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Sweetwood Temenos Mabon

9/22/2012

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Sweetwood Temenos Mabon (Autumn Equinox) celebration and ritual 09/22/12 

The day started out windy, damp and cold. The sun entered Libra around 10:00 AM and so autumn 2012 began. The temperature was in the mid-fifties and the sky was partly cloudy by midafternoon. It felt like the weather we have at Samhain. There was talk of a killing frost tonight. 
Some good folk from Madison arrived this afternoon to participate in Sweetwood Temenos’ ritual and then afterwards initiate one of their own as a Wiccan sister upon the path of life. The initiate chose Sweetwood Temenos as she had done a self-initiation here one night some time past and loved Sweetwood Temenos’ sacred circle. 
I like the solitude of the woods at this time of year. Most of the migratory birds have left for the southern lands and all is quiet in the woods except for a wood pecker, blue jay or crow.  Some of the sugar maples were turning color; orange, red and yellow in their crowns and edges. 
I brought the ritual items to Sweetwood Temenos altar. First I took some spring water and washed the green granite altar top off. Then I left it to air dry. I went to fill up all the torches along the path from the field to the sacred circle in the woods. Along the path there were pretty light blue wild asters greeting me.
I returned to the circle and set the Altar with the God and Goddess images, candles, incense, anointing oil, sacred whiskey, and water jar with spring water, Goblet, pentacle and platter with bread, the Stang.
I then went to get kindling and start a fire in the center of the circle. Some good folk show up and brought wood into the circle for the fire and lite the torches. The sun was shining through the trees and setting in the west. The priestess and priest called the good folk to the center of the sacred circle and gather around the fire. We centered and raise our voice in an Om. The priest and priestess then cast the sacred circle with sound and incense and the good folk speaking from their hearts about and pouring libations to the elements defining the Sweetwood Temenos sacred circle; water, air, fire, water, ancestors, descendants and community. So the sacred circle was thus cast  
The priestess went and to the Altar and fetched the stang and invoked the Sun God. The Sun God spoke about the balance of justice, the balance of life and the balance of harvest. He is the champion and the advocate of the balance of the Autumn Equinox. He began the thanksgiving of the community and what it has given to him and the good folk of the sacred circle. He takes the goblet of water from the altar and gives thanks for what the community has given to him and pours a libation. He hands the goblet to the good soul to his left and so around the circle the goblet goes each giving thanks for what the community has given to them. 
At last the goblet comes to the priestess and the Sun God fetches the stang from the altar and invokes the Moon Goddess. The Moon Goddess speaks on the balance of the season and speaks of her dedication to the good folk and pouring out her love to the community; to be a hand of support to all who call upon her, to bring inspiration to the souls, to reveal the secrets of magic and the Mystery. The Goddess libates, passes the goblet round the circle and sacred fire, all speak what they will give back to the community and the goblet comes back to the Goddess. 
Sun God facing the Moon Goddess summons and calls forth her solar energy and the Moon Goddess thus follows and summons and calls forth the Sun God’s lunar energy. The Sun God holding the stang and the Moon Goddess holding the goblet each in the left hand reach out with their right hand and lay hold of the other’s sacred tool. They raise their arms and shout so mote it be for a year and a day! The Goblet is now with the Moon God and the Stang is with the Sun Goddess. 
The Sun Goddess goes, fetches the offering of bead from the altar, blesses it and shares it with the good folk of the sacred circle. The Moon God speaks about the water, the same water charge in casting of the circle, used in the thanksgiving and dedication to the community. He then hands the goblet round and it is shared, drank and passed between the men and women of sacred circle with these words “Water shared, is Life shared, is love shared, Thou Art God, Thou art Goddess”. 
The Goblet comes around and returns to the Moon God who makes a last libation, sets the goblet on the altar and returns to the Sun Goddess and says “All is in Balance, Man and Woman, Night and Day and Solar and Lunar, all equal”. It is time for me to leave for the Summerland to prepare a celebration and feast for the Sun Goddess’s return to the Summerland”. The Sun Goddess then says to the Moon God and so de-invokes him with these words “thank you for being here, blessed be and farewell!” The priest returns and the Sun Goddess says to the priest “it is time for me to leave as I go to bring spring and celebrate the sacred marriage at Beltaine in the Summerland”. The priest takes the stang from the Sun Goddess and says to the Sun Goddess and so de-invokes her with these words “thank you for being here, blessed be and farewell!” The priestess returns.
The Priest and Priestess return to the altar and take down the sacred circle with incense and sound! They return to the center of the sacred circle, its fire and good folk. The priestess gives the final Rune while all hold hands, ending with “The circle is open but not broken, merry meet and merry part and merry meet again! Hugs and kisses round and all are smiles. 
All remain in the sacred circle to behold as invited guests to an initiation. Right at sunset on the Autumnal Equinox with Venus in the seventh house a woman took her first step unto the path of life as a Wiccan sister! 
Then all returned to the house of the priestess and priest for a yummy potluck with great talk and discussion! The pot luck was blessed by a local troubadour, a man of kindness and a guitar. All were filled with food and good cheer and the magic happen once again on Mabon (Autumn Equinox Sabbath) 2012 at Sweetwood Temenos!
Never Thirst
Iacchus
             
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A meditation for the Fall Equinox 

9/16/2012

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Good day All!
Below is a mediation I did for my deepening practice (one mediation every new moon for 3 years).

