An Eclectic Neo-Pagan Guide to Activites for the Sabbats

[Morgandria]

Activities for the Sabbats

This is a basic rundown of some activities for celebrating or marking the passage of the Wheel of the Year. It's not intended to be definitive, and it's strictly from an Wicca-flavoured ENP (eclectic neo-pagan) perspective. I will be using soft-poly terms for Deity, as is common in ENP, but this does not reflect an advocation of soft polytheistic viewpoint.

Please remember:

The Wheel of the Year is not ancient. It’s about the same age as Wicca - not coincidentally because it was created as a ritual calendar for Wicca.

The 8 Sabbats are a combination of festivals and holidays from several different cultures, as are relevant to Britain. It tracks the cycles of fertility, and the agricultural year, of Britain.
Other forms of neo-paganism certainly use it, but because they’re not Wicca it will have a different context to them. A lot of times the fertility/agricultural focus is replaced with a nature worship/seasonal focus. It’s really not the same. And sometimes people really stretch to make it work, and it just…doesn’t.

You may find the Wheel of the Year to be a poor fit for your religious practices if:
- You are not a member of the Wica.
- If your weather and seasonal patterns differ dramatically from Britain’s.
- Your deities/pantheon/path draws largely from a culture that isn’t British.
- Your religion is not fertility-focused, or based on agricultural cycles.
- Your faith does not draw heavily on male-female polarity.

As always, deconstruct this for your own path, as appropriate.

Sabbats are about the journey of the Sun, through the year's passing. Since the Sun is often associated with male Deity in ENP, thus the Sabbats are the journey of the God,
from his birth to his death, and rebirth. For the journey of the Goddess, one must look to the Esbats, or lunar observations.

This does not mean that Sabbats are restricted to only Gods, or Esbats to only Goddesses. Both have a role to play in each others' journeys, and ENPs frequently mimic the dyad structure of Wicca in which the Lord and Lady are consorts. But the focus of the Sabbats are solar events, as the focus of the Esbats are lunar events.

I will not be discussing deities specifically in my posts. I think providing lists of deities
as if they were hot-swappable devices to plug in and out is disrespectful, and since I am not actually discussing ritual or other forms of worship here it's unnecessary.

I have included a list of herbs and oils for making magic or crafting, with each Sabbat; these are for magical purposes only. I am not a doctor or a certified herbalist, and I make no recommendations of a medical nature. Do not apply essential oils directly to the skin; use a carrier oil to dilute them before hand. Some oils can cause contact dermatitis, or photosensitivity. Do not ingest essential oils!

The entirety of this post is available as a Word document here. Download it if it's more convenient for you to read this as an actual document.  

[Morgandria]

Winter Solstice

• also called Yule, Midwinter, Solar New Year
• A Lesser Sabbat, one of two solstices
• Date varies from year to year - typically on or near December 21st, calculated as the sun at 0° Capricorn.
• the longest night of the year, the point from which the days lengthen and brighten
• the rebirth of the God
• occupies the north-east quarter of the Wheel of the Year; north-east being the gateway between death and life, it is the Sabbat of rebirth.
• the second Sabbat in the season of Earth
• a quiet and introspective season - the time between Samhain and Yule is appropriate for meditation, and inner reflection.
• themes include light out of darkness, rebirth, new life, transformation, inner renewal, warmth in the cold, giving thanks for the hearth fire, honouring friends and family

Symbols
• evergreen trees and boughs
• holly and ivy
• candles
• yule logs
• stags
• solar images
• colours include red, green, white, black, and gold

Activities
• decorating with evergreens and holly
• giving gifts to friends and family, especially handmade
• playing parlour games
• feasting with friends and loved ones
• wassailing (caroling - there are Pagan carols to be found)
• keeping a vigil to greet the newborn Sun at dawn
• lighting candles against the darkness
• burning a Yule log to strengthen the Sun
• hanging lights to brighten your personal space
• ringing bells to drive away the darkness

Foods
Yule traditionally utilizes 'storage' foods; things that can be made ahead
and put away for winter, and also special treats, things one didn't ordinarily have.
• apples, plums, and pears
• roasted meats; beef, goose, turkey
• mulled wine or cider
• nuts
• oranges (a solar fruit!)
• pomegranates
• cakes with nuts or preserved fruits
• mincemeat pies
• cookies and other hearth-baked treats

