Mabon Rituals


Triskellion's Mabon (Autumnal Equinox) Ritual

This is the 1994 Mabon ritual of Triskellion Coven, based at The Sidwell
Friends School. It is by Anne Cross.

Cast: The Crone, quarter wardens, the Oak Lord, the Holly Lord, the Mother.
Half of your people should be playing men if you don't have enough.

The Rite:

Everyone meets in the clearing that we have selected. We all sit down for a
space of time and don't say anything. Think about the air, the sound of the
trees and insects, and what it's like to be a tree as the weather cools off.
The women get up part-way through the meditation and hide the corn-doll Oak
Lord somewhere, then return. Finally, they shoo the men out of the clearing and
set things up for their return.

The men, in the mean time, have to find the doll. When they find him, they set
him up against a tree and take four paces from him in a semicircle. A jug of
[insert beverege of choice here; we use cider -- Ed.] is passed around and each
man takes a drink before throwing a stone at the Lord and trying to knock him
down. As each man throws his stone, he says something to the Lord he is trying
to slay. Once the Lord is cut down (he's the harvest) the man who scored the
first his picks up the doll, and they all join up to assault the clearing. When
they get close, they make a lot of noise. The women throw buckets of water, and
whatever won't hurt the men at the men, trying to get the one with the doll as
wet as possible. The object is to get the doll into the circle of stones.
[First time we did this, the women left the clearing and hid elsewhere in the
park. It took forever to find them, and then they tackled us. ] Once the men
manage to get the doll in the circle, everyone says:

Let us welcome home the fallen

To the Goddess all return

The seed shall fertilize the womb

And life shall be reborn.

The doll is hung to dry out and everyone has something to eat and drink (a
raucous version of the simple feast.) In the meantime, the Mother clears out
the fire-ring and sets a fire. The Crone puts oak leaves in the Oak Lord's hair
and holly leaves in the Holly Lord's hair.

When everyone is finished, they stand up in the circle. The Wardens take four
paces in, light their candles in the fire, and turn to face outward.

East: I, Merlin, Lord of the East, continue the circle that has no end. The
Bright Lord is slain! I, who saw him born, now see him die.

South: I, Arthur, Lord of the South, continue the circle that has no end. The
Bright Lord is slain! I, who saw him grow, now see him die.

West: I, Morgan, Lady of the West, continue the circle that has no end. The
Bright Lord is slain! In my time he is slain, and I may only see him die.

North: I, Gwynhwyfar [for those who don't pronounce Welsh, just say Guinevere
-- Ed.], lady of the North, continue the circle that has no end. The Bright
Lord is slain! I have seen him die, but I shall see him born again.

East: A Circle has no end, and the circle is closed about this place.

Holly Lord: I now claim this place and time as my own. I am Herne, Lord of the
Hunt, Lord of the Holly, and Lord of Winter. Once before did the Young Lord
defeat me, but now I am the stronger, and I do issue challenge.

Oak Lord: You have lost before, Lord Herne. I would win now, but I give myself
for the people. But the Bright Lord is stronger than death, and stronger than
winter, and Oak survives beyond Holly. I shall return.

They fight. Oak loses. The Holly Lord sets him down, "dead."

H.L.: Let all of you witness: the Oak Lord is dead, and the Holly Lord is
ascendent.

All: So do we see it. The Oak Lord is dead.

Mother: My son is dead. She kneels and puts his head in her lap.

Crone: The Bright Lord is dead. She tosses the doll into the fire. Holly Lord
takes Oak Leaves and throws them into the fire.

Random Person 1: The wheel turns on to autumn time; these Gods are strong, and
in their prime.

Person 2: We give our love and thanks anew; Oh God and Goddess, praise to you.

Person 3: O power bring the balance in; As the wheel retains its spin.

All: The thing is done, so will it be.

The Crone picks up the water and pours it on the fire when the doll is totally
burnt. The Wardens blow out their candles. We gather our things and leave in
silence.