The autumnal equinox known commonly as Mabon is traditionally a day of thanksgiving. The main harvests have been gathered. The store houses are full. Abundance abounds. People celebrate by feasting with their family and friends.
The Druids in the meantime are giving thanks by pouring libations of cider and wine for the trees in the forest. Gifts of fertilizer are given to the earth.
Mother Nature begins her transition from Matron to Crone. The Green Man will shed his finery. The time for labor is drawing to a close. The time for rest approaches.
It is also a time for learning. Tales will be told and wisdom passed around. There will also be plenty of time for quiet contemplation and meditation.
At the Rose household, which is currently camped out at the Kansas City Renaissance Faire and 500 years in the past, we celebrated with a big pot of Christine’s harvest stew. If I’m a really good boy, she might make her famous vegan, organic Pumpkin Cheesecake!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Torte
12 servings — egg- and dairy-free
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 double crackers)
1 cup sugar
1 lb. soft tofu, drained
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
15-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus additional for dusting
4 oz. soy cream cheese ( 1/2 cup), at room temperature (we use Tofutti’s Better Than Cream Cheese)
4 Tbs. soft canola margarine
Crust
Position rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8 1/2-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
Make crust: In food processor, pulse graham cracker crumbs and margarine until evenly moistened. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Keep oven on for baking cheesecake.
Filling
In food processor, puree tofu until smooth. Add pumpkin and process
until blended. Add soy cheese, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves and process until smooth and well combined. Pour mixture into cooled crust and bake on center rack 45 minutes.
Turn oven off. Let cheesecake cool in oven 1 hour without opening door. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate cheesecake at least 8 hours or overnight. (Don’t worry if cheesecake seems a little soft; it will firm up during chilling.)
To serve, run a long, thin knife around inside edge of pan to loosen cake; remove sides of pan. Lightly dust top of cheesecake with cinnamon and serve at room temperature.
PER serving: 201 CAL; 4 G PROT; 7 G TOTAL FAT (2 SAT. FAT); 31 G CARB.; 0 MG CHOL; 100 MG SOD.; 2 G FIBER
Autumn. My favorite season of the year. And it’s followed by Winter, my next favorite season!
During these two seasons, I become uncustomarily domestic. I love to bake, especially, but since we don’t have children and Ethan isn’t too big on sweets, I really don’t bake that often (since I’d eat it ALL). Ethan cooks more often than I do, and we normally make easy things for the convenience, since we hardly stop working long enough to eat. But during Autumn & Winter, I cook & bake. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite recipes with you during these great seasons.
First, a little Mabon History & Lore:
Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox, is one of the four minor Sabbats. It falls generally between September 20-23, but I always celebrate it on the 22nd.
This is the second day of the year when the nights and days are split equally. Today is when the power of the sun begins to diminish, taking us to Yule (Winter Solstice) when the days are the shortest.
It is a time to be thankful of the things you have, which is a lesson that can be applied to the rest of the year as well. Be here in this moment, right now. This is all there is, and it’s beautiful and abundant.
“The Druids call this celebration, Mea’n Fo’mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.” (Mabon by Akasha)
So I will be painting my Green Men on glass ornaments today in honor of this day and in preparation for the coming Yuletide season. I’ll post pictures on Facebook and Twitter, so follow me!
We’re also going to celebrate Mabon today with great feasts! This morning, I will thoroughly enjoy a pumpkin spice mocha along with a pumpkin scone from Starbucks and this evening I’ll make my favorite dish: Harvest Stew. Recipe below:
Bountiful Harvest Stew
This is everyone’s favorite stew! It looks as good as it tastes, and the winter squash is a wonderful source of beta carotene. For a really festive look, serve it in a hollowed out bread bowl or pumpkin.
Nutrition info per serving:
132 calories
5 g protein
27 g carbohydrate
0.5 g fat
267 mg sodium
0 mg cholesterol
Servings: 8
Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp cumin
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound (about 4 cups) butternut or other winter squash
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 15-ounce can crushed or ground tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
Heat the water and soy sauce in a large pot, then add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and most of the water has evaporated.
Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds, then peel it and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.
Add the squash to the onions, along with the chopped tomatoes, water, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Cover and simmer until the squash is just tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Add the black beans with their liquid and the corn. Continue cooking another 5 minutes.
Tips:
Cooking the onions in water instead of oil reduces the fat in this dish with no loss of flavor.
Try frozen white corn for extra sweetness and flavor.
Canned beans can be replaced with beans cooked from dry.
Fresh or frozen tomatoes may be used instead of the canned tomatoes simply extends the cooking time to reduce cooking liquid to desired level. Peeled tomatoes are most commonly used, but leaving the skins on makes the dish more nutrient rich.
Today is the major sabbat of Lughnasadh. It’s a traditional Celtic pagan festival supposedly started by the god Lugh. It marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Traditionally, this is the day that couples would enter into a trial commitment, getting married for a “year and a day.” Ethan and I did this in the first year of our relationship. With the divorce rate what it is in this country, I think a trial marriage is a great idea.
This is done by handfasting, a ritual where the couples hands are tied together with some sort of ceremonial rope or plaited material. In our book, Rowan of the Wood, Rowan and Fiana’s hands are tied together like this during their wedding ceremony.
Also traditional on this day is a festival-like market place where artists and entertainers would showcase their talents and merchants would gather to sell food, crafts, clothing, etc. There was great music and storytelling and merrymaking! Seems fitting that we’re at the Washington Renaissance Festival today, where we’ll be doing all of those things!
Today is Litha. Midsummer. The Summer Solstice. AKA Alban Hefin, Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Feill-Sheathain, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, Thing-tide, St. John’s Day
Whew.
It is the longest day of the year. The beginning of the death of the sun. From here until Yule (Winter Solstice), the days get shorter.
This is one of the “lesser festivals” in Celtic Mythology and neo-pagan traditions. The “greater festivals” are Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. The “lesser festivals” are the two equinoxes (Ostara & Mabon) and the two solstices (Litha & Yule).
Traditionally, Litha was celebrated halfway between Beltane and Lughnasadh. Today it falls somewhere between June 20 and June 23, depending on the earth’s rotation. For 2009, the actual time that the sun is farthest from the earth is June 21st at 1:45am EST.
Normally, when not on the road, we celebrate Litha by burning the Yule Wreath in a celebration of life and light. This solstice, we’re enjoying talking to people, selling our wares, and signing our books at the Ft. Collins Irish Festival. We will be taking a moment or two aside for celebration.
Beltane has arrived, bringing with it a new summer season. The Celts of yore had only two: summer and winter. Beltane was celebrated to welcome the more pleasant of the two. Traditionally, two bonfires were lit on a hill top and all the libestock wasdriven between to purify them. Whether this helped to rid them of all the parasites and vermin which a winter of stabling was sure toproduce, I don’t know. But it does bear an uncanny resemblance to the modern practice of running flocks through a shallow trough of sheep dip.
There are also many traditions of welcoming in the spring, such as the maypole dances where people holding ribbons, tied to the top of a pole, braid the ribbons down the length of the pole during a complicated dance. Also on top of the pole was a flower wreath. As the ribbons were braided down the pole, the garland would slowly descend down the pole. Another fertility symbol of the feminine embracing the phallic maypole.
The Irish would also decorate their doorways with flowering branches and erect Beltane bushes in their yards, like a counterpart to the Yule traditions of evergreen trees and mistletoe. Painted eggs, fresh mild, and other symbols of fecundity also played prominent roles.
Modern pagans generally celebrate Beltane on May 1st, also known as May Day. But in Scotland, Beltane is observed on the 15th. In Ireland, the 11th is traditional. This resulted from the discrepancies between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. There is also a tradition of celebrating it on the night of the full moon closest to May 1st. But whenever you celebrate it, Welcome Summer.
Have you ever wondered what eggs and bunny rabbits had to do with the resurrection of Christ? The answer: not a thing.
