wisdom Mother Nature has to offer us. 

Magickal blessings to you, AstarteAlison

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.....

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence..... Desiderata

It does us tremendous good to take time from our busy lives to listen to the silence and draw the peace from it. Nature has a tremendous amount still to teach us. 

Through listening to the signs Mother Nature has to teach us we can continue along our spiritual path, it is often only by listening to the silence that we can slow down enough to hear what is truly important. Mother Earth has much to teach us about our own spirituality. Try and take some time out in your busy week to just sit quietly even if it is for only a few minutes, in a park, woodland or garden if possible and listen to the sounds and the quietness present in the nature around us.

Blessings to you all, Alison

The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature. Joseph Campbell.

The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature. Joseph Campbell.

Fabulous quote from the wonderful writer Joseph Campbell. The lovely photography is by Denis Savoie Photography.

It is important as we go through life that we are working with Mother Nature not against her. It is all too easy in the busy lives we lead to forget the importance that nature has to play in all our lives, our happiness and our spiritual development.

"Joseph Campbell was the world s greatest authority on myth, his monumental four-volume The Masks of God is a definitive work on the subject, and in Myths to Live By he explores how these enduring myths still influence our daily lives and can provide personal meaning in our lives. Myths are a way of explaining the cosmos, the origin of life and Man s relationship with their environment; they play a cohesive role in society. Joseph Campbell analyses myth in psychoanalytic terms to reveal their essential qualities and to demonstrate how they continue to reflect human needs, providing reassurance even in today s world. Ranging from Zen koans and Indian aesthetics to walking on the moon, Joseph Campbell explores how myth and religion follow the same archetypes, which are not exclusive to any single race, religion or region. Campbell believed that all religion is a search for the same transcendent and fundamental spiritual truths. He shows how we must recognise the common denominators between differing myths and faiths and allow this knowledge to fulfil human potential everywhere."

Amazon

Click the image below to find out more of Joseph Campbell's wonderful writings.

20 ways to celebrate Yule with friends and family.

Below are twenty ways you can celebrate the festival of Yule. You can either do any of these with friends and family or on your own. Celebrating the Solstice in this way is a wonderful way of recognising the wonder of our mother Earth and to let go of all that you do need and welcome positivity into your life as this turning point in the Wheel of the Year occurs.

As Yule is a fire festival, light a Yule candle, with the stub of the candle from the previous year. Every day in December light the candle for a short while and meditate on all you have reason to be grateful for.

Decorate your Christmas or Yule tree with items found in the natural world. Nuts, pinecones and holly are good examples I’m sure you can think of some more of your own.

Decorate pinecones with glue and glitter as symbols of the fairies and put them on the Yule tree. You can decorate your tree with items from nature as well as Pagan symbols such as the Pentacle.

http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk/shop/

Bring nature indoors with boughs of holly and ivy. Use them to decorate your fire place or altar.

Make your own wreath for your front door with evergreen leaves, berries and pagan symbols. As the wreath represents the wheel of the year you may like to include a representative of each season on it.

Bring some mistletoe into your house to promote love and harmony.

Feed the birds that are in need of food during these frosty months. Thread popcorn and cranberries onto string for festive bird feeders. These would also look great hung on your tree!

Yule log ornament. Find a log that has fallen from a tree in your local park. Then when you bring it home you can have lots of fun decorating it with red a green colours. You can use holly and ivy or red and green tissue paper and pipe cleaners to make a really lovely display. If you can’t find any wood near you then use the inside of paper towel painted brown.

Make some of your own Yule greeting cards. You can use the ideas here or send these as e-cards to your friends and family.

For personalized wrapping papers, cut an apple in half to reveal it’s pentacle on the inside, then use poster paints on plain tissue paper to make colourful pagan wrapping paper.

Play or sing traditional Christmas carols with Pagan themes to them such as ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ and ‘Green grow the Rushes’

Light a dark coloured candle of the eve of Yule to represent all that you wish to let go of. From it light a white candle to represent all the positive events in your future. Once you have lit the second candle, blow out the first, letting go of your past and all that you no longer have need of. Burn the white candle during the eve of the Solstice to remind yourself of all the good things yet to come.

Make a sun ornament from yellow card and paper tissue. Meditate on the importance of the energy of the sun, think about how the days are going to get longer from today and the sun return to warm the earth.

Watch the sunrise on the morning of the Solstice, praying to the strength of the sun to empower you with its strength.

