Wonderful Litha

Wellspring likes to do an outdoor picnic for Litha.  It's a pretty relaxed and casual affair where we often invite friends, family and other pagans to join us.  

This year we made the trip to Webber Natural Pool in North Minneapolis.  We had a lovely spread with way too much food as is typical for us in Blue Star.  Remember, if you ever leave feast hungry, it is your own damn fault as we always make enough to feed an army.

Two things stood out to me this year. 

First, it was wonderful to be outside and just enjoy the world.  There is so much turmoil and so much divisiveness right now.  We got to simply take a break from it all, spend time with each other and be peaceful.  

Secondly, several of us pushed beyond some things that are/were uncomfortable for us.  Sitting down and eating with people is one thing.  It definitely pulls you together and gives you a sense of community, but putting on a swimsuit and going into the pool is just a different level of intimacy.  Surprisingly, no one exploded.  No one died.  No one caught on fire -- although some of us are a little pink and crispy.  

We got to practice some self acceptance, together.  It's nice to grow with each other and independently together.  

And, if you've dug into our website, you'll see that this happened right as we are turning from the Path of Power of Love to the Path of Power of Music and Dance.  Great timing if you ask me!  

Mabon Celebrations

Mabon is the second of our harvest celebrations.  We look at it as the pagan Thanksgiving.  We come together to feast and celebrate our bounty.  Food and feast is always important for a Blue Star ritual but especially so for Mabon.  

One of our regular traditions is to ensure that we have something to represent each type of food we hope to have in the coming year.  Depending on the size of the coven, you'll find fish, chicken, pork, beef, game meat, fowl to cover the meats.  Then several vegetables and fruits with an assortment of grains. Chocolate is ALWAYS on the table.  Plus a myriad of desserts.  We are blessed that living in this metropolitan area, we can access so many types of food easily and typically affordably.

While we have all these foods on our feast table, it is important to remember that we need to understand where those foods come from, how are they produced, how did they make it to our table.  Are we doing more harm to ourselves and our planet by eating these foods?  A common and recurring theme from our gods, at this time of year and also in the spring during the planting times,  is that we need to know where our food comes from.  We need to understand how to grow and harvest our own foods.  We need to understand how to protect those food sources and the people who bring them to our tables.  The food should nourish us, those who provide it, and the land it comes from.  

The second part of Mabon is the Harvest Home portion.  This is when we Call the Pagans Home.  This is a call to the Universe to help people (and all creatures) to find their way home.  A home where they are loved and accepted for who they are.  A home where they can flourish and grow.  We've co-opted (read stole) a poem by Kathleen Raine for our purposes.

Spell to Bring Lost Creatures Home
by Kathleen Raine, “The Year One”, 1952. 

    Home, home,
    Wild birds home!
    Lark to the grass,
    Wren to the hedge,
    Rooks to the tree-tops,
    Swallow to the eaves,
    Eagle to its crag,
    And raven to its stone,
    All birds home!

    Home, home,
    Strayed ones home,
    Rabbit to burrow,
    Fox to earth,
    Mouse to wainscot,
    Rat to the barn,
    Cattle to the byre,
    Dog to the hearth,
    All beasts home!

    Home, home,
    Wanderers home,
    Cormorant to rock,
    Gulls from the storm,
    Boat to the harbour,
    Safe sail home!

    Children home,
    At evening home,
    Boys and girls
    From the roads come home,
    Out of the rain,
    Sons come home,
    From the gathering dusk,
    Young ones home!

    Home, home,
    All souls home,
    Dead to the graveyard,
    Living to the lamplight,
    Old to the fireside,
    Girls from the twilight,
    Babe to the breast,
    and heart to its haven,
    Lost ones home!

All of the lost souls, may you find your way home!

All the best, 

Lapis