So why then are stores and homes are filled with images of painted eggs and bunnies during the Easter season?
Good question!
It is another example of pagan traditions spilling over into modern Christian practices, left over from the conversion times.
Today (or perhap last Friday) is Ostara, aka the Spring Equinox. It occurs somewhere between the 20-22 of March each year. I always celebrate it on the 22nd because it’s my favorite number.
Ostara (in Old German or Eostre in Old English) is the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of fertility whose symbols are, you guessed it, bunnies and eggs, as they both symbolize fertility!
Even look at her name: OSTARA. EOSTRE. Isn’t it very similar to the word EASTER? The modern English word “Easter” is derived from the OE word EOSTRE, goddess of fertility.
Here is a nice video about the feast day of Ostara:
How are you celebrating the holiday this year? Yes, once again it is the season of Imbolc when eager children everywhere watch holes in the ground to see if serpents and badgers will emerge to herald Spring.
I myself will be celebrating it at the Hoggetown Medieval Faire in Gainsville, Florida. It is also traditionally dedicated to the goddess Bridgid (my personal favorite) who looks after poetry, healing, and of all things smithcraft. She did so well as a Pagan goddess that when the Christians came along, they sainted her and gave her a demotion. In any event, I will be leaving some cloth outside my house for her to bless with her healing powers as she passes by.
Imbolc will be the sabbat which will be prominent in the sequel to Rowan of the Wood, currently entitled Witch on the Water. Each of the remaining books will revolve around the major feast days, just as Rowan of the Wood took place around Samhain.
The weather report calls for cloudy weather on Sunday which probably means Cailleach won’t be gathering firewood for an extended winter and so Spring will arrive early (at least here in Gainsville, Florida where air conditioning units are in use already anyway).
Tomorrow morning at 7:04 AM EST is The Winter Solstice, aka Yule.
The Winter Solstice is the day that the earth is closest to the sun all year long! Ironically, it’s the coldest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere because, although we’re closer to the sun, we’re also tilted away from it.
This is also the time of Hannukuh, Kwanzaa, Ramadaan, and Christmas. The latter is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Ever wonder what evergreen trees, wreaths, holly, and mistletoe have to do with the birth of Jesus? Read more and find out!
Some interesting facts:
While the Christian faith believes that Jesus was born of a virgin (Mary), they aren’t the only religion who believes this. Both in Hinduism and in Egyptian Mythology, one of their high gods (Krishna and Osiris, respectively) were also born of a virgin. These myths pre-date Christianity by millenia.
Osiris also suffered a “Passion,” suffering greatly at the hands of “evil” men, died, and resurrected.
The date of Jesus Christ’s birth is unknown. Pope Julius I chose December 25th in 350 CE (AD), no doubt to assist in the conversion process from the “old ways” to the (then) “new religion.” That time of year was sacred to the pre-Christian (pagan) Romans, Greeks, and Persians, just to name a few in the vicinity of Rome. For example, the Roman Pagans celebrated Saturnalia during this time.
The feast day for Horus, the son of Osiris (previously mentioned) and his wife Isis, was December 25th.
European-based (especially British) pagans (pre-Christian earth religions) celebrated the Winter Solstice. This was the rebirth of the sun (as opposed to the birth of the Son), when the days began to get longer again. It marked the beginning of the end of the harsh winter as the earth moved toward Springtime.
The ancient druids (like Rowan) held Mistletoe sacred and as a symbol of immortality (as it bore fruit around the Winter Solstice). Kissing beneath it was the beginning of a fertility ritual.
Similarly, the evergreen tree and wreaths were also symbols of the cycle of life. The word “Yule” itself means wheel. “Yule” logs were burned in honor of the returning sun.
Ethan and I celebrate Yule as well as Christmas each year. The Solstice is our time with our little family. We greet the sun at dawn on the morning of the Solstice and welcome it back to the world. We also place a special sun-shaped ornament on our Holiday Tree, open our gifts, drink spiced cider, and burn the Yule Log in a fire started with the remnants of last years Log.
