Autumn Goddess Charge

I am the waning moon

The Goddess who is fading from the land

In the Springtime I sought my Lord

And mated with him beneath the trees and stars

At Beltane I wed my Lord

Beneath the first blossoms of the hawthorn tree

And in the Summertime I ripened the apples in the orchards

And the fruit grew round and strong

At the corn harvest I cut down my Lord

That by his death our people might be fed

And now in the Autumn time

I descend beneath the Earth

To dwell with my Lord in his dark kingdom

Until our child is born

At the Winter Solstice I will bring forth the child

And renew your hope

And at Candlemas I myself will return

To renew the land

I leave you, but I return to you

When you see my power fade

And the leaves fall from the trees

When snow obliterates like death

All trace of me upon the Earth

Then look for me in the Moon

And in the heavens, you will see the soul of me 

Soaring still among the stars

And in that darkest time

When the Moon is covered by shadow

And there is no trace of me in Heaven or on Earth

When you look outward and your lives seem cold and dark and barren

Let not despair eat at your hearts.

For when I am hidden

I am but renewing

When I am waning

I am making ready for return

Remember my promise and look within you

And there you will find the spirit of me

Awaiting those who will seek

For by the well-spring of your being

I await you always.

I am Diana in Heaven

And on Earth, Persephone

And within you that dark Hecate

Triple am I

The One in Three

My body the Earth

My soul the Moon

And within thine innermost self

The eternal spirit of me.

Charge of the Crone (2)

Charge of the Crone

By Jim Garrison

I am the Queen of Magic and the Dark of the Moon, hidden in the deepest night. 

I am the mystery of the Otherworlds and the fear that coils about your heart in the times of you trials.

I am the soul of nature that gives form to the universe; it is I who awaits you at the end of the spiral dance.

Most ancient among gods and mortals, let my worship be within the heart that has truly tasted life, for behold all acts of magic and art are my pleasure and my greatest ritual is love itself. 

Therefore let there be beauty in your strength, compassion in your wrath, power in your humility, and discipline balanced through mirth and reverence.

You who seek to remove my veil and behold my true face, know that all your questioning and efforts are for nothing, and all your lust and desires shall avail you not at all.

For unless you know my mystery, look wherever you will, it will elude you, for it is within you and nowhere else. 

For behold, I have ever been with you, from the very beginning, the comforting hand that nurtured you in the dawn of life, and the loving embrace that awaits you at the end of each life, for I am that which is attained at the end of the dance, and I am the womb of new beginnings, as yet unimagined and unknown.

Charge of The Crone (1)

Charge of the Crone

written by Gypsy and Hawk Shadow

Hear the words of the Grandmother of Time: 

She who has been known as Hecate, Erishkagel, Cerridwen, Kali-Ma, Anna, Perenna, Spider Woman 

and many other names - some feared, some loved, but none ever ignored. 

She it is who brings wisdom and the awareness of eternity.

She has been the Maiden, and remembers that joy. She has been the Mother, and recalls that pleasure but age has changed her and taught her the mysteries of the Wheel that is ever turning, the Wheel that is life, death and rebirth.

She is the whirling tornado, the erupting volcano, the rising tidal wave, the trembling of the earth’s crust. With age comes an understanding of the past and a glimpse of the future. For, in the turning of the Wheel the past is the future and the future is the past. She is the Learned One, the Teacher, and the Bringer of Inevitable Change.

She is the dark of the Moon, the Hidden One, and the invisible unknown that lies ahead.

But do not fear her for she is not malicious and her touch, however harsh, is love.

Only in ignorance is she scorned and reviled. Those who do not know her parody her as the ugly old woman whose powers were said to blight crops and sour the milk in the cow. It is fear that turns her age into abomination, her wrinkles into hideous deformity and her voice into an evil and manipulative cackle.

For those who sought power over the earth were afraid to face her wisdom and her unalterable truth.

In the old days, we sat at her feet to learn the most ancient lore. From her came the knowledge of the healing herbs, and the chants and songs that shaped our lives.

