#thanksgiving

Mabon (typically pronounced MAY-bun although there are various other ways) is a Wiccan Sabbat located at the Autumn equinox where day and night are balanced. Mabon is also the second harvest festival of the year generally falling between the dates of September 20th and the 23rd. Many Druids refer to this Sabbat as Mea'n Fo'mhair and honor the Green Man by offering libations to the trees of the forest. Cider, mead, wine, and fertilizer are also great offerings to the Earth at this time. As we descend more into the darkness we celebrate the Goddess as she moves on from her aspect of the Mother and into her aspect as the Crone. We also begin to acknowledge the slow death of the sun as we begin to near Samhain.

Some may say that the Sabbat itself is named after Mabon, the Welsh God of Light. He is the son of the Earth Goddess known as Modron. According to what little we know of the God Mabon, his birth was celebrated upon the Autumn equinox to Modron. When he was three days old, and in other versions three years old, he was stolen from his mother. In one version he is rescued by certain animals: the Owl, the Eagle, the Blackbird, the Salmon, and the Stag. In another version he is rescued by none other than King Arthur himself. In some versions he is liberated from Gloucester and in others he was imprisoned within the womb where he grew strong before being reborn as the Child of Light.

Another myth commonly associated with Mabon is that of Persephone and Demeter. Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, was taken captive by Hades, God of the Underworld. Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture, was distraught over the loss of her daughter and spiraled into a terrible depression and rage where she threw the world into famine. Seeking the aid of Hecate, Demeter was able to locate Persephone in the Underworld. As humanity began to waste away from the terrible famine that had befallen them, Zeus reached out to Demeter to strike a deal. It was said that if it could be proven that Persephone stayed with Hades against her will then she would be allowed to return home with her mother. Upon the day this meeting was to take place between the deities, Hades tricked Persephone into eating from the the forbidden fruit of the Underworld. She ate six pomegranate seeds ensuring that she would remain with her new husband. With the threat of famine and the ending of humanity, Zeus made the final ruling that Persephone would remain in the Underworld for six months out of the year and spend the other six months upon Earth with Demeter.

According to this myth, Mabon is around the time when Persephone would return to the Underworld with Hades to rule. Demeter would leave her duties unattended plunging the Earth into decline where nothing would grow. This marks the beginning of the fall and winter months. It also displays the balance of light and dark.

Mabon is also known as a day to celebrate with a lavish feast in your best attire. It is considered the Witch’s Thanksgiving where a beautiful feast is prepared from the harvest. We gather the harvest from which we planted back during Imbolc and Ostara. All the hopes and dreams that were sown upon those sabbats now come to fruition with Mabon. One symbol of Mabon that conveys this message is the cornucopia or the Horn of Plenty. It symbolizes the wealth and abundance of the harvest as well as displays the phallic shape of the God and receptiveness of the Goddess.

Another prevalent symbol of Mabon is the apple. When you slice an apple in half width wise, you’ll notice the seeds of the apple create a star or pentagram. The apple is known as the fruit of the harvest. It is a symbol for life, immortality, renewal, and wholeness.

Mabon Apple Charm

What you’ll need:

• One Apple
• Cutting Knife
• Whole Cloves
• Cinnamon Powder
• Parchment Paper
• Pen

Creating the Charm:

The Mabon Apple Charm serves two purposes: cleansing and infusing the home with good will and bringing your intents to fruition. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a sheet of parchment paper that will fit in the bottom of a cookie sheet. Write your intent on the back of the parchment paper and flip it over with the written side down on the cookie sheet. Cut your apple in half width wise to show the pentagram. Press whole cloves into the skin of the apple and sprinkle the cinnamon powder over the to top of the halves. Place both halves of the apple with the sliced sides facing up. Place the cookie sheet with the apples halves into the oven and let bake for 2 hours. As the apples bake, you’ll begin to smell the cinnamon and cloves. Allow the smell to permeate your home.

Once finished, you may take the halves to use in your own Mabon ritual or you may wish to bury them in your garden or give as an offering to your deities. You may also wish to use them as decorations within your cornucopia.

Mabon Correspondences:

Colors: Green, Yellow, Red, Brown, Gold, Orange

Animals: Stag, Goat, Owl, Cat, Wolf, Raven, Crow

Decorations: Pine Cones, Acorns, Gourds, Apples, Pomegranates, Vines, Cornucopia, Dried Seeds and Nuts, Corn

Foods: Apples, Pomegranates, Breads, Nuts, Vegetables, Fruits, Roasted Poultry, Soup

Stones: Yellow Agates, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Amethyst, Yellow Topaz, Tiger’s Eye, Quartz, Carnelian, Citrine

Herbs & Incense: Myrrh, Sage, Benzoin, Marigold, Milkweed, Rose, Solomon’s Seal, Thistle, Tobacco

Gods: Green Man, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, Hades, Zeus, Mabon

Goddesses: Persephone, Demeter, Modron, Epona, Ceres, Morgan, Hecate

Spellwork: Security, Prosperity, Abundance, Self-confidence, Harmony, Balance, Protection

Mabon: A Witch’s Thanksgiving

Mabon (typically pronounced MAY-bun although there are various other ways) is a Wiccan Sabbat located at the Autumn equinox where day and night are balanced. Mabon is also the second harvest festival of the year generally falling between the dates of September 20th and the 23rd. Many Druids refer to this Sabbat as Mea’n Fo’mhair and honor the Green Man by offering libations to the trees of the…

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At this time of year, everyone focuses on how you should be thankful for the good things in your life. However, a lot of people stop at the thinking – they don’t actually go about giving thanks to the people who’ve earned it. So this Thanksgiving, why don’t you go ahead and give your thanks to the following people:

• Your teachers. The people who have shown you how to do something and improve yourself deserve some recognition. They have made you a better person by offering their time, effort and guidance. Make sure they know that you appreciate that.

• Your family. They probably drive you nuts a lot of the time, but you make them a little crazy too. These people have been there for you your whole life, making sure you didn’t do anything too too stupid. Give them thanks – they’ve earned it.

• Your friends. It’s easy to take your friends for granted, but they really don’t have to be there. They go out of their way to make sure you’ve got everything you need, whether that’s a gallon of ice cream or a road trip the beach.

• Your coaches. Nobody has pushed you harder and further, which is why you’re the person you are today. They always knew you had it in you to be better, faster, stronger, so they helped you get there. Reward their faith with your thanks.

Glazed Spiral Cut Ham. Our contribution to the small family Thanksgiving get together this year.

Be Thankful for what you have. Keep your eyes open to see people around you who need help and then help them.

Do those two things and you’ll be happier than 90% of the rest of the world. It’s worked for me. I talk to God each night when I lay down in bed. I start off listing everything that I am thankful for. The list is so long I usually fall asleep before I get around to asking for anything.

When I do make it that far, my most recent “ask” is that God will grant me the ability to see other people the way HE sees them. It’s a process, but I am getting there.

Day 474, Gobble Gobble you turkeys