THE GEORGIAN NEWSLETTER

Mabon 2007 What’s Inside:

• Spotlight • Recipes • Art • Announcements

• Mabon Ritual

and 2 brooms in every garage. BUT, ~SPOTLIGHT you want the boring stuff. Remember how last issue I said “I’ve found that some people like to talk about themselves and I was actually born into a family that others don’t”? Well, Allen will talk about never took religion of any sort too himself but tends to exaggerate just a tad, so I had to apply threats and such (like that actually "religiously". If one wanted to attend had anything to do with him giving up the church for whatever reason it was OK, information I requested ☺ ) but wasn't stressed. I found something in Shonsu /Punslinger church that I had only found before in the woods alone. I attended whatever church was nearby for several years of moving around, so I had a basis in the Methodists, Baptists, Pentecosts, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, as well as Catholic services. I found the Baptist/Pentecosts physically as well as psychically moving, when the "Spirit wuz among 'Em." I also was in awe of the Catholic ritual, especially when done in Latin, which even then was not often enough. I was on my way to being a

Baptist Deacon when I kept running into GNL Tell me a little bout yourself. the brick wall of not enough answers to Allen - I was born a poor, Black child. too many questions. FAITH can be the In a modest, 16 room log cabin with a answer for many questions, but not ALL. chicken in every cauldron And I had a hard time with the concept of something being a parable one day and gospel the next; or a parable when I The Georgian Newsletter Page 2 think it's gospel, and gospel when I think formed a Triad, which has morphed into it's a parable. Bobbie and I, now.

GNL When did you "discover" GNL Children? (how many?), Paganism and . grandchildren, great grandchildren? Allen - It seems that I had always had Allen - I went from being single to being pre-cognitive dreams and never Grandpa. Skipped right over that Dad understood them. After many years of stuff. Skip has three girls, and between being told that I could not be doing this, them they have 9 children. Bobbie has 2 I stopped. But I remembered doing so. I boys and a girl. Between them they have was also able to astral travel for many 7 children, and THEY have 6 children. years and KNEW that IF I told anyone I That makes me Papa to 6, Grandpa to would be "in trouble". At 16 I was 12, and great grandpa to 6. introduced to people who not only did not think I was crazy, but thought I was GNL Do any children of Georgians special for being able to do these things. call you They were members of Pats : grandpa? Randy, Herb, and Margo. I began Allen - Not really. Mostly Uncle. studying almost immediately, as it was my mother who introduced me to the GNL Describe your life a little these Georgians. Unfortunately, after a very days, lets short time my HPS left for Texas and I not forget Bobbie :-) was without any Craft contacts. I spent Allen - Our lives are busy. Between the 10 years "wandering in the wilderness" Craft and our involvement in The without any formal training, without any Society for Creative Anachronism and way of finding the few Crafters I knew, friends we usually have NO weekends but reading anything that came into my free. When we do we call it a vacation. I hands; books, magazine articles, am attempting to teach myself armoring encyclopedias, whatever I could find. and have turned out a few pieces that I After 10 long years I found the am proud of as well as a few that get Georgians again, this time with Bobbie thrown into the loaner pile without a and Randy as HP and HPS. word of where it came. When I can get my disability insurance started I plan to GNL How long you and Bobbie been take a class in welding. And build together? myself a forge to use for turning out (if it's not to personal) Craft blades as well as other things.

Allen -I met Bobbie at my first GNL Missed many Mt Meets? Mountain Meet, in June of 1977. She Allen - I have answered this question in was conducting the Ritual and I great detail before. Suffice to say only was sitting atop a boulder just outside of one in 16 years. the Circle, being to antsy to actually join the Circle. She struck me then as being GNL Any good tales you care to the epitome of "High Priestess-hood". share about our 10 years later we met again, but by this tradition? time I am, unhappily, married. After my Allen - All the tales have been told. It's divorce, Skip and I got together as the truths that make us wonder. The Bobbie was still married to Ken at this times we've healed cancers, heart time. They split up and the three of us disease, tumors, etc. If doctors studied "anecdotal" evidence we'd be famous. 2 The Georgian Newsletter Page 3 the need to share them to secure the BB blessings of the Goddess and God during the Shonsu winter months. The name may derive from (the picture featured at the beginning of the Mabon ap Modron, although the connection interview here was done my myself from photos is unclear. taken at Mt Meet 2007) Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas ANNOUNCEMENTS! and followed by . Dedication: ~1st degree – Jeff Ray of the Coven of Antiquity of Mabon Children Between the Worlds in Pville on 15 Sept after dark. Mabon was not an authentic ancient festival either in name or date. There is little evidence that the autumnal was Puck turned 50!!!! celebrated in Celtic countries, while all that is known about Anglo-Saxon customs of Gatherings that time was that September was known as 3rd annual Prairie Meet - October 5, 6, & haleg-monath or 'holy month'. 7, at Boiling Springs State park POC - Anise AKA Sean - The name Mabon has only been applied to [email protected]. the Neopagan festival of the autumn equinox very recently; the term was invented by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s as part of a religious studies project (the use of Litha for the Summer Solstice is also attributed to Kelly). Previously, in Gardnerian Wicca the festival was simply known as the 'Autumnal Equinox', and many Neopagans still refer to it as such, or use alternative titles such as the neo-Druidical Aban Efed, a term invented by Iolo Morgannwg.