Gemstones and Minerals
• Amber
• Citrine
• Garnet
• Green moss agate
• Green aventurine
• Moonstone
• Snow quartz
• Sunstone


Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Birch - creativity, beginnings (*Warning* - do not ingest. Oil may burn sensitive skin.)
• Bayberry - earth, good luck, fortune, happiness. (*Warning* - this plant is an abortifacient, and should not be handled or ingested by pregnant women.)
• Cedar - fire, longevity, physical energy, strength, success.
• Cinnamon - comfort, peace, tranquility, prosperity, warmth (*Warning* - cinnamon essential oil can burn the skin! Use with care, always.)
• Frankincense - solar fire, luck, empowerment, inspiration, meditation, protection
• Juniper - fire, fertility, protection, strength.
• Mistletoe - consecration, fertility, luck, protection, renewal, virility (*Warning* - highly toxic. Do not ingest!)
• Orange - good luck, happiness, money, prosperity.
• Pine - cleansing, consecration, protection, strength. (*Warning* - Oil may irritate skin and mucus membranes. Do not take internally.)
• Pomegranate - fertility, prosperity, renewal
• Spruce - fertility, protection, strength.
• Wintergreen - good luck, prosperity. (*Warning* - handle carefully. Can irritate skin and mucus membranes.)

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for a Yule incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure.
• 2 pt. frankincense resin
2 pt. pine needles or resin
1 pt. cedar
1 pt. juniper berries  

[Morgandria]

Imbolc

• also called February Eve, Imbolg, Candlemas, Brighid's Day. In Gaelic Imbolc means 'in the belly', a reference to the lambing season.
• a Greater Sabbat, one of the four Fire Festivals or Cross-Quarter Days
• some choose to mark this Sabbat on February 1st, others astrologically, when the sun reaches 15° Aquarius.
• a celebration of the growing strength of light; in England spring is emerging from winter and lambs are being born
• first Sabbat in the Season of Air
• the time between Winter Solstice and Imbolc is traditionally a time to make offerings to fruit trees, so they awaken in Spring with plentiful blossoms.
• often the Goddess is revered at this time as a Virgin once more, awaiting the maturation of her son and lover, the God
• themes include cleansing and purification, creativity, awakening, dedication, seeking the first signs of Spring, marking the end of Winter, and planning and preparing for a new growing season.

Symbols
• solar symbols; suns, equal-armed crosses
• candles and fires
• early flowers, such as snow drops, crocuses, etc.
• small white flowers
• milk
• lambs and ewes
• colours include white, silver, pale green, yellow, and gold

Activities
• making candles
• creating a corn dolly from a sheaf of wheat or other grains
• craft a priapic wand
• creating a birch besom
• cleansing your ritual tools and spaces
• blessing your house and/or temple
• consecrating new tools
• dedications, renewing vows or oaths
• lighting candles in windows to drive away the dark Winter
• divination, esp. fire gazing
• burning the evergreens left from Winter Solstice; the ashes can be saved and used to light the next year's Yule log.
• decorating with fresh flowers

Food
Food for Imbolc typically involves either milk products, or spicy hot foods
to encourage the Sun to grow strong. Seeds and grains also appear.
• lamb or mutton
• milk or cream-based dishes
• dishes with seeds, such as poppy seed or sunflower seed
• sun-dried fruits

Gemstones and Minerals
• Amber
• Carnelian
• Clear quartz
• Garnet
• Honey calcite
• Topaz


Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Angelica - cleansing, consecration, protection, renewal, divine wisdom. (*Warning* - take care handling this oil; it can cause photosensitive reactions on skin.)
• Bay - cleansing, consecration, divination, psychic protection, spell-breaking, transformation, wisdom.
• Benzoin - harmony, inspiration, knowledge, love, tranquility, wisdom. (*Warning* - this oil can cause allergic reactions.)
• Dragon's Blood - consecration, fidelity, raising power, magic, love, protection, strength, virility.
• Lemon Balm - happiness, uplifting, brightness, compassion, endings, release
• Rosemary - confidence, consecration, courage, fidelity, love, magic, memory. (*Warning* - this oil can be toxic if taken internally.)
• Scotch Broom - cleansing, purification, weather magic. (*Warning* - toxic if ingested.)
• Tarragon - commanding, confidence, courage, passion, protection, strength, virility.
• Violet - beauty, fidelity, gentleness, harmony, love, modesty, tranquility. (*Warning* - this oil can cause photosensitive reactions on skin.)

