Mabon 2007	
by Foxglove

Theme:
The Lord dies as sacrifice to mankind and Nature.  He is sent into the underworld where he is crowned king.

Ritual items required:
Usual Tools, Fighting implements, Death Brew, Life brew, underworld incense, Mabon Decorations, fabric for Doorways, texta, stones, paint and brush, Crown, black fabric, flying ointment, wine and cakes.
			
Circle cast is done out doors by the HPS.
Quarters called.
Central Invokation
Power raising:	The Witches Rune

Maiden:	We have come to the Sabbat of Mabon, where day and night are equal.  Everything in nature is in balance. (Hands out candles).

Crone:	Lessons are learned at this time, may the light of the glorious sun shine within and around thee (lights candles)

Maiden:	The light shines for thee yet the darkness awaits us all.

Crone:	The Goddess is the spiral of life and the Horned One is the one who walks upon it, never ending; ever bringing change and knowledge.

Maiden:	We too must walk the Spiral, ever bringing change into our hearts and our lives.

Crone:	Let us walk the spiral together, as family, friends, brothers and sisters but most importantly children of the Gods.

HPS leads a spiral dance and when they have reach the centre she invokes God who is standing in centre.

HPS:		(Drawing down the Sun)

I do invoke thee and call upon thee
O Bright Father of us all
Bringer of light and warmth.
By Seed and Soil
By Fire and Flame
By Sun and Spear and Shield
By life and love do I invoke thee to descend into the body of thy servant and Priest

As DDS sun god is being performed, the Crown is passed down the spiral from person to person.  HPS crowns HP at end of DDS before hail lord of the Sun

HPS:		Hail Lord Of The Sun & Sky
Shine forth thy rays of love
As lowly I bend before thee.
I adore thee from beginning to end 
and with loving sacrifice thy shrine I adorn 
Thy foot is to my lip
My prayer upborne upon thy golden flame
My eyes behold thy radiance
Spend thine ancient love
O Mighty one
Descend to aid me who without thee am forlorn

HP:		 (Drawing down the Moon)
I call and Invoke thee O Mother of us all
Bringer of Fruitfulness.
By seed and root, by stem and bud
By leaf and flower and fruit,
By life and love
Do I Invoke thee into the body of thy servant and Priestess 

As DDM is being performed, the Crown is passed down the spiral from person to person.  HP crowns HPS at end of DDM before hail Aradia

HP:		Hail Aradia from the Almatheon horn,
		Pour forth thy store of love,
		Lowly I bend before thee I adore the to the end

		And with loving sacrifice thy shrine adorn my lips are to thy feet
		My prayer upborn upon the rising incense smoke
		Then spend thine ancient love O Mighty one and descend to aid me
		Who without thee, am forlorn 

HP:		hear the words of the mother, she who of old was known amongst men as……
HPS:		(Charge of the Goddess...)

HP leads spiral outward and back in and out during charge.

HP kneels in front of HPS

HPS:		Know me, feel me, for I am with thee my Lord and Consort. 
HP:  		I know thee and I feel thee!
HPS:		know my ways for they are your own
HP: 		I know your ways my gentle Lady
HPS:		then you know what must be done for the wheel to turn?
HP:		I do, I know what must come!  Is there any man here who would be my downfall?  Is there any man here who would be my shadow?  Is there any man here who would dare take my crown?

Challenger then steps forward,

Challenger:	I challenge thee

Maiden then steps forward and says: 

Maiden:	 then may you be readied.

Maiden and Crone then bless him with a sip of wine, anointing oil and a Kiss and then places mask on his face.

The HP and HPS then give each other a single kiss and the HP turns to the challenger.  They fight and each one seems to be able to overthrow the other at different times and a winner does not seem apparent.  The HP and challenger is then slain.  As he lays on the ground, the Goddess kisses him 3 times, 1x forehead, 1x Lips and 1x chest.  He opens his eyes and is then assisted to his knees where he kneels before the Goddess. 

He is stripped of his shirt and is rubbed with Flying Ointment, is given a sip of “death Brew” and is then shrouded in black cloth and is crowned with the horned head dress and is given one final kiss.

Maiden: 	death comes to us all and we remember those who have gone, not by their words but by their deeds.

Crone:	As the sun reaches the western shore, we remember the sacrifices and the wonders he has bestowed upon us, his children. Come now children of the gods prepare thyself for sleeping.

Every one gets ready and lays down.

The Goddess takes him into her arms and the Mabon song is sung 

I bathe thee in the shadows,
I bathe thee in light
I call thy name in whispers 
I call thee in the night.

When night and day are equal
And summers at its end
The darkness does enfold me
To death; you now tend.

By apples ripe and tender
In fields left forlorn
We seek thy hidden wisdom
Til death; calls you no more.

Lay down to sleep and dream
Lay down and sleep in comfort
Hear the pipes calling 
Calling you home.

Lay down to sleep and dream
Lay down and sleep in comfort
Hear the pipes calling 
Calling you home.

Whilst the song is played/sung, the participants then too lay down as if sleeping.  They are to close their eyes and are not to open them until told to.  If they do fall asleep; EXCELLENT as this will add to their experience in the otherworld.

He stands;  

HP: 		(Charge of the Dark God)

During charge the Lughnassadh sacrifice comes from the otherworld and assists HP  to arise, 
HP and Challenger then make their way to the “Underworld”.  There they will wait for each individual to journey into the unknown realms.  The Challenger stands behind the God and passes power through him. The Lughnassadh Sacrifice will guide people when they enter the otherworld.
Outside the HPS is readying everyone for their journey.  As they lay there in their ritual slumber, each person is asked to contemplate their lives and realities,  as the HPS awakens each individual from their sleep they are offered a sip of the Death brew.

Crone whispers:	Sip this brew, the brew of death and journey into unknown realms.  Ever be mindful of what thou learns, as the ways of the Shadows do not always mean what they portend.
Crone guides each person to deaths door and leaves them to pass to otherworld.
This is their key into the Otherworld.  When they (in turn) reach the God they are given a reading (probably trance prophecy) and a sigil is drawn on their hand.  At the end of the reading, they are offered a sip of the Life brew which allows them to return to the upper realm.

When they arrive back, the maiden welcomes them back with the life brew

Maiden: 	Drink this brew of life renewed and find peace, remember all you have heard and seen. 

HPS  is shown their sigil and she draws it onto a stone.  They are told to use it when in need of otherworld help. They are advised to sit and consider the interpretation of the reading whilst the others still make their journey.

HP and challenger then take their time to return to “this world”, whilst the closing of the circle is performed.