Spend time with family and friends during the day or evening of Yule, giving thanks to our Mother Earth for all that she provides for us.

Make welcoming jingle bells. String small bells from yellow ribbon and hang them in a doorway where they will make a gentle ring as someone walks by. You can buy small bells from most craft shops.  Every time they ring you will be reminded of this wonderful festival and the light and sound bestowed on our Mother Earth.

If you have any sacred sites near you, visit one such as Stonehenge where you can see the sun rising as our ancestors once did so long ago.

Go ‘wassailing’. Visit your friends and neighbours bringing with you a small gift or food and drink such as mulled wine or cider.

Make your own Yule pot pourri to give your house a wonderful seasonal scent.

Mix together:

•               3 Cups dried orange peel

•               1 Cup dried lemon zest

•               4 Cinnamon sticks, snapped into thirds

•               1/4 Cup whole cloves

•               1/4 Cup pine needles

•               A pinch of allspice

•               10 juniper berries

This mix will keep well in a glass jar until needed, it would also make a lovely Yule gift for friends and family.

Make herbal sachets with herbs that you enjoy the smell of or are appropriate for the time of year. Mistletoe, balsam, and fir are good choices. You can hang your sachets on your tree, around your house or give as a lovely Solstice gift.

How will you be celebrating Yule this year?

Sources and further reading:

Sources: I have found my information from various sites all over the internet. Also the following books are excellent sources for wheel of the year information:

Pagan in the City: How to Live and Work by Natural Cycles in the Everyday World Sacred Celebrations : A Sourcebook

Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons And Reasons

Eliade's Encyclopedia of Religion

http://paganwiccan.about.com

 #yulepagan

You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not just outside of you. Positive Inspirational quote from Thich Nhat Hahn

You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not just outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment. Thich Nhat Hahn

I love all that Thich Nhat Hahn has to say. This is so true we need to carry Mother Earth in our hearts and love and respect her for she gives of herself so willingly asking nothing in return. It is a selfless unconditional love and we should love her back equally. Everyday I try and silently offer my Gratitude for all that our Mother Earth, Gaia gives us. She is truly within us.

Gaia blessings, Alison *´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.

The magick of our Mother Earth. Pagan quote on gratitude *´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.

As we walk amongst the flowers and trees of our Mother Earth, we are reminded that she is a living, breathing, sacred being. AstarteAlison

Our Mother Earth keeps on giving and giving. She asks for nothing in return. We have a duty to look after her and nurture her in the same way that she cares for us. She gives us life, it is up to us to make sure she retains hers. We should never stop caring for our earth and sending her gratitude for the amazing life she provides for us. 

Gaia's blessings to you all, Alison *´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.

Samhain poetry. Harvest and Harvest Moon by Ruth Calder Murphy

This is a fabulous poem from Ruth Calder Murphy, describing the wonderful transition from summer to autumn. The beautiful painting is 'Transformed' by Ruth Calder Murphy

Harvest
As the days shrink
and the nights invade the space where
they should be,
I will reach back to the heart of Summer
and bring,
cradled to my heart,
a single Solstice Sunbeam.
I will grow it,
nurture it,
feed it with candles 
and fragrant oils from tropical flowers,
Yoga-stretch it
and clothe it in colour
until,
in the depths
of Winter's ink-black gaze,
I reach my arms wide,
laugh aloud
and with the power
of equatorial days,
blaze;
my spirit bright,
defy the night
and with Spring in my heart
and Summer in my belly,
remove the season's bushel
and shine my light.
It has grown fat
and blooms happy
and will bear me
all the way to Beltane-
to dandelions
and daisy chains.
Before the days shrink
too far into the night
I will harvest the light.

And another beautiful one on the wonderful harvest moon that shines during October.

Harvest Moon

What will I harvest,
harvest moon
I'll gather Summer
into my barns-
Sunbeams that catch in my lashes-
To be shaken out at Solstice
sprinkling golden memories
like glitter
onto the disbelieving dark
Your perfect face
returns my gaze
and acknowledges my intent.
You who harvest sunshine
every time
you shine

More examples of Ruth's fabulous work may be found here: http://www.ruthmathews.net/ruth.htm

Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children. Gratitude quote

Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. We are more than the sum of our knowledge, we are the products of our imagination. 

Gaia's blessings to you for the amazing world we are priviledged to live on, may we send our gratitude every day to our Mother Earth and all she provides for us.

