Mabon Blessings!

The Wheel of the Year is turning into fall and with that comes the fall harvest Sabbats. Mabon falls on September 23rd this year and I'm looking for the colors of fall and enjoying the cooler weather after a summer filled with extremely hot and humid weather.

Mabon, which falls at the Autumnal Equinox, is the second harvest celebration. As at the Spring Equinox, it is a time of balance between light and dark. In the autumn, we move from light to dark and from warmth to cold. It is a time to gather the harvest of summer, apples, grapes, corn, wheat, and vegetables such as squashes and gourds, and prepare for the long winter ahead. It is also a time for thanksgiving and enjoying the bounty set before us.

One of the best known harvest mythologies is the story of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter, was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece. Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter's grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld. These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the Autumn Equinox.

The Sumerian goddess Inanna is the incarnation of fertility and abundance. Inanna descended into the underworld where her sister, Ereshkigal, ruled. Erishkigal decreed that Inanna could only enter her world in the traditional ways, by stripping herself of her clothing and earthly posessions. By the time Inanna got there, Erishkigal had unleashed a series of plagues upon her sister, killing Inanna. While Inanna was visiting the underworld, the earth ceased to grow and produce. A vizier restored Inanna to life, and sent her back to earth. As she journeyed home, the earth was restored to its former glory.

In the British Isles, the ancient name for the goddess of this time was Modron, which means 'mother'. Sometimes she was pictured as a trio of women, each seated on a throne. Together, they were called the 'Mothers'. They were responsible for abundance and sustaining the life of the people in the Celtic myths, as was Modron's son who was stolen away into the underworld. Whenever we feed the hungry, we honor the Mothers.

This Sabbat takes its name from the god 'Mabon'. He was called 'Mabon, son of Modron', which means 'son of the mother'. Mabon is such an ancient god that most of the stories about him have been lost. All we know is that he was stolen away from his mother when he was only three nights old and imprisoned until he was rescued by King Arthur's companions. Because Mabon knows what it is like to be imprisoned, he is also the god of freedom. He frees animals from their cages and loosens the bonds of all those unjustly imprisoned. He protects all things wild and free. His totem animals are the owl, blackbird, stag, eagle and salmon. We honor Mabon when we protect animals and when we work for freedom for all people.

The Mabon altar can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. For a simple altar you can have an arrangement of some of the things harvested that will keep for a few weeks like winter squash, dried corn, wheat, pumpkins, and pomegranates. Autumn leaves, a bouquet of late-blooming flowers, a picture or figurines of animals are also appropriate for your Mabon altar.

Candles in various shades of autumn colors like yellow, red, rust, and orange are also nice additions. You may also add fresh herbs like juniper berries, sage, campunala and cloves. Crystals are also a nice addition and I've included ones like carnelian, red tiger's eye, garnet, orange calcite, and citrine. You can also include incense such as sandalwood and myrrh.

Be sure to get outside as much as possible now and enjoy the sunlight. All too soon, we will be enveloped in darkness and cold as the wheel turns into winter.

Mabon Blessings!

Magical Protection

I'm currently reading a book called 'Reclaim the Power of the Witch - Making Magic Make Sense' by Monte Plaisance. It is an incredible book filled with all kinds of information including the normal stuff you'd find in a book like this, but it also covers information that I hadn't read before or that was maybe slightly glossed over in other books. One of those topics is protection.

Monte states that, next to the athame, the witch's bottle is one of the most important items to be made and it should be done as early in your practice as possible. The witch's bottle is used for protection against another witch's or magician's magick. Also, never let anyone know that you're making the bottle or the reason for doing so.

How to Make a Witch's Bottle

You'll need:

• an empty 6 oz jar with a lid
• a red cloth cut into the shape of a heart
• some of your own hair clippings
• some of your own nail clippings
• 13 iron nails
• 13 black-headed pins
• 1 cup of sea salt

