Mabon Balance Meditation

A Time of Positive and Negative Energy

Mabon is one of those times of year that affect people in different ways. For some, it's a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it's a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. No matter how you see it, Mabon is traditionally a time of balance. After all, it's one of the two times each year that has equal amounts of darkness and daytime.

Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit "off". If you're feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life.

Setting the Mood

Now that fall is here, why not do an autumn version of Spring Cleaning? Get rid of any emotional baggage you're dragging around with you. Accept that there are darker aspects to life, and embrace them, but don't let them rule you. Understand that a healthy life finds balance in all things.
You can perform this ritual anywhere, but the best place to do it is outside, in the evening as the sun goes down. Decorate your altar (or if you're outside, use a flat stone or tree stump) with colorful autumn leaves, acorns, small pumpkins, and other symbols of the season. You'll need a black candle and a white one of any size, although tealights probably work best. Make sure you have something safe to put them in, either a candle holder or a bowl of sand.
Light both candles, and say the following:

A balance of night and day, a balance of light and dark
Tonight I seek balance in my life
as it is found in the Universe.
A black candle for darkness and pain
and things I can eliminate from my life.
A white candle for the light, and for joy
and all the abundance I wish to bring forth.
At Mabon, the time of the equinox,
there is harmony and balance in the Universe,
and so there shall be in my life.
 
Meditate on the things you wish to change. Focus on eliminating the bad, and strengthening the good around you. Put toxic relationships into the past, where they belong, and welcome new positive relationships into your life. Let your baggage go, and take heart in knowing that for every dark night of the soul, there will be a sunrise the next morning.

Guide To Meditation

Meditation has been used for centuries for it's proven benefits as far as stress relief, relaxation, personal insight, wisdom, and health benefits. Religion and even science embrace the concept because of the known beneficial mental and physiological changes that occur as a result of regular meditation. Most of us have meditated in some form during our lifetimes, even though we may not have been conscious that we were doing it - maybe before a doctor's appointment, before a big meeting at work, or during some other kind of stressful event.

Modern life is fraught with so much external data input that most of us feel literally overwhelmed at some point or another - or all the time. The paths we should take are unclear, and the prospect of making a wrong decision is frightening. We don't know where to turn for the answers, but ask anyone who is familiar with meditation, and they will immediately give you the answer. "Look within yourself."

Those three words are the essence of meditation.

In this vein, though meditation is not exactly a supernatural phenomena, it absolutely can lead to more awareness and thus, increased psychic abilities. Theoretically, we have everything we need within ourselves, and meditation is just a vehicle with which to bring it out in usable form through our own inner strength and wisdom.

Meditating can be as simple or as complicated as a person wishes to make it. In general, simple is better. If you choose a regimen that takes too much time or becomes a hassle, obviously you won't be inclined to meditate on a regular basis. Don't wait until a more convenient time to start. Do it NOW! Then follow-up every day or even twice a day for the most benefit. Don't worry about whether you are doing it right. Instructions will follow on these pages very soon, but basically sit down in a comfortable position, close your eyes, breathe deeply, concentrate on that breathing, and let your worries leave you every time you exhale.  You will be surprised at how rejuvenating this can be after only a short period of time. 

-The Crafty Witch

Celtic Tree Month of Reed Begins

Celtic Tree Month of Reed begins -- 

Reed is typically used to make wind instruments, and this time of year, its haunting sounds are sometimes heard when the souls of the dead are being summoned to the Underworld. 

The Reed Moon was called Negetal, pronounced nyettle by the Celts, and is sometimes referred to as the Elm Moon by modern Pagans. 

This is a time for divination and scrying. If you're going to have a seanse  this is a good month to do it. 

This month, do magical workings related to spirit guides, energy work, meditation, celebration of death, and honoring the cycle of life and rebirth.

-The Crafty Witch