Wicca

New Moon In Capricorn

Miss Poison Capricorn, December, New Moon, Wicca , , , , , , , ,

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Tonight is the final New Moon of the year. A New Moon, a new year, and a new you. This is the time to cast off 2016 once and for all, and begin your journey into 2017.

The Capricorn New Moon represents freedom and liberation. Liberate your mind first, and your freedom will follow. Capricorn reminds you to follow the beat of your own drum. Be unique. Be original. Be who you really are. Take a walk on the weird side of life. You may find a part of yourself that has been begging for expression. This is the Capricorn New Moon’s message.

A new cycle is beginning for you. This New Moon can empower you to move in a bold direction. You may break free from bad habits and relationships. You are no longer distracted by fear and doubt. You are ready to be who you were born to be. This is a time of great luck, so go out and try new things. Use this lucky time to grow businesses, start new jobs, go to interviews, find a new love.

Change your mind; change your life. See challenges from a different perspective, see challenges as opportunities for growth, they help keep your life fresh and lively. Your life can be freer than you may have realized. In this way, new opportunities will emerge for you. Believe in your dreams coming true. Believe when you wish upon a star, your dreams will come true. The star is shining on you now. The New Moon is opening up a new pathway for you. Perhaps it was there all along and now your eyes are open.

This New Moon will strengthen the impact for change. This is setting the tone for the New Year. Get out of your own way. Move out of your comfort zone. Make bold beginnings. Uranus is encouraging you to have a fresh start. Be innovative. Don’t allow the negative ego to hold back your dreams. Listen to your intuition. You intuition is your inner knowledge. Allow your Higher Self to guide you to new and exciting goals. Sudden unexpected opportunities can come to you from out of the blue.

There are new perspectives to be enjoyed now and this Moon reminds us that no matter how far we may have strayed from where we want to be we can always get back there as long as there is hope and the will to move and grow yourself.

Capricorn is ruled by the element of Earth; this is all about grounding yourself and making solid foundations on which to grow. This New Moon asks us to put emotions aside and look at ourselves and our lives with our head, not with the heart. We will be able to see things in a clear way now and look at ourselves and other aspects of our lives in a more honest and critical way. The new energy of the New Moon brings with it a visionary outlook, courage in the face of the unknown and a willingness to persevere as we step boldly and consciously into the new.

Have a Blessed New Moon and may the Goddess watch over you.

Written credit goes to: Wicca Teachings

Photo Credit: Wicca Teachings

Edited by: Lisa Marino

The First Night Of Chanukah

Miss Poison Chanukah, Christmas, Honesty, Judaism, Pieces Of Me, Poison In Lethal Doses, Thoughts, Wicca, Writing , , , , , , , , , ,

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If one more person wishes me a “Merry Christmas”, I will hurt them. It’s very simple; I’m JEWISH. I feel like I’ve been over this a million times, but today I damn near lost my temper, so I’m going to reiterate this, but for the love of G-d, don’t make me do it twice.

Yes, believe it or not, there are religions that do not celebrate the same holidays that you may celebrate. There are religions that are much older. This is basic kindergarten knowledge, yet every single person I’ve come across for over a month now has made an assumption I don’t fucking like. I’ve spent weeks holding it in. I’ve been polite, I’ve been nondescript in my “Enjoy your holiday!” greetings to others, I sent out cards with genuine, handwritten messages to express how I feel about people in a loving fashion, but at this point, I’m just plain fed up.

Tonight just so happens to be the first night of Chanukah. So, while the Jews are celebrating the miracle of oil lasting for eight nights and surviving taking back our temple centuries ago (By the way, we’re still surviving and we are a religious minority.), and we do this in very individual ways, there is literally zero discussion among us of trees, lights on our homes, Santa, Jesus, etc. To learn more, here’s some info that you might find prudent in case you consider wishing me a “Merry Christmas” ever again:  CHANUKAH 

It’s one thing if you don’t know I’m Jewish, but I make myself pretty clear. I openly discuss Jewish holidays, Israel, traditions, etc. I am also Wiccan, and I openly discuss those holidays, too. But if you go through my feed, you will see zero mention of holidays pertaining to any other faith. There’s a valid reason for that, and to ensure I don’t insult anyone, I’ll keep my feelings to myself.

