2012 Sept-CGW

Message From the Founder of Cauldron of the Gray Witch I am proud to say CGW has celebrated its one year anniversary in Aug, with now a wee over 400 Cauldron members from various paths and walks of life. As of this Oct we are now developing a new Newsletter team and have re named the newsletter The Gray Watchs Corner which will come out Oct first. This will be our Sabbat Newsletter from hence out. Over the past month we have had very good topical chats on Animal totems, and Moon Magick. CGW now has its own community toolbar.

We have several new groups, Mantras, Sacreed Geometry, and one for our Newsletter staff. We have also brought back our CGW Shoppe, caf press for gifts. We also work on a public blog on Blogger and there you can also see our associated and sister sites as well as below in this newsletter. I am honored also to be part of Skemholics as a designer when I am able too. It is a blessing to share and give back. When you give back, you find you are truly blessed . Mabon- is also known as our Thanksgiving. It is a time to reflect, and give thanks for our blessings. Look at our own harvests, and ask ourselves hard questions as if you do not like your harvests, then what have you been sowing? Feel free to visit us
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Table of Contents
Eleusinian mysteries Mabon Altars Herbs of the Sabbat Incenses Stones Deities Activities Mabon /MabonRituaal
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Eleusinian Mysteries
This Athenian religious festival was held in honor of the grain and fertility goddess Demeter, her name is purely Greek, meaning "spelt mother" (spelt is a hardy variety of wheat.) The cult held this important festival at the town of Eleusis, 15 miles northwest of Athens, in the heart of the wheat and barley growing region. Each year, when it was time for the crops to be sown, in the month of Boedromion (September), this was the time of year for the Mysteries to be held. It all stems from the myth of Demeter and Persephone, when Hades, took Persephone (Kore -"maiden") down into the underworld. Demeter searched the world looking for her daughter, and while she searched Demeter neglected her duties and let the earth go barren. The gods were worried and Zeus, who had witnessed the abduction, intervened. Before she went back to the world of the living, Hades gave Persephone a pomegranate to eat, thus she would always be connected to his realm and had to stay there one-third of the year. This symbolic death and rebirth is the time the seed lies in the earth and then comes to life, reborn, as was Persephone. This was the basis of the cult, a fulfilling and happy afterlife. The ceremony began in Athens, and all those participating purified themselves by bathing in the sea, they also sacrificed a piglet. All sacred and secret objects that were to be used in the ceremonies, were kept in the Eleusinion (a temple located at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens). These objects had been brought from Eleusis some days prior to the start of the celebration. It

was from the Kerameikos (the ancient cemetery of Athens) that the great procession of initiates started. The "Mysteries" were given this name (in Greek musteriai, from mustes, ("an initiate"). As the procession proceeded on route to Eleusis the participants would, at a certain place, shout obscenities. This was a re-enactment of an old mythical woman called "Iambe" who was said to have made Demeter smile, at a time when she was full of sorrow for the loss of her daughter Persephone. Also during the procession their would be shouts of Iakch' o Iakche, which was related to an equivocal deity, referring to "Iacchus" who was identified with Dionysus, but in some versions said to be the son of Persephone or Demeter. When the procession reached Eleusis they would rest and make ready for the next day, which was a day of fasting (Demeter did this when in mourning for Persephone). Once this part of the ceremony was over, the initiates drank a special brew of barley water mixed with penny-royal called, kykeon (a creeping mint cultivated for its supposed medicinal properties). The climax of the ceremony took place in the "Telesterion" (initiation hall). During the 5th century BCE, "Ictinos" designed a huge hall which would hold several thousand people. In this hall, the secret and sacred objects were shown to the initiated, and also the priestesses would reveal the vision of the holy night, which is thought to have been a fire symbolizing life after death. These rituals were kept secret, shown only to the initiated, and it was totally forbidden to speak of them publicly. In the Hellenistic age (300-150 BCE), the cult was taken over and run by the state, and two aristocratic families from Eleusis

