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Called the Celtic 'Festival of the Vine', Alban Elfed, Meán Fómhair, Autumn Equinox, 2nd Harvest, September 21st
and Mabon by some.
The Autumn Equinox is the second of the harvest festivals. It is a time of balance, as it divides the day and night equally. The
sun is now fading from the sky, as the hours between dusk and dawn shift to become greater than those of daylight.
One of the quarter days of the
year and a Lesser Sabbat, the Druids call this celebration Alban Elfed, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest. Also celebrated is the Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort, the God, as
he prepares for death and re-birth. In Celtic mythology, Mabon was the young welsh god, abducted and imprisoned, only to return later.
As pagans,
now between the worlds of life and death, dark and light, we grieve for that which is finished, yet celebrate that which is bountiful. At this time, we attempt to find grains of wisdom and insight in that which has gone
before, regardless of its nature, be it tragic or joyous. It is time to relax and enjoy the fruits of our harvests. This is the time to give thanks for what your hard work has brought you, for all the things
that you have accomplished. It is also a time to let go of the old, the sorrows, the grudges, anything that needs to be passed on and forgotten. In a way, it is |
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much like the Christian Thanksgiving. On this holiday, a harvest supper and celebration is traditional. Everyone dresses in their finest, and the home is
decorated for the upcoming festivities with autumn colors, corn stalks, cornucopias filled with fruits and nuts, wheat, pumpkins, autumn leaves, acorns and pinecones. The table is set with various dishes such as turkey, ham, roast beef or
pork, cheeses of various kinds, corn, squash, beans, custards, cakes, pies, corn bread, apples, pears, peaches, cider and poteen. There is both laughter and tears, sharing and giving, joy and sorrow at these festivities.
This is
considered a good time for coming together with friends and family, for making wine and gathering plants and herbs and seeds. It is also favored for leisurely walks in the forests, offering sacrifices of a fertile nature to
fields and trees for what we have received, and decorating burial sites of loved ones. It is now a good time for doing spells of protection, security, harmony, prosperity, and self-confidence
Deities: The Green Man, Mabon, Modron, Morrigan
Symbolism of The Autumnal Equinox: grains, pine branches, oak leaves, rattles, herbs, plant life, corn, wheat, wine, pine cones, autumn leaves, pumpkins, acorns, fruit, apples, vines, dried seeds,
horns of plenty, dogs, wolves and birds of prey.
Herbs: Acorns, hops, wheat, cedar, ivy, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, hazel, corn, aspen, passionflower, rose, sage, Solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.
Foods: Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, onions, potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, gourds, fruits and vegetables.
Incense: frankincense, benzoin, jasmine, cinnamon, musk, cloves, pine, sage, and myrrh.
Colors: Autumn colors, such as red, orange, brown, maroon, and gold.
Stones: Sapphire, amethyst, topaz, carnelian, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.
BACK I BELTANE
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IMBOLIC I LAMMAS I
LITHIA I MABON I OSTARA
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SAMHAIN I YULE I EMAIL |
