goodbye lillian hellman & dashiell hammett
I gave away my finches today, to a nice family who loves birds. I’m surprised to discover that I miss the dirty little things.
Filed under The Details | Comment (0)mabon is in the air
Mabon
Autumn Equinox, September 21st
Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year’s crops. The Druids call this celebration, Mea’n Fo’mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.
Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter’s Night, which is the Norse New Year.
At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.
Symbolism of Mabon: Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.
Symbols of Mabon: wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.
Herbs of Mabon: Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon’s seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.
Foods of Mabon: Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Incense of Mabon: Autumn Blend of benzoin, myrrh, and sage.
Colors of Mabon: Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.
Stones of Mabon: Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.
Activities of Mabon: Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.
Spellworkings of Mabon: Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.
Deities of Mabon: Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona and the Muses. Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man.Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life. May your Mabon be memorable, and your hearts and spirits be filled to overflowing!
Copyright © 1997-99 Akasha, Herne and The Celtic Connection wicca.com. All rights reserved.
Filed under Spirit & Religion | Comment (0)i hate people & i like life
Since this year’s yuletide will be such a momentous one, I’m gearing up ahead of time by indulging myself in several new holiday DVDs. You know the usual ones, but thanks to WD, I’ve learned of possibly the most wonderful holiday movie of all: The 1970 English musical, Scrooge. And now that I have the movie, I pray that someday my vinyl collection will be blessed with the LP soundtrack. Forget writing a novel, finding this album is my new life’s mission.
still writing
A couple of my reviews have been posted at the online pub The Feminist Review:
The Women Incendiaries
Definitely check out this book if you’re in the mood for a scholarly read on the female revolutionaries of late nineteenth century France.
Frank Smith: Heavy-Handed Peace & Love
This album makes me long for Austin.
Filed under As a Writer..., Feminism & Politics, Medium of Sound | Comment (0)suspending the cynic
Yesterday was the second visit with our hypnobirthing instructor. She’s such a lovely woman. Everything about her and her home is so serene, WD and I leave with smiles on our faces. We’re learning how to put ourselves under light hypnosis, and WD is particularly good at getting me to relax. It’s the only time during my pregnancy when I’ve felt energized and excited about childbirth.
And while it has been difficult to put the negative aspects of childbirth to the side and focus on the positive potential of the experience, I’m choosing to suspend my inner cynic and imagine it well. An acid trip, a marathon… these are analogies I’m using to make sense of it all. And the practice of releasing my fears and affirming my natural ability to give birth has definitely made me more confident.
I’m also reading Pema Chodron’s The Places That Scare You. I wonder, is it possible to use the pain of childbirth as a means to develop one’s compassion towards others?
Filed under Spirit & Religion, The Details | Comment (0)