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for an Imbolc incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but is typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• 1 pt. benzoin resin
1 pt. rose
½ pt. bay
½ pt. dragon's blood resin
½ pt. tarragon
¼ pt. cinnamon
A few drops of violet oil  

[Morgandria]

Spring Equinox

• also called Ostara, Eostre, the Vernal Equinox, etc.
• date varies from year to year, typically on or near March 21st; calculated as the sun at 0° Aries.
• a Lesser Sabbat, one of two equinoxes, days where darkness and light are evenly balanced
• the second Sabbat in the season of Air
• the time between Imbolc and Spring Equinox is good for cleaning, organizing, and preparing seeds for planting
• the God is a young man now, growing strong and handsome; this is a time of new love between himself and the Goddess, full of pleasure and joy
• themes include the balance of light and dark, celebrating the return of Spring and new life, sowing new intentions or desires, celebrating renewed fertility, preparing the earth, and planting seeds.

Symbols
• dyed eggs
• seeds
• fresh spring flowers
• rabbits and hares
• sun and moon together
• snakes
• colours include white, pale shades of blue, green, and yellow, gold, and silver

Activities
• decorate with fresh spring flowers
• decorate eggs with natural dyes and beeswax
• balance an egg, or use an egg for divination (oomancy)
• observe the movements of birds for divinatory purposes (augury)
• do some spring cleaning
• plant some seeds; potted indoors, or outside
• make a bird feeder or a birdhouse
• take a long nature walk and see what is emerging from Winter
• make new ritual clothing

Food
Food for Ostara is often light and fresh, with an emphasis on sweets.
• egg dishes of all kinds
• chicken and other fowl
• fish
• fresh baked sweet breads, esp. hot cross buns
• honey cake

Gemstones and Minerals
• Amethyst
• Ametrine
• Aquamarine
• Kunzite
• Moonstone
• Pale chalcedony
• Pale green jade
• Peridot
• Rose quartz
• Serpentine

Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Dittany of Crete - lifts moods, happiness, magic, psychic development, growth, visions.
• Dammar - a light, sweet Air resin. Joy, happiness, love, and protection.
• Dandelion - good luck, growth, magic, psychic development.
• Fern - weather magic, protection, luck, health.
• Jasmine - aphrodisiac, joy, dreams, passion, pleasure, sensuality. (*Warning* - handle with care; may cause allergies. Highly toxic; do not take internally.)
• Lady's Mantle - beauty, compassion, gentleness, modesty.
• Lavender - rest, calm, consecration, keeping secrets, love, peace, tranquility. (*Warning* - can cause minor photosensitive irritation.)
• Lemon Verbena - happiness, harmony, love, to prevent nightmares, protection, rest, sleep, spell-breaking, tranquility.
• Lily of the Valley - lifts spirits, gentleness, happiness, modesty, protection. (*Warning* - toxic if taken internally.)
• Mace - the lace-like cover of a nutmeg fruit. Fertility, gain, good luck, love, and protection.
• Marjoram - lifts spirits, happiness, harmony, protection, psychic development, tranquility, weddings.
• Rose - clairvoyance, consecration, divination, good luck, harmony, transformation
• Violet - beauty, fidelity, gentleness, harmony, love, modesty, tranquility. (*Warning* - this oil can cause photosensitive reactions on skin.)
• Yarrow - boost spellwork, clairvoyance, consecration, divination, fertility, love, magic, protection, spell-breaking, weddings.

