What is meant by ‘opening your third eye’? It is a meditation technique that refers to becoming more self aware and in tune with your surroundings. Results may be different for everyone. Some experience heightened awareness, more creativity, or a sense of calm and confidence. When performed consistently, your intuition will improve and you will become more aware.

“Breathe in through the nose for a slow count of 3. Hold for a count of 3. Then exhale for a count of three. Do this slowly and rhythmically. Focus on the point between your eyes above your nose on your forehead. Roll the eyes up behind closed eyelids. This may take 10-20 minutes before you can contact the spirits. As you breathe in and out, you will see different colours starting at yellow then shifting to purple. When you see purple you may, most respectfully speak with your spirit guides.”

I found a quiet spot in the house and laid down on the ground in a darkened room. I breathed in and out. I became more and more relaxed. I saw flashes of yellow and purple. Then I asked to speak to my grandmother’s and grandfather’s spirits, the ancients, and the enlightened. Then, it happened! I heard a voice, as clear as day in my mind, and I freaked out. I did not know it then, but this was the day that would define the rest of my life.

It was not until years later that I tried meditation again, and it would be longer still when I tried, what I now know as, the third eye meditation. Almost like clockwork, years passed by again and it is only now that I realised the importance of opening my third eye.

Was I contacting ancient spirits when I was a child? Maybe, but more likely, I had gotten in touch with my higher consciousness. This higher consciousness is in us all. It is what makes us human and allows us to do amazing things.

There are many exercises and meditation techniques for opening your third eye. The easiest technique is to sit upright in a comfortable chair. Place your arms at your sides and hands on your lap. Breathe in through your nose to a count of 10, hold for 10, then exhale for 10. The longer you can do this the better, but the key is in the consistent rhythmic breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth. When you do this, focus on the point between your forehead. You do not need to literally turn your eyes to your forehead, you need only to focus on the point in the middle of your forehead while you breathe in and out. Around the eight to tenth breath, you will start to see the yellow colour spiral in your mind. As you continue breathing, the colour will change to purple and then to flashing colours.

When this happens, when you finally see that vibrating purple colour, it means you have opened your third eye. This ‘opening’ means different things for different people. For me, it has allowed more creativity and focus.

If you don’t see swirling colours, or you can’t hold your breath for 10 seconds, don’t worry. Just keep trying and do what you are comfortable with. One of my students would complain of constant headaches, but he persisted. Only when he persisted did he realise that his headaches were because he was staring at his nose cross-eyed.

The more meditation you do, the more understanding and control you will have over the effects of your newfound awareness. Many people think that the benefit of meditation is only during the actual meditation, but it is quite the contrary. The benefit comes a short time after the meditation. The more consistent you are in your meditation, the more aware of the benefits you become. You realise that, perhaps, you aren’t lucky, but there is someone/something guiding you. You see patterns where there would be random chances. This is just the start to an improved and a better you.

 

How to Celebrate Mabon

We dedicate this festival to the Gods of Welsh mythology. Mabon is considered a time of mysteries. It is a time to honor the Major Deities and the Spiritual World. Considered as a moment of balance, it is when we stop to rest and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvest, whether it is working in our gardens, working in our jobs, raising our families, or simply facing life everyday life.

To celebrate the Fall Festival, we suggest a ritual that can be done individually or in a group.

Prepare the place where the ritual will be performed with dried leaves, grains, seeds and the one with which it has recently matured. You will need three cauldrons, incense, water, matches, a brown candle, an apple, beer, wine or fruit juice and cereal bread. It may be used of a bell or a small drum to produce a shamanic beat during the rite.

Place the three cauldrons in the center of your Sacred Grove. In the cauldron of the left place the water, representing the Kingdom of the Sea; in the cauldron of the center the brown candle, representing the Kingdom of Heaven and in the cauldron of the right the grains and the seeds representing the Kingdom of the Earth. Smooth the place three times clockwise. Then contact the Three Realms:

 

“From North to South, from East to West, we begin the journey, blessed by Heaven, Earth and Sea. Heaven above us represents the magic of sacred fire. the inspiration of the sacred well, and the Earth beneath our feet represents the sustaining pillar of the sacred tree, and we celebrate the blessings of the Second Harvest through the Festival of the Autumn Equinox.