*´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.


Alison

I am at one with nature, riding the beautiful rhythms of the universe. Positive inspirational quote

I am at one with nature, riding the beautiful rhythms of the universe.

We can all learn more by being in touch with nature and following her natural rhythms. You only need to spend some time in the company of trees to remember the riches nature has to give to us.

Sparkly blessings, Alison 

*´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.

Beautiful picture is by DenisSavoie.com

All life is sacred, no matter how small. Positive inspirational quote on Gaia

All life is sacred, no matter how small. Every living thing has its place on this wonderful, diverse planet or ours that we call Gaia.

This little frog was from our pond this summer. I  never cease to be amazed by the transformation from frog spawn to tadpole and then to frog, it is truly a wonder to watch. These little frogs jumping around in the grass always remind me how special this planet it is and how lucky we are to be able to share it with such and amazing array of living beings. 

Gaia's blessings to you, Alison

Autumn Equinox, Mabon Celebrations, Traditions and History

Mabon/Autumn Equinox

 On the 21st September it is the Autumn Equinox, or Mabon. The holiday of Autumn Equinox or Mabon, is also known as Harvest Home, Harvest’s Height, the Feast of the Ingathering, Mell Day, Kirn Feast, Vela Laiks in Latvia, Meán Fómhair or Alban Elfed (Druidic)

Nature is in perfect balance at this time of year, this is an ideal time for you, your family and friends to appreciate all that is around you.  At the Equinox, day and night are of exactly equal length. It is at this time the sun truly rises in the east and sets in the west.

At Mabon we celebrate the harvest. Festivals take place nowadays all around the world to give thanks for the marvelous bounty the earth has provided for us. We see harvest festivals and Thanksgiving celebrations taking place at this time of year and it is a wonderful time of joy, of being with family and of remembering to offer gratitude for all that we have.

The legend behind Mabon comes from Welsh history. Mabon ap Modron is the son of Modron who is called the Great Goddess, Duardian of the Otherworld, Protector and Healer. He  is the “Great Son of the Great Mother” andknown as the Son of Light.

At the moment of the Autumn Equinox Mabon is taken from his mother when only three days old. Modron cries in sweet sorrow and his whereabouts are veiled in mystery. Mabon is eventually freed at Yule (Winter Solstice), with the aid of the ancient and wise animals: Stag, Raven, Owl, Eagle and Salmon. Some legends state that King Arthur himself was Ma    Mabon’s rescuer.  Apparently Mabon has been a happy captive dwelling in Modron’s magickal Otherworld- Modron’s womb. The story shows how only from such a place of nuturing can Modron come forth and bring such light into the world. He is regenerated and re-born from his time in the warmth and comforting strength of the Earth Mother to bring new life forward.

Mabon’s story reminds us of the importance of periods of rest and recuperation. It is during these times that we gather the strength to spring forward with renewed vigor ready to face the world and all its challenges. The earth is our strength and we can draw from that strength.

Christian Britain replaced the Welsh Mabon with St Michael, to whom churches on many sacred Pagan sites were erected. The Autumnal Equinox became known as the Christian Feast of Michaelmas.  Michael is seen as the greatest of all archangels and is credited with defeating Lucifer, he is seen as the protector of darkness.

Mabon byB-a-s-t-e-t

Other cultures also identified this season with their own mythologies. In ancient Rome, it was a celebration to Mercury or Apollo. We also think of the legend Demeter and Persphone at this time as the Autumn equinox is the time that Persphone leaves her mother and goes to join Hades in the underworld.

The Druids call this festival of Mabon Mea'N Fo'mhair and honor the Green Man by making offerings of beverages like mead and cider to the trees.

Mabon marks the completion of the grainharvest begun during Lughnasadh or Lammas. 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 harveharvest are characteristic during this harvest time. As at Lammas the making of corn dollies from the last sheaf of corn that is harvested is a typical custom.

The corn dollies that were made from the last sheaves of the harvest were often carried from house to house in a game where people tried to run back without anybody taking the dolly from them. This could be an early form of the American football game. The corn dolly was then displayed in a position of honour in the home, perhaps above the hearth as she embodied the spirit of the harvest. The Mabon corn dolly is then 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.

