Mabon... Autumnal Equinox

[RoadRaven]

Well, in an hour or so is the first dawning of this day in our seasonal calendar.

The second harvest celebration in our year, a completion of Lammas. (Of course, being the stupid sheep we are, much of the Southern Hemisphere will be celebrating Easter/Ostara in a week or so.)

Never-the-less, I wish those of you a delightful and blessed Ostara as I watch the sun set this evening and remember my ancestors... knowing that same sun will be rising on a day where my Northern sisters are celebrating the flourishing of new life of the as She covers the Earth in fresh beauty.

And my Southern sisters, although this is a less significant "holiday" in terms of the Wheel of the Year", I join you in this time of contemplation and preparation for the colder, darker months.

[Kimmyt]

Mabon is the word Charles DeLint uses for one of his dream-worlds in his short story books.

Very cool, I like knowing where it comes from!

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Kimmy

As a name, it is Welsh in origin, and literally means 'son'

In Earth-centred belief sysytems (which include amongst many pagan and wiccan), Mabon may be interpreted as 'son of the Great Mother'.

Some Earth-centred beliefs focus on only the Earth as a spiritual entity, some have the Goddess and others have the Goddess and her male consort in a duality of partnership.

Mabon is not celebrated or observed by all... but those that do see it as a time when the male part of the spiritual equation retreats, and prepares for the "rebirth" of the Goddess in spring.

As far as "holy days" go in the pagan calendar, this is a more recent addition, rather than a long standing observance like the other 7 days in the year.

[Kitsune06]

Happy Ostara! Let's all go dye eggs in onion skins and stand them on end around 5

Bunnies! Eggs! Time to start polishing those maypoles in preparation for Beltaine!

[alpinerabbit]

Happy Equinox to both Hemispheres!

[RoadRaven]

Wow, Alpine... thanks for the link - some lovely images there

[uforgot]

Happy Ostara! Let's all go dye eggs in onion skins and stand them on end around 5

Bunnies! Eggs! Time to start polishing those maypoles in preparation for Beltaine!

Hey, you don't need onion skins and it doesn't have to be the vernal or autumnal equinox to stand an egg on its end. Takes patience, but it can be done.

As for the maypole, believe it or not, our local school district still winds the maypole the first week in May. When you are a 4th grader, you practice practice practice and then the parents come watch the other grades sing cute little songs and then the grand finale...winding the maypole. No kidding. The locals won't let it go, and we are all laughing because isn't it actually a fertility dance?