 

Greetings to Mother Earth

We begin the ritual honoring Mother Earth, making her an offering, which could be a food, fruit, drink, flowers or a poetry. Put your hands on the floor and say,

“Mother Earth, bearer of all life, who travels through the green earth to the springs that spring from your womb, we honor you with the arrival of autumn, thanking you for sustaining us in this sacred rite.”

 

Place your offering on a platter in front of the cauldrons. Suggestion: apple.

 

Statement of Purpose

 

“We are gathered in the Sacred Grove to celebrate the Autumn Equinox Festival through the second harvest. A moment of peace and balance, where the season of light begins to give way to the dark season of the year. Fruits of which our thoughts, words and deeds have cultivated. This ritual is dedicated to the Welsh gods Mabon and his mother, Modron, Goddess of earth and fertility. “

 

Contact with the cauldron of the center (Kingdom of Heaven)

 

“Light the sacred fire that awakens creation, the true light that burns within us, show us our inner glow!”

 

Light the brown candle inside the cauldron and say:

 

“Holy Fire, shine within us!” Repeat 3 times.

 

Contact with the cauldron on the left (Kingdom of the Sea)

 

“Sacred Waters that run under our feet, powers from the depths that flow from within us, show us the path that leads us back to Avalon!”

 

With the cauldron of water, wet your fingers, make the triskle or Celtic cross symbol on your forehead and say,

 

“Holy water, flow from within us!” Repeat 3 times.

 

Contact with the cauldron on the right (Kingdom of the Earth)

 

“Holy Tree, which from the roots of the earth rises to heaven, wisdom that grows strong and perennial within us, show us our inner strength!”

 

Raise the cauldron of the earth with the grains and seeds up to the forehead and say,

 

“Holy tree, grow within us!” Repeat 3 times.

 

Opening the Gates between the Worlds

 

“Welcome to the Sacred Grove, which we will establish as the Sacred Center of Worlds. In this sacred center, we will now open the portals to the Other World, where our ancestors, the spirits of nature and the gods. As soon as the gates open, I ask the Three Families to join us, blessing and protecting us during the Autumnal Equinox ritual, in return, accept our sincere gratitude! ”

 

Make an offering to the Three Families. Suggestion: glass of beer.

 

Invocation to Mabon

 

O great and mighty Mabon

That upon being released,

He brought the light into the darkness.

 

Come to us as the Bearer of Light

Come to us as the Bearer of peace

Come to us as the Bearer of the harvest

 

O great and mighty Mabon

Accept our gratitude!

 

Make an offering to Mabon. Suggestion: glass of wine.

 

Invocation of Modron

 

Modron, the Great Mother of Mabon

Modron, the Lady of Avalon

Modron, the Bearer of the Harvests

 

Great Mother, at the moment of balance,

We entrust our lives to your care

Lady, always bring us peace, love and light

 

O Modron beloved, accept our gratitude!

 

Make an offer to Modron. Suggestion: cereal bread.

 

Then take a break for meditation and think about the fruits harvested. Receive the blessings of the Gods through the reading of the oracles. Suggestion: runes or ogham.

 

Thanksgivings and closure of the Gates

 

For the blessings of the three worlds and the Mighty Beings who have blessed us, with joy in our hearts, we will carry the magic of the Sacred Grove to our daily lives. Each time we enter the Other World, we become stronger and more conscious. Now we prepare to leave giving thanks to those who have helped us.

 

Modron, we thank you … Awen!

Mabon, we thank you … Awen!

To the Three Families, we thank you … Awen!

To the Three Kingdoms, we thank you … Awen!

To Mother Earth, we thank you … Awen!

Now let’s finish what we started. Let the fire shine in the flame, let the good flow in the water, let the truth grow in the earth, and let the gates between the worlds now be closed.

