Okay, so I have to admit...even though I love all the holidays, Samhain is my favorite. I'm sure if you took a poll, it would probably come out on top because it's really a great time for a lot of reasons. I love the weather, the crisp fall air, the comforting, cinnamon-y foods, the thinning of the veil, and the knowledge that the ancestors and the beloved dead are near. I also have to admit that I really like all the commercial trappings that come with Halloween--the spooky movies, the haunted houses, and the costumes and parties.
Even though we work together at every full moon, the holidays are so much fun for me to spend with my coven. It's always fun and exciting, and there is this great mixture of the comforting sameness of the traditions of the sabbats, along with a newness that you get with each one bringing something unexpected and a blessing you weren't even looking for.
I'm also extremely excited about Stellaluna's new members and the all the great things they bring to the table. Now we have a truly diverse group with different ages, traditions, and experiences that I think is going to blend into something amazing. If you want to hear about how Stellaluna spent Samhain, you can check out our blog! :)
If you're at all interested in Goddess-centered, feminist, or Dianic spiritual practice, you should watch "Gathering the Goddesses," a documentary about Z. Budapest's life and her circle's history and practices. It's really interesting and you can watch it for free, which is even better!
It's in six parts on YouTube. Here is the link to the first section:
I had sooo much fun at Stellaluna's Mabon feast. It was wonderful to get together with Stellaluna Circle and our guests, share our harvest blessings and wishes for the coming season, and, of course, eat wonderful food!
We had ham, chicken, green bean casserole, two kinds of potato salad, broccoli cheese casserole, this great apple lasagna, cheesecake, key lime pie, pumpkin pie, black forest cake, wonderful wines and drinks, and lots of things I'm forgetting because it was all so good! After our main feast, we spent the evening hanging out, doing tarot readings, enjoying our time together, and snacking on the leftovers.
I definitely want to organize another open event soon. It was just so wonderful to share the season with covenmates and friends new and old.
I had a really great Lughnasadh holiday. I've been reading the book Selu: Seeking the Corn Mother's Wisdom by Marilou Awiakta and I highly recommend it. It's really helped me get into the harvest state of mind. Preston and I had a wonderful and peaceful Lughnasadh supper together. I fixed venison (in honor of Selu's husband, the Great Hunter), mashed potatoes, fresh sweet corn, and hot, buttery corn bread. While I cooked, I burned orange and red candles, burned white sage incense, and listened to my "From the Goddess" CD. I gave offerings at my shrine and generally settled myself into the harvesting half of the year. I'm really looking forward to what the harvest brings for me and the ones I care about this year.
Well, the retreat was a wonderful success! The weather was beautiful, the women were fun and friendly, and magick was afoot! My only regret is that in packing up, I seem to have pulled something in my back and have been out of commission for a while waiting for it to get better. However, I really look forward to our next open events, and I'm already planning in my head for Celebrate Women 2008--Bigger and Better! :)