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for an Spring Equinox incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• 2 pts. dammar
2 pts. rose
2 pts. yarrow
1 pt. jasmine flowers
1 pt. lady's mantle
1 pt. mace
1 pt. red sandalwood
(Optional - a few drops violet or wisteria oil)  

[Morgandria]

Beltaine

• also called May Day, May Eve, Lady's Day, Walpurgisnacht, etc.
• a Greater Sabbat, one of the four Fire Festivals or Cross-Quarter Days
• some choose to mark this Sabbat on May 1st; others astrologically, when the sun reaches 15° Taurus.
• a celebration of the start of Summer and the traditional start of the 'Light' half of the year.
• first Sabbat in the season of Fire
• the time between Beltaine and Ostara is a time of increasing warmth and greenery
• this is the time of the heiros gamos, or sacred marriage, between the God and Goddess - this Sabbat celebrates their sexual union in ritualized form
• themes include celebrating the full arrival of Summer, sensuality, pleasure, joy, love, and fertility

Symbols
• maypoles
• flower crowns
• may baskets
• chalice and blade
• red and white flowers
• bonfires
• rabbits
• bees
• goats
• colours include green, red, white, gold, and silver

Activities
• make love outdoors!
• collecting flowers for May baskets
• give friends and family small gifts for the May; flower bouquets, small bundles of sweets, ribbons, etc.
• making and dancing the Maypole
• beating the bounds
• collecting nine sacred woods for the Belfire (may include Apple, Birch, Oak, Rowan, Ash, Hawthorn, Vine, Fir, and Hazel)
• leaping the Belfire for luck or healing
• love magic
• make flower crowns for ritual wear
• bathe your face in Beltaine dew for beauty year-round
• have a picnic outdoors
• find a hawthorn tree and make it your wish tree; tying clootie rags or other charms in branches are a traditional way of asking the spirit of trees and clootie wells for blessings

Food
Food at Beltaine often has a focus on being sensual, or aphrodisiacal. Finger foods are especially appropriate!
• mead
• May Wine - a light punch of white wine, sliced strawberries, and fresh sweet woodruff leaves. The woodruff gives the punch a distinct flavour.
• elderflower cordials
• honey
• fresh berries or fruits, esp. strawberries
• fresh asparagus or fiddleheads
• eggs
• rabbit
• goat
• poultry
• oatcakes

Gemstones and Minerals
• Amethyst
• Bloodstone
• Garnet
• Emerald
• Green aventurine
• Jade
• Moonstones
• Rhodochrosite
• Rose quartz


Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Damiana - aphrodisiac, love, lust, sensuality,
• Jasmine - aphrodisiac, joy, dreams, passion, pleasure, sensuality. (*Warning* - handle with care; may cause allergies. Highly toxic; do not take internally.)
• Meadowsweet - domestic peace, gentleness, harmony, love, money, tranquility, weddings.
• Musk - aphrodisiac, commanding, confidence, courage, energy, love, luck, lust, power, passion, sensuality, strength, success, virility. (Please do not use musk derived from animal sources - musk root or ambrette seed achieve the same effect without harming animal life.)
• Myrtle - aphrodisiac, compassion, fertility, happiness, love, prosperity, wealth, weddings.
• Orris Root - commanding, love, protection, spell-breaking, stops gossip. (*Warning* - pure orris root can cause severe allergic reactions.)
• Patchouli - boosts spells, calming, commanding, love, relaxation, peace, sensuality, spell-breaking.
• Rose - clairvoyance, consecration, divination, good luck, harmony, transformation
• Savory - aphrodisiac, to attract males, love, passion, sensuality, virility.
• Vetiver - boosts spells, commanding, good luck, love, protection, success, virility.
• Violet - beauty, fidelity, gentleness, harmony, love, modesty, tranquility. (*Warning* - this oil can cause photosensitive reactions on skin.)
• White Briony Root - aphrodisiac, fertility, love, magic, prosperity, protection, sensuality, virility, wealth.

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for a Beltane incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• 2 pts. benzoin resin
1 pt. orris root
1 pt. rose
1 pt. patchouli leaf
1 pt. damiana
1 pt. vetiver root
A few drops of musk oil  

[Morgandria]

Summer Solstice

• also called Midsummer, Litha, etc.
• date varies from year to year, typically on or near June 21st; calculated as the sun at 0° Cancer.
• the longest day of the year, the point from which the days grow shorter and darker
• the second Sabbat in the season of Fire
• the height of the Sun, the point of the God's peak
• the Goddess is now carrying the Gods' child; the crowning of the Sun King.
• themes include honouring the Sun and its' strength, celebrating the many herbs and plants that are ready for harvest at this time, encouraging the crops to grow high and strong with sympathetic magic, lighting of bonfires to celebrate the longest day of the year, divination, protective magics, and healing, betrothals, and weddings.

