Hail! Journeyer of the Heavens,
Queen of Brightness, King of Magnificence!
Presents of gladness richly bringing,
Autumn sheaves and pink leaves’ fall.
Beneficiant be the guts inside us,
Open be our fingers to all,
Justice to be in equal measure,
Harvest thankfulness our name.
Greeting to the Autumn Equinox
by Caitlín Matthews, A Celtic Devotional
Blessed Mabon! Completely satisfied Equinox!
Hail and welcome on this celebration day of the good turning!
Within the wee hours of two:50am, Jap Daylight time, the Solar moved into the signal of Libra (within the tropical astrology system) and was straight above the Earth’s equator.
That implies that at present is the Equinox, taken from the Latin for “equal evening.” It’s the Autumnal equinox within the northern hemisphere, and the Spring equinox under the equator.
For a short day or so, gentle and darkish are in steadiness. However from at the present time on, till March, within the northern lands, the evening will outlast the daytime.
With the diminishing daylight hours, we transfer from the seasons of planting and development to the time of harvest and relaxation. Our roots attain deep and the Underworld calls. That is the seasonal transition for the Northern Hemisphere from heat into chilly.
In the present day, we Witches and Pagans have fun the Sabbat of the second harvest, the midpoint of the harvest season.
With urgency now, we within the north collect within the remaining bounty of summer season, and put together for Winter. The ultimate harvest at Samhain is just six weeks away.
And under the equator, our pals are searching for indicators of Spring, as their days will now stretch past the nighttime hours, and they are going to be making ready to plant seeds of actual and metaphorical crops for his or her fertile season.
Allow us to want them a most merry Ostara at present!
Traditions of Mabon
Many Druid traditions know this pageant as Alban Elfed (“Mild of the Sea”). Amongst different traditions, this date is called the Witches’ Thanksgiving and lots of Earth-based practitioners name it Mabon. Some lore says that is for Queen Mab of the Faeries, or possibly the Celtic heroine Queen Maeve.
However the title Mabon truly has hyperlinks to the Mabinogion, the traditional tales of Gods and People in Welsh mythology.
The tales of the Mabon are the “tales of the hero.” They derive this which means from “mabon” or “meibon” — which means a younger man or youth. It is usually the title of the God named Mabon ap Modron (Mabon in Welsh means “son”). So it is a reference to the son of the Welsh Goddess Madron. She is the Divine Mom and He’s, merely, the Divine Son.
Most students agree that the Celts didn’t name the Autumn Equinox by the title Mabon. Nevertheless, it appears to me that the invention of this newer adaptation is in step with the high quality historical Celtic observe of adopting festivals, myths, and Deities from different cultures.
At the moment, the Mom Goddess of the Harvest turns into the Previous One, the clever grandmother who teaches us to relaxation after our labors. We additionally honor the Goddess Demeter, who presides over all rising issues, and Her daughter Persephone, who turns into Queen of the Underworld now.
As Persephone descends into the Underworld, Demeter covers her face, and darkness descends, with killing frosts and naked landscapes forward, till Persephone returns at Ostara.
The Stability
The whole lot in Nature is consistently giving to and receiving from the whole lot else. Take into account, nevertheless, that steadiness is sort of by no means a 50-50 equality.
Solely at Spring and Autumn Equinox, a mere two or so days of the yr, are gentle and darkish precisely equal. A fifty-fifty equality shouldn’t be essentially the best, neither is it the pure manner of issues. Actually, it appears to me such a notion is a simplistic idea that may bear bitter fruit, like “a watch for a watch.”
Take into account how the proper steadiness that skilled journalism is supposed to keep up has given equal time to each facet of the problems, no matter its precise relevance or fact. In consequence, a lot of the information has degenerated into an impenetrable hodgepodge of knowledge overload and lack of nuance, hobbling the potential of clear discernment for the citizenry.
And I encounter so many well-meaning individuals struggling to handle their lives, their households, their work, their passions, their leisure — to allow them to be “in steadiness.” But — no shock — it is a uncommon, short-term exception, and almost unimaginable to even briefly obtain, a lot much less preserve.
However a harmonious give and take is the pure manner. This may be true in our lives as effectively, if we might solely have the endurance and perspective.
Giving Thanks by Paying It Ahead
As I’ve realized, and also you studying this certainly know, there are blessings our family members, and Life Herself have given us that we are able to by no means repay equally, beginning with the reward of our very lives from our moms and dads.
But we can provide thanks, and be pleased about our blessings. And we repay them by profiting from all that’s given to us; we pay our thankfulness ahead by our deeds and the way we dwell. Thus it’s becoming that right now the Mom Goddess offers method to the Crone facet of the Goddess, and our hearts flip in the direction of our Ancestors – each of blood and of spirit.
So at present, as we’re gathering in all of the items and blessings of the Goddess, we’ll keep in mind to present one thing again, to make an providing, and to precise our gratitude by doing good for others at each alternative.
It is a time to look again in any respect the issues and folks we’ve got to be grateful for. It is usually a time to take inventory of ourselves, and see how a lot we’ve got grown and altered all year long.
And I might recommend that we see with clear eyes and demand with forceful voices true talking, sincere dealings, and honorable deeds. Let this be a day to weave our strongest magic for justice, righteousness, and equilibrium.
Warmest Needs
To you and all of your beloveds, I want a splendid harvest of these qualities and blessings that nurture what’s greatest and most treasured to you. Could you reap candy abundance and goodness of each sort.
Could your rites be wealthy, magical, and divine. Could steadiness prevail. Blessed be!
