The Fall of the God

this article originally appeared in The Fellowship Journal of UUFLB in September of 2005.

The air is getting cooler, the nights are getting longer, the leaves crunch under your feet; even the air smells different. You draw a deep breath of the crisp air. Fall is here. Again, this is a time of year when the world is in balance. Day and night are equal at the Autumnal Equinox, also known as Mabon on the Wheel of the Year.

Mabon is the second Harvest Holiday, the first was Lughnasadh. It's also called Harvest Home, and the full moon at this time is the Harvest Moon. This celebration is also called the Witches' Thanksgiving. Some of the traditional foods this time of year are corn breads, apples, and apple cider. At this festival, it is appropriate to wear all of your finery, and dine and celebrate in lavish style.

Mabon is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection; and preparation for the winding down of the year at Samhain. This holiday is for the preparation of the "season of sleep," and for introspection, and understanding our dark and wise side. We think of sacrifices others have made for us and what we can sacrifice for others

The God at this time knows He is dying, and knows He will be reunited with His bride once again. The Goddess prepares to grow weak, as the Earth will freeze over when Winter arrives. One Celtic legend gives us the legend of Mabon, who was born to Modron but taken after three days (some versions say three years) to dwell in the womb of Earth Mother where he gained the wisdom of the animals, notably Stag, Blackbird, Owl, Eagle and Salmon. Once freed from Earth’s womb, he returned to his mother’s womb and was reborn as her champions, the Son of Light

This equinox is also a time to stop and relax and be happy. While we may not have worked in the fields from sunrise to sunset every day since Lughnasadh – as our ancestors did – most of us work hard at what we do. At this time of year, we should stop and survey the harvest each of us has brought in over the season. For us, like our ancestors, this becomes a time of giving thanks for the success of what we have worked at.

Spend some time meditating on all you have accomplished in the past months, and write out a list of all you have to be thankful for. Gratitude is a powerful medicine – keep the list where you can refer to it, if ever you begin to feel a bit "grinchy" during the coming winter. What will you harvest this year, to keep with you through the long nights of the winter?

See you Sunday,

Trys

Sources:

* Simple Wicca, by Michele Morgan ©2000

* Holidays, by Akasha: The Celtic Connection

* Mabon Lore, Researched and Compiled by StormWing: 13 Moons

* Ivy’s Pentacles; Mabon Fact Sheet

* Harvest or Mabon (Fall Equinox) Lore

uploaded 12 sept 05

Wheel of the Year Series