 

Walking wisely, children of the Earth, I declare that the autumn ritual is over!

 

(Ritual based on the principles of the Druidic Order ADF – Árn Draíocht Féin – The Druid)

Mabon History: The Second Harvest

 

 Ways to Celebrate Mabon

Mabon/Autumn Equinox September 21st-22nd

This festival is now named after the the God of Welsh mythology, Mabon. He is the Child of Light and the son of the Earth Mother Goddess, Modron. In truth, there is little evidence that Mabon was celebrated in Celtic countries and the term Mabon was applied as recently as the 1970’s. All part of our reconstructed Paganism…

Here is another point of perfect balance on the journey through the Wheel of the Year, its counterpart being Ostara or the Spring Equinox. Night and day are again of equal length and in perfect equilibrium – dark and light, masculine and feminine, inner and outer, in balance. But we are again on the cusp of transition and from now the year now begins to wane and from this moment darkness begins to defeat the light. The cycle of the natural world is moving towards completion, the Sun’s power is waning and from now on the nights grow longer and the days are are shorter and cooler. The sap of trees returns back to their roots deep in the earth, changing the green of summer to the fire of autumn, to the flaming reds, oranges and golds. We are returning to the dark from whence we came.

But before we do that, we’re gonna party (again)! This is the Second Harvest, the Fruit Harvest and the Great Feast of Thanksgiving. The Goddess is radiant as Harvest Queen and the God finally dies with His gift of pure love with the cutting of the last grain. He will return. As the grain harvest is safely gathered in from Lammas and reaches completion, we enjoy the abundance of fruit and vegetables at this time. It is time to thank the waning Sun for the wealth of harvest bestowed upon us. It sometimes seems that each Festival requires the making of celebration and the giving of thanks, but this really is so, each turn of the Wheel brings both inner and outer gifts and insights.

So Mabon is a celebration and also a time of rest after the labour of harvest. In terms of life path it is the moment of reaping what you have sown, time to look at the hopes and aspirations of Imbolc and Ostara and reflect on how they have manifested. It is time to complete projects, to clear out and let go that which is no longer wanted or needed as we prepare for descent, so that the winter can offer a time for reflection and peace. And it is time to plant seeds of new ideas and hopes which will lie dormant but nourished in the dark, until the return of Spring.

Symbols of Mabon

The Cornucopia

The Cornucopia, or Horn of Plenty, is a traditional symbol for Mabon. It is a wonderful symbol for the wealth of harvest and is beautifully balanced symbol which is both male (phallic) and female (hollow and receptive)

The Apple

The apple is the symbol of the Fruit Harvest. The apple figures significantly in many sacred traditions. It is a symbol for life and immortality, for healing, renewal, regeneration and wholeness. It is associated with beauty, long life and restored youth. The Ogham name for apple is Quert and Quert is the epitome of health and vitality. The apple is at the heart of the Ogham grove and is the source of life. For Pagans, the apple contains a ‘secret’. Cut an apple width ways and it reveals a pentagram containing seeds. It is a much loved symbol of Paganism. The five points represent the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water with Spirit at the top, and thus also the directions of East, South, West, North and Within.

A circle around the pentagram represents the eternal circle/cycle of life and nature, and of wholeness. In ritual and ceremony the pentacle corresponds to the element of Earth. It is believed to be a protection against evil for both the person and the home, worn as an amulet or used to guard entrances to the home through windows and doors.

Colours of Mabon

From green to red, orange, yellow, brown and gold.

The Mabon Altar

Your altar should be dressed in the very best produce you can find from field, forest and market, from garden and the wild. Apples, pears, damsons, sloes, rose hips, elderberries, blackberries, hawthorn berries, the possibilities are large. If you collect from the wild, be not greedy – always leave plenty of fruit and berries for the birds and wee creatures.

Make an outdoor shrine for the nature spirits in thanks for the bounty they help to provide. Leave one of each flower, fruit and vegetable that you have, as a gift.

