Mabon Activities

With the Fall Harvest just around the corner, I thought it might be time for another lifestyle post, with some fun Mabon family/group-friendly activities.
Mabon is the second harvest and is celebrated at the Autumn Equinox. Mabon is the Welsh God of all things wild and free. He is also associated with the Sun God, whose power dies on this day. During Mabon, we give thanks to the spirit of vegetation for the sacrifices made so that we can live through the winter. The Goddess at this Sabbat is the grandmotherly crone, warm and wise.

• Have a Pot Luck or Harvest Feast and share your harvested fruits and veggies. Give thanks and respect to the harvest and share stories of your plans for the coming winter months. It is good for everyone to share and be part of a group.

• Take some time to prepare your yard for the coming winter months. Clean up garbage and branches. Maybe even extend your clean-up to a nearby park or around your neighbourhood. Kids can help tidy or play outside (fresh air is always great), and everyone benefits from helping our Mother Earth and having a clean space.

• Create a decorative wreath or hanging for your front door using seasonal dressings like acorns, pine cones, and corn bundles. You can incorporate the colours of the season by using red, orange, and yellow ribbons to finish it off.

• Honour the wildlife in your yard by making a homemade bird feeder and watching the wonderful friends it brings to your yard. (Below are basic instructions for making your own, with an easy-to-follow guide for children too.)

How to make a toilet paper roll bird feeder craft:

What you’ll need:

• Toilet Paper Rolls
• Sturdy sticks, 2 per roll, 6-8 inches long
• Bird seed
• Peanut Butter
• String or ribbon
• A Hole Punch

Here’s how to make it:

1. Punch 2 holes in one side of the toilet paper roll, aligning them evenly across from each other. This will be used to tie the string for hanging.
2. Punch 4 holes into the opposite end of the toilet paper roll, align them evenly. These are for the sticks that the birds will perch on. Try to put one set a little higher than the other so the sticks can be pushed all the way through without interference.
3. Insert the 2 sticks into each hole, going in one side and out the other in the corresponding hole. Wiggle and push in sticks gently (you don’t want the holes to rip or get too loose —the sticks might fall out!)
4. Center each stick. They should be crossing each other like an intersection and should stick out enough for a bird to perch on either side.
5. Holding the lower part of the feeder below the sticks, spread a light layer of peanut butter on the upper part of the toilet paper roll and cover in bird seed. The back of a spoon can we helpful to slather on the peanut butter and press in the bird seed. Be careful not to cover your holes at the top.
6. Cut string to your desired length. Tie your string to the top of the bird feeder through the two holes you cut in step 1 to make it hangable. Now you are ready to hang your homemade bird feeder craft and admire!

Enjoy and have a Blessed Mabon!

Spring Cleaning

Ritual is not only for the High Days. We have smaller life rituals that we perform each and every day: the ritual of brushing our teeth, the ritual of getting dressed, etc. With Ostara and Spring just around the corner, I thought it was time for some “Spring Cleaning” which, as with all things, is best done mindfully.

I love to clean, so there’s no issue for me there, but if you are not a fan of scrubbing things down and tidying up, maybe doing so mindfully will help you to achieve a greater sense of accomplishment and comfort.

The ritual of Spring Cleaning has existed since the dawn of time. In North America, it is typically done in response to the cold and wet climate we endure throughout winter. Traditionally, it would be a time to dust and air out the home, change the hay in bedding, and be rid of all things that accumulated in the home during the harsher months. Nowadays, it is mostly an excuse to give the house a good once-over and recycle things we no longer need.

So apart from the obvious aspects of cleaning, like removal of dust and debris, cleaning surfaces or carpets, and laundering things that may get forgotten, we should keep in mind a few things:

• Firstly, you must perform each task with a strong sense of intent. Focus your energy on removing not only the physical mess but the emotional and spiritual mess as well. Visualize your home filling with a bright light as you cleanse it.
• When performing a ritual, it is best not to use harsh chemicals, if they can be avoided. Try a natural brand or even making your own cleaning solution with vinegar, water and essential oils to give the house a fresh smell without the burning compounds. (Check out for DIY natural cleaning inspiration here, here, and here!)
• Clean from top to bottom and from the back of the house out the front door.
• Burn sage in order to cleanse and purify the air.
• Open your most Easterly windows to allow the energy of the sun to pour in.

Good luck, folks!

(Check out our “Spring Cleaning” post from 2015, including a “House Cleaning Ritual” document, here)

Magic Potion for Sickness

It is that time of year. We are all getting sick or have been sick. What are your favourite remedies? For me, I have my “Sick Tea”.

Whenever I am feeling under the weather, I mix up this “tea” and sip it back like there is no tomorrow. My “tea” consists of freshly grated ginger, two or three slices of lemon, and a big dollop of honey all mixed together with some nice hot water. I prefer this to conventional medicine… and why not?

Ginger is packed with antioxidants that help boost your immune system. It can also help with nausea, heartburn, and indigestion. We’re off to a good start!

Lemon is high in vitamin C —great for you overall, but particularly if you are feeling sick. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, and helps the body form and maintain connective tissue, including bones, blood vessels, and skin. Lemon also helps to break up mucus when you are sick and can help reduce the inflammation of a sore throat.

Honey has been used for years to sooth sore and scratchy throats. It has antibacterial properties and the natural peroxides in honey act as disinfectants, which may help reduce inflammation and thereby pain.

Mix the three together and you’ve got yourself a powerful “Sick Tea”.

Good luck, cold sufferers!! *sniff sniff