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
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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