Autumn Equinox - Mabon

 

The second harvest is celebrated and seeds are saved and set aside for the spring planting. It’s a time of reaping what you’ve sown, both literally and figuratively, of seeing what your goals were and what you’ve manifested. When fields rest and we reflect on what did and did not work for us, releasing that which hasn’t served us, and plan new strategies to implement in the spring.

Mabon takes place at the time of the Autumn Equinox which falls around 22 March each year in the Southern hemisphere and 22 September in the Northern hemisphere. Symbolically it’s about balance, night and day (light and dark) are of equal length, about masculine (day or sun) and feminine  (night or moon), the transition of the dark slowly conquering the light. Stories about the Earth Mother and Sun God as well as others relate to Mabon depending on your outlook, and who you ask.

It’s often associated with apples as cider is prepared along with bread, berries or squash. For your feast think of apple cider, warm crusty bread and butternut soup. South Africa tends to have a moderate climate during autumn so perhaps an apple and berry pie with a dollop of whipped cream, or scones and strawberry jam.

In parts of Europe and America it is still practised in farming communities to a certain extent. Everyone gets up early, a portion of grain harvested at Lammas is traditionally used to bake for the day. Fruit and vegetables are harvested from gardens and fields. Pickles and preserves are made for the winter months, and everyone brings baskets full of goodies to share at a picnic-style community feast in gratitude and celebration of a successful crop. Building strong bonds with your neighbours was important. In the event of a disaster, they would be the ones who assisted you during rough times.

Harvest festivals go way back: 

In ancient Greece, the harvesting of wine festival held in autumn was called Oschophoria, celebrating Dionysus, the god of the vine.  

The Chinese celebrate the Harvest Moon, or Moon Festival which is the second-most important celebration after the Lunar New Year. 

Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on the third of October in line with the last days of harvest. 

The Oktoberfest is a more modern celebration that actually starts towards the end of September.  

Whichever way you choose to celebrate, it’s about giving thanks and feeling gratitude. If you’re so inclined, it’s a great time to start a gratitude journal. Let people who have blessed you during the past year know you appreciate them, and pay it forward. Clean out your closets and donate to charity. Mabon is the transition of moving from autumn into winter, in addition to your annual spring clean, do an autumn clean. It helps to clear the mind and the clutter and allows new energy to flow.

Here are two recipes perfect for Mabon. 

Apple cider recipe

12 red or pink apples

2 granny smiths

One or a combination of spices i.e. cinnamon, clove, allspice, star anise, ginger, nutmeg etc. whichever you prefer.

300ml brown sugar

2 litres water

Pinch of salt

Place all ingredients into a pot (except the sugar)

Using a slow cooker on high for 8 hours, or on medium for about 12 hours is ideal.

Press out all the liquid using a strainer or muslin cloth.

Stir in the sugar till dissolved.

Serve hot or cold as you prefer, add a dash of rum for an alcohol version.

Store in the refrigerator.

Decadent apple dessert (an old family favourite)

60g butter

200g sugar 

3 eggs

125g flour

5ml baking powder

Pinch salt

125ml milk

825g cooked apples – you can use half the amount, it still works well

Syrup

200g sugar

250ml cream

Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy.

Add eggs one at a time.

Alternate dry sifted ingredients with mil

Pour into a lightly oiled dish.

Spoon apples over.

Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 – 30 mins

In the meantime prepare the syrup.

Bring sugar and cream to the boil stirring continuously.

Boil for approx. 15mins until slightly thick and syrupy

Pour over pudding and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

It should form a lovely caramel sauce on top.

This is a very rich dessert and can be enjoyed with custard, cream, or ice cream.

Enjoy and let me know how they turned out.

Picture courtesy of pexels-mălina-sîrbu-9929754

Just listen.

