Saturday, September 20, 2008

Wiccan Holiday: Mabon--The Second Harvest Festival

Mabon or Autumn Equinox--approximately September 21


Mabon or Autumn Equinox is one of the eight solar holidays and is celebrated on approximately September 21. Also called Harvest Home, Feast of gathering, and Harvest Gift, it is not an official ancient festival in name or date. Mabon is one of the newer holidays and is considered the second harvest festival, which celebrates the bringing of the fruits, nuts and berries that would grow wild. Although the spirit of the holiday is agricultural related, spiritually it is also the harvesting of the sweeter rewards and receiving of unearned blessings. As the Divine has provide the wild harvest, so does she/he/it bestow miracles on those whose words and deeds have been blessings in others lives. It is a time when unexpected gifts are given to the loved ones in your life and the receiving of unpetitioned blessings from the Divine

With the day and night having equal power, so are the feminine and masculine energies evenly balanced. Both female and male deities are honored equally. Although the Sabbath is named for Mabon, the Welsh God who symbolized the male fertilizing principle, Persephone is also honored as she makes her return visit to the underworld, signally the upcoming close to the yearly harvest. On this day, rituals of thanksgiving for blessings already received and prayers for protection during the up coming winter months are performed. As the cycle of the year continues so hours of daylight shrink as will the influence of the masculine energy until Yule or Winter Solstice when the Sun God is again reborn.

Light a two hour white candle and say:


On this day of equal dark and light,
I light this candle to be a beacon in the night.
May its flame shine brightly both night and day
for those those who are lost their hope and their way.

As I have been blessed with miracles from many others
I offer my services to to do the same for my sisters and brothers.
For we are all family in the Divine's eye
which weaves a web connecting us all in one family tie.

As for me I do my best to say
thank you each and ever day.
For the blessings that have come my way
I am grateful and ask for (what you want)enter my life with out delay.

May it come quickly and with great speed
so that my new path can begin with this great deed.
With harm toward none, I do ask
to bring this quickly so I may start my tasks.

With the coming of the sun,
let the past finally be done.
Let this new beginning start
as the dawn makes the shadows part.

With hope and faith I say to thee
thank your for the blessings given to me.

Let the candle burn down and out. In the next week,do three kindnesses for others without expecting anything in return.


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