Wheel of the Year // Mabon

Mabon is the celtic name for the Autumn Equinox, which falls this weekend. To be precise, it falls tomorrow - 22nd September 2012 - at 14:49 UTC/GMT. The equinox is the point of equal darkness and light within the day (literally 'equal night') and in the northern hemisphere it will mark the point when darkness begins to win. As of tomorrow, we will have more darkness in our day than light. 

So why the apples? In the Celtic wheel of the year, the autumn equinox - or Mabon - marked the harvest of the fruits. Still today, there are celebratory gatherings around the country for the apple harvest: cider tastings, apple days and general merriment and thanksgiving that we have fruit to harvest. 

Perhaps more significantly than that, it marks the point in the year when we instinctively know we will be getting little more from the earth - it will get cold and dark and we must gather what we can to keep us going through the winter months. 

And this is why I love these apples. Just look at them. A perfect circle, inside which is a perfect star.

The fruits of our labours, inside which are the seeds for our next turn of the wheel. We can learn so much from nature - not least that it is never done. The work and the journey - the life - does not end just because the seasons turn. 

As I bite my apple this Mabon, not only will I be giving thanks for the rewards I have earned this year; I will be contemplating the seeds I will sow next. I hope you will be doing the same - and I hope you have a warming glass of mulled cider to do it with. 

Brightest Mabon blessings. 

Wheel of the Year // Litha Blessings

Blessed Litha everyone. 

Wishing you all a magickal Midsummer Eve!

Midsummer Eve - E.R Hughes

Wheel of the Year // Litha

Midsummer - or Litha to many pagans - is the point on the Wheel of the Year where the Sun is at its peak: the Summer Solstice. June 21st marks the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and it is on this day that many pagans join in celebration of the power of the Sun. Traditionally, many cultures around the world have celebrated this day with feasts, dancing and bonfires - and often weddings - to joyously mirror the energy provided by the Sun at this time. Even today it is a time of thanksgiving for the Sun's warmth and light which enables the Earth to bear fruits.

This Summer season I am thankful for...

* An allotment which is growing beautifully - we are now able to eat what we have sown.

* A long holiday from school, just around the corner, in which I can focus on bringing my personal goals into fruition.

* Being situated in a place where I can see the wheel turning all around me; where the changing seasons are evident with every footstep.

* Time spent with B.

* Being a part of my own friends' celebrations of love and growth, yet to come, later in the Summer season. 

What are you thankful for this Summer?

Wheel of the Year // Imbolc

To those who celebrate the pagan Wheel of the Year, February 1st-2nd marks the Celtic fire festival of Imbolc, which heralds the returning of the light and the beginning of Spring.

So named after the Celtic word 'oimelc', which is believed to mean 'in the belly' or 'ewe's milk', it refers to the life-giving milk of lactation recommencing. It is at this time of year that the lambing cycle begins and the earth warms up to allow new life to grow. 

Ancient celebrations fell on this day to honour the powerful bringer of light - the goddess Brigid (Brid, Bride, Brigit) - who would breathe life, warmth and fertility back into the dead, cold lands and begin a new season of  growth and fruition. 

Today, people still celebrate this important turn of the wheel, by lighting fires and candles to reflect the light returning and inviting Brigid to warm their hearths and the Earth itself.  As it is a time to prepare for new growth, ask Brigid for her assistance in bringing your hopes and dreams to being. Prepare the ground for the planting of seeds which will flower in the coming seasons - both literally and metaphorically. 

Brightest Imbolc blessings to you all. 

Wheel of the Year // A Shining Light

A very belated post this be...

To everyone reading, I wish you a very happy New Year and hope that it will be filled with love, light and laughter. 

To those of you who celebrated Christmas, I hope it was a wonderful time, enjoyed with loved ones; and for those of you who celebrated Yule, I can only hope you were as lucky as I, to share it with such generous, warm-hearted and like-minded people - in spirit, if not in physical presence. 

This Yule I took part in the lovely Faerwillow's 'Celebrate the Season Swap' over at ~serendipity~

I sent out some seasonal crafts and in return received some absolutely beautiful Yuletide treats.

From Faerwillow herself a box of goodies came...

 ...filled to the brim with beautifully packaged parcels, decorative ornaments and lovingly hand-made tools of the craft. What an absolute joy. In a time of darkness, this was truly a shining light. Many 'thank you's, my generous friend. 

I also received a second parcel from the incredibly talented Theresa over at Faerie Moon Creations who had sent me two beautiful ornaments reflecting the natural world. This lovely bauble was hand-made by Theresa and I think its delicate beauty is too lovely to save for Christmas trees - it will hang from my mantelpiece all year round. Thank you, Theresa. 

And thank you to all who have followed this blog over the past year...I can't quite believe almost a full circle has turned since my very first post. Such a lot has changed and yet, in some respects, it seems to have gone in a wink.

I have been having a jolly good think about what I can do to celebrate my first 'blogiversary' and I am in the process of cooking up some sort of giveaway, so pop back over the next week for news about that.

Blessings.