Sabbats Almanac: Samhain to Mabon - Kristoffer Hughes 2018
Cosmic Sway by Charlie Rainbow Wolf
Mabon
MABON SEES SATURN FINALLY moving forward again, which is great news for those of you who are experiencing one of your Saturn returns. It’s now far enough away from Pluto that their energy clash is no longer a concern. However, karma chameleon is still present with the continued opposition to the Moon’s north nodes.
The fast moving Moon is coming into play this equinox, too, because it’s making a conjunction to the north node in Cancer, and also an opposition to Saturn and then Pluto. The Moon’s transits are so fleeting that they only last a matter of hours, but with all this emotion and karma around, extra care should be taken. What seems trivial now might crop up again at a later date, so act with integrity.
The Moon’s kiss on the north node as it passes creates a need for emotional security. This usually involves home and family, but it may extend beyond that, particularly if your childhood or your relationship with your mother was a trial. Karmic wounds around dependency, nurturing, or lack of them might reopen if they’ve not been fully dealt with. While this may be an impassioned few hours, there’s also a profound opening to deal with the past by being open to it, and finding the balance between burying it or dwelling in it.
The likelihood for intense feelings and sadness continues with the Moon—Saturn opposition. Sometimes it may seem there’s little chance for emotional needs to be met, but this may not be a reality. It could be a fleeting thing, something that’s fairly overwhelming during the few hours when the opposition is exact, but fading as the aspect weakens and dissipates. Obviously this isn’t a particularly good time for socializing, nor for dealing with authority figures or making important decisions.
As soon as the Moon—Saturn opposition is ended the lunar opposition with Pluto starts. This is yet another brief phase where emotions are high and feelings are intense. Expect mood swings and complex patterns of behavior, no matter how short lived they may be. Any relationship tension that was triggered by the Saturn opposition could well come to a head now. Tempers may flare, and the possibility that this is a make or break time for ties that have been stretched to their limits is very real.
It’s not all bad news, though. For one, these lunar transits are intense but quick to pass. Think of them as a sharp shower that clears the air. They bring the rain, but also some much needed freshness. For another, Venus and Mercury are conjunct in Libra one of the two signs (the other being Taurus) that Venus rules.
The Venus—Mercury conjunction is exact for one day but will influence things for approximately seventy-two hours. This is a love connection, where harmony, lively conversation, and getting to know new people are favored. This is a perfect time to travel and socialize. It’s a pleasant period, where mingling with others comes easily, and words are kind and lighthearted. Find reasons to giggle; it’s good medicine. Not only will it take the sting out of any discomfort the lunar transits might have brought into your life, but laughter is one of the best ways of repelling negative energy and ensuring that future days are brighter.
Mars isn’t quite the troublemaker this month either, and is playing nicely with Pluto. This dynamic energy means there’s the possibility to get a lot done. Ambition is strong, and it’s possible to achieve your goals harmoniously and without disruption. Obstacles seem to remove themselves—this is on a personal as well as a larger scale, and applies to tangible roadblocks as well as ideas or inhibitions that may have been hindering progress. People are generally cooperative, and the chances of new projects and new responsibilities is good. It will certainly bring forth the natural leaders—at least, those who are seeking a position of power. Confidence overall is strong and positive.
Jupiter is once again moving forward this month, and that means the pace picks up when it comes to new ideas and new ways of doing things. It’s making a nice transit to Neptune (still retrograde, still in Pisces), which has the potential to be very creative. This aspect feeds hope, and community spirit should be harmonious and optimistic. Spirituality could well seem stronger now, and there’s a lot of creativity floating around.
The one caution with this aspect is not to take things for granted. It will be so easy to believe what you want to hear rather than what’s being said, particularly when it comes to spiritual epiphanies and enlightenment. By all means, follow the new paths and see where they lead, but don’t go blindly. This is a time for reaching out to others, for fighting against social injustices and for championing the underdog, but not one for taking everything on face value. Jupiter wants to help, but when influenced by Neptune, things sometimes aren’t all that they seem to be.
Mabon Ceremony: Honoring the Dead
Mabon is the second harvest festival. It’s a time of bounty and plenty, of celebrating the abundance and giving thanks for what has been gathered. It’s also the time when the day loses its battle with the night, and sunset comes ever faster. Some traditions call Mabon "the festival of the dying Sun," and, as the next festival is Samhain, the festival of the dead, this is actually quite appropriate.
This ceremony is very simple, but so very powerful. You can use it as a group or a solo activity. When used as a group, you might want to make it a field trip of sorts, or to designate a particular place for this activity. You’ll need a pen, a small slip of paper or parchment, a spade or a trowel, and a seasonal potted plant for each person present
Cast your usual circle or call the deities as you normally would. When you’re ready to begin this activity, ask everyone to write down the name of someone dear to them, someone recently departed, on the slip of paper. These pieces of paper don’t have to be large; in fact, this is one instance where the smaller the better.
Once everyone has written the name of the person they wish to honor, using the small trowel, dig down a few inches into the potted plant, and place the slip of paper into the soil. What you do next is largely up to you. At this point you can close your circle and partake in any ritual feast you have planned, or you can wait until later in the day to bring things to an end.
If you have a designated ritual space, place the pots there as a place of honor and remembrance. Another idea is to take them to the local cemetery, and place them on the graves that are unadorned or neglected. The third option is everyone can take the potted plants home with them and keep them in a special place.
There’s really no wrong way to do this, the important thing is that the dead are honored with the potted plant. The plant will eventually die too, and the soil will return to the earth. This ceremony isn’t just for remembering the dead, but also for paying homage to the turn of the wheel, the equality of life and release, and the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.