Mabon (Fall Equinox) is the second harvest, the harvest of fruit. Because of the harvest festival aspect, it is also the pagan thanksgiving. Now is the time to experience the bounty of the earth with those you love. Now is also the time to harvest the results of your own personal projects. The seeds you have planted will be bearing fruit for you.
Take the Emperor and Empress (or their equivalent) out of your favorite tarot deck. Set them together on your altar, or next to each other on the floor. They will represent the Goddess and God at this time of year. Then go through your whole tarot deck and find cards that represent all the things that you would like to thank the God and Goddess for right now. If you wish, you may also pull out cards to represent situations that are stuck right now to expose them to the harvesting/completing energy of this time of year. Lay all the cards in front of the Emperor and Empress.
Having trouble thinking of things to thank Them for? Try writing a list and then picking tarot cards, or start talking about everything that’s happened to you lately while looking over the cards. Something is bound to come up.
Now you’re going to go meet Them.
Find a comfortable position for meditation. Take deep full breaths. As you inhale, you are inhaling warm autumn sunlight. As you exhale you are releasing tension and stress from your body until at last you are relaxed. Inhale, exhaleÖ You feel oddly, that you are moving somewhere. You open your eyes to see that you are on a wheel, suspended in the air. You are not bound to the wheel, but you have no problems staying on it. You are holding onto the rim as the wheel turns. You realize that you are a little dizzy, but more from the strangeness of the sensation than from the circular motion. You look around you as you ride up and down in the constant cycle. You may see past events or even future ones around you. Eventually, you notice that there is a white light shining from the center of the wheel. It attracts you so you begin to move toward it. Do you have any trouble walking on a moving wheel or is it easy for you? Finally, you reach the center, where you are enveloped in the warm white light.
Your feet touch ground again, and you find yourself in a forest clearing. Sunbeams dazzle warmly through the trees. The leaves are only just beginning to change their colors. The air is comfortable with a hint of the crispness to come. At the other end of the clearing, are two figures on thrones. It is the Empress and Emperor. At the Empress’s feet are fruits and grains and flagons of juice and wine. It is only a small sampling, but it is enough to show you that She can provide you with anything. At the Emperor’s feet are piles of papers (plans on how to use the harvest to the benefit of all his people), models of granaries and animal pens. It is his job to make sure that people are treated fairly and receive their portion of the bounty. It is his job to make the actual physical harvest happen. Their duty is to provide for their people, and they do so with love and gentle guidance.
They have provided for you this past year, and now is the time to tell them about it. You approach their thrones and greet them. They are glad to see you.
Thank them for the wonderful things that have happened to you and the wonderful things you’ve made happen. If you like, you may use the images from the tarot cards that you pulled out. If there is something in your life that seems stuck, present it to them as well and ask for their assistance.
*pause for interaction*
When you have finished, the Empress smiles warmly at you and reaches into the abundant pile at her feet. She pulls out a gift for you and hands it to you. “May you always know abundance, my child.”
The Emperor reaches into all the plans at is feet and hands another gift to you, a wry smile playing at his lips. “May you always know exactly how to best use that abundance,” he says. They join hands and then take your hands as well. “Blessings upon you on this day of balance,” they say together. “May your harvest be rich, and may it sustain your soul through the dark of the year.”
You bid them goodbye and begin to leave the forest clearing.
1, 2, 3 stepsÖ you begin to become more aware of your breath
4, 5, 6 Ö you begin to wiggle your fingers and toes
7, 8, 9 Ö you become aware of and present in your bodyÖ stretch, move around
Forthcoming...