by Claire du Lune
Blessed Be, and Blessed Mabon! Claire du Nord here, a High Priestess in the Temple of Witchcraft tradition, with the twentieth article in our “For Broom Closet Witches” series.
Mabon, the Wheel of the Year Sabbat that comes after Lughnassadh/Lammas and before Samhain, is another Harvest Celebration – the Harvest of Fruits – as well as the recognition of the Fall Equinox.
Mabon always feels sort of like a turning point for me – an unexpected twist in the road – a step away from the familiar toward something new and different. It isn’t always immediately clear what that change will be or how it will manifest – just that there will be a change. Kind of like the three abandoned newborn kittens – wait, no, make that four – (another one was found and brought to me two days after the first three.) – that I am now taking care of. So now there are kittens sleeping in my living room when just a few days ago there weren’t any. And then there is my new Craft Name – Claire de Lune – that I will officially be adopting with the signing of this article!
Being a Broom Closet Witch can mean that one’s Sabbat experiences happen inwardly, for the most part, as outwardly observed Sabbat celebrations are not always possible for many Broom Closet Witches.
So, after a full Wheel of the Year cycle of articles about the types of outward celebrations that I, personally, can “get away with”, (given my own circumstances), “For Broom Closet Witches” will see a shift from the outer Sabbat experiences to the inner Sabbat experiences in the year ahead. Beginning with Samhain, this column will be taking a turn inward, exploring the inner landscape and terrain of the Sabbats, as seen through the eyes of a Broom Closet Witch – me! I look forward to seeing how this new perspective develops.
There will also be a new title for the articles, also beginning with Samhain:
For Broom Closet Witches: (Sabbat Name): Through the Eyes of a Broom Closet Witch
For this Mabon’s celebration, I decorated the table with a purple tablecloth and a purple accent runner. I bought some artificial fall leaf bouquets and placed purple candles on either side of the vase:
I also added some pinecones:
And here are the decorations with a Mabon refreshment platter:
There are grapes:
Pomegranates:
Apples, with their characteristic five-pointed star:
And walnuts:
I hope this article has been helpful, and until next time –
Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet again!
Mabon Blessings,
Claire de Lune
(Formerly: Claire du Nord)