“Monday, Monday, so good to me”
By Kate Braun / The Rag Blog / September 18, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008 is Mabon, the Fall Equinox. Lady Moon moves from her third quarter in Gemini to her fourth quarter in Cancer, prompting the centered energy of this water sign to reinforce the balancing energies of Lord Sun’s Libra. This is a festival about abundance, as well as balance, as its alternative names of Second Harvest, Harvest Home, and Cornucopia indicate. Part of enjoying abundance is sharing, so encourage your guests to take some of the leftovers home. The giving and accepting of abundance promotes more abundance for both the giver and the receiver.
Encourage your guests to join you in dressing in warm colors: red, orange, maroon, deep gold, russet, brown and dark violet. Use these colors also for your altar and table decorations. There are many items that can be used to signify the season in your decorating: gourds, pine cones, apples, and horns of plenty are but a few. As this is a celebration of balance, a scales filled with acorns, grapes, and/or autumn leaves would make a lovely centerpiece.
The focus of your menu should be the fruits of this Second Harvest: nuts, root veggies (onions, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, etc.), berries, apples, pomegranates, garlic, cider, fruit wine, bread. Add some roast beef or chicken and a few cheeses for your non-vegan friends.
This festival is sacred to Cerridwen, a water-oriented Goddess of Autumn. The Druids honored The Green Man at this time by offering libations to trees. You may honor both deities by leading your guests to a favorite tree, surrounding it, singing to it, and giving it a gift of blessed water and/or wine. Don’t forget to include the nature fairies and other elementals in this ritual; a thimble filled with wine and a few berries or nuts will provide a feast for them.
In addition to contemplating balance in all its aspects in your life, this is a time to start a project to work on over the winter. Traditionally, quilts were started about now, for example, although making plans to Feng Shui your home room by room would also be a long-term winter project worth starting. This is also a time to give thanks. For friends and family, for the food on the table, the clothes we wear, the work we do, the goodnesses in our lives. Be specific in your thankfulness.
An activity that you and your guests might enjoy is the making and planting of a corn dolly. Using fresh corn husks, about 3, bend them in half and use a strip of corn husk to tie off a small bit at the bend to form the dolly’s head; decide where the waist should be, twist the corn husks at this point and tie them with another strip of corn husk. If necessary, use garden twine instead of corn-husk-strips, but do not use twisties or metal; natural fibers such as cotton or hemp are preferred. Fluff out the skirt and your corn dolly is finished. Sprinkle her with a few drops of wine and tell her the qualities and goals you choose to work on over the winter. Write this down for future reference. Then bury her in your garden or back yard or under a tree, as you would plant a seed you want to grow vigorously. Plan to visit the site periodically; use it during the Dark Time to meditate on what you have sown. When celebrating the Spring Equinox, look at what your goals were and see what strides you have made towards achieving them.
Reminder: I will be Elaine Ireland’s guest on her Live-on-the-internet-radio-talk-show at 9 PM CDT on Thursday, September 18. To hear this program, Going Global For Spirit,, go to www.bbsradio.com, click on Channel 1, check the drop-down menu for the program and click on it. There is also a toll-free number to call if you have questions or comments or would like a short Tarot reading from me.
Tarot by Kate 512-454-2293
www.tarotbykateinaustin.com
kate_braun2000@yahoo.com
Kate, you make me want to have a feast! Delicious!