Mabon 2

Mabon

By Ishtar Tariel Nimara Ebonwing

A Celebration to Honor Mabon the Autumnal Equinox. This ritual was not performed. It is here for refrerence.

The sun begins to wane, days shorten and nights lengthen. As the harvest is continues the life of the god wanes as well. This marks the year’s sunset. As this celebration is the last one of the year it is also the holiday of tying up loose ends. We have a chance to reflect and appreciate the upcoming year and pay for what we received last year.

Colors: Dark colors, Grey, purple, blue, parti-color themes to mark balance, such as purple and green

Themes: Balance, harvest, pumpkins, corn, gourds, haystacks, scarecrows, grapes, vines, karma, justice, tying up loose ends

Dieties: Dionysus

Ingredients:

*Altar Decorations

*Ritual Tools

*Mineral Salts (or Epsom Salts)

*Rubbing Alcohol

*Fire resistant container

*Athame (you can use your finger instead)

*Besom (Optional)

*Altar

*Tools you will need for any personal spells

*Chalice

*Bowl

*Candles (in the colors you'll need for your spell, altar and an additional white candle)

*Supplies for any other spells you will be casting

*Something to mark the directions is handy (such as a blue candle in the west, ect), or even a symbol, totem or other item to help you remember which direction is which.

*Bread (or cakes, cookies, Twinkies, whatever, natural is preferred though)

*Ale (or other natural liquid, milk during the full moon, grain based during lesser sabbats)

*Plate

Mabon Ritual

Cleanse the area with the mineral salts and alcohol. You do this by assembling everyone and placing the salts in a fire resistant container (they will leave a residue, so something like a disposable tin foil container is best). Soak the salts with the alcohol.

Behold, as these salts burn we see

All negative energy said by me

Transformed, consecrated and bless-ed

By the power the god and goddess vested

By the blessings of three on three

This salt is transmuted, So mote it be

Everyone Repeats:

So Mote it be!

Now, with a blessed candle/match/lighter you light the mineral salts on fire. The sacred fire will raise the energy of the ritual. Let the salts burn a moment and let everyone meditate on the flames as this happens. Then say softly:

This sacred dancing flame that blazes here

Strengthens us and dispels ill and fear

Moving, changing, altering flame

Our hearts opened, we are never the same

For within this expanding fire and light

The vibration rises our own this night

Negativity is changed and positive will shift it

The circle is cleansed and we are cleansed with it

Let the fire burn out then say:

Behold, it is done

So mote it be

Everyone Repeats:

So Mote it be!

CAST THE CIRCLE

Begin by clearing and releasing all excess energy from yourself then stand in or near the place you first wish to cleanse for your ritual. You can invite any of your Spirit Guides if you like.

Turn to the person deosil to you and take their hand and say:

In Perfect love and perfect trust

I cast the sacred circle thus

As the circle goes around, each person repeats this to the person deosil to them until everyone is holding hands. Then say:

Gathered and blessed this sacred night

We call upon our loving bond of light

Each of us calls our inner love

To keep us safe below and above

Take a moment, then decide on your intention and speak something like:

Behold, I do cleanse this place

Keeping pure this sacred space

I send negativity to the Mother

To recycle for something other

Visualize cleansing, white shining flames filling the area until it is simply pure, white light filling the area. You can see it as black “dust” and you can see the white light pushing it out of the area, back to the Deity where it can be used for other, more positive purposes.

If you have a besom and you would like to use it in the ritual, you can visualize the white light emanating from the besom and you begin sweeping counterclockwise (tuathail). You sweep out the black “dust” that is tainting your holy space by starting form the inside of your sacred space, then outwards. As you sweep, you can chant:

This circle I cleanse with this broom

May no evil now enter this room

Next, visualize the white light that has filled the room, filling now with a pure blue light and take your athame and draw a circle around you deocil, starting in the east, or walk the circle if its large. Draw the circle three times and as you do so, chant:

I do hereby bless this space

Blessed be to Mother's grace

From the mundane I cut away

To enter the realm of Gods and Fae

As you cut yourself form the mundane world and enter into the “magical” world, see the cut of the athame turning into brilliant blue flames and the blue light that was filling the room is now bolstering the blue flames, creating a powerful shield.

Now you call the quarters. You begin by letting brilliant alabaster light fill the circle. Start at the east and raise your athame and say:

I Call to the

Eastern Guardian of Air's power

Mind and Intellect's watchtower

Elemental of Air, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Step to the South, raise your athame and say:

I Call to the

Southern Guardian of Fire's power

Passion and action's watchtower

Elemental of Fire, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Step to the West, raise your athame and say:

I Call to the

Western Guardian of water's power

Emotion's sacred watchtower

Elemental of water, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Step to the North, raise your athame and say:

I Call to the

Northern Guardian of Earth's power

Integration's honored watchtower

Elemental of earth, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Now, go stand in front of your altar and raise your Athame skyward and say (or invoke the god however you prefer):

Guardian God celestial and above

I ask for protection, power and love

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone then repeats:

Hail and Welcome!

Next, imagine the god entering the circle in whatever way feels comfortable to you. Now, say (or invoke the goddess however you prefer):

Mothering Goddess celestial and above

I ask for protection, power and love

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone then repeats:

Hail and Welcome!

Next, imagine the goddess entering the circle in whatever way feels comfortable to you. Now you are ready to progress with the Mabon Festival itself. You begin by talking a little about Mabon and its meanings.

Mabon, that sacred Equinox of Fall

Night and Day balanced and equal

His power wanes as he ages to be king

Karma, the divine plan, balances all things

Let us focus on that balance in our lives

Everyone Repeats:

Let us focus on that balance in our lives

Now, you may lead a meditation to provide balance and balance the chakras. You might use the symbolism of the balanced day and night.

Clear and release

tension, stress & sadness trickle away to the earth for better purpose

Our heart chakra is a ball of clear white sun (or cleanse it)

A beam of earth goes to the earth until it enters the earth's core

The warm amber magma fills you and fills your heart chakra

The golden magma fills your whole body

savor, feel and suffuse yourself with the energy as it turns golden

Send another beam of light to the sky

heavenly energy, cool, analytical, mercurial and precise silvery blue light

This cool, white-blue light fills our heart chakras, then our bodies

now, it is balanced, the divine mother and divine father are balanced

Now, once again clear and release the excess energy from the meditation then continue the ritual.

Spells/Magic

here is where you would cast any spells or other rituals you wanted to perform.

Libations

Take some sort of (natural) liquid and pour it into the chalice/bowl and say:

We give honor in perfect love and perfect trust

May this nectar of the ripened fruits nourish us

The god gives of himself to create the vine

and joins with the goddess to make the sacred wine

Take a sip of the liquid then pass deosil to your neighbor and say “may you never thirst”

Next, pick up the plate of bread and say:

We give honor in perfect love and perfect trust

May this bread of fallen grain restore us

The god and goddess joined in honor and love

The cycle everlasting, as below it is also above

Take a bite of the bread then pass deosil to your neighbor and say “may you never hunger.” If this is being done on a large scale, sometimes at this time you will have a feast. The first person to partake of the food is the one who finishes it off, sealing the ongoing cycle of life and death. A portion of each liquid and cake is left as an offering on the ground.

Closing the Circle

Now it is time to thank the guardians of your circle. Begin by raising your athame aloft and point it heavenwards and say:

God and Goddess, I thank you,

If you are going, I bid adieu,