The name Mabon was chosen to impart a more authentic-sounding "Celtic" feel to the event, since all the other festivals either had names deriving from genuine tradition, or had had names grafted on to them. The Mabon Spring Equinox had already been termed 'Ostara', and so only the Autumnal Mabon is the name used by some Wiccans Equinox was left with a technical rather than and other Neopagans for one of the eight an evocative title. Accordingly, the name solar holidays or sabbats. It is celebrated on Mabon was given to it, having been drawn the Autumnal Equinox, which in the from Welsh mythology. northern hemisphere occurs on September 23rd (occasionally the 22nd, although many The use of the name Mabon is much more celebrate on the 21st) and in the southern prevalent in America than Britain, where hemisphere is circa March 21. many Neopagans are dismissive of it as an unauthentic name. The increasing number of Also called Harvest Home, the Feast of the American Pagan publications sold in Britain Ingathering, or simply Autumn Equinox, by such publishers as Llewellyn has this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for however resulted in some British Pagans the fruits of the earth and a recognition of adopting the term. 3 The Georgian Newsletter Page 4 Popular culture 1 garlic clove, chopped ¼ tsp. dried thyme • Mabon is a contemporary Celtic ¼ tsp. dried parsley music band, from Bridgend, Wales 1 bay leaf • Mabon is an alias of the popular 1/8 tsp. black pepper Welsh-language MC, Gruff ¼ tsp. salt Meredith, who composes under the 2-10oz cans French onion soup name of MC Mabon. 1-8oz package raw baby carrots • In many of Charles de Lint's Newford books, the character 1-16oz pkg. frozen broccoli/cauliflower Sophie Etoile visits a city in her mix dreams called Mabon. In dutch oven or oven safe pot w/lid brown both side of the roast, using half the butter.

Mabon Caramel Apples 4 large potatoes, quartered

Set the roast aside. With remaining 1 package Kraft* Caramels butter, sauté' the onion, garlic, and celery 6 red or green apples, destemmed until onions are tender and beginning to 6 popsicle sticks brown. Add the thyme, parsley, bay leaf,

and pepper. Mix well and then return the Melt caramels slowly in a double boiler. pot roast to the pan. Sprinkle salt over When runny in consistency, stick the roast and add the french onion soup. popsicle sticks into top center of apple, Cook at 325 degrees for 4 hours. Baste and dip apple into caramel sauce, meat as needed. Add potatoes and making sure to cover entire apple with a carrots and salt to taste. Cook for another coating of caramel. Place dipped apples, 45 minutes. Add broccoli/cauliflower stick up on wax paper covered cookie mix and cook for 20 more minutes. sheet an refrigerate till caramel hardens. Serve with hot bread.

Makes 6 servings. Makes 8 servings

Remember, an apple a day keeps the By Akasha dentist, doctor, and dermatologist http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/mabontnrec away!!!! (this does NOT include the ip.htm caramel!) By Akasha http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/mabontnrec ip.htm

All Things Harvested Pot

Roast

4-5lb pot roast 1 stick butter 1 large onion sliced

3 celery stalks, chopped 4 The Georgian Newsletter Page 5

A Little Art Mabon Ritual

This first piece is called “What Bone”, Here it is! though the little PLEASE NOTE: I think it is important dragons to mention that when I wrote this, I was name is a "young" priestess, and Dorothy Isgett. I did Morrison's book, The Craft, was him years extremely helpful in putting into words ago while what I could not. I made sure to credit watching her at the end, and also made sure all my the “How students knew who wrote what, and her the Grinch stole Christmas” …he was words really made this ritual a beautiful created with the dog (his name is Max thing. I am forever grateful! This ritual - btw) as my inspirations. For Christmas I with few variations - has become a made over $500 extra dollars on tradition for Silver Oak that we do each posters…a little extra present money ☺ year, and the incense that is made forms the base for our ritual incense for the This next is called “Dragon Fire”, I coming year. THANK YOU, TEX! entered it in a contest in Pleiades Texass and with it and another, I GEORGIAN TRADITION took first and second Pagan circles in my Silver Oak Coven

category Setting up: cloth should be burgundy (Dragon or deep orange. God and Goddess candles are Fire took 1st). It’s 18X20 pencil and was purple or brown, and power candle burgundy, promptly claimed by wife so I wouldn’t purple or brown. Altar is set with bunches of give it away. dried herbs, Indian corn, autumn leaves, potatoes, acorns, or sunflowers. Mabon incense: mixture of hibiscus, myrrh, rose petals and sage.