Many celebrations revolved around the crowning of the harvest King and Queen.  The English folk song “Lavender Blue, Lavender Green” was a song that grew out of Mabon traditions. Blue is the color of the Harvest Lord and green of the Harvest Lady. Hay rides were a popular custom as families rode the hay wagon back from the harvest, singing songs about the bountiful harvest in readiness for the harvest that they were about to partake of. Then would follow a wonderful Mabon harvest festival, a feast that brought the whole community together, young and old alike. All joined in celebration for this wonderful bounty that Mother Nature had provided.

Contained within the harvesting of the crops is the mystery of life and death in the image of Lohn Barylecorn, the Wicker Man or corn Man. Images of the Wicker Man were burnt in order to ensure a bountiful harvest for the coming year.

Image Magickal Graphics

In Scotland and Wales, Mabon wines were poured onto the ground to honour the aging Goddess as she moved into her  Crone aspect. In Celtic lands blackberry wine was a Celtic specialty, especially in Ireland, where blackberries are sacred to the goddess Brigit.

In Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall burial mounds or Cairns were often visited during Mabon to honour the spirits of dead ancestors. This was to appease the dead so that when they visited at Samhain they would be kindly and would be wishing goodwill upon the living. It was believed that the balance of light and dark at this time of the equinox would act like an equilateral cross and offer protection from any negative spirits that may be inhabiting and burial grounds. An apple was often left to honour dead ancestors at their burial site. Apples have been viewed as sacred in many cultures and have been associated with knowledge and immortality. They are said to be a symbol of the Goddess because the centre reminds us of the womb when we look at the seeds representing the growing life that hides inside. 

In China, Taiwan and Vietnam the equinox is celebrated with the Moon festival also known as Mooncake festival or Zhongqui Festival. This festival honours Chang’e the lunar Goddess and it commemorates the only day in the year that she can visit her husband Houyi who lives on the sun. Because of this it is seen as a celebration of the balance of yin and yang. Traditions associated with the Mooncake festival include eating mooncakes(not surprisingly!) lighting lanterns, matchmaking, and Fire Dragon Dances.

In Japan, Higan is a Buddhist holiday celebrated at both the time of the autumn and spring equinoxes. Higan is seen in Buddhist terms as crossing from the shore of ignorance and suffering to the other shore of Enlightenment and peace. Celebrations typically involve honouring ancestors, cleaning and decorating their graves.

So we see a tradition of harvest and thanksgiving festivals still taking place around our globe today. It is perhaps not quite as acute as it was to our ancestors and we are not as close to the earth as they used to be. After all generally most of us do have enough food to eat and are not so dependent on a good harvest. We are lucky enough to be able to shop at our local supermarket for a wide variety of food from around the globe. However just because we are no longer so dependent on the success of the harvest this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give thanks to our mother earth at this time for the food that she provides for us.

Ashleen O’Gaea explains in Celebrating the Seasons of Life:  Beltane to Mabon:

…When we celebrate the harvest at Mabon, we are right to enjoy our successes, our accomplishments, and the work we’ve done to enhance our lives.  We are right to enjoy pooling and sharing our resources with our friends and our loved ones.  But it’s also appropriate to celebrate the harvest in a much wider sense, and to be especially aware of our day-to-day, breath-to-breath interactions that are a continuous cycle of harvest

We should not therefore be only thankful for the harvest at this time of year but for everything that is good in our lives.

Maybe you would like to conduct your own Mabon celebrations based on those festivities carried out by our ancestors. There is more information on this on my post on Mabon activities

Mabon is also a time of year to slow down a little and reflect. Don’t rush forward hastily but let the autumn be a fallow period if necessary. Use this time as nauture does, to lie fallow if you need to be whilst you look within at your life. Be understanding with yourself, treat yourself as Mabon within his Mother’s womb before you emerge forth with love and light. Think about what you like in your life and what you would like to change. It is a good time to give thanks for the good, to release that which isn’t good and is not serving a purpose any more in your life.  Mabon is a good time to get in touch with your ability to change, to bring warmth to cold situations, to bring light into dark situations and areas of your life. Use this time of balance, to look closely at the balance in our life. How do you balance your personal needs with your commitments to the outside world? How do you receive and how do you give?

Enjoy the sense of balance to your life that the Autumnal Equinox will bring. Don’t push anything, let your days take their own pace just as nature does and you may be surprisingly pleased by the results that you see. Enjoy this wonderful season as the leaves start to turn from green to golden blackberries appear in our hedgerows. And once again marvel at the wonders of the turning of the Wheel.

Mabon blessings of bountiful light to you, Alison