Welcome Mabon/Fall

Every culture has it's beliefs, rituals and traditions associated with the seasons.  The transition from summer into fall is no exception.  As I look around me I see baskets of summer flowers on my neighbors' porches being replaced by mums and pumpkins.  In more rural areas, the farmers have been busy bailing hay for the winter, and are beginning to gather the bounty from the summer harvest.  Apple picking, of course, is at it's height and abundance.

The Autumnal Equinox, or the holiday Mabon as it is known in Celtic and Pagan cultures, ushers in these seasonal changes and welcomes the second harvest.  This is the time of year when the sun shines equally on both hemispheres.  The days and nights are of equal length, but we begin to move from the light half of the year to the dark half.  The leaves turn, the birds migrate, and we start our cyclical descent into winter.

As I observe everything around me starting to wind down, Mabon, much more then the Thanksgiving holiday, feels like the most natural place in the year to pause and be grateful for all the blessings and experiences that I have had.  To re-view it all, in it's entirety on a cyclical but equal basis.  This year in particular my personal wheel of life truly has experienced it all.  A death, a (soon to be) birth, and a developing creative re-birth.  I'm thankful for it all these things.  They continue to shape and guide me to be the person I am, and have yet to become.

Enjoy your day ~

diane fergurson

Autumn Hay photo courtesy of Nellie Levine

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The Fall Garden, Mabon and Harvesting Herbs

Mabon (the Fall Equinox) arrives on Saturday (September 21), and once again I find 

myself winding things down in my garden, harvesting...getting ready for the change of season.  

In pagan religions Mabon is a time of reflection, reaping and thanking Mother Nature 

for all that she has provided us with during the fertile summer months.  

In the Daoist tradition it is also a time to begin the 

journey within, preparing for the colder months where we will reflect, rest and regenerate.

Allowing ourselves to flow with the natural rhythms of the 

seasons and the energy they contain is something 

that is vital to our well being.

It's essential for good health - physically, mentally and spiritually.

With this in mind, looking at the tangle of herbs in my garden,

I know that my once vibrant, abundant basil will now become pesto, my
rosemary will be transplanted and brought into the house, and most 

of the other herb varieties will begin the drying process
so that they can be utilized during the winter months.

Last year I harvested and dried an amazing amount of herbs.  

When the dining room table overflowed (and I dreamed of having my own 

"herb room" in the house) I ended up purchasing and using an additional, circular

hanging drying rack from Amazon.  It really helped, and I would definitely
recommend getting one if you dry herbs!

The herbs (and also dried roses) then went into small jars that I bought very
inexpensively at the dollar store.  The dried herbs were then given out as gifts to delighted
friends and family at our annual Christmas Eve party... 

 

 

...and found their way into the pots of some very
appreciative cooks! This is definitely a fall
tradition I plan to continue!

Enjoy the season!

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The Balance and Blessings of Autumn

I’m not sure what excites me about this time of year. On one hand, I feel a hesitative approach to fall, as the days grow colder and I know that soon I will need to order oil to heat the house, and (sigh) get the snow shovel out, and I almost wish I could slow the progress to the colder months of the year. But, on the other hand, my soul is stirred by the crispness of the air, the clearness of the sky, the urgency of the birds – I see more woodpeckers these days and hear more blue jays and crows in the trees. There is a wildness all about, as leaves begin to change their colors with sudden abandon, and are carried in circles by the wind, to the ground.

With the autumnal equinox (or Mabon, as many pagans call it), light begins to die, as the days become shorter and darkness grows. But with these shortening, cooling days, we are provided with sustenance and security. Pumpkins and apples, corn stalks and hay bales – these symbols of fall offer comfort, as do the rich fall hues of orange, gold, red, and brown, the delicious aromas of slowly baked and roasted foods, and the warmth of ovens and wood-fires. We are nourished with deep goodness, to face the dimming days, to accept and understand darker aspects of the natural cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

The autumnal equinox is a harvest holiday in pagan traditions, and as such, is a wonderful time to put on a feast featuring locally grown foods, expressive of thanks for the abundance we have been given. It is also a great time to allow balance in one’s life – as day and night are equal on this day, so might we find equilibrium within.

If you are interested in reading more about the autumnal equinox as a holiday, you may enjoy these books:

Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon by Ellen Dugan

Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox by Kristin Madden

~ Nellie Levine


Nellie's beautiful image, Pumpkins and Red Mums, is available in her shop on Etsy.

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Lughnasadh – Celebrating the Early Harvest

Millstone by Nellie Levine

As August approaches, the hay fields are tended. Around the corner from my house is a large field that at this time of year is dotted with newly collected hay bales. Cattails grow tall by the water, and black-eyed Susans, tiger lilies, and goldenrod paint the landscape in rich yellow and orange. It is the time of the early harvest – in European pagan tradition there are several harvest festivals, and Lughnasadh, which is celebrated on August 1^st, is the earliest.