1. Place all the items on your altar and take a few moments to meditate on the task at hand. You are performing a rite of protection for your magical safety.
2. Take the hair and nail clippings and place them into the jar saying: "Here do I present myself."
3. Take the 13 iron nails and place them into the jar saying: "Here are my swords of protection".
4. Take the salt and pour it into the jar saying: "Here is salt to purify me and keep me clean and safe".
5. Take the red heart-shaped cloth - hold it high and say: "Here is the heart of any who wish me harm".
6. Stick all of the 13 black-headed pins into the cloth heart and say: "Let any who wish me harm or any who wish me ill feel the pain of their own heart's hate, rebounded by this witch's will".
7. Place the pin-studded heart into the jar.
8. Next, fill the jar with your own urine. As Monte himself says "I know this sounds rather disgusting, but urine is a very powerful liquid condenser. If you look at your own primal instincts, urinating on something is symbolic of saying how worthless you think it is. This is in effect what you are doing. You are stating, symbolically, that you know any spell that is cast against you is a useless and worthless gesture, and this is the frame of mind you should take while performing this act." Note: If you just can't get past using urine, then it is perfectly acceptable to use wine, apple cider vinegar or blessed salt water.
9. When the jar is filled, or at least halfway so, screw the cap on and paint a protective pentagram in red on the top of the lid. Take the jar out on the night of the new moon and bury it somewhere near your home. As you are burying the jar say: "Blessed Mother of the Darkened Moon, I pray that you grant me this boon. A bottle of protection do I bury here, to protect me from those both far and near. May any curse or magick spell placed on me be dispelled. Rebounded on the sender be. In accordance with the Law of Three".
10. Now cover the jar with dirt and seal the dig by tracing an upright triangle in the soil. Stand up, turn, and walk away without looking back. Once the bottle is buried, it should never be dug up again. To do so would be to release all of the negativity that is has absorbed for you. If another person digs up the bottle, it will have no effect, as the bottle is designed to absorb negativity aimed directly to you. This energy is tied to you and you alone, and cannot affect another person.

If at some point you move, do NOT dig up the bottle and take it with you. The bottle will continue to work for you. However, it is a good idea to make another bottle and bury it at the new location. If at some point you feel you are under attack, it could be that your witch's bottle has broken. In this case, simply make another bottle.

Another way to protect yourself from attack, in this case psychic attack, is to have a protection bath. Begin by preparing for the bath by cleaning out your tub with one capful of ammonia to a gallon of water and scrubbing the tub down. Ammonia is used because it has the magical quality of removing unwanted energy, both good and bad, from an object or dwelling. Be sure to rinse well.

Next fill the tub with water, as cold as you can stand it (between 65 to 70 degrees). To this add three tablespoons of sea salt and one tablespoon of baking soda. Using your athame, place the tip into the water and say: "I exorcise thee O'Creature of Water. Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hence from, and let all good enter herein. In the names of the Great Mother and Father Gods do I purify, bless, and invoke thee." Trace an invoking pentagram on the surface of the water using your wand or index finger of your power hand. The water is now purified and charged to neutralize and cleanse your aura.

You'll need:

• Frankincense
• Dragon's Blood
• Myrrh
• Salt

Use about one teaspoon of each herb placed into a mesh tea bag/ball available from the grocery store. Bring a pint or more of water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Place the herbs into the water, cover, and let steep for about five minutes. Place one cup of the bath tea into your bath water. Kneel in the water, which should come up to your waist, and with a small bucket or large cup begin to scoop up the water and pour it over your head and body. Make very certain that you are complete doused with the water.

While you are pouring the bath water over you, you must visualize yourself as being cleansed and empowered. It is also very important to chant a rhythmic chant stating the purpose of the bath while dousing yourself ~ "A wall of fire around me is twined, Protection and safety now are mine." For the best effect, say the chant and then pour the water over you. Repeat this for several minutes. When done, step out of the bath and dry yourself with a clean white towel.

Another form of protection is to use incense.

You'll need:

• Frankincense
• Myrrh
• Dragon's Blood

Before you begin blending incense it is important to concentrate on why you are doing it. Focus your attention on the purpose at hand and chant the following: "Herbs of Magick do I mix, for (state purpose, in this case protection) these herbs I fix. An incense of mystic scent I blend, its power to my magick lend."

Magical protection is of the utmost importance when practicing and working in magical ways because when performing ritual, the energy you raise is very attractive to a variety of spirits, and they will come and huddle around, waiting to absorb that energy and thereby gain strength.

In most cases, these spiritual entities have no other intent other than to absorb energy, and in most cases are harmless. However, magical protection should be the first type of magical ritual or spell that you learn. And it's not only spirits that you need to be aware of. If you're an out-of-the-broom closet Wiccan or Witch, you will also need to protect yourself from neighbors, co-workers, friends and in some cases, family members, who may be sending negative thought patterns towards you.

You may want to consider spells or rituals to protect your home, business or place of employment (ie your cubicle), against enemies both open and secret, and to remove the effects of bad gossip.

These are just some of the ways you may want to consider in your practice to protect yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Source: Reclaim the Power of the Witch - Making Magic Make Sense ~ Monte Plaisance