Author: A Solitary Pagan

Autumn Equinox: Entering the Portal

We are now entering the portal and the wheel is turning again. A symbol of the in-breath and out-breath, the balance between two worlds. The dark and the light. A mirror of nature’s cycles of death and rebirth. The birds are following the Sun to the South and the misty elves dance upon the Nordic lakes. The balance between the past and future might bring vulnerability, as if we are leaving somethi...

EQUINOX BLESSINGS

May your world be brought back into balance and harmony and love wrap itself into every fiber of your being on this sacred celestial day. I make peace with the shadowI make peace with the uncertaintyI make peace with letting goI make peace with the changesI make peace with my knowingI make peace with the revelationsI make peace with my unresolved feelingsI make peace with my truthI reclaim my body...

September 22nd Equinox

The September 22rd Equinox brings a turning point in the astrological year. Energy begins shifting in a new direction, guiding things to change, evolve, and grow. If we look at the astrological year, the September Equinox is the halfway point, and a time when we start making our descent through the chapter we have been working on. While we won’t reach the end of this journey until the March Equino...

EQUINOX and MABON

The term Equinox is derived from the Latin ‘Aequinoctium’ which means day of equal night (as in nocturnal) – which occurs twice a year, the Spring Equinox and the Autumn Equinox. In modern Celtic revival systems, the Autumn Equinox is also known as Mabon, which has a few possible origins. In some parts of northern Britain, the Autumn Equinox was known as ‘Ecky-thump’ which was a kind of rural slan...

Mabon…Welsh God or Autumn Equinox?

I’m away this weekend honouring Cerridwen with a bunch of Druids on the shores of Llyn Tegid. So won’t be able to post much about the autumn equinox/Mabon stuff. So here’s just a gentle reminder that “Mabon” is the name of a Welsh deity. His name, “Mabon ap Modron” means “the great son of the great mother”. Modron isn’t an alternate name for him…nor the seasonal celebration…it is the name of his m...

Happy Autumn Equinox!

“Solstices and equinoxes mark the four movements in a celestial score. The older I get, the more I aspire to tap into the symphonic song of nature. To harmonize with the flow of seasons, the cycles in our landscapes, and the larger universe… The autumnal equinox falls between 21 and 24 September, as the Sun heads southward, crossing the celestial equator. In Celtic tradition, this equi...

MABON VERSUS AUTUMN EQUINOX

Did you know there is a controversy using the term Mabon as synonymous for the Autumn Equinox? The name Mabon certainly is a modern addition created by the neo-pagan writer Aidan Kelly. Kelly borrowed the name from the character Mabon ap Modron, a figure from Welsh mythology, but this figure was not originally linked to the Autumn Equinox. There is no historical or archaeological documentation of ...

Mabon ~ Autumn Equinox

The Second Harvest, the First Day of Autumn. marks the second moment this year when night & day are in perfect balance. It is the second of the three Harvest Festivals & centres around preparing food & the home for the impending winter. Mabon is a time to celebrate abundance. give thanks to Mother Nature (or who is applicable to you) for a bountiful harvest & to show gratitude for ...

The Story of the Silent Songbird

In an ancient forest covered in green and touched by morning mist, a small songbird lived among the tall trees. The sunlight filtered through the leaves and the bird’s feathers reflected blue and gold. Each morning as other birds sang, the songbird sat quietly on a branch, feeling both hope and fear. The bird wanted to sing but hesitated. It wondered if its song would be as pleasant as the others ...

The old gods of Europe refer to the deities and mythological figures worshipped in various pre-Christian religions across the continent. Here are some notable examples: 1. **Norse Mythology**:– **Odin**: The chief god, associated with wisdom, war, and death.– **Thor**: God of thunder, known for his strength and protection of mankind.– **Freyja**: Goddess of love, beauty, and fert...

Tarot A Beginner’s Guide 1

Before you learn all the tarot card meanings, it may be in your best interest to learn some of the basics: Tarot reading is the centuries-old practice of using a 78-card deck as a tool of divination—that is, the art or practice of discovering hidden knowledge or unusual insight through divine messages. Tarot card interpretation can be used to answer a multitude of questions by those who have learn...

Tarot A Beginner’s Guide 2: What are tarot cards?

Each card in a deck has its own unique imagery, and the deck as a whole is broken into two categories: the Major and Minor Arcana.  The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, spanning from numbers 0 through 21 that tell “the fool’s journey.” In short, it’s an archetypal story of life. The Minor Arcana is made up of all four elements—fire, air, water, and earth are represented by wands, swords, cu...