She sat in honour at our councils, our marketplaces, in our homes.

She governed our governing, and interpreted our laws.

She gave focus to our changing seasons.

She was our teacher, our oracle, our promise of rebirth.

Come; honour her as of old listen now to the words of the Wise One, the ancient Seer, and the Crone.

Sabbat Discovery - Mabon

Samhain   Yule   Imbolc   Ostara   Beltane   Litha   Lammas  Mabon

Associations

Deities:

Branwen, Modron, Morgan, Morrighan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona, The Muses.

Dionysus, Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, the Green Man

Traditional Colours:

Red, Orange, Russet, Maroon, Brown, Gold.

Symbols:

Wine, Gourds, Pine Cones, Acorns, Grains, Corn, Apples, Pomegranates, Vines, Dried Seeds and Horns of Plenty

Botanicals

Acorn, Benzoin, Ferns, Grains, Honeysuckle, Marigold, Milkweed, Myrrh, Passionflower, Rose, Sage, Solomon’s Seal, Tobacco, Thistle, Vegetables

Crystals:

Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli and Yellow Agates

As the Wheel Turns

During the Equinox, the sun passes our planet’s equator, making night and day of equal length all over the world. It is the time when light and dark are balanced; summer heat has faded away but winter’s icy grip is approaching. Equality in all opposites should be respected now as the Universe is practically screaming at us to notice its harmony. The quiet of the trees with no leaves to rustle in the wind makes these autumn days a perfect time to sit outside in quiet reverence of the golden season.

Mabon is a Thanksgiving, a time to appreciate and give thanks to the Goddess for her bounty and to share in the joys of the harvest. Mabon is ruled by the Wine Moon and brings with it the completion of the fruit harvest. While the fields are practically bare from the harvest of Lammas, the grains of summer are now dry and ready to be stored. The fruit, herbs and vegetables which have been lovingly picked are not eaten just now but preserved for later use during the winter. The introduction of supermarkets and 24-hour shopping has made the old hardships and traditions less prominent but Mabon is the time to appreciate them all the more.

Bottoms up!

It is a wonderful tradition to consume the gifts of the season; wine and cider are my favourite part of Mabon traditions. The history of their association with this Sabbat is based in the grape vines, apples and other fruits being harvested during this time of year. A fun and interesting way to honour this is to brew your own wine each Mabon and consume it the following year.

Festival of Dionysus

Dionysus is the Greek God of Wine; in his honour, men would carry grape vines throughout the town in a procession, followed by drinking, singing, dancing a general merriment – a real festival. This celebration was known as Oschophoria – The Grape Harvest Festival

The Croning Mother

She is our Lady of Wise Council, the Grandmother of Witchcraft, my divine Grandmother… She is within me as a constant fountain of wisdom, inspiration and mystery.

As darkness comes and the cold fingers of winter begin to grip the earth the Goddess unveils her cronehood boldly during Mabon. The youthful maiden of Spring, the nurturing Mother of Summer now shows age, wisdom and experience in her long flowing white hair and the lines on her face. A sickle and scythe in hand, She is in the Autumn of Her life and her presence is felt in the cool breezes, falling leaves and relentless rains.

Our Departing Lord

With the wilting of the leaves comes the wilting of the Lord; mirroring the Goddess in Her cronehood, the God is now the wise Sage, his strength and dominance waning with the Sun’s power. He is by no means powerless at this time – day and night are equal at Mabon and so His energy is not gone, merely lessened; it shall be further diminished at Samhain before His death and rebirth at Yule (the shortest day) when the Sun’s power shall once more begin to ascend.

During Mabon and the remainder of Autumn, the God can be felt in the diminishing heat of the Sun’s rays and the evergreens which His power still feeds. A long tree walk will immerse you in His power – the sight of holly berries, the scent of the cooling air, perhaps the sight of a stag if you are lucky enough to live in areas where they dwell. Remember, He is always visible in the outside world, all one need do is look up.

