THE SABBATS
A Four Week Course
Introduction to the Sabbats
As the Wheel Turns, life evolves into something
different from yesterday. Most customs that our ancestors used are not
necessary now but we still honor them. Even when we aren’t
sure why. During this four-week course, I will introduce you to the Sabbats by
honoring the old ways and encouraging you to discover what each Sabbats means
to you.
The information presented here is by no means
all-inclusive and I encourage you to explore all the resources available to you
to learn more. What is being presented is a very basic background. I always
found this to be important to understanding why something is celebrated. This
way you are able to create your own ever-evolving traditions while still
honoring our ancestors.
What I hope you take away from this is the ability to create your own traditions or rituals and with a basic understanding of all the Sabbats. I also hope you get some plan old inspiration to have fun and learn something new too.
Please send your completed lessons to me at: decjazmine23@yahoo.com
Week 3: Ostara and Mabon
Ostara
Part A: Background of Sabbat
That is, when both day and night are
balanced. The winter is leaving during Ostara finally and we can enjoy the
beginnings of Spring! How awesome is that? One story includes the young God regaining strength in
his youth after being born at Yule, and the Goddess returning to her Maiden
aspect.
When Ostara comes on March 20-22, everyone is
ready to be done with the winter. We are all craving the light! It is getting
warmer outside and the early spring blossoms are making their debut! This is a
time when the Maiden Goddess returns to us.
I get excited when the stores come out with
holiday decorations. Although they are mainly selling the stuff for Easter,
that Christian holiday has so many pagan symbolism its not even funny. The
eggs, for example, which is the best known pagan symbol, is a sign of rebirth.
The hare is the symbol for Ostara, the Goddess of Spring. Butterflies are
another symbol that could be used for Mabon as well. (The cocoon is just not as
a pretty as the hatched butterfly.) During this time, the sun is growing
stronger everyday, the temperatures are getting warmer and finally, we go
outside!
This is a time for planting the seeds to be
harvested later, whether it be food seeds or seeds of thought. What we can do
here is bless the seeds. After all, once they are in the ground, (physically or
mentally) they are going to need a lot of love and encouragement they can get.
I mentioned butterflies earlier because around
Mabon, they start their transformation in a darkened cocoon. When they come
out, they are reborn into something more colorful. Think of the winter as a
time for reflection and making decisions. In the spring time, its time plant
those decisions.
Part B: Patron Goddesses,
customs and traditions
The goddess of choice here is Ostara, the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring.
She a Maiden Goddess instead of the Mother like some might think. True, we are
nurturing plants and ideas like a mother would her child, but everyone starts
from a small seed. The Maiden is holding this seed.
Another goddess we could also honor at this time
is the return of Persephone. At Mabon, she retreats to the Underworld with
Hades and in the Spring returns to her Mother, Demeter. Mother and Daughter
working together bring about the end of winter and new life springs from the
ground.
The idea here is rebirth. Eggs and hares have a
huge role in that as well. The eggs were used in magick to bring about the intentions of the witch by being “planted” in the ground. Dying
eggs different colors was a way to encourage the return of the Sun. Kids now as
well as back then, would draw symbols onto the eggs, wishing their own
little wishes for the coming year.
Although we celebrate the Great Rite at Beltane,
well, love is in the air now as well. I mean, rabbits get a little crazy in the
fields. It happens. Also another thing to think about is being a kid again for
the day. Play around at a playground, color a fun picture or
play a game of tag! Free the Inner Child at this time! I’m lucky enough that
right now, my kid still needs help, (not really) with our community Easter egg
hunt. I get excited and so does she. Then we come home and have a sugar high
off the candy while enjoying some cinnamon buns.
Part C:
Creating your own rituals
Since Ostara is about balance. I would like you to write a ritual that reflects a chance to balance yourself. How can you transfer any previous Easter celebrations to Ostara? Share your ritual ideas with me.
I gave some hints above to what I do with my
family. Here are some more, I really enjoy making cinnamon buns for my family,
sometimes even French toast or omelets. I also give an Ostara basket to my
daughter filled with the chocolate bunny eggs. They are dark on the inside,
colorful foil on the out along with her favorite whatever toy of the week. Some
witches would even make this a gift-giving holiday.
*Send in
your thoughts and ideas on how you would make this Sabbat your own.
Mabon
Part A: Background of Sabbats
The autumn equinox, also
known as Mabon, is a celebration of the second Harvest festival. Fall is on the
way and cooler temperatures are coming! Yeah! Mabon, by far, is one of
my favorite Sabbats that does not always get the proper recognition. On
September 21, after the light and darkness is balanced, the scale will tip. The
light will fade even more until Yule. Finally, I have an excuse to wear my
favorite sweatshirts! The weather is
finally tolerable, the tree leaves are changing from green to amber to disappearing
altogether. A time of death, a time to retreat into your own self and see what’s been working and what hasn’t. This is the second of three harvest
times and is the Witches Thanksgiving. A time to be thankful for everything
planted during Ostara. Our ancestors were picking the apples, baking bread from
the harvested grains and of course, the wine was flowing. What is not to love about the fall?
To me, the one Goddess
that stands out the most for this Sabbat is Demeter. This Greek Goddess was the
agriculture Goddess who felt a deep connection not only to the land, but to the
people as well. She was very generous with her blessings if she liked the local
farmers shrine to her.
Her story is that when
her daughter went to the Underworld with Hades, she went into morning. Roaming
the lands looking for her daughter till the other Gods figured out that until
she knew the truth, everyone was going to die. OK,
maybe not as gruesome as that, but that’s the idea. Once the location of
Persephone’s became known, Zeus demanded her return to
This is the Witches
Thanksgiving. Pagans gather together to gain balance, as the world descends
into darkness and we also celebrate, (hopefully) a bountiful second
harvest.
Part C: Creating your own
rituals
This week I want you to
reflect on things you have started this year. What has come through and what
has not? What you are thankful for? Then come up with a ritual thanking
Demeter. Even if its just a letter being burned.
*Let me know how it goes. Was it something you enjoyed doing?
Part D: Making it your own
Modern Touches
Something awesome about living in the
*How do
you plan to put your touches on this Sabbat? What are your thoughts about the
lesser Sabbats? Let me know.
END OF
WEEK 3- One more week to go!
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