Life in the Kingdom is in constant contact with the seasons, the wilderness weaves its way through our hills and valleys surrounding us in Gaia’s embrace . I have found like other Earth worshipers that living in-sync with the turning of the seasonal year creates a harmony in my life. This harmony or balance is due to the fact that we are all connected…every person, animal, plant, mineral, etc. This connection is real and it does effect us. Think of it like a river, if you are in a kayak floating down river there is an ease to your travel as the water carries you along. If you desire to move against the current you need to exert a lot more energy. Personally I am all about ease and flow. I do not want my life to be a constant struggle, like some epic adventure story. I choose to do things with the rhythms of the planet, moving in a dance that I help to create.
The Celtic Wheel of the Year consist of 8 Sabbats or holy days. These Sabbats/holy days are connected to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The 4 quarter-dates are astronomical events…Autumnal Equinox/Mabon, Winter Solstice/Yule, Vernal Equinox, Ostara & Summer Solstice/Litha. The other four Sabbats/holy days are called cross quarter dates, as they stand half way between each of the quarter dates. It is my goal in this series of blogs to share my knowledge of the Wheel of the Year with you, as well as stories, songs and recipes on how I personally celebrate.
We will start with the Autumnal Equinox or Mabon, for that is where we are now. Astronomically the Autumnal Equinox is one of the two times a year when light/day & dark/night are at balance with equal hours spent in both. At the equinoxes (both spring & fall) the sun crosses the celestial equator & the sun rises directly in the East and sets directly in the West. In 2013 the Autumnal Equinox occurs on September 22nd @ 4:44 EDT. For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere this is the beginning of our dark months. The sun begins to stay away for longer and longer periods…the leaves turn color and fall to the ground and the air begins to smell of winters coming.
The celebration of Mabon is one of thanksgiving and abundance. It is the second of the 3 harvest holidays (Lughnassah, Mabon & Samhain). Traditionally it is a time of feasting the bounty of the land and preparing for the winter ahead. It is a time best spent with family & tribe, feasting over a potluck dinner prepared with food harvested from the land. In my community we often do just that…get together and feast with the ones we love. As I discovered over a year ago that I am allergic to gluten/wheat, my recipes have changed a bit but below is one I recently adapted and totally love. I use Pamela’s Mix for my wheat flour substitute, but most gluten free flours will work. The most important piece of the recipe is intention. When making food for Holidays or Sacred gatherings it is important that we are conscious of the energy we put into our food. This not only means what kind of mood or thoughts we are carrying to the kitchen, but also what energies do the herbs and spices we use add to the mix. This fantastic alchemy I like to call ‘Baking with Intention’. After looking over the recipe we will explore what energetic components of the spices worked into our muffins. Please read this whole article before making the muffins, I think it will be helpful to understand the process. If you don’t want to go gluten free, follow your own recipe, but be aware of the ingredients you add and the intention you carry.
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SALICROW’S Zucchini Abundance Muffins
GLUTEN FREE ZUCCHINI MUFFINS w/extra SPICE
Ingredients-
3 cups Pamela’s mix (gluten free flour mix)
3 cups Zucchini shredded
cup cane sugar
2 Tablespoons Maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Clove
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each…ginger& nutmeg
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs
Heat oven to 350 degrees, mix all ingredients together well…(I literally throw them all in my kitchen aid mixer and blend it together. If you are a serious baker, you may find my means careless…but they come out fantastic). Grease 2 muffin pans (12 muffins total), pour mixture into muffing pan and bake for 30 minutes. I like to sprinkle a little extra sugar on top to make them even more of a treat.
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In the recipe above we added 4 differant spices….
Clove-prosperity, abundance, clearing negative energy
Cinnamon-promotes a high spiritual resonance, increases psychic ability
Ginger-prosperity, abundance, love
Nutmeg-prosperity, abundance and steadfastness
A good group of energetic allies to be adding to food for a harvest celebration. Now remember when making them for ceremony or celebration you want to add you intention. I start by preparing the space. My kitchen isn’t big so it has a tendency to pick up clutter. My preparation for ‘Baking with Intention’ often starts with cleaning the counters and creating space (energetically & physically) I want to work in. In doing so, I try to clear my mind of the unnecessary emotions & thoughts that build up…so when I am cleaning off those counters I am also cleaning up my mind. Then as I add the ingredients to my mixer, I think about the abundance I have had in my year…this year, I think of my trip to Ireland, my daughters wedding, the abundance of friends and loved ones I have in my life & the abundance that has lead me to opening an online store. I think about my dreams that I will slumber with over the winter….the constant Awen (Spirit of Creativity) that sings in my ear. I think about the people I will share the muffins with and that by eating them, they too shall share in joy and abundance.
This year I will be baking my Zucchini Abundance Muffins to share with my tribe at a Rock standing. I will arrive late to the affair as I will be doing Psychic Readings at a Bohemian Wedding….which means I will miss out on the standing of the stone itself, but can still share in the celebration and spread a bit of magic with a yummy treat.
I wish you all a blessed Mabon filled with abundance & Joy!
spreading love-salicrow
Salicrow's Stories of Spirit 