Persephone

Persephone is a goddess of the Greek pantheon and traditions. She is strongly connected with the Autumn Equinox because it marks when she was abducted by Hades (God of the Underworld) and made to be his bride. She is also representative of the oncoming darkness of winter. The time before she was abducted was spent very innocently – she was a maiden of virtue; virginal and prone to frolicking in fields collecting flowers. However, when Persephone is abducted by her uncle Hades, at Mabon, her mother, Demeter (Goddess of Agriculture, of Grain and Growth) is outraged and wields her power so no crops or plant life may grow on Earth while her daughter remained captive – and so the life of the earth began to fade and wither.

Over time, Persephone grew accustomed to Hades and the Underworld. She became not only his wife but also his Queen – Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. Though she missed the middle realm of Earth and the life she had known as a young Goddess with her mother, she grew to love her life with Hades and her responsibilities as Queen.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Demeter’s search for her daughter had uncovered the truth that it was Zeus’s plan for Persephone to be taken to the Underworld and become his brother’s bride. On discovering this news, Demeter vehemently demanded Persephone’s release until Zeus agreed and the messenger, Hermes was sent to retrieve her. This chain of events led to the discovery of Persephone’s new life as Queen of the Underworld and after much discussion, an agreement was made. Each spring, Persephone would return to Earth with the flowers, spending the spring and summer enjoying the company and love of her mother, the warmth of the Sun and beauty of Earth’s growth. Every autumn, she would return to Hades and her life as Queen; the pain of her mother’s loss each year would cause growth to cease and life to wither until her return the following spring – hence, the separation of the seasons.

Traditions

Feasting

All Sabbats have the tradition of a feast but there are several associated with Mabon. I have listed the well publicised menus of the more prominent ones to the right.

Feast of Branwen

Winter Squash

Curried Split Pea and Potato Soup

Snow Moon Mexican Hot Chocolate

Feast of Morrighan

Cider with Spices

Pumpkin Bread

Tofu Soup with Pumpkin Shells

Rosemary and Mint Salad

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes and Apples

Feast of Mabon

Mabon Wine Moon Cider

Tofu w/Sage, Basil and Thyme

Acorn Squash

Apple Bread

Charges

While there are many charges to choose from for this Sabbat I have chosen my favourite three to list here:

The Charge of Crone

Charge of the Autumn Goddess

Charge of the Dark Goddess

Altar Decorations

Orange, Brown, Russet & Gold Cloths and Candles

Representations of the Croned Goddess & Saging God

Harvested Goods

Corn Dollies

Holly & Autumn Leaves

Autumnal Charms

Activities

Tree Walk

I mention tree walk’s quite often as a Sabbat activity; I doubt it would be classed as a traditional thing to do but I consider it the simplest way to connect to the surrounding season.

The scent of the woods during Autumn is, I believe, the most magickal and intoxicating experience available. Take a note book to record any thoughts or feelings that the trees give you, some crystals or plant feed as offerings to nature spirits and a small basket or bag to collect any gifts the forest offers you.

Make a New Besom

You will need:

 A four-foot length of ash or oak for the handle

 Thin branches of birch for bristle (this can be substituted with a woody herb such as mugwort or thyme)

 Lengths of willow or heavy cord to bind everything together

 Scissors

 Bucket of warm water

What to do:

1. No matter what you choose for your bristles, it will need to be soaked in the bucket of warm water overnight to make it pliable. This includes the willow binding.

2. Lay the handle on a flat surface; place the bristles alongside it; lined up approximately 4” from the bottom. Point the bottom of the bristles toward the top of the broom as you will be flipping the bristles next.

3. Use the willow branches or cording to wrap the bristles around the broom. Add as many as you want to make the broom full. Ensure you tie the cording off securely so the bristles don’t pop out later.

4. Take the bristles and fold them down over the binding so they’re pointing toward the bottom of the broom. Ties them down again at the base of the broomstick to secure them. As you wrap the cord in place, visualise your intent for this besom – is it strictly decorative? Will it be hung in place over a door?  Is it for ceremonial use? Is it for cleaning? Focus on what you will use it for and charge it with energy.