Christmas is normally spent with my parents, my sister, and her family.
We’re actually considering expanding our celebrations to include Kwanzaa and the rest as well — but I have much research to do before we can do that!
Beginning today on Samhain, the Celtic New Year, we’re going to start doing regular blogs on Celtic history and mythology. At the very least, we’ll have one on each feast day, talking about the origins and stories about that day, but we hope to cover more stories of Celtic heritage weekly as time permits.
So, Samhain. It’s a strange looking word that one would think is pronounced “Sam” “Hain,” just as it’s spelled. The word Samhain is an Old Irish word, with a similar word from the Old Scottish Gaelic samhuinn, both meaning “summers end.” It is pronounced (closely) to \SOW-an\.
Sanhain is one of the major sabbats in the wheel of the year and is celebrated as the Celtic New Year. It is the end of Summer, and the beginning of the long, dark Winter.
Along with the end of Summer and the final harvest, Samhain is also the Festival of the Dead, or Féile na Marbh in Scotland and Ireland. Samhain is November 1st, but the celebrations began at dusk on October 31st; and as legend has it, the veil to the Otherworld is the thinnest on this night. The veil that separates this world with the land of the dead, the Celtic Otherworld. In addition to being the land of the dead, the Otherworld is also the realm of the Sidhe (faery) and Celtic deities as well.
During the great conversion times, many ancient pagan holidays were adopted by the growing Christian movement and turned into Christian holidays to facilitate the transition. So, October 31st, the holiest day in the Celtic year, becomes Halloween, a time for ghosts and goblins to play. And, of course, it is followed immediately by All Saints Day on November 1st.
All this is why we chose this magical night for the focus of our book Rowan of the Wood. It is rich in Celtic history and mythology, and it captures the magic and power of Samhain night. It’s quite fitting, and no accident, that it’s national release date is November 1st.
Rowan of the Wood is the first book in a series of five. Each of the following books will also take place on a major sabbat. The sequel will be on Imbolc; the third book on Beltane; the fourth on Lughnasadh; and the fifth and final book of the series will be centered around Samhain, ending the series exactly one year from when it started.
Rowan of the Wood is currently available on Amazon & BarnesandNoble.com, as well as anywhere books are sold. Additionally, the authors will be going on a nationwide tour beginning in January 2009 with the book. Keep an eye on the schedule to the right and get an autographed copy from the authors, themselves!
Happy Halloween, Happy New Year … and a Sweet, Sweet Samhain to you all.
A joyous Mabon to everyone!
It’s’ finally here again!
Ingredients
Today is the major sabbat of Lughnasadh. It’s a traditional Celtic pagan festival supposedly started by the god Lugh. It marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Today is Litha. Midsummer. The Summer Solstice. AKA Alban Hefin, Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Feill-Sheathain, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, Thing-tide, St. John’s Day
Beltane has arrived, bringing with it a new summer season. The Celts of yore had only two: summer and winter. Beltane was celebrated to welcome the more pleasant of the two. Traditionally, two bonfires were lit on a hill top and all the libestock wasdriven between to purify them. Whether this helped to rid them of all the parasites and vermin which a winter of stabling was sure toproduce, I don’t know. But it does bear an uncanny resemblance to the modern practice of running flocks through a shallow trough of sheep dip.
Have you ever wondered what eggs and bunny rabbits had to do with the resurrection of Christ? The answer: not a thing.
How are you celebrating the holiday this year? Yes, once again it is the season of Imbolc when eager children everywhere watch holes in the ground to see if serpents and badgers will emerge to herald Spring.
Beginning today on Samhain, the Celtic New Year, we’re going to start doing regular blogs on Celtic history and mythology. At the very least, we’ll have one on each feast day, talking about the origins and stories about that day, but we hope to cover more stories of Celtic heritage weekly as time permits.
All this is why we chose this magical night for the focus of our book Rowan of the Wood. It is rich in Celtic history and mythology, and it captures the magic and power of Samhain night. It’s quite fitting, and no accident, that it’s national release date is November 1st.