officiated (the Eumolpidae and Kerykes). In this age, mystery cults were becoming very popular, unlike classical Greece (400s BCE) when the Eleusinian mysteries were a rare form of worship. The annual Eleusinian mysteries attracted thousands of people from all over the Greek world, and the only initial requirement to become a mystes (initiate) was to be without blood guilt nor a barbarian ( in other words, if you spoke Greek). It was open to both men and women, and remarkably, slaves were also allowed into the cult. The mysteries existed from Mycenaean times (circa 1600-1200 BCE), thought to have been established in the 1500s BCE and held annually for two thousand years. The Roman emperor Theodosius closed the sanctuary in CE 392, and finally it was abandoned when Alaric, king of the Goths, invaded Greece in CE 396. This brought Christianity to the region, and all cult worship was forbidden.
Article "Eleusinian mysteries" created on 02 May 1999; last modified on 10 June 2002 (Revision 2). 712 words. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/e/eleusinian_mysteries.html MCMXCV - MMIX Encyclopedia Mythica. All rights reserved.

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Mabon Altars

Altar, by Rosie Rose,

Source- Brigid Coven

Altar Dressings * candles should be brown or cinnamon. * decorate circle with autumn flowers,acorns, gourds, corn sheaves and fall leaves. *Cloth black, dark brown Altar candles can be white,red and black or tradional Wiccan set upSilver and Black/gold, with silver on left, and black or gold on right There is no right or wrong way, as your altar is your altar.

Herbs of the Sabbat

Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut leaves and husks, mistletoe, saffron, chamomile, almond leaves, passionflower, frankincense, rose hips, bittersweet, sunflower, wheat, oak leaves, dried apple or apple seeds.

Incenses
Pine, sage, sweetgrass or myrhh. You can also mix marigold, passionflower, and fern, using

frankincense or myrhh as a resin for Mabon incense

Stones
During Mabon, stones ruled by the Sun will help bring the Sun's energy to you.clear quartz, amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow topaz, cat's-eye, adventurine.

Deities

Goddesses: Modron(Welsh), Bona Dea, Harvest Dieties, Persephone, Demeter/Ceres, Morgan(Welsh- Cornish), Snake

Woman(Aboriginal), Epona (Celtic-Gaulish), Pamona(Roman), the Muses(Greek).

Gods: Mabon, Modron(Welsh), Sky Father, John Barleycorn , the Wicker-Man, the Corn Man, Thoth(Egyptian), Hermes, Hotei(Japanese), Thor, Dionysus(Roman), Bacchus(Greek) and all wine Deities.

Activities
Customs: offerings to land, preparing for cold weather by bringing in harvest, cutting willow wands( Druidic), leaving apples upon burial cairns & graves as a token of honor, walks in forests, gather seed pods & dried plants, fermenting grapes to make wine,picking ripe produce, stalk bundling

Spellworkings of Mabon: Protection, prosperity, security, and self- confidence. Also those of harmony and balance. Taboos:It was considered unlucky to cut down the very last of the Harvest, and so was also left to stand in the field by some traditions. Activities of Mabon: Select the best of each vegetable, herb, fruit, nut, and other food you have harvested or purchased and give it back to Mother Earth with prayers of thanksgiving. Hang dried ears of corn around your home in appreciation of the harvest season. Do meditations and chanting as you store away food for the Winter. Do a thanksgiving circle, offering thanks as you face each direction - - for home, finances, and physical health (North); for gifts of knowledge (East); for accomplishments in career and hobbies (South); for relationships (West); and for spiritual insights and messages (Center). Decorate the table with colorful autumn leaves in a basket. Display the fruits of the harvest corn, gourds, nuts, grapes, apples - preferably in a cornucopia. Or decorate with wildflowers, acorns, nuts, berries, cocoons, anything that represents the harvest to you. Like its sister equinox, halfway across the Wheel of the Year, the Autumn Equinox is a good occasion for a ritual feast. Plan a meal that uses seasonal and symbolic fruits and vegetables. You can serve bread, squash, corn, apples, cider and wine. Make some homemade wine or cordial gather and dry herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods. Make grapevine wreaths using dried bitter-sweet herb for protection. Use ribbons of gold and yellow to bring in the energy of the Sun, and decorate with sprigs of dried yarrowor cinnamon sticks. Make a protection charm of hazelnuts (filberts) strung on red thread. Make a witch's broom. Tie dried corn