For Sweetwood Temenos the Fall Equinox,Mabon, is one of balance  that occurs at the end of things, the balance of completion. So our Sabbath focuses on giving thanks for community and what we have recieved and then pour a libation for what we plan to give back to the community in the coming year as part of our ritual

So given this emphasis of community at the second harvest festival that is Mabon and the Fall Equinox, I offer up my meditation on Self Knowledge, one of Sweetwood Temenos values, from the perspective of Community, one of our sacred directions. The following gives the date and time of the mediation plus the setting and of course the mediation itself.

Never Thirst 
Iacchus   


12/17/09 at 9:35 PM
Self-knowledge from the perspective of the Community
Mediation: three candles, incense lighted, and a goblet of water.
I call upon the Oracle of the Runes to aid me in my understanding of Self Knowledge from the Perspective of Community!
 I draw a rune from my black bag of runes 
 I Draw Eihwaz or Eoh the Yew tree 

There is no Self without community
From the many comes the individual
Multiple thoughts and feelings on who you are
A psychic landscape presenting opportunities, challenges and limits
In the flow of the spouted seed of the soul becoming
Dancing and Weaving the Spiral Round 

Community, the nest fostering good human being
Blessing the individual with enough and more
And the individual gives as can and is part of the nest
So the circle spins onward from one generation to the next
In knowing our Selves know how community added to our growth
For good or ill separate the wheat from the chaff
What character do you have left?

From the Mystery of Self, the soul is called to serve community. 
Service reflects what the soul hears and responds to
Revealing what is hidden in the depths of the Self
What the soul lights up the world with for the sake of the one and the many.

Love is woven in to a nest and so it is with community.
We are forgiven as we shame our Selves, whether in deed or word
And learn how to be part of the loving kindness
The weave that binds the nest together,
And makes whole the human community

The life time of each soul is a thread revealing color and texture
Tied into a weave of many that makes the dancing tapestry of the world
What has been done for others and what has been given to others?
What more is there to do and what more is there to be received?

Community is an essential part of Self and Self is an essential part of community.
Do you see your path as you become?
Do you see your reflection upon your ground of being? 
As your lamp of consciousness leads you forward 
Does it burn brightly with the fuel of Self-knowledge?
Or burns dimly in the shadows of ignorance and fear?

Have you prepared a hearth with fire, food and good cheer?
Be thankful for what you receive and joyful for what you give
And let your soul reveal the Self you are as a being of community. 

At the end of this mediation I drew a Tarot card from the Nybor deck. I asked “Oh please Oracle comment on my mediation, what is written here!” 

The Tarot Card chosen was the Source: the beginning and the end.
Where upon I pour a libation upon the altar and drank water from the goblet!
 
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Sweetwood labor day camp and drum weekend

9/6/2012

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Dear Sweetwood Folk and Friends

Sweetwood labor day weekend camp and drum weekend was a beautiful one! Besides Delta and Iacchus, we had four attendees; Mike V., Chris E., Dawn S. and Tom C. Mike arrived Friday night and worked on Saturday cleaning up the outhouse, splitting & carrying fire wood, straightening up some trails to campsites, building the fire in the ritual circle Saturday and Sunday night, helped Iacchus to fill the torches, and putting out the fire and torches after everyone left for the night. Mike also put up some large flags around the shelter, making the place festive. (Thanks Mike!!)

Tom & Delta were looking at some books on drumming by Mickey Hart, so Tom was inspired to make a bullroarer. It's a flat piece of wood with a long string attached. He twirled it around over his head & it made a low mysterious buzzing sound. Fun! Saturday night was so beautiful! Mike built a fire with the logs shaped and stacked into a triangle. It really worked well. We all shared munchies and some very good homemade wild black cherry mead made by Tom…so good!!! Chris and Dawn also brought 2 bottles of Raspberry beer…yum! Mike, Delta and I did a little drumming and then broke off to talk a bit. Delta then started to play her wood flute and Tom played his wood-box xylophone (he made this himself) joined in and we had a magical back ground music for our conversation into the night.

Sunday morning we had coffee up at the house and more good conversation. Tom, Dawn and Chris all had to leave, so Mike, Delta and I hung out during the day doing miscellaneous tasks. Mike came up to the house in the late afternoon and we watched TV about the Egyptians (about Thutmose III). Then a half hour before sunset we went down to the ritual circle. Mike lit the fire he built during the day and we ate, drank and made merry. We had some good watermelon. Delta and I drummed some more into dark of the evening, echoing through the woods and valley. As the Moon rose, the coyotes howled along with our drumming. It was another picture perfect late summer evening night. 

Then it got late and we walked up the torch lit path through the woods, out into a gorgeous moonlit evening and went to bed. Mike came up to the house for coffee in the morning and we have a good chat. Before he left, Mike gifted us his self-published book on symbols to add to our collection.

It was so good to see everyone! Laughs and hugs were shared with all.  

Sweetwater to All and Never Thirst!
Delta and Iacchus  
 
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