Harvest And Hearth

Photo by trea-silverwolf.deviantart.com

Autumn is here. Yes, it is my favourite time of the year. I always feel closer to home and hearth. Now I know I'm a few weeks late for my sabbat check in, but life has been quite busy. The Goddess has blessed me with a new job in my field of study and it tends to take up most of my time. 

Mabon actually got me thinking about my own project ideas this year. Usually I look through Llewellyn's Sabbat Almanac for ideas on how to celebrate the sabbats, but I did several of the ideas in the 2013 Mabon section last year when I did not have access to my library and picked the 2013 copy up early. Thus I wanted to do something new this year and with my busy schedule came up with the idea of a sabbat candle. 

The sabbat candle is simply an offering candle that you dress with herb and oils that correspond to the sabbat and then burn the candle daily until the next sabbat when you make another one. For mine Mabon candle I used cloves, cinnamon sticks, orange and ginger oils. The candle is quite fragrant and I can feel the energy of the Lord and Lady that it brings to my home.

Mabon candle and Autumn bouquet.

I plan on doing this simple yet powerful offering for every sabbat from now on. Now back to my books so I can start planning Samhain ahead of time.

A Hallowed Eve

My Cat-o-Lantern

This year I have felt a strong yearning to participate in Samhain rituals and observances. I've felt it very keenly for the past few weeks, even before my move. I think it is a way of my spirit telling me that it needs to realign itself with the natural world and start the new year with a grounded perspective. As a result I've been doing some Samhain research and looking for ways I can celebrate it in my highly Catholic parents' house without offending my mom who blames people falling away from the Church as a result of "new age" and "occult" ideas. I already had to fend her off years ago and try as I might  I have yet to properly educate her on the differences between "new age," "occult" and "paganism."

My ideas so far are consisting of:

• a private ritual in my room this evening
• baking pumpkin bread as a celebration of the harvest
• placing candles in my window to guide spirits on their way
• offering apple cider
• scrying, tarot reading and/or runecasting
• making incense or bath salts for the sabbat

I would love to dress up, but I don't have a costume and my silly stupid game has an event I'm hosting at 7pm tonight. That and I told we don't get many trick-or-treaters around here so I'm not too sure of what will be going on around here this evening.

Whatever your plans for Samhain are I hope you fair well this hallowed eve.

Paddling in Awe

I love the feeling of magic and spirituality that permeates this world. It both invigorates me and humbles me. During a recent kayaking trip on a lake near my parents house I felt as if I had paddled into a mystical realm. Fallen trees lay just under the surface of the water and as we paddled over them I felt that I should be reverent and respectful in such a magical place. I wish I could have remained there longer than our trip allowed and meditated in such a special place. I can feel the fringes of that same magic present in my house and yard. Perhaps that was one of the things that drew to this dwelling place. I firmly believe that one's home should be their sanctuary and the environment it holds should speak to their soul. I should like to find such a home that suits me on a lake similar to this one. The idea of daily meditation sessions and communion with water spirits speaks to my soul.

Cranberry Lake, the portion that we paddled through as seen from the shore.