I will always be respectful of those who show me respect and kindness, but damn, I am SO tired of correcting people. I know they mean well, really, but it drives me insane, so I’m putting my foot down. You can call me names (I’m sure plenty of people will.), but ultimately, respect the simple fact that I don’t celebrate Christmas. Wish me a Happy Chanukah (there are many different spellings out there, so it’s easy to confuse one with another) with the same genuineness as “Merry Christmas”. The big difference between your religion and mine is that Jews don’t believe in Jesus. There are other things we don’t believe as well, but that’s really the major one. There’s no lack of faith in G-d, we believe, just differently than you do. Also, we don’t go around trying to convert you. We’re pretty “live and let live”.

So tonight, I’d like to thank the people who honored me with cards & gifts. I genuinely appreciate the generosity and love.

Here’s hoping I never have to mention this again, because if I do, I’m re-posting an article I wrote a few years ago about what I do on Christmas Day. Frankly, I might post it tomorrow for shits and giggles.

To everyone celebrating whatever they believe in tonight; may peace and love be at the core of all you do. Blessed Be.

copyright © 2016 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Blessings For A Happy Yule

Miss Poison December, Wicca, Winter Solstice, Writing, Yule , , , , , ,

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Today is Yule. It is celebrated on the Winter Solstice, which is the longest night of the year. After this night, the nights will start to get shorter and the days with grow longer. It is the rebirth of the Sun.

Ancient people were hunters and farmers and spent most of their time outdoors. The seasons and weather played a very important role in their lives. Because of this, many ancient people had a great reverence for, and worshiped the Sun. The Norsemen saw the sun as a wheel that changed the seasons. It was from the word for the wheel, houl, or jol, that the word Yule is thought to have come.

Every six months there is a Solstice. On the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and shortest night, the Waning Sun takes control of the skies and the days get shorter and nights get longer, the cold starts to set in and vegetation on the earth begins to die. On the Winter Solstice, the Waxing Sun takes over and the nights start to get shorter and the days longer. It is a sign that Spring is only a few months away, where life will begin anew and the earth will start to blossom and bloom.

On Yule we celebrate the return of the Waxing Sun. In Wicca it is the birth of the Sun God who has many names; Cernunnos, Pan, The Oak King, Apollo, Sol, Freyr, Horus, Mithras, The Horned God, The Green Man, Lord Of Light, and more. The Goddess gives birth to him on this night. She sacrifices herself to give life to the Lord Of Light to ensure the earths survival.

In ancient tradition, Yule was celebrated with a large fire where townsfolk and villagers would dedicate it to the Sun God. They would fill their home with evergreens and an evergreen tree to show that even though the land was barren and dead; life is still flourishing, They would decorate the tree and their home with shiny objects to encourage the Sun God to shine.

We use Holly and Mistletoe on Yule as symbols of the fertility of the God and Goddess as they grow in the Winter. The red berries of the Holly represent the blood of the Goddess and the white berries of Mistletoe represent the semen of the God to ensure a healthy Spring and harvest to come.

Fill your Yule altar with fruit, nuts, and winter seasonal fare such as fallen leaves, fallen tree branches, acorns, evergreens, and anything bright and shining. Light yellow, green, red, white, or orange candles to ensure a good year and honor the season. Make an offering of wine, grapes, juniper berries, apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, or cloves to the Gods to honor them and wish for a happy new year.

The Winter Solstice has been celebrated by many ancient cultures, one of the most famous being Saturnalia. The ancient Romans held a festival to celebrate the rebirth of the year. Saturnalia ran for seven days from the 17th-23rd of December. It was a time when the ordinary rules were turned upside down. Men dressed as women and masters dressed as servants, the servants were given lavish gifts and their masters made them a big feast. The festival also involved decorating houses with greenery, lighting candles, holding processions, and giving presents. A Saturnalia Tree would be the centerpiece of every home.