5. Let your broom dry for a couple of days and once it has, consecrate it as part of your magickal tool collection.

Instructions resourced from: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/shoppingandsupplies/ss/Besom.htm

Hazelnut Protection Charm

Hazelnut is a very versatile nut; in my humble opinion, a very lovely coffee flavouring but it’s properties of protection can be well implemented at Mabon. The website where I discovered this charm did not give many details of how to make the charm, listing only 2 required items and one instruction: hazelnuts and a red cord; this was followed by the instruction to thread the hazelnuts onto the cord. Charm made?

I have exercised my imagination to expand this charm’s charm a little. This charm will be a bracelet using 8 hazelnuts/filberts as Mabon is the 8^th Sabbat on the Wheel of the Year. I have also added jewellry-making spacers and leaf charms as decoration; these will make the bracelet more personal to the maker/wearer.

Balance Meditation

This is not a Mabon idea I found on a website or in a book; I do this every year at Mabon to observe the equal length of day and night. The specifics of the meditation change each time but the focus is always centred around the opposites of the natural world.

This years specific meditation will be explained in another post but I like to enter this meditation holding two items (in some way opposite) in each hand, a moonstone in one and a sunstone in the other, for example. Crystals are a wonderful aid for a balance-focus meditation because they can be opposite in several ways – by properties or colour.

Other Ideas

Enchant Pine Cones

I found this suggestion when searching for Mabon activities. The website in question has actually given me several ideas for this post, most of which I have changed a little to add my own flair but this particular idea I am not altering at all and so I have simply included the link:

http://www.earthwitchery.com/pinecones.html

Make a Mabon Incense

As scent is one of the most evocative senses, incense brings to the imagination an endless array of thoughts, inspirations and memories. I’m sure practiced pagans and witches are aware that the power of intent is equal to the strength of magickal energy (another balance which must be kept aligned). Therefore, herbs and resins for an incense should be chosen to evoke the memories and thoughts you wish to conjure for the purposes of your working/celebration. I have listed below a few herbs associated with autumn and mabon which may help with your blend:

MYRRH - PINE – SAGE – SWEETGRASS

MARIGOLD – PASSIONFLOWER - FERN

At Mabon, because it is my favourite sabbat, I choose to make two incense blends:

My Mabon Blend 1 - Seasonal

Pine – Fern – Cedar - Copal resin

- Dried autumn leaves

This is for during meditation as it always brings me directly into the forest which is where my Mabon meditations tend to be located. The ‘dried autumn leaves’ also make each blend a little different.

My Mabon Blend 2 - Aromatic

Myrrh resin – Sandalwood – Cinnamon –

Cloves - Sweetgrass

From the ingredients, it may be obvious that  this is the spicier blend and is  used more for atmospheric enhancement than ritual. I have however, occasionally used it to call the elements of Air and Fire to my Mabon circle.

Cry/Say Goodbye

Honour Cronehood

I have dual feelings about cronehood; whilst in some ways I look forward to my own hair greying, the lines on my face deepening, the wisdom of more years blessing my mind; however, the flip side of this is the thought of getting closer to the end of this life. At Mabon I embrace these feelings, the good and the bad, I honour the maturity and wisdom I’ve gained. The simplest way I do this is to light a black candle and whilst I focus on its flame, I visualise on the life force of the Croned Goddess and recite the Charge of the Crone. 

Reflecting on... Fairytales

‘Once upon a time…’; the promise of a story in which good triumphs over evil; the beginning of an adventure; an invitation to explore the endless possibilities of the imagination. What magic is awaiting us at the turn of a page…?

If I track my love of all things magical back to any source in my past, I believe it would be the fairytales I read as a child. The creation of something from special from thin air, the manipulation of elements and energies; it was in these stories that my fate was sealed; how could I resist? Though witches aren’t favourably depicted in these stories, and the majority of their use of magick is dark, I found my path in between the “higitus figitus” and “bibbity-bobbity-boo” of Disney’s portrayal.