This last one Participants have been told to come prepared to is acrylic and talk briefly about ancestors who have passed on a little a trait or characteristic to them, and to bring an herb, oil or incense to represent each trait. “suggestive”, so don’t look Anoint First. to closely at the fey Preparation of Salt and Water flittering Cast the Circle about. Didn’t Cleanse the Circle with Elements really give it a name but if you look closely you can figure it out ☺ Call the Watchtowers

5 The Georgian Newsletter Page 6 Call the God and Goddess: harvest periods, both agricultural and personal. It is a time to celebrate the Light the God candle and say: Earth’s bounty and thank “Horned One, God of the Wilds, her for the blessings she We invite you to our circle! brings us. It is often called Let your energy, your joy, your passion the ‘Witches’ Be with us this Mabon! Thanksgiving.’” Show us your paths through the wilderness And guide us on our journey. Priestess: “But there’s more to it than Grant that we may celebrate in your fields that. Because of Mabon’s and forests, association with the Protect your creatures, and feel your presence Underworld, it is also a great As the Old Ways live again within our circle!” time to remember our ancestors and those who Light the Goddess candle and say: have gone before us. We “Crone Goddess, Mistress of Magick and thank them for the blood Rebirth, that courses through our We invite you to our circle! veins, for the traits that we Let your wisdom, your love and your power share from their personal Be with us this Mabon! gene pools, and for the gifts Teach us the arts of magick, healing and they transformation. Grant us your wisdom so that we may celebrate and feast, have given us that make us the amazing Without expending the fruits of our harvest! specimens of individuality Let the Old Ways live again within our that we are. circle!” “So Mabon is a time of total thanksgiving – a time when MABON MAGICK we give thanks for all that we have, for all that we are, and Priest: “Mabon is named for the for all that the future holds, Welsh God, Mabon, whose not only for us personally, name means “Great Sun.” but for those yet unborn. It is The story goes that He was a time to reflect on the joys kidnapped from the Great of community, personal Mother (Modron) when he freedom and the wonders of was only three days old and the human species as a taken to the Underworld to whole. It is a time to count prevent his light from our many blessings and give shining on the land. He was thanks to everyone who has much smarter than the Lord helped them come to pass.” of the Underworld thought, though. During his stay within the Earth, he not only Honoring the Past Within Us gathered his wits, but the personal strength and Priest: “Who, in your lives, has gone momentum necessary to to the Summerlands, but lives still within become new seed. He knew you? Whose laughter still makes you his rescue was at hand, and smile?” when the time came, he’d need all the power he could muster to fertilize the barren Priestess: “Who has blessed you with a Earth and make it green gift? Passed on a journey or once more. task left unfinished?”

“Celebrated at Fall Equinox, Priest: “Who added to the sum of all Mabon marks the first day of your parts, and helped make autumn and the second you the one we love today?” 6 The Georgian Newsletter Page 7

Priestess: “Share with us the story of Honoring the Present who you are, and add to our Priest: “Mabon is also a time for essence incense something to giving thanks for the many represent the gift passed on blessings we have set before to you, for its very presence us now . . . in this time . . . in in you adds to our this moment. I have here in community, much as one my hands wheat from the herb adds to our common blessed second harvest.” incense.” (Priest passes out wheat to each participant.)

Each participant talks about a few (their choice) Priestess: “As you hold your what, visualize all in your life that of their ancestors or close friends who have you are thankful for at this spoke in the wheel of the changed their lives in some way, and offers a year. When you are done, bring them to the altar and handful of herbs or incense (or a sprinkling of oil tie yours to any other stalk that was laid before.” essence) to a large bowl in the center of the (after last piece is tied on) Priest: “All that turns the sun circle. When everyone is done, the herb/incense toward our smiles, All that lays cool, soothing mix is stirred together and placed on the altar moonlight like liquid joy on our tired skin, to be charged by the Priestess. All that fills our hearts with laughter is revealed in these stalks.” Priestess: Priestess: “May the knots ever bind “For your lives, I give you thanks happiness to the lives of those who have allowed them to be You, who live now in the ranks tied, and may this wheat Of memories of times now past stand as a reminder of joy in

sour times. SO BE IT Whose blood still flows within us fast, DONE!” Whose personalities we share,