Yule is a celebration of light and the Sun, and its life-giving properties upon the earth. It is a time to rejoice and to be thankful for all we have, and to gather strength for the new year. It is a time to contemplate on the year that has gone and look to the future.

The Winter Solstice falls on the longest night of the year (this can fall anywhere between the 20th-23rd of December) and was celebrated in Britain long before the arrival of Christianity. The Druids (Celtic priests) would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it up as a blessing. Oaks were seen as sacred and the winter fruit of the mistletoe was a symbol of life in the dark winter months.

It was also the Druids who began the tradition of the yule log. The Celts thought that the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter and during this time a log was lit to conquer the darkness, banish evil spirits, and bring luck for the coming year. To make a Yule log, cut a log into twelve pieces and burn a piece every day for twelve days. With each piece burned, make a wish for the coming new year.

Today we welcome back the Lord of Light. Blessed Yule to all.

Written credit goes to: Wicca Teachings

Edited by: Lisa Marino

Photo: Various

New Moon In Sagittarius

Miss Poison New Moon, Sagittarius, Wicca, Writing , , , , ,

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Tonight will be the New Moon in the sign of Sagittarius. We have an opportunity for a new start, a fresh cycle where we can tune in, visualize, and aim our arrows of light toward what we desire. This is a time of aligning with our deepest truth and having the courage to move, express, and create from our center.

The Sagittarius New Moon is full of energy. Sagittarius is a fire sign which draws on ambition and creativity. Move out of the box of limited thinking. Challenge your perceptions of reality. Align your goals with your truth and you will be successful. If you have been feeling stuck in a rut or everything has been moving too slowly lately, then get ready, as things are about to speed up and become a lot more exciting in a big way.

This is a fiery New Moon, full of strong feelings and passion. Fire has a way of burning off dead wood, and cleansing past hurts and guilt. If you’re one of the many who have been wading in your own emotional swamps, let a natural wildfire catch on, and use it to heal your spirit, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

This New Moon will give us a boost of confidence and empowerment. So be bolder, brighter, and braver than usual. Go for what you thought you couldn’t do before, take a chance and see where it takes you. Stay open to new discoveries and adventures. Seek out who you truly are and where you fit in the world. Now is the time to ask questions and seek answers. Now is the time to honor the struggles and battles we have faced in the past. Let them go. You are getting a fresh start.

This New Moon is full of vigor and renewed energy, we will start to feel uplifted. We are entering a very positive and upbeat period. We can turn our hopes and desires into reality, make wishes, ask for more.

Sagittarius is considered the sign of the seeker and the philosopher, as well as that of Cosmic Law. It focuses on the important questions in life: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? It also gives us a sense of wonder and joy as we contemplate some force greater that calls to us.

The archer points his arrow to our future. This New Moon encourages you to dream big. Sagittarius rules future vision, so you may experience strange or psychic dreams at this time and your psychic awareness will be enhanced.

Have a blessed New Moon, and may the Goddess watch over you.

Written credit: Various

Photo credit: Various

Edited by: Lisa Marino

Full Frost Supermoon In Taurus

Miss Poison Emotions, Full Frost Moon, Full Frost SuperMoon In Taurus, Full Moon, November, SuperMoon, Taurus, Wicca, Writing , , , , , , , , , ,

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A SuperMoon not only affects nature, such as the tides and wildlife, it also affects us. Our emotions will be heightened, our senses will be sharp, things that were hidden or in the shadows can now be seen.

The November Full Moon is also known as the Full Frost Moon, so-called because the frost and ice will start to set in as the earth grows colder. Animals will start to hibernate for the winter months, the last leaves will fall from the trees, and the land will become barren.

The Moon is rising in the sign of Taurus. We are amidst some strong planetary alignments that are heralding a need for great change and revolution both inside and out. Our attitude is of utmost importance during this time and can empower us and see us through whatever we are facing. Gratitude for what we have and a willingness to move with the energy that is calling us is required now.

This particular Full Moon will not be boring and will have an unpredictable vibe along with it. The places we have been feeling stuck in our lives may suddenly begin to move or shift. If emotions are clogged, they may surface and flow; let them, don’t hold anything in, let your emotions out. Be aware of dualistic thoughts, emotions and behaviors, as this may be generating a lot of mental stress and tension, plus sending out mixed signals to others and the Universe. Try to stay grounded and find balance. Finances are illuminated on this Full Moon, to watch what we are spending and to improve or bring in any extra income we can.