Symbols
• the Sun
• sun wheels
• oak trees
• summer fruits and flowers
• swords
• witches' ladders
• fire
• colours include yellow, orange, red, white, green, and gold

Activities
• picking cultivated herbs and plants
• wildcrafting herbs and wood for magical use
• creating divining rods or other wooden tools
• make a sun wheel
• create a door wreath
• lighting needfires
• lighting bonfires; burning herbs in these fires as appropriate
• berry picking and fruit harvesting
• magic for prosperity
• magic for healing
• magic for protection
• creating garlands of St. John's Wort for home protection
• enjoying the weather at the beach

Food
Foods at Summer Solstice can be hot and spicy, to reflect the power of the Sun, or directly cooked over flame. Using sunflower oil or seeds can also add Sun symbolism to your feasting.
• sangria
• fruit wines
• grilled meats
• fresh summer vegetables
• lemons and oranges
• peaches, nectarines, and plums
• fresh summer berries

Gemstones and Minerals
• Amber
• Citrine
• Carnelian
• Garnet (red and green)
• Herkimer diamonds
• Jade
• Ruby
• Sunstone
• Topaz


Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Calendula - clairvoyance, divination, dreams, happiness, luck, lifts spirits, love, prosperity, protection, renewal, sleep, success, wealth.
• Chamomile - beauty, calming, dreams, gentleness, luck, meditation, prosperity, sleep, wealth.
• Cinquefoil - clairvoyance, divination, inspiration, knowledge, money, prosperity, physical wealth, protection, spell-breaking, wisdom.
• Heather flowers - beauty, contacting otherworlds, protection, weather magic.
• Heliotrope - Cleansing, exorcism, prophetic dreams, healing, wealth.
• Hyssop - cleansing, protection, purification
• Lavender - rest, calm, consecration, keeping secrets, love, peace, tranquility. (*Warning* - can cause minor photosensitive irritation.)
• Mugwort - clairvoyance, consecration, dreams, magic, protection, psychic awareness, sleep, strength. (*Warning* - oil is toxic; do not ingest.)
• Oak - commanding, confidence, courage, fertility, longevity, magic, prosperity, protection, retention, strength, success, virility, wealth.
• Rosemary - confidence, consecration, courage, fidelity, love, magic, memory. (*Warning* - this oil can be toxic if taken internally.)
• St. John's Wort - boosts spells, commanding, confidence, courage, exorcism, good luck, magic, overcoming opposition, protection, spell-breaking, strength, success.
• Thyme - clairvoyance, consecration, courage, divination, love, meditation, protection, prevents nightmares. (*Warning* - oil can cause minor skin irritation.)
• Vervain - aphrodisiac, consecration, creativity, knowledge, love, magic, prevents nightmares, prosperity, protection, success, transformation.

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for a Summer Solstice incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• Equal Parts:
Chamomile
Lavender
Oak
Rose
Rosemary
St. John's Wort
Vervain
A few drops of patchouli oil  

[Morgandria]

Lammas

• also called August Eve, First Harvest, Lunasa, Lughnassadh, the Feast of Bread, Loaf-mass, etc.
• a Greater Sabbat, one of the Four Fire Festivals or Cross-Quarter Days
• some choose to mark this Sabbat on August 1st; others astrologically, when the sun reaches 15° Leo.
• the first Sabbat in the season of Water
• the Goddess is more heavily laden with her child. The Sun God, concentrated in the ripened grain, sacrifices himself for the Harvest - his strength wanes as it progresses, and he dies when the Harvest is complete; his spirit descends into the Earth, back into the womb to be reborn at Yule.
• this Sabbat is the First Harvest; grains such as wheat, barley, oats, and corn are all ready for harvest, as well as blackberries, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and some early varieties of apples.
• themes include honouring parent deities, offering the first bread from the harvest, harvesting sacred grains for use further on in the Wheel of the Year, celebrating and giving thanks for bounty and prosperity, giving thanks for our food, and transformation.