husks or herbs (broom, cedar, fennel, lavender, peppermint, rosemary) around a strong, relatively straight branch of your choice. Make magic Apple Dolls Gifts of the Harvest can be used to make tools and emblems that will remind us of their bounty all year round. Look for colored leaves. Collect fallen leaves and make a centerpiece or bouquet for your home. Save the leaves to burn in your Yule fire. Vist an apple orchard and, if possible, pick your own apples. Hang apples on a tree near your home. Watch the birds and other small animals who will enjoy your gift. This is also the time for replacing your old broom with a new one. As the broom corn is ripe now, besom making is traditional and magickal this time of year. Begin the festival with a vineyard or orchard harvest. You might check the farm lands in your area to see if there's an orchard or pumpkin patch that allows customers to harvest produce for themselves. Traditionally Sabbat festivals begin at sun set on the eve of the Holiday. You can use the daytime hours of this holiday eve to prepare baskets for harvesting the next day. Baking a pumpkin pie (from scratch if possible) is a wonderful way to bring in the fragrance of the holiday season.

Sources unless otherwise noted "Celebrate the Earth" by Laurie Cabot, Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura, Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 1998, and The Witches' God by Janet and

Stewart Farrar

Mabon and Maybon ritual

2nd Harvest, September 21st Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAHbawn) is the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year's crops. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

Symbolism of Mabon: Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon: wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs of Maybon: Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon: Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Incense of Mabon: Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

Colors of Mabon: Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

Stones of Mabon: Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.

Activities of Mabon: Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings of Mabon: Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.

Deities of Mabon: Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona and the Muses. Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man.

Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our

personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life. May your Mabon be memorable, and your hearts and spirits be filled to overflowing!

Mabon Ritual

Tools:In addition to your magickal tools you will need:

A Red Alter Cloth A Wicker Basket

A Red Apple Assorted Fruits and Vegetables of the Second Harvest (Berries, Squash, Corn, etc) A Bell A Fallen Tree Branch A Bolline A Sprig or Two of Ivy An Autumn Blend Incense Any other Personal items of choice Preparation: Sweep area, moving in a deosil (clockwise) manner. Outline your Circle with a red cord, low vibration stones, or various Harvest items such as wheat, corn, beans, etc. Set up your alter and place the red alter cloth over it. At center top, place the wicker basket, filled with the assorted fruit and vegetables. Place the apple and the bolline on your Pentacle or a plate. Place the tree branch to the right of the basket. Place the rest of your tools and props according to your personal preference. Take a shower or bath for purity. Sit quietly and meditate to ground and center. When you are ready, begin by playing some soothing music associated with the Sabbat and your ritual.

Cast the Circle and call Quarters.....Pick up your Wand in your right hand, face your alter, and with arms stretched out above your head, say: "I honor Thee, Autumn Queen, and Thy consort, the God of the Harvest. The Wheel has once more turned, and the change of season begins. What will be is. What was will be. The Equinox is upon us, and the time to reflect, at hand. All time comes together, here and now in this sacred space. And I, but a moment in time, feel the change as I pass From one season to the next. The Second Harvest has been reaped, and the time of rest is deserved. Go now My Mother and slumber. Go now My Father and dream of re-birth. I shall be here to greet Thee on Your return." With arms still out-stretched lower your head and close your eyes. Contemplate what you have just spoken. When ready, open your eyes and lower your arms. Pick up the apple and place it in the center of the Pentacle/plate. Cut it crosswise with the

Bolline, to reveal the natural pentagram at it's core. Then lift half the apple, pentagram up, as if in offering, while saying: "As the Wheel turns, the seasons pass, and the years give 'way To the next, Guide me most Wise Ones,Lest I forget Every beginning has an ending And every ending is a new beginning." Take a bite of the apple. Put the rest aside to share later with the wildlife. Pick up the tree branch and shake once at each direction, starting with North, saying: "As the days grow colder, and the nights last longer, May I remember the summer past. With sunlight fading, and hearth inviting, My memories will warm my soul. F rom a season of hard work and hard play, I hear Mother's voice calling me forward. While I rest, shall She lull me, with songs of a dream, As close to Her bosom I cling." Face the alter and hold the branch out in front of you with both hands, saying:

"With memories of the summer, least I never forget, And aspirings for the colder months to come, Least I never stop striving, I honor Thee with this symbol of Nature, Keeping it and Thee in my home and heart, That I may see it and pause, To reflect on the Ancient Mysteries, Leading me to a better understanding of myself, And of others, and all that is Life." Put the tree branch on the alter, into the basket of fruit so that it sticks out, back in your direction. Contemplate on the various memory symbols that you have attached to it. Also contemplate on the various projects for autumn and winter that you have attached to it. Close your eyes and feel the seasons pass within the circle from summer to autumn. When ready, say: "Between the worlds I stand in this sacred place. All time is here and now. As I leave this circle, the season shall have changed, And I will have changed with it. May I use the short time of Winter Finding

To draw the strength and power from within As I quest for vision, understanding, and peace." Pick up the sprig(s) of ivy, and wrap around your arms, from the elbow to the wrist. Pick up the Bell with your right hand, and ring thrice, to toll the passing of the first 3 seasons of the year. Now place it in your left hand and ring once to usher in the 4th and last season of the year. Place the bell on the alter and the ivy in your cauldron (for burning later). "In Life is Death, and in Death is Life. The Sacred Dance goes on and on From whence we came, we shall return, And come again.Seasons pass, and pass again, The circle stays unbroken Heed the words of your child, here, Through Your wisdom I have spoken." It is now time for meditation and spellworking. Associated spellworkings would include those for protection, wealth, security, and self-confidence. If there is no spellworking, celebrate with Cakes and Ale, then release the Circle. Clean up. You are done. Find an appropriate place in your home to display the decorated tree branch.

*Find a fallen tree branch. It need not be a large one, for it will adorn your alter, then go on display in your home. The more smaller offshoots from the main branch, the better. Mine has four, which I think is awesome! Next, take a couple of pine cones, small shells, dried flowers, or any other item that reminds you of the late spring-summer months. With some string, tie each to the offshoots. Also take yarn or ribbon of yellows, oranges, reds, and gold and tie one end to the offshoots. Then, on very thin strips of (colored) paper, write down some projects to work on during the upcoming ' dark ' months. Wrap these around the offshoots (like little cocoons) and tie closed with silver thread. These you will open over the next couple of months when you start feeling lethargic or without a sense of direction. I tie on a couple of small bells, to add some ambiance to my ritual...

Unknown author

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Animals of Fall

Wolf Facts

Did you know these Wolf Facts?

Loss of habitat and persecution by Humans are leading factors in the Wolves "Endangered Species Status". This protection had been removed in Montana and Idaho in 2009 but reinstated in August of 2010.

Wolves lost the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in Idaho and Montana in 2009 but Federal protection was reinstated in August of 2010. In 2009 hunting of Wolves during specified seasons and in certain areas is now legal in Idaho and Montana. This is unprecedented in the history of the ESA. The weight of the North American Wolf can be as little as 40 pounds or as large as 175 pounds. The length of the North American Wolf varies between 4'6" and 6'6" from muzzle to tip of tail. The height of an average Wolf is between 26 and 32 inches at the shoulder. Wolves have large feet, the average being 4 inches wide by 5 inches long. Wolves can live up to 13 years in the wild but the average is only 6 to 8 years. Wolves in captivity have been known to live up to 16 years. Wolves have 42 teeth. Wolves breed once a year, December through March, depending on latitude, the gestation period is 63 days. Wolf pups are born in northern climates as late as early June and in southern climates as early as late February The average litter size is 4 to 6 cubs. The cubs weigh approximately one pound at birth and cannot see or hear.

Fur color varies from gray, tan and brown to pure white or black. Packs can have as little as 2 members or as many as 30 members. Average Pack size is 6 to 8. Pack Territories vary with location. In the Alaskan or Canadian Wilderness the territory for one pack ranges from 300 to 1,000 square miles while in the continental U.S. the territory is between 25 and 150 square miles. A Wolf in a hurry can go as fast as 35 miles per hour for short distances. The Wolves' diet of choice consists of deer, moose, caribou, elk, bison, musk-oxen and beaver. They have been know to survive on voles and mice if need be.