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Tonight’s Full Moon brings change. We are coming to the end of the year, with Yule and the New Year fast approaching, we must become empowered to make the changes necessary to shift our situation. It is up to us, the time is now. We must let go and surrender to the deeper current that is transforming us. You are the master of your destiny. Take your power back from society and other people. Learn from your past mistakes. Vow to do better next year. Make a commitment to your success. Be adaptable. Make friends with change. It is not the enemy. Change is your friend. Change sheds the old and gives birth to the new.

This Full Moon is about communication, higher learning, and our sense of creativity and adventure. Something has been building inside of us and now is the time when the energy of the cosmos demands that we let it out. We are magnets to our desire now. We have the power to attract what we want toward us. Taurus is the sign of strength and truth; this will give us a boost in mind power, as we will be able to see things more clearly. We will see our own truths and a fog will be lifted that can show us a path that can lead us into improving ourselves both spiritually and mentally.

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This Full Moon look into yourself and ask yourself what you need to move forward. Ask yourself how you are going to achieve this and ask yourself if you feel that you are strong enough to do this. If you feel that you are not strong enough, use the energy of this Full Moon to heal and gain strength. Ask the Goddess for guidance and to lead the way to a more positive, happier life.

Tonight is a good time to determine what you value and what you stand for, what you want to create in your life and carry forth into the next cycle of your evolution.

Have a blessed Full Moon. May the Goddess watch over you.

Written credit: Various

Photographic credit: Various

Edited by: Lisa Marino

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Samhain Blessings

Miss Poison God/Goddess, Samhain, Wicca , , , , , ,

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Today is Samhain. It is one of the most important of the 8 Sabbats, as it is the Pagan New Year. The wheel of the year has turned full circle and a new year begins.

The word Samhain means ‘Suns end’. It is pronounced Sowin.

Leaves fall and the trees become silent and skeletal against the darkening skies. The sap which rose in the spring and made the land fertile and green, now returns to the roots of the earth, where it will wait silently until the warmth of spring and rebirth draws it back to the surface. This is the eternal cycle of death and rebirth, not a rigid straight line, but rather a continual cycle, season by season, year by year.

Samhain is the third of the harvest festivals, only this isn’t a harvest of crops or grain; it is the harvest of flesh. It was the time of year when farmers and families would slaughter cattle and preserve the meat to last through the cold winter months.

Samhain is a festival of death as it is the death of the year and of the waxing Sun. It is also the death of the earth when plants, seeds, and acorns are now slowly descending underground to ready themselves to be reborn come Spring. Animals will begin to hibernate, and the earth will appear barren as it sleeps through the winter months.

Earth energies are being pulled inwards at this time. We should also be looking inwards at ourselves. Contemplate the year we have had and what lessons we have learned, whether they were good or bad, and what can we take from them and use in the future.

The God of the waxing Sun descends into the underworld, opening up the veil between the two worlds of the living and the dead. At Samhain spirits can commune with the living and visit us. We remember our ancestors and the people and pets who have died. We honor them by placing pictures of them on our altars and invite them to join us. We should also adorn our altars with seasonal fare such as fallen leaves, twigs, acorns, nuts, turnips, and pumpkins and offer these as gifts to the Triple Goddess, who is now in her crone phase. She is the wise dark mother of knowledge and days past.

Although a time of death, Samhain is also a time of fresh starts and new beginnings. It is a time of ‘out with the old and in with the new’. It’s an excellent time to look forward to our future.

On Samhain we should light a fire, as this is primarily a Celtic fire festival where the villagers and towns folk would light giant bonfires to say goodbye to the God of the waxing Sun and to thank the Goddess for her harvest of gifts bestowed upon the earth. There would also be big feasts with stews, corn, and breads, and we would give thanks for the people in our lives and show gratitude for all that we have, and give thanks to the people who are no longer with us and invite them to join us at the feast.