Whose mannerisms here and there Cakes and Wine Come out in us from time to time Bringing reason to our rhyme. I thank you for the parts of me You’ve put in place that I might be. Priestess blesses the wine; and We promise now that you shall thrive With loving thoughts throughout our lives, Priest blesses the cakes. For all we are and all we’ll be Is because you live in all, in me.” Symbolic :

Priestess: “I would like each of you to Toast to the Future: come and fill the bags you emptied from this essence incense, a combination of the Summoner: “May we please have a energies that have merged moment of silence as within us individually and as attention is called to the very a group, to make us a richer wine in our cups and the community.” seeds it will feed as we send the last of it into the soil.”

7 The Georgian Newsletter Page 8 Priest: “Tonight we have looked at credits: the gifts of our ancestors and ♦ Passages calling the God and Goddess, and later the fruits of our lives at releasing them, written by Geb, of Silver Oak. present. Now is the time to ♦ Passages on background of Mabon, and charging turn our hopes and thoughts of the incense bowl, adapted from Dorothy Morrison’s The Craft: A Witches’ Book of to the future, what joy we Shadows, 2001, Llewellyn Publications. will bring and gifts we will ♦ Portion on Honoring the Past Within Us, written bestow on those who will by Pleiades, of Silver Oak. follow us.” ♦ Portions Honoring the Present and Toasting the Future, written by Tlalock, of Silver Oak.

Priestess: “Please, each in turn, raise a toast and state the things that ------you would like to pass on. Charge the wine remaining As is my habit, I try to get others to in your goblet with these submit some of their art or poetry…not gifts, and empty it into the mouth of the libation bowl, always an easy task as you may well for tonight the seeds of the imagine. But I did manage it this time! future will drink to our toast instead of our own lips. SO BE IT DONE!” Here is a picture done

Release the God and Goddess by Shawn of Temple Nathrock. It was done Extinguish the God candle after saying: via her imagination “Thank you for making merry with us and computer So our hearts may stay light graphics. She says As these heavy times creep upon us.” she isn’t that good but I tend to disagree! I Extinguish the Goddess candle after saying: love the way the colors transition and “Thank you for watching over our feast flow, that along with the dolphins and So that we still have ample food female figure how can you NOT love it? To last us through the winter.” This next one is watercolor and though I Release the Watchtowers didn’t ask her what it was I like it also… but Closing: (We generally use Witches and Pagans all . . .)

Priestess: “So be it, The Circle is broken.”

(or, if someone wishes to use the Circle afterward, for personal blessings or such, end with: “The Circle is open, then I love a good thunderstorm and rain But unbroken beating on the roof.

Both pics by Lady Kerridwin

8 The Georgian Newsletter Page 9

Nor loudly blow his horn And the tinker he can’t mend his pots Without john barleycorn, John barleycorn, john barleycorn, Barleycorn, barleycorn John barleycorn, john barleycorn

There were three men, came out of the west, "There were three men came out of the Their fortunes for to try West, And these three men made a solemn vow: Their fortunes for to try, John barleycorn must die! And these three men made a solemn vow, Well, they’ve ploughed, they’ve sown, the’ve John Barleycorn must die... harrowed him in. Threw clouds upon his head. "They let him stand till 's day, Till these three men were satisfied. Till he looked both pale and wan, John barleycorn was dead. And little Sir John's grown a long, long They’ve let him lie for a long long time, beard Till the rains from heaven did fall. And so become a man..."

And little sir john sprang up his head "They've hired men with scythes so sharp, And so amazed them all. To cut him off at the knee, They let him fly till the midsummer’s day, They've rolled him and tied him by the waist Till he looked both pale and wan, oh, Serving him most barbarously..." Then little sir john has grown a long long beard And so became a man. "And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl-- And he's brandy in the glass, They have hired men with the scythes so sharp. And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl To cut him off at the knee, Proved the strongest man at last." They rolled and they tied him around the waist, Serving him most him barbarously. They hired men with the sharp pitchforks To prick him to the heart. And the loader he has served him worse than that, For he’s bound him to the cart.

Well, they’ve wheeled him ’round and ’round the field, Till they came onto a barn. And there they made their solemn oath, Concerning a barleycorn. They hired men with the crab tree sticks To split him skin from bone, yeah, But the miller he has served him worst and bad For he ground him between two stones

Well there’s beer all in the barrel And brandy in the glass, But little old sir john with his nut-brown bowl Proved the strongest man at last. John barleycorn, throw him up, throw him up! Now the huntsman, he can’t hunt the fox,.

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