Symbols
• sheafs of wheat or other grains
• loaves of bread
• beer
• corn
• cornucopias
• sickles and scythes
• cauldron and spear
• colours include pale gold, gold, brown, bronze, green, and red

Activites
• make a corn dolly
• create a cornucopia for display
• harvest or glean grain from the fields
• braid onions
• create a decorative sheaf of wheat or corn
• bake some fresh bread; offering this bread to the Sabbat fire, or on the altar, is traditional
• visit a traditional water-wheel grist mill and buy flour there
• go to a local fair
• visit a farm
• have a corn-roast for family and friends
• create pickles or preserves for storage
• participate in competitions or games of skill
• create a magical necklace of corn or rowan berries
• prosperity magic

Food
Foods at Lammas tend to center around bread, and other foods straight from the harvest. Fresh corn and salads are great for this sabbat feast.
• beer
• blackberry wine
• blackberries
• corn
• oats, barley, and wheatberry dishes
• lemon barley water
• bread
• salads of fresh greens and herbs
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• summer squash
• onions

Gemstones and Minerals
• Bronzite
• Carnelian
• Lapis Lazuli
• Peridot
• Pyrite
• Sardonyx
• Tiger's Eye

Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Apple - beauty, compassion, healing, love, joy, longevity, prosperity.
• Blackberry - healing, protection, prosperity, wealth.
• Caraway - fidelity, gain, honesty, keeping secrets, memory, peace of mind, prevents theft, protection, retention.
• Clover - good luck, magic, money, overcoming opposition, protection, strength.
• Copal - boosts spells, consecration, exorcism, meditation, protection, spell-breaking.
• Dill - determination, dreams, fertility, gain, harmony, love, peace, protection, rest, sleep, tranquility.
• Goldenrod - money, prosperity, wealth. (*Warning* - may cause allergic reactions.)
• Heather - beauty, contacting otherworlds, protection, weather magic.
• Hops - dreams, healing, sleep, transformation.
• Oak - commanding, confidence, courage, fertility, longevity, magic, prosperity, protection, retention, strength, success, virility, wealth.
• Oakmoss - clairvoyance, divination, exorcism, grounding, magic, spell-breaking.
• Onion - clairvoyance, commanding, consecration, divination, exorcism, overcoming opposition, protection, spell-breaking, stopping gossip.
• Poppy - clairvoyance, commanding, compassion, divination, dreams, fertility, gain, harmony, love, peace, prosperity, rest, sleep, tranquility, wealth.
• Rowan - exorcism, healing, magical strength protection, psychic ability, success.

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for a Lammas incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• 2 pt. copal
2 pt. oakmoss
2 pt. red sandalwood
1 pt. blackberry leaf
1 pt. caraway seed
1 pt. clover
1 pt. hops
A few drops of amber and/or rose oil  

[Morgandria]

Autumn Equinox

• also called Mabon, Second Harvest, Harvest Home, etc.
• date varies from year to year, typically on or near September 21st; calculated as the sun at 0° Libra.
• a Lesser Sabbat, one of two equinoxes, days where darkness and light are evenly balanced
• the second Sabbat in the season of Water
• a continuation of what began at Lammas; the second phase of the harvest comes in - storage squash, potatoes, carrots, tree crops like apples, pears, plums. Grapes are harvested and made into wine.
• days lengthen and darken; the Wheel of the Year ends here and turns anew at Samhain
• the Goddess prepares to say farewell to the God until his rebirth at Yule; the God becomes an old man, his strength and vitality sacrificed to the harvest.
• themes include the balance of light and dark, giving thanks and praise to the harvest and to the God for his gifts this year, giving thanks for our food, acknowledging the growing darkness and preparing for it, preparing for Winter

Symbols
• fallen autumn foliage
• cornucopias
• acorns
• hazelnuts
• harvested crops
• sickles and scythes
• apples
• gourds and squashes
• stags
• colours include deep blue, indigo, harvest gold, reds, browns, silver, and gold.