I refused to let go of the magick created in stories, I still do. I imagine the flutter of fairy wings on Midsummer Night’s Eve; galloping unicorns in a secluded glade lit with the golden rays of a far, far away land sunset; and the tune of a faun’s flute as the melody of nature flows out; mermaids dancing in the white break of tumultuous waves; and my favourite of all… witches. The portrayal of the ‘witch’ concept in fairytales generally runs to the wicked or evil polarity but if you turn that on its head… these women are powerful and determined, despite where the story places their morality, they strive to better their circumstances which in some ways could be responsible for the positive shift in feminism. I don’t hold a grudge for witches being displayed as evil in fairytales, when these stories were written, magickal power, especially women with magickal power were considered unpredictable and selfish. In retrospect, they do make it harder to fight for understanding of the magickal arts in the present time but I am thankful for a cause… to fight for what I believe in and I am thankful for the characters… strong, powerful women who in spite of their wicked deeds, believed in something and acted on it.

From characters, to concepts…my unwavering belief in love is another magick that I have kept from the fairytales… Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty… these stories are set in a time when women were damsels in distress and men were the brave and chivalrous heroes who fought the forces of evil and came to the aid of the princess. The times, they have certainly changed but I think the values that drove those characters could be revived; when women seized control of their own lives and learnt to fight for themselves, the balance shifted; nothing could now minimise that power that was seized, nor would I wish it to be but manners and respect could be increased 100-fold. We should act now so in the future, the 21^st century can be remembered as a time when the values from fairytales returned.

Rune Magick - Raido

Raido Talismans

Astral Dreaming

Astral travel is a fascinating phenomenon but some spiritual practitioners, even with training and preparation, struggle to achieve it whilst awake. As a rune with properties of movement, Raido can assist in travelling through the astral plane. This is more easily achieved in the dream state and so this talisman is created to make the transition into astral travel more harmonious.

You will need:

For the charm:

v     Pencil

v     1x transport charm (broom/car)

v     1x keyring split ring

v     1x 18”x3mm silver ribbon

v     1x 18”x3mm blue ribbon

v     1x 18”x3mm violet ribbon

v     Scissors

For the Raido oil:

v     10ml bottle

v     7.5ml base oil (hazelnut or almond)

v     1/2 tsp Mugwort

v     3 drops Myrrh

v     1x 1” square piece of paper

v     1x blue marker

What to do:

1.          One week before you intend to make the talisman, prepare the Raido Oil and charge it with its purpose:

a)       Pour the base oil into the bottle

b)      Add 3 drops of Myrrh oil, recap the lid and shake vigorously.

c)       Add the ½ tsp Mugwort, recap the lid and shake vigorously.

d)      Charge 1:

Myrrh & mugwort, bring your charge

To this oil’s power montage

Element of air infused

So its power can be used

e)       Draw a Raido symbol on the paper, roll it up so the symbol is on the outside and add to the bottle.

f)        Charge 2:

Rune of travel, rune of motion

Raido implement a notion

To this oil as it brews

Power of flight now infuse

g)       Recap the bottle and keep it somewhere cool for at least one week before using.

2.       Cut the ribbons to size and soak them in the Raido Oil.

3.    Make a double-knot in one end of the ribbon around a pencil so there’s a small loop. Thread this loop through the split ring.

4.    Plait the ribbons… as you do infuse them with your intent by visualising yourself flying through the astral plane in your chosen mode of transport.       

5.        Thread the transport charm onto the un-knotted end of the plait and tie it into a loop to match the one at the top. As you do, charge the charm:

A vessel for my astral ride

To aid my flight, be my guide

Let my body rest, restore

But take my mind, make it soar

6.        Neaten up the loose ends of the knot with scissors.

7.       Charge the talisman:

Thoughts and feelings locked away

Those not sensed by light of day

Grant me access in my sleep

So into consciousness they seep 

Hang over your bed, or keep under your pillow to aid is astral travel through dreaming.

