Mabon/Autumnal Equinox

[Luna Bathory]

Does anyone have any particular recipes they like to make?

[Firebird]

It's Tomorrow! ! ! What is everyone doing this year?
This whole weekend is going to be pretty special, I finish my meds on Saturday and I am already feeling lots better. For me my harvest miracle is going to be the incredible timing of this treament, I have so much to be grateful for. Mabon has been called the Witches Thanksgiving, even though we mourn the decline of the God energy we are gratefull for that which we have harvested in this cycle.
In our group we will be making a friuty sangria with our own fruits harvested from our yards, and sending our gratitude off with with a mini burning man.
Here's a pic of him, he is made of typha latifolia (cat tail reed) (usually we put one of the cat tails spikes in an, eh-hem, very specific location, but I left that out for the picture, you see he has two of them for antlers)

Mini burning man

Maybe I'll have a pic of him during the burn,.
Merry Mabon to all!
Blessings, Firebird

[T'a Nuk]

He's awesome. How fortunate you are to have a close group to celebrate with.

[Firebird]

Thanks! LOL, I just realized that's his backside, but he looks mostly the same on the other side
Yea, the group been meeting in some form or another since 1984. I'm part of the second incarnation.
Bb, Firebird

[Blu-Luna]

Warm greetings to everyone! I am not sure (as I am very new to this), but is it Mabon, do we celebrate Mabon, how do we celebrate, and what do we do? I could probably Google this, but where is the fun in that? Thanks so much!

[Firebird]

Hi there Luna bathory and Blue-Luna! I moved your posts over here so that we may have a 2018 Mabon thread.
There are so many activities and foods that go with this holiday, I'm sure If Tylluan stops by she will have some great recipes, the whole season of food is upon us and of course the pumpkin spice drinks are in full swing!!! One of my very favorite things to have on the stove is spiced cider and I will make some kind of dish with potatoes for our gathering tomorrow.
Finding balance is something most of us strive for and this holiday is a good time for meditations to seek what one may need in order to obtain that. Another activity is taking a ritual action to seek what you desire by walking a balance beam, with the goal on the other side, as you move along the board consider what is needed to be successful in your quest, by considering pros and cons. But mostly I believe this is a great day to leave offerings and give thanks for whatever good things (or bad if they learned you a valuable lesson) that you have harvested this year.
Merry Mabon everyone!
FF

[SpiritTalker]

I'm the cider & doughnuts type with baked apples & sausage.

[Blu-Luna]

Merry Mabon!Oops, I thought my phone erased my post and I did not see this until just now. I am on my cell phone and have eyesight issues which doesn't help! Thanks for the info! I hope everyone's Mabon was fun! I got to sip on some nice wine for my Mabon!

[Blu-Luna]

What is a "burning man"?

[SpiritTalker]

The photo shows a small straw man figure. It represents the Green Man who is the god-form essence of agricultural abundance. It is burned, thus sacrificed in a celebration of thanksgiving and ashes are sown into fields to promote future crops. Some groups make a strawman cage that fits over the shoulders of a person who thus animates the figure in a procession before the figure is sacrificed.

[Blu-Luna]

Nice! Thanks for the info! It sounds like it would be fun to attend "burning man" festival. Do they have festivals? How did yours go? Thanks so much again!

[Firebird]

The event that began as a few friends on a beach near San Francisco in 1986 has turned into this https://burningman.org/
There is much lore surrounding this figure some of it quite gruesome, although some historians have been debunking original reports.

We do our little burn in a backyard or in the past at the UU church, it's a lot of fun and holds much meaning in our gratitude for the harvest. Personal harvests are the bulk of the thanks, although some of us did grow things, mainly herbs.
I meant to post a pic of the burn...I'll get back with that.
bb, FF

[Blu-Luna]

Thanks! That's awesome! I'll have to check out the video and lore! Can't wait to see your mini burning man pics!

[Firebird]

Well I didn't get the best pictures, but here's a couple.
Blessed harvest to everyone!

All our harvested items tucked inside

Off the the Ether Mabon man takes the gratitude.