Very Informative

I found Mabon: Rituals & Lore to be an extremely informative book. Being fairly new to Wiccan & Witchcraft, I found a lot of information here. I recommend it for both the novice and the advanced. ( )

‘’Harvest festivals celebrated more than finished work for the season; they celebrated the capacity to survive the winter.’’

Mabon is arguably the most obscure tradition of the Old Ways calendar, yet we find its significance and symbolism in every aspect of our lives, regardless of our religious convictions, as Autumn greets us, entering our homes, preparing us for the days that lie ahead and the year that is slowly coming to an end. We harvest the results of our toil. It is a time for reflection, remembrance, contemplation and, possibly, a time when we need to retrieve (or rediscover) the will to begin anew.

Diana Rajchel narrates the tales of Isis and Osiris, of Demeter, Persephone and Hades. Of the mythic hero Culhwch, Mabon and Olwen. Of Dionysus, the Eleusinian Mysteries dedicated to Demeter. Stories where life and death approach each other, where the harvest becomes a metaphor for the strange marriage between the living and the dead. We learn about the world traditions that surround the last sheaf, about Michaelmas and its haunting echoes, the songs of mourning and the fear of loss. The celebration of Boedromion in Ancient Greece, the Winter Finding of the Norse, the Feast of Avalon of the Celtic tradition, the Equinozio di Autumno of the Italian Witchcraft, the Dozynki of the Polish, the Erntedankfest of the Germans. The moving tradition of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper, two of the most beautiful Jewish celebrations, and the Sukkot that observes the forty years that Jewish tribes wandered in the desert.

As we feel the power of the Autumn equinox, we decorate our homes and churches with cornucopias, taking a walk in the woods, embracing the colder days. Many of us will make a corn doll or a wreath (but be careful with the bonfires…) and listen to stories about the Harvest Moon. Forget about the spells and divination (which are always a great source of laughter) but enjoy a very interesting Appendix. As Halloween and Thanksgiving are on their way to knock on our doors, another summer has come to an end. Another winter is about to begin. Who knows what surprises await along the way?

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ ( )

Mabon: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Autumn Equinox are part of Llewellyn Publications new Sabbat Essentials series. They are the Martha Stewart of sabbat books, containing histories, modern celebrations, ritual ideas, divinations and spells, recipes, decorations, and correspondences. Each book is written by a different author, so each brings something a little different to the table, but they conform to Llewellyn's format.

The illustrations in this series are absolutely gorgeous. The ritual ideas are sparse, but good, in that they have ideas for solitaries and groups. The recipes seem pretty tasty and definitely suit the sabbats.

I think these books are good for beginners looking for an overview and for old-timers who are looking for something a bit more to spice up their celebrations. My one caution is that I feel as if the spirituality of the sabbats is missing from these books--and maybe it has to be, as they're targeted toward the entire neo-pagan community and not limited to one path. If you aren't familiar with a spiritual path you shouldn't count on this series to give you that familiarity.

(Provided by publisher) ( )

Yes, much of the stuff in this book is fairly standard Mabon material. But I thought the author's focus on community—not just the Pagan community, but the reader's local community—was uncommon and a valuable perspective. Even more uncommon (and valuable!) was her acknowledgement in the chapter on prayers and invocations that sometimes we just can't manage to feel grateful even when it's the season of gratitude. As she says, no one prayer can meet every need, but her "Invocation to the Dark Night of the Soul" is a good start for admitting to unpopular feelings. ( )