 

We are born able to see, hear, and sense things that are considered “unreal” by society. Throughout history these have been referred to by various terms: supernatural, paranormal, esoteric, spooky, weird, and gifts, when really, they are completely normal,  there is nothing “para” or “super” about them. Other people may hear better, or see clearer, or have a more sensitive palate than the rest of us, we accept it. It gives us diversity, it’s natural.

We accept dogs, cats and other animals are good judges of character, taking for granted they can sense fear and natural disasters, that they see things we may not be able to. Yet we force our children to give up their imaginary friends, make them kiss or hug someone they’re not comfortable with and so on.  Babies are able to sense discomfort in whoever is holding them and will respond accordingly, naturally and instinctively. They are empaths. A child instinctively knows who they do and don’t like and where to place their trust. 

The result is a whole bunch of us “lost” or buried a part of ourselves. During our life’s travels, we may discover this as we age and try and “find” the missing part.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found it difficult. I come from a matriarchal family of seers and clairvoyants. My grandmother was a full-blown witch, which she kept secret until she gave all of her books to me with instructions to not tell anyone, I was to hide a revelation that had me totally floored–and terrified!

In spite of having family who knew and maybe even understood this side of our nature and being taught to embrace who we are, fear was still conveyed to us. The various religions we followed taught us it was evil and it didn’t help that the 1980s and ’90s were inundated with horror movies.

About 15 years later my cousins and I reconnected and we realized we had all chosen to follow similar paths, healers, witches, pagans. No one was aware until then that our grandmother had been a practicing witch.

At the start of this path, we find ourselves buying up as many books on as many topics as possible, crystals, candles and a myriad of things. I have books not yet read, and a bunch of other tools still to be used. We get so bogged down with doing things the right way, we forget to tune in to our higher selves which is where the lessons actually are.

Our intuition is always there and if you think back you will recognize the time your gut told you something was wrong, when you got lost and automatically knew which way to go, or when you had a dream or feeling about something and it turned out to be right.

Occasionally we are given a nudge by the universe, God, your higher self, whichever you prefer, and yet we still choose to ignore this side of ourselves—usually to our detriment. I’ll share an experience I had.

I was attending college classes on Saturday mornings as I worked during the week. Our class was told that the following Saturday’s lecture was crucial and had to be attended.

That morning  I got in the car and found it wouldn’t start. My mom’s partner came out, got in and started it. I sat behind the wheel, and you guessed it, it wouldn’t start.  We did this several times before deciding I would switch cars. Off I went, and because I was running a few minutes late, I deviated from my usual route although that voice—you know the one, told me to go the normal way. Anyway, someone skipped a red light and smashed right into me. I was traumatized—it was my first car accident, and got really irritated with myself for not paying attention to my “spidey senses”.

Often, our ego gets in the way because we want to do, be, or say… no matter what our intuition tells us.

I’ve learned through trial and error; I hope, when things aren’t going my way, and the universe seems stacked against me no matter what I do, to stop and ask myself, is this what the universe/God/my higher self is guiding me to, or is it what my ego has decided.  Do the words “I want” come into play? If the answer is yes, it needs re-thinking.

I consciously seek to open myself up to listen to my intuition each day. Being human means we easily get caught up in the daily grind, so I try and ground, center and be mindful whenever I have a quiet moment. It’s been slow, but I’m making progress and I can already see my life-changing for the better.

If our parents were more open, less fearful, and taught us to embrace who we are from an early age, imagine the great strides we could have made in the world. But, I believe, it was not meant for us.

I love this “new generation” that we belong to, it circumvents age, culture, and societal bias. It’s a state of perception, of freedom, in many cases it allows us to be who we are without fear, and gives us the ability to have a meaningful discussion between peers regardless of whether we’re 18 or 80. It is my hope our next “generation” is able to put egos aside and listen. Listen and learn and allow our children to embrace a very natural state of being.  I believe it is they who will teach us how to move forward with grace. Change is meant to be created by them, and we are here to bear witness.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Samuel Theo Manat Silitonga from Pexels