Activities
• bringing in the harvest
• create a harvest display
• making cider; mulling cider
• baking with autumn fruits
• making wine
• gathering seed pods for spring planting
• collect leaves and other objects to decorate an altar
• create a magical necklace out of acorns or hazelnuts
• make apple dolls
• create a corn broom or besom
• making offerings to the land
• preparing your home for cold weather
• go for a walk to see fall foliage
• go for a hay-ride at night
• have a bonfire with friends
• meditate on thankfulness

Food
Food at Mabon is all about the bounty of the harvest's peak, as all the crops that have grown all year finish and must be brought in before Samhain. Rich, hearty food to fortify against the growing cold are the order of the day.
• roast turkey, goose, or chicken
• venison
• red wine
• apple cider (hard or soft)
• root vegetables of all kinds; potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips.
• cabbage
• squashes
• apple and pear dishes of all kind
• hearty grain breads

Gemstones and Minerals
• Fluorite
• Garnet
• Iolite
• Labradorite
• Lapis lazuli
• Sapphire
• Tiger's Eye
• Tourmaline

Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Allspice - compassion, love, renewal.
• Cedar - fire, longevity, physical energy, strength, success.
• Hazel - change, inspiration, self-sacrifice, wisdom
• Oak - commanding, confidence, courage, fertility, longevity, magic, prosperity, protection, retention, strength, success, virility, wealth.
• Oakmoss - clairvoyance, divination, exorcism, grounding, magic, spell-breaking.
• Patchouli - boosts spells, calming, commanding, love, relaxation, peace, sensuality, spell-breaking.
• Poppy- clairvoyance, commanding, compassion, divination, dreams, fertility, gain, harmony, love, peace, prosperity, rest, sleep, tranquility, wealth.
• Red Sandalwood - fidelity, honesty, love, protection.
• Thistle - cleansing, prosperity, protection, spell-breaking.
• Tobacco - cleansing, healing, purification, substitute for sulfur. (*Warning* - Toxic when consumed.)
• Willow - compassion, consecration, divination, endings, exorcism, gentleness, prevents nightmares, prevents theft, release, spell-breaking. (*Warning* - contains saliscin, which converts to salicylic acid when ingested. This is the active ingredient in aspirin. Can cause stomach upset if ingested.)

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for a Autumn Equinox incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• 2 pt. red sandalwood
2 pt. willow bark
1 pt. allspice berries
1 pt. oak
1 pt. oakmoss
1 pt. patchouli leaf
1 pt. poppy seeds
A few drops of oakmoss oil  

[Morgandria]

Samhain

• also called November Eve, All Hallows' Eve, 'Witches' New Year', Feast of All Souls, Festival of the Dead, etc.
• a Greater Sabbat; one of the four Fire Festivals or Cross-Quarter Days
• some choose to mark this sabbat on October 31st, others astrologically, when the sun reaches 15° Scorpio.
• this holiday is the start of Winter and the traditional start of the 'Dark' half of the year.
• the first Sabbat of the season of Earth; sometimes considered 'Pagan New Year'.
• the end of the Harvest; the third Harvest being that of blood and bone - the slaughtering and butchering of animals for winter. All herbs and plants must be picked before Samhain; those that remain are said to have no life-force or nutrition left.
• this is less a celebration, as the other Sabbats are, and more a solemn remembrance
• the God is dead, having sacrificed himself for the Harvest; his remaining essence has sunk back into the Earth, to rest in the Goddess' womb awaiting rebirth. The Goddess herself rests as well, awaiting her birthing time at Yule.
• the boundaries between the world of the spirits and the physical world grow thin as the year wanes.
• themes include remembering and honouring the Beloved Dead, our ancestors and loved ones, releasing the old and welcoming in the new, seeking guidance through divination, journeying the Underworld, seeking knowledge and wisdom, and experiencing the Mysteries of life and death

Symbols
• cauldrons
• apples
• skulls
• bones
• pomegranates
• coins
• lanterns
• balefire
• scrying mirrors
• bare branches
• ravens and crows
• colours include black, purple, indigo, red, and white.