Reiki-Raido Healing Stack

Inspired by the fairy stacks of Darren Williams

PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED LATER –

NEED TO COLLECT MORE STONES

This talisman is a meditation aid and is to be used to connect to the Universe and send healing to a specific target; it will invoke not only the energy of Raido but also Reiki energy: the symbols of ‘Cho-Ku-Rei’, ‘Sei-He-Ki’ and ‘Hon-Sha-Ze-Sho-Nen’ which are respectively the Reiki representations of power, emotion and connection. Magick is the constant changing and blending of Universal energies charged and executed for a specific task. When these particular energies are blended they pack quite a punch and I am therefore combining them for the purpose of healing.

You will need:

•  5x small, smooth, flat stone
• Several coloured markers
• A glue gun
• Decorating items (paint, glitter, etc)

What to do:

1.   Wash the stones and practice stacking them in a sequence which is sturdy as well as feeling comfortable and being aesthetically pleasing to you.

2.    Once you’re comfortable decorate the stones how you want them to appear… paint, glitter, etc.  Leave space in the centre of each stone to draw your symbols and remember, once they are glued into the stack, you will only see the edges.

3.        Once your decorations have dried, draw your symbols… one on each stone –     

•  1x Raido;
• 2x Cho-Ku-Rei;
•  1x Se-He-Ki;
• 1x Hon-Sha-Ze-Sho-Nen

Make sure your symbols are drawn on the stones in the correct order so the energy of the stack will flow at its strongest.

           i)         Cho-Ku-Rei (base)

           ii)       Se-He-KI

          iii)      Hon-Sha_Ze-Sho-Nen

          iv)      Cho-Ku-Rei

           v)       Raido (top)

As you draw the symbols, visualise their energy infusing the stone… think of what it means, what colour it is, how it moves, what it does. Let those imaginings run through your hand into your symbol as it is drawn.

4. Heat the glue gun and begin to assemble your stack. Have all the symbols facing upward… once assembled the only symbol you will see is Raido on the top.

This item doesn’t particularly need to be charged – the symbols, if drawn correctly, are so powerful and imbued with such potent energy that even I find a charge practically redundant – however, I am a rhymaholic and incorporate a charge into how I use the stack and so am sharing what  I personally use with this stack…

How to use the Stack

Place the stack in the palm of your dominant hand and your receptive palm face down over the stack. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths. Journey to that place between the conscious and sub-conscious that place between reality and imagination where anything is possible and recite:

Power of strength, power of light

Flow from my aura brilliant and bright

Power to heal, power to calm

Be an elixir, a magickal balm

Journey the spiral of cho-ku-rei

Draw from the Universe what you may

Continue on to Sei-He-Ki

Gain its pure and cleansing energy

Hon-Sha-Ze-Sho-Nen now find

To shed the shackles of space and time

And onward spiral once again

Around the cho-ku-rei domain

With the gifts of Reiki blessed

Through Raido journey on your quest

Visualise the person/animal to which you are sending healing, see their face; see their energy and where it needs your help.

As well as the redundant charge, I also like to add a physical element to the healing too – for this I have a picture/photograph of the one who needs healing. When I recite the following words, I place my dominant hand, palm down against the photograph as a physical act of giving the healing. Send this light toward them, see it reach the darkened areas of their aura, their spirit and watch it cleanse, purify and heal with the white/blue light of the Universe, Reiki, Raido and you. Recite the following three times as the energy works:

Power of strength, power of light

Make this aura brilliant and bright

Power to heal, power to calm

Be the elixir, the magickal balm

Raido Meditations

The Oak Elevator

 The inspiration for this meditation is from the episode of Charmed when Phoebe was haunted by her past life and had to go back in time to undo a curse. This however, is for if you want to understand more about yourself.

Path Finder

 Confused? Lost? This may be the meditation to help you find your way again. Use Raido as a compass or a sat-nav to give your magick a new direction.