Light a candle tonight and put it in a window facing West to light the way for our lost loved ones and invite their spirits to visit us.
Today is a great time for divination, for doing Tarot reading and looking to the future, asking ourselves how we can improve our lives and move forward for the coming year.

Have a Blessed Samhain & may the God and Goddess watch over you.

Written credit: Various

Photo Credit: Wicca Teachings

Developmental Editing by Lisa Marino

New Moon In Scorpio: 10.30.2016

Miss Poison New Moon, October, Scorpio, Wicca, Writing , , , , , , ,

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Tonight is a New Moon in the sign of Scorpio. It is time to shed our old skin, release what is dying, and let go of what is not working for us.

Scorpio is about death and rebirth. This is a cycle of completions and new beginnings. We are being called upon to trust our deepest instincts and follow where they are taking us.

This New Moon is all about change. Just like a scorpion shedding its skin, we will feel the need to get rid of any negative attachments holding us down and stopping us from moving forward. This moon is about sweeping your life clean of clutter. Our belief systems can crumble. Routines and relationships may breakdown. Structures that you have built up are challenged. Things that you may have thought were reliable and dependable can come to an end. In turn, new doors open and new chapters begin, ushering in a new phase of your life.

Create the space for positive energy to enter. What is not working this New Moon will be highlighted. You will see new pathways and options opening. You can become who you truly want to be, rather than who you think you are supposed to be; this is the true meaning of transformation. Don’t be afraid to look deep into yourself and ask serious questions, explore both your dark and light side. As we embrace our own darkness, we become whole. We are all made of dark and light. The trick is not to let one take over the other, to embrace them both equally, as both are important. Without darkness there is no light, without light there is no darkness. We acknowledge the truth of who we are, which will help us see the truth of others.

Scorpio’s strength is that it isn’t afraid of the dark and so when the Moon is in Scorpio, it is a perfect time to look at our shadows and see what we’ve been in fear of, what we have been suppressing and repressing, and then dealing with it. When we face our inner demons and fears they aren’t as scary as we once thought they were. Scorpio hones in on seeing the truth and if we can be truthful with ourselves, we will have a great opportunity to complete some aspect of our lives and begin a new phase.

Let us use these rare insights the Scorpio New Moon will bring to fuel our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, to allow us to see the big picture of what is occurring in our lives, so that we can easily navigate the changing tides. Scorpio holds the power of the water element, this will have our emotions on high alert. Let your raw emotions come to the surface, this will allow you to heal both mentally and physically.

Things are shifting now. Let’s move in a new and positive direction. The future is knocking at your door and is ready to take you on a new and exciting journey, if you let it.

The New Moon in Scorpio is sure to leave its extreme emotional mark upon us. It almost dares each of us to go into the unknown and expose new parts of the self which are waiting in the wings to be discovered. Let the waters of Scorpio wash over you, cleanse, and heal you. Get to know yourself again and figure out what you really want.

Have a blessed New Moon, and may the Goddess watch over you.

Writing credit goes to Various

Photo credit goes to Wicca Teachings

Developmental Editing by Lisa Marino 

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Full SuperMoon In Aries

Miss Poison Aries, Fall, Full Hunter's Moon, Full Moon, Full SuperMoon In Aries, October, SuperMoon, Wicca, Writing , , , , , , , , , ,

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Tonight’s Full Moon will be a SuperMoon. The SuperMoon not only affects nature, such as the tides and wildlife, it also affects us; our emotions will be heightened, our senses will be sharper, things that were hidden or in the shadows can now be seen.

The October Full Moon is known as The Blood Moon because this was the time of the harvest of flesh, when farmers would slaughter their cattle and preserve the meat to last through winter. It is also known as The Hunters Moon because of the brightness of tonight’s Moon; it was the perfect time for hunting both day and night and gathering food.

A SuperMoon amplifies the effects of a normal Moon, we will be feeling ultra sensitive and emotional at this time. We may find ourselves feeling strong emotions we don’t even understand. Happy and laughing one minute, teary and sad the next. Don’t worry, this will pass, but this is the effect of the SuperMoon. We may experience wild and vivid dreams, or dreams of the future.