Things To Do

Great Feast of Thanksgiving.

Celebrate with a feast for friends and family using as much fruit & veg, locally grown, as you can.

Go Walking.

Go for a walk and collect as much of nature’s wild abundance as you can, while respecting the need to leave enough for everyone else including the nature spirits. You will find wild damsons, sloes, rosehips, elderberries, blackberries, hawthorn berries and more. Remember the fruit is the carrier of the precious seed.

Clear Out and Complete.

We think of Spring as the time to clear out but now is the perfect time to complete unfinished projects and clear your home of unwanted stuff. Prepare to hibernate!

Plant Bulbs.

This is an excellent time to plant tree seeds and shrubs. They have all of winter in the darkness to establish and germinate. Plant bulbs which will hide in the earth until early Spring beckons. Make each one a hope, idea or aspiration for Spring and wait until their little green noses show above ground – to remind you!

Buttermilk Bread Charm for Mabon.

You will need:

3 mugs of strong white flour
500 ml of Buttermilk (available from the supermarket)
I teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda
Mabon ribbon in your choice of colour – red, orange, yellow, gold, brown
A handful of dried fruit of your choice – dates, raisins, sultanas, currants

Place the flour and dried fruit in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Sieve in the blended salt and soda and pour in the buttermilk. Mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough feels springy. If it feels too sloppy just add a little more flour. Turn it onto a board and cover with a fine dusting of flour. Pat it with your hands until you have a round shape. Take a sharp knife and score lightly into eight sections, one for each festival. Our picture shows the bread cut into five sections, making a pentacle.

Place onto a greased baking tray and pop your buttermilk bread into a moderate oven for about 20-25 minutes. Keep and eye on it. When the bread is ready it will change colour and it will sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack. When it is cool, tie it with Mabon ribbon.

Take time to concentrate on the bread you have created and turn the loaf three times saying“From the fields and through the stones, into fire, Mabon Bread, as the Wheel turns may all be fed. Goddess Bless.”

Now take your bread and share it with your family and friends and pass on the generous blessings of this bright and bountiful festival. Eat it fresh, as soon as it is made if you can.

Recipe donated by the Counter Enchantress. Adapted by the Boss Lady with permission.

The Counter Enchantress is discovering that you can add almost anything appropriate to this simple bread recipe and it STILL WORKS beautifully. You can decide for yourself what the appropriate additions are for a particular festival, in this case dried fruit for Mabon, and just do it. There is much kitchen magic in working with one recipe through the Wheel of the Year just changing it a little as the wheel turns…..

Somerset Apple Cake

We are very blessed here in that we live in the sacred Isle of Avalon, also called the Isle of Apples, in Somerset, England. And we are indeed surrounded, still, by orchards which grow apples both for Somerset’s famous cider-making and for eating. One of our family pleasures is a local orchard which grows many traditional varieties of apples. Most of what they grow goes to make apple juice. But just before they do that, local people are invited over a weekend to go pick apples for themselves and their families. And it’s such fun to spend an afternoon among the apple trees within sight of Glastonbury Tor. Chalice Well Trust is developing an organic apple orchard on the slopes of the Tor and now also produces small quantities of delicious organic apple juice which are sold to visitors. It’s a limited supply and very precious – reserved for very special occasions or ceremony in our household.

Below is an authentic Somerset Apple Cake recipe. Eat it either cold, or warm with cream.

INGREDIENTS:

340gms/12oz self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
225gms/8oz margarine/butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
170gms/6oz caster sugar
115gms/4oz sultanas
450gms/16oz cooking apples, finely chopped
3 eggs
a little milk
a little demerara sugar

METHOD:

1. Rub the fat into the flour and salt. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Make a well in the mixture and drop in the egg and fruit. Mix well; if the dough is a little too stiff, add some milk.

2. Place in an eight-inch greased cake tin, and sprinkle a little demerara sugar on the top.

3. Bake for one-and-a-half to two hours, in a moderate oven (Gas Mark 4/180°C/350°F), until cooked. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a cooling rack.