Mabon is a coming

[Labrys]

I'm looking forward to performing our ritual outside...has anyone else been feeling the "pressure" to start spending every single available moment outside while it lasts?   

*Brijrian

The weather here has been unseasonably chilly already, I fear a bit what winter will be like.  So, I am feeling a need for outdoor stuff.  Altho' I don't do a Wiccan Mabon, I do a ritual "Feeding of the Stones" (stones of my big rock circle round the property) at Equinox and am planning on inviting friends down for a meal and possible fire in the new firepit on that occasion. 

I hate to say, I almost feel I MUST have that unusual Equinox time fire in case the weather is so awful by my Samhain (in November this year) that I cannot get one lit out of doors!

[Jennie]

I'm looking forward to performing our ritual outside...has anyone else been feeling the "pressure" to start spending every single available moment outside while it lasts?   

*Brijrian

I'm really looking forward to being able to START spending some time outside as soon as it cools off and dries out a bit.  Maybe in a few months, the way the storms in the Atlantic are going right now...

Looking forward with high anticipation to the most major Sabbat of them all, the End of Hurricane Season and the official start of the Dry. (Alas, months away...)


P.S.

You may be a Florida Pagan if:

You refer to the directions of movement in the Circle as "Sunwise" and "Windwise".

You have ever been tempted to work magic to get a hotel reservation as far from the beach as possible.

Your covenstead is the local hurricane shelter.

At your last ritual, you represented the Elements with Sterno, cases of bottled water, sandbags, and a battery-powered fan.

You have altars erected to the storm gods of 157 cultures, and can recite the rituals associated with their worship in flawless detail - and that just counts the ones in your "safe room".

You have ever had a serious discussion about whether you should put up the plywood over your windows in a sunwise or windwise sequence.

You have pentagrams displayed in every window of your home, since that is the shape you applied the tape in.

The term "skyclad" makes you think of storm shutters.

[Lark]

The term "skyclad" makes you think of storm shutters

And here I thought it meant how you practiced after the roof blew off!

-Lark-

[Jennie]

And here I thought it meant how you practiced after the roof blew off!

ROFLMAO!!

[stargazer]

For myself, I am enjoying the freshness of tomatoes from my garden.  Looking forward to squash, and harvesting herbs.
Apples, soon, for munching and pie!

This is my favorite time of year.  This year, there are wild turkeys in the field not to far from my house, and it has been a lot of fun watching them, and listening to them talk.

[Lark]

I just picked the first crop of apples ever from my Granny Smith apple tree yesterday and made them into tasty apple sauce.

The air is beginning to smell like fall around here.  There is bit of coolness to it, and a hint of smoke from where our neighbors are curing their tobacco.  The leaves on the sycamores are beginning to turn yellow and soon the walnuts will be ripening.

Yep, it's fall.

-Lark-

[Zenon]

I haven't been on this board for months!  But even though I can't follow the discussions because of work and family and all sorts of things, I always remember all the cool people here!!!

BLESSED MABON TO ALL!

[Rowan CedarWolf]

This is the ritual my group wrote and used tonight for Mabon I thought I would share it with all of you.

Mabon


Theme & Purpose: This is the time of the second harvest. The bounty of the Earth has
continued to noursih and sustain us, with out it we are lost. Therefore the theme of
tonight's ritual is one of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Circle Casting:
(With Wand) Lord and Lady, I ask that you fill this wand with your divine power,
so that together we may create a safe haven between the worlds where all are loved and protected.
(With Censer) Lord and Lady, I ask your blessings on these elements of Air and Fire, so I may
fill this space with inspiration and warmth.
(With Water) Lord and Lady, I ask your blessings on these elements of Water and Earth, so
I may seal this circle with love and, solidarity.

The Circle is cast let the Quarters be called!

East Call: Gentle breezes of the East,
I call to you now.
I ask that you bring wisdom and inspiration to this Rite.
Hail and Welcome!

All: Hail and Welcome!


South Call: Glowing flames of the South,
 I call to you now.
I ask that you bring warmth and passion to this Rite.
Hail and Welcome!