If you have been feeling stuck in a situation or that everything has been standing still lately, get ready, because this Full Moon will be bringing with it a wind of change. Tonight’s Full Moon is in the fiery sign of Aries. This is a time of great change. The universe is giving us so many gifts and chances; don’t be afraid to take them and to dream of bigger and better things, ask for more, do more, be more. Look at what may be holding you back and get rid of it. The Aries Full Moon is about starting fresh; getting rid of the old and bringing in the new.

So much of what has been suppressed is coming to light now and shining so brightly that we cannot ignore it any longer. This Full Moon is about truth and seeing what is really there; not what we want to see. In life we can often see illusions about ourselves, illusions about others, and illusions about our world. All of these will start crumbling away so we can rebuild on what is real and true.

The Aries Full Moon is a time of healing and cleansing, of getting rid of our negative junk and moving ourselves into a new and positive direction. Look closely at all the good things in your life and look at how to improve the bad things. It’s time to take a deep look within ourselves and become more aware of what makes us feel comfortable and secure. With this potent Aries energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives. It’s time to make some solid, yet realistic, plans for the future.

Tonight’s Full Moon will be hot and passionate as we can feel the fire of the Aries element, yet we will feel a tranquil quality that can bring a new wave of calm and peace with it, too. The gentle dusting of energy bought by this Full Moon will allow us all to restore and recharge our batteries and perhaps even feel more comfortable with our situation. We will see with clarity what we need to do to heal and grow. Let the fire of Aries wash over you, cleansing and healing you. Now is also the time to get in touch with your passions & desires and work on making them a reality.

Have a blessed Full Moon & may the Goddess watch over you.

Written credit goes to Wicca Teachings

Edited by Lisa Marino

Fall Equinox

Miss Poison Autumnal Equinox, Fall, God/Goddess, Mabon, September, Wicca, Writing , , , , , , , ,

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Today is the Fall Equinox, when night and day are exactly at equal length. It is also one of the eight Pagan Sabbats called Mabon. It is named after the God Mabon. He is the Child of Light and the son of the Earth Mother Goddess, Modron.

Mabon is mainly a harvest festival, it is the last harvest before winter comes. In old times it would be a time to start stocking up on fruit, wheat, corn, and grain for the winter months ahead.

This is a time of transformation. The great wheel has turned as we pass into a new season and say goodbye to Summer. Earth is going through a major shift where darkness will now start to take over light as the nights get longer and days get shorter. Cold will start to take over warmth and death will start to take over life. Plants will wilt and trees will start to lose their leaves, fields will become baron and grey. Wild animals will begin to gather food for the winter months before going into hibernation.

Mabon is a time of thanksgiving. We thank the God and Goddess for all that we have and thank them for the harvest. The sap of trees returns to their roots deep in the earth, changing the green of summer to the fire of autumn, to the flaming reds, oranges, and golds. We are returning to the dark from whence we came. The Goddess is radiant as Harvest Queen, and the God finally dies with his gift of pure love with the cutting of the last grain. He will descend into the underworld, his last day on earth will be Samhain, when a gate will open between our world and the underworld. We enjoy the abundance of fruit and vegetables at this time. We should adorn our altars with pumpkins, nuts, corn, wheat, squash, fruits, and other seasonal fair, and any falling leaves or acorns we may find to honor the season and to thank the God and Goddess for the wealth of harvest bestowed upon us.

Mabon is also a transition for the Triple Goddess as she goes from her mother phase to her crone phase; her final phase from her journey of the year.

The Fall Equinox is a time of balance, of both light and dark. It is a time to look within ourselves and balance our thoughts and emotions, and find balance in our lives. To embrace our dark and our light, as one cannot exist without the other. 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 hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Mabon reminds us of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. As we go into the dark half of the year, we also know that Spring and Summer will be upon us again.

Hoof and Horn, Hoof and Horn
All that dies shall be reborn
Corn and Grain, Corn and Grain
All that falls shall rise again

May your Mabon be memorable & your hearts and spirits be filled to overflowing.

Written & photo credit goes to: Wicca Teachings

Edited by: Lisa Marino