The White Tail Deer

White-tailed deer, the smallest members of the North American deer family, are found from southern Canada to South America. In the heat of summer they typically inhabit fields and meadows using clumps of broad-

leaved and coniferous forests for shade. During the winter they generally keep to forests, preferring coniferous stands that provide shelter from the harsh elements.

Adult white-tails have reddish-brown coats in summer which fade to a duller grayish-brown in winter. Male deer, called bucks, are easily recognizable in the summer and fall by their prominent set of antlers, which are grown annually and fall off in the winter. Only the bucks grow antlers, which bear a number of tines, or sharp points. During the mating season, also called the rut, bucks fight over territory by using their antlers in sparring matches.

Female deer, called does, give birth to one to three young at a time, usually in May or June and after a gestation period of seven months. Young deer, called fawns, wear a reddish-brown coat with white spots that helps them blend in with the forest.

White-tailed deer are herbivores, leisurely grazing on most available plant foods. Their stomachs allow them to digest a varied diet, including leaves, twigs, fruits and nuts, grass, corn, alfalfa, and even lichens and other fungi. Occasionally venturing out in the daylight hours, white-tailed deer are primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, browsing mainly at dawn and dusk.

In the wild, white-tails, particularly the young, are preyed upon by bobcats, mountain lions, and coyotes. They use speed and agility to outrun predators, sprinting up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour and

leaping as high as 10 feet (3 meters) and as far as 30 feet (9 meters) in a single bound.

Although previously depleted by unrestricted hunting in the United States, strict game-management measures have helped restore the whitetailed deer population.

Resource- National Geographics

From The Faery Oracle

If you are faced with duties right now, or boring, oppressive things you just don't want to do but are obliged to, this card recommends taking a lighthearted approach. A merry heart makes light work and all that!But seriously, if you do make the conscious decision to do whatever it is you have to do with joy, zest and vavavoom, the whole energy of the undertaking changes and becomes lighter; everyone involved feels the difference and is affected positively by it.

A collective of Pixies is all about taking pride and joy in whatever you do, no matter how seemingly dull or tiresome or "small" the task may appear

on the surface. Everything that you do is important, and the way that you do it is even more important. Joining forces with others is always a good idea to make these things easier to deal with, so seek co-operation from those who might be able to help...or just ask the faeries for their help...you might be surprised how things turn out!

Pixies are a type of fae, they remind us all of the magick all round us if we open our eyes and hearts . Take also some time to breathe in life's magick

The Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon and Hunter's Moon are special because, around the time of these full moons, the time difference between moonrise on successive evenings is much shorter than average. The moon rises approximately 30 minutes later from one night to the next, as seen from about 40 degrees N. or S. latitude. Thus, there is no long period of darkness between sunset and moonrise for several days following the actual date of the full moon. In times past this feature of these autumn moons was said to help farmers working to bring in their crops, or in the case of the Hunter's Moon, hunters tracking their prey. They could continue being productive by moonlight even after the sun had set. Hence the name Harvest Moon.

The reason for the shorter-than-usual rising time between successive moonrises around the time of the Harvest- and Hunter's-Moon is that the plane of moon's orbit around the earth makes a narrow angle with respect to the horizon in the evening in autumn.

The Harvest Full Moon is Sept 29th, and comes to us in Pisces.

The Pisces zodiacal sign is mysterious and obscure. They are characterized by self, sacrifice, mysticism, compassion, idealism, vulnerability, sacrifice, spiritual apathy.

When the Moon is in Pisces, emotions prevail over rational thinking. Sensitivity and inclination to fantasy can oppose the common sense. You become dreamers and search for solitude.In this time it's difficult to concentrate, there is a possibility of calculation mistake, emotions and feelings have an unfavorable influence upon work-efficiency.Indulge yourself in music, painting, poetry, read an interesting book. Take care of your inner peace and avoid communal activities.

The influence of this sign is often characterized with a feeling of deep and indescribable sadness, and this feeling helps poets and composers to create.The danger of fungal and viral diseases increases. Avoid alcohol beverages, stagnant and suspicious foods, strong medicines.
Resources- Lieuwelleyns Book of Astrology, or Introduction to Astrology.

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Blessings of the Sabbat, and season be upon all Cauldron of the Gray Witch
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