All: Hail and Welcome!


West Call: Life giving Waters of the West,
I call to you now.
I ask you to bring tranquility and peace to this Rite.
Hail and Welcome!

All: Hail and Welcome!


North Call: Wondrous mountains of the North,
 I call to you now.
I ask that you help to keep us grounded
and that you bring stability to this Rite.
Hail and Welcome!

All: Hail and Welcome!


Goddess Call: O, Great Goddess, Mother of all,
Bountiful Giver of life and sustenance!
We ask you presence here with us tonight
as we give thanks for all your many blessings.
Hail and Welcome!

All: Hail and Welcome!


God Call: Golden Lord, Father of all that is,
      Great provider, you who gives of himself,
      for our survival. I call to you this night
      and ask you to attend this Rite,
As we gather in your honor.
Be with us now!
Hail and Welcome!

All: Hail and Welcome!


Working: This is the time of the Second harvest, a time to show gratitude for all
blessings bestowed upon us. I would like all of us to take a moment and reflect upon
all that has been given unto us, and to consider what our lives would be like if we had
not received these blessings. Then each of us in turn will come to the altar and state what
we are thankful for, for each blessing named, take a flower petal from this bowl and
place it into the cauldron and say:
"Lord and Lady, I am grateful for ______________, (name as many as you wish), I thank
you for your many blessings. Blessed be!"

All: Blessed be!

Prayer: Now that everyone has had a turn naming their blessings, I would like to take this Opportunity to ask the Lord and Lady to bless those less fortunate then ourselves.
"Lord and Lady, at this time when we are full of your blessings, we realize just how fortunate we are to have been given so much. We ask that you bestow blessings such as these unto those who have not been as blessed.
So mote it be!"

All: So mote it be!


Ale Blessing:  In the names of the Lord and Lady
I bless this ale.
May the power of their love
 fill our bodies and souls
With love and energy,
now and always.
So mote it be!

All: So mote it be!


Cake Blessing: In the names of the Lord and Lady,
I bless these cakes!
May the energy of their blessed union nourish and sustain us,
both now and always.
So mote it be!

All: So mote it be!


God Release: Great father, I thank you for being with us this night,
May your love and light remain with us always.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

All: Hail and Farewell!


Goddess Release: O, Great Goddess! We thank you for joining us tonight!
We bid you now farewell. Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

All: Hail and Farewell!


North Release: North, powers of Earth,
I thank you for sharing your gifts of stability and for keeping us grounded.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

All: Hail and Farewell!

West Release: West, powers of Water,
I thank you for sharing your gifts of tranquility and peace.
Stay if you, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

All: Hail and Farewell!

South Release: South, powers of Fire,
I thank you for sharing your gifts of warmth and passion.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

All: Hail and Farewell!

East Release: East, powers of Air,
I thank you for sharing your gifts of wisdom and inspiration
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

All: Hail and Farewell!

Opening of Circle: Our circle is open, but never broken.

All: Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!

[Brijrian]

Very nice ritual! I like it. I really like the bit where you take a petal and state all that you are thankful for as you put it in the cauldron.

My group had a lovely rite yesturday in a public park. We found a lovely spot where three huge trees made a triangle and celebrated in and among them. We remembered our successes (and what we planted and tended to achieve them) and our failures (and what we planted and tended to achieve those too!), recognizing both as learning tools, and remembering to keep balance in our lives.

It was so peaceful and soulful to be there among the trees and friends, celebrating the turning of the Wheel...

I love my religion!

*Brijrian

[Rowan CedarWolf]

That sounds really lovely Brij, I wish I could practice outside more often, but the neighbors are not that tolerant.

[Lark]

Very nice, Bri.

I actually spent Saturday getting to know the Gardnerian coven I have begun to train with and sharing their Mabon celebration with a huge feast of thanksgiving.

Tonight I will be holding a private celebration and making offerings to my Gods, my land spirit, and the ancestors.   Nothing fancy, just some quiet time under the moon.

-Lark-