Activities
• leaving apples at the burial sites of ancestors and loved ones
• creating an ancestor altar for your Beloved Dead
• write your Beloved Dead a letter, then burn it so it reaches them
• carving lanterns for the spirits from turnips or apples
• holding a dumb (silent) meal for your Ancestors
• or, set out a plate of food for the spirits to feast
• perform a divination for the year newly begun
• perform an act of scrying
• bobbing for apples
• preparing herbs for winter storage
• spinning fiber on a drop spindle or spinning wheel
• put your garden or yard to 'sleep' for the winter with offerings to the spirits

Food
Food at Samhain tends to be heavy on meat, because of its' proximity to the culling of animals for winter food. Root vegetables also play an important part in this feast. Often charms of particular symbols or significance were hidden inside a loaf of bread or other dish to act as a divination for the coming year.
• red wine, cider, spirits to toast the dead
• roasted meats - venison, poultry, pork, beef, mutton
• root vegetables - potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips
• cabbage
• apple dishes
• pomegranates
• hearty stews and soups
• heavy, dark breads

Gemstones and Minerals
• Apache's Tears
• Black Tourmaline
• Green Moss Agate
• Hematite
• Iolite
• Jet
• Obsidian
• Onyx
• Smokey Quartz

Herbs, Oils, and Resins
• Bay - cleansing, consecration, divination, psychic protection, spell-breaking, transformation, wisdom.
• Camphor - breaking off an affair, endings, psychic growth, release. (*Warning* - highly toxic. Do not ingest.)
• Cloves - clairvoyance, divination, dispel negativity, exorcism, love, memory, peace of mind, protection, spell-breaking, stops gossip. (*Warning* - may cause skin irritation to sensitive skin.)
• Comfrey - endings, exorcism, protection, release, spell-breaking,
• Cypress - comfort, longevity, memory, protection
• Mugwort - clairvoyance, consecration, dreams, magic, protection, psychic awareness, sleep, strength. (*Warning* - oil is toxic; do not ingest.)
• Mullein - courage, determination, divination, exorcism, healing, Longevity, , protection, purification, sleep, travel. (*Warning* - fuzzy hairs on the leaves are irritating to skin, and the seeds are toxic.)
• Myrrh - compassion, consecration, endings, prosperity, protection, release, spell-breaking, transformation, wealth.
• Rose - clairvoyance, consecration, divination, good luck, harmony, transformation
• Rosemary - confidence, consecration, courage, fidelity, love, magic, memory. (*Warning* - this oil can be toxic if taken internally.)
• Rue - compassion, consecration, longevity, love, protection, psychic protection
• Tansy - embalming, endings, health, healing longevity (*Warning* - toxic if ingested in large amounts. Abortifacient - do not handle if pregnant. Irritating to sensitive skin.)
• Wormwood - clairvoyance, contact otherworlds, determination, divination, exorcism, magic, protection, spell-breaking, transformation.

Incense Recipe
This is my own recipe for a Samhain incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.
• 1 pt. bay
1 pt. cloves
1 pt. comfrey
1 pt. cypress
1 pt. pomegranate
1 pt. rosemary
½ pt. myrrh
½ pt. wormwood
A few drops of camphor and/or rose oil

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Recipe: Samhain Soulcakes
This is a recipe I make at Samhain every year, as a nice treat around the covenstead. These cakes are just a little sweet, and nicely spiced, to have the flavour of the season. From the Middle Ages onward in England and Ireland, these left as offerings to the dead on All Hallow's Eve, and the next day on All Souls' Day given as alms to those who came to the door. Each cake eaten was seen as a soul released from purgatory. It's thought this is the origin of trick or treating.

They make excellent offerings for the season!

Ingredients:
1 c. butter or margarine
3 and 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 cup fine sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. each, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice
2 eggs
2 tsp. cider vinegar
4-6 Tbsp milk

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Directions:
Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or a large fork. Blend in the sugar, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and allspice; beat eggs, vinegar, and milk together. Mix with the flour mixture until a stiff dough is formed. Knead thoroughly and roll out, 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3 inch rounds and place on greased baking sheets. p***k several times with a fork and bake for 20-25 minutes.

You can dust these with powdered sugar while warm if you like; I prefer them plain.  

[Morgandria]

Sure.