 Although many of us do not live an agricultural life, it goes without saying that we still certainly appreciate the importance of the harvest in our lives. Whether or not we grow our own vegetables or bake our own bread, as we smell the sweet scent of apples, run our fingers through silky smooth grain, or drink summer’s sweet berry wine, we feel and connect to the land’s vitality. The spirit of growth and abundance is within us.

Traditionally, this was a time to harvest the first grains of the season, and to bake and share fresh bread. It was also a time to recognize our crafts and skills or begin to learn new ones, and in some areas, it was a time for old-fashioned job or hiring fairs. It was an acknowledgement of labor and the fruits of that labor. The god Lugh was honored, bonfires burned for three days, and deep in our ancestral past, a symbolic grain king would be sacrificed. 

Lughnasadh was also a time for harvesting as well as blessing many herbs that would be used throughout the year. Nine herbs were particularly sacred, and they included arnica, calendula, dill, lovage, mugwort, sage, tansy, valerian, and yarrow. These herbs were gathered by women before the sun rose, and were tied together into bundles, which were then decorated with wildflowers.

At the time, each of these herbs was believed to bring specific health, culinary, or magical benefits. A few examples:

·         Arnica – anti-inflammatory, protective against demons, an herb of Freya

·         Calendula – wound-healing, referred to as “sun bride” in the Middle Ages

·         Dill – aromatic, protective against evil spirits

·         Lovage – spicy, aphrodisiac

·         Mugwort – an important women’s herb

·         Sage – aphrodisiac, used for incense (smudging)

·         Tansy – aromatic, used for expelling worms

·         Valerian – used to calm the nerves and promote sleep, aphrodisiac

·         Yarrow – bitter, cleansing, called the “eyebrow of Venus”

Most of these herbs are still widely used – either as natural remedies, for spell crafting, or simply in cooking, and with the advantage of time and science, we have learned more of their proven benefits. Arnica is a particular favorite in my house, for sprained back muscles and bruises; and our kitchen would not be complete without sage and dill. Calendula is a wonderful, powerfully soothing ingredient in popular salves and balms today, and I know many people who keep valerian capsules or tea on hand, for nights when they have difficulty sleeping.

The act of gathering herbs can be deeply calming, and creating your own herbal teas, tinctures, or powdered formulas can be truly satisfying. Also, incorporating herbs into ritual adds a distinct sense of the magical. Whether or not you can harvest your own herbs, you can purchase any of these from many good sources.

As August 1^st approaches, I have to admit I already feel the first inner stirrings of fall. Perhaps it is a connection to the land that surrounds my home – a being-in-tune-with the roots, the soil, and the cycle of things. But while summer is still here, I plan on celebrating it in fullness. Appreciating all that the land has gifted us with, enjoying the grains, fruits, and vegetables of the season, and allowing myself to be imbued with the heat and sun of these days. 

 ~ Nellie Levine

Note:   Please always research any herb or herbal product fully before using, especially for herbs taken internally. For example, arnica is a terrific ingredient in topical rubs for muscle soreness, but can be toxic when taken internally.

You can find out more about Nellie and her wonderful photography on Cargoh.

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Autumn Blessings and Balance

I’m not sure what excites me about this time of year. On one hand, I feel a hesitative approach to fall, as the days grow colder and I know that soon I will need to order oil to heat the house, and (sigh) get the snow shovel out, and I almost wish I could slow the progress to the colder months of the year. But, on the other hand, my soul is stirred by the crispness of the air, the clearness of the sky, the urgency of the birds – I see more woodpeckers these days and hear more blue jays and crows in the trees. There is a wildness all about, as leaves begin to change their colors with sudden abandon, and are carried in circles by the wind, to the ground.

With the autumnal equinox (or Mabon, as many pagans call it), light begins to die, as the days become shorter and darkness grows. But with these shortening, cooling days, we are provided with sustenance and security. Pumpkins and apples, corn stalks and hay bales – these symbols of fall offer comfort, as do the rich fall hues of orange, gold, red, and brown, the delicious aromas of slowly baked and roasted foods, and the warmth of ovens and wood-fires. We are nourished with deep goodness, to face the dimming days, to accept and understand darker aspects of the natural cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

The autumnal equinox is a harvest holiday in pagan traditions, and as such, is a wonderful time to put on a feast featuring locally grown foods, expressive of thanks for the abundance we have been given. It is also a great time to allow balance in one’s life – as day and night are equal on this day, so might we find equilibrium within.

If you are interested in reading more about the autumnal equinox as a holiday, you may enjoy these books:

Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon by Ellen Dugan
Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox by Kristin Madden

~ Nellie Levine
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