Mabon 2004
By Deirdre Rogers of the Grove of the Whispering Well

Set-up
Light the center fire. Make sure there is water in the well

Supplies: matches, fire wood, grain, oils, bell, apples, apple juice, Chalice, grapes, wine, bread, leaves and flowers, cauldron and incense, small bowl of water.
ANNOUNCING THE RITE
Deirdre: ta muid anseo leis na deithe a adhradh. (ta mid anshow khun onoh'r a havart do na day-a)
Jason:  "We are here to honor the Gods."

All: [Approach the grove in the south all chanting]
 “We approach the Sacred Grove
With hearts and minds and flesh and bone.
Join us now in ways of old;
We have come home.”
THE CLEANSING
Chris: [holds the incense burner as each person cleanse themselves with the smoke, starting in the east.]

Chelsea: [following behind Chris with small bowl of water, flicks a small amount of water on each persons.]
OPENING PRAYERS
Jason [rings bell three times]

Deirdre: Welcome to this sacred place. We shall establish the Sacred Center of the Worlds here, where the heavens and the underworld touch, connected by the World Tree. At this Sacred Center we open the Gates to the Otherworld, where our Ancestors, the Nature Spirits and the Gods reside. Once we have opened the Gates, the Spirits can join us here while we make offerings to them and we will ask for their Blessings in return.

Jason: Let us begin by centering ourselves and connecting with sky and earth, so all is one in this time and place.

Sharon: [lead in brief centering/ tree meditation]
HONORING THE EARTH MOTHER
Jason: Let us now offer to the Earth, who is our mother, bearer of all life, so that we may honor and revere her.

Deirdre: We build our fires on the breast of the Earth;
On her our hearths are formed.
Let us now make our offering here 
And make this place our sacred space.
Mother of All, receive this gift!

Chelsea: [Grain is poured into  fire]

All: Mother of All, receive this gift!

Jason:  We build our fire here, claiming this place as our own. May the Kindred bless us and all our endeavors. Biodh se! [bee shay, so be it!]!

All: Biodh se [bee shay]!
PURPOSE OF THE RITE
Willow: All of nature proclaims the bounty of the season! Now is the time of Balance, when Day and Night face each other as equals. Let us find that same balance within ourselves. The Yin and the Yang. The Active and the Passive. Without one the other cannot exist. Let us also find that same harmony with the people around us. 
Now is the harvest time when Autumn blazes about us in a triumph of color and bounty. What we have wrought in the spring and summer is now made manifest. The sleeping seeds that in winter slumbered 'til the rising light brought forth life is now burgeoning and blossoming with seeds of it's own, awaiting the time of slumber once again, and a new day of light and rising warmth.
The end is just a reawakening of the beginning - life is reincarnated. Energy is never destroyed - it simply changes form. Nothing ever remains without change, in the tides of Earth and Sky. Autumn's grain is Spring's seed. Know and remember, that whatsoever rises must also set and whatsoever sets must also rise." 
But for now, we rejoice in the harvest, for the manifold blessings we enjoy in our lives. We partake of the bounty of the earth and want for nothing. We share our bounty and Joy with our other kindreds.

Offering to those not invited
Sharon: Ancient dark ones, we make this offering to you.
	You who dwell in the outer dark
	You who stood against the gods
	You cold of heart and dim of mind
	Take this offering and trouble not our working. 
	Likewise we acknowledge in ourselves
	Weakness and perversity
	Hatred and spite
	Cowardice and ignorance
	We contemplate these ills and enemies and for this sacred time, we set them aside! 
Chris [beer outside the grove]
NAMING THE DIETIES
Jason: We call unto the deities of this time, Modron [pronounced Ma-dron] and Mabon [pronounced Ma-bun] 
Deirdre: [The Invocation of Modron]
We make offering to the Great Mother of abundance
Modron of the Harvest
Modron, Lady of the Apples
Modron, Mother of the Mabon
Great Mother, at the time of balance,
We entrust the end of our year to Your care.
We entrust the ends of our lives to Your care
You Who have brought forth great plenty
Come to us as the Great Mother
Come to us as the Lady of Avalon
Come to us as the Bearer of the Harvest
O beloved Modron
Accept our sacrifice!

Chelsea: apples in well and apple juice in fire

Jason: [The Invocation of the Mabon]
We make this offering to the Great Lord of Liberation
Mabon who was stolen as a child
Mabon who was found and returned
Mabon the Divine Youth
O Great and mighty Mabon
Who drives away the dark and storm,
You bring light to the darkness.
May we always remember Your gifts of the vine,
The later harvest of the grape and the wine
Which You bestow on the children of the Earth.
Come to us as the Bringer of Light
Come to us as the bringer of peace after the storm
Come to us as the Liberated One
O Great and Mighty Mabon
Accept our sacrifice!

Chris: [places grapes in well, pours wine in fire]
OPENING THE GATES

Ernie [ leads the all in briefly envisioning the Sacred Center as the Gates Between The Worlds. Through the Gates, all send love, worship and offerings to the Powers, and they send blessings in return. When the Gates are open, thoughts and impulses can be heard clearly by the Three Kindreds.]

Ernie: Manannan, Lord of the Gates, Lord of Wisdom, open the ways for us. We walk in your holy ways, we walk the Sacred Road. Share your magic with us, ward us as we walk in safety. Manannan, accept our sacrifice.

Chris: [makes an offering of oil to the Fire]. 

Deirdre [opens the Gates by making an opening triskele on the Fire and Well, as Jason says] 

Jason: Now, Shining Ones, join your magic with ours and let the fire open as a gate, let the well open as a gate, let the tree be the crossroads of all worlds. Open as a road to our voices and to the spirits. Let the gates be open! 

All: Biodh se! [bee shay]

Willow [leads the Pagans in singing/chanting] (by Sue Parker)

All: “Gatekeeper open the portals
Between the Gods and Mortals
 Power freely flows
As our magic grows
(Repeat three times)”

THE TRIAD INVOCATION
Calling the Ancestors 
Andrea: We children of the earth call out to the mighty dead. Hear us, our ancestors, our kindred.
To all those whose bones lie in this land, whose hearts are tied to it, whose memory holds it; ancient tribes of this place, we offer you welcome. 
To all of our grandmothers and grandfathers, our own beloved dead, blood-kin and heart-kin; ancient tribes of our blood, we offer you welcome. 
To all those elder wise ones who guide their people, poets and seers, judges and magicians; wise women and men of ancient days, we offer you welcome. So, mighty ones, we call to you as our kin, in the love of the earth mother, to join in our magic. Come to our fire, spirits; meet us at the boundary. Guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways. Ancestors, accept our sacrifice.
Chelsea [bread and wine is made onto the ground near the tree]
Calling the Nature Spirits
Jason: The children of earth call out to the spirits of this land. Hear us, companions and teachers. 

To all our allies, kindred of stone and soil, clouds and wind, heat and flame, pools and stream; kin of the earth, we offer you welcome.
To all our allies, kindred of the growing green, herb and flower, shrub and mighty trees, root, stem and fruit. Green kin, we offer you welcome. 
To all our allies, kindred of fur and feather and scale, all who walk or fly or swim or crawl, we offer you welcome. 
So, Noble Ones, we call to you as our allies, in the joy of life upon earth, to join in our magic. Come to our fire, spirits; meet us at the boundary. Guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways, accept our sacrifice. 
Chris [An offering of leaves and flowers is scattered around the water.]
Calling the Deities
Willow: The children of earth call out to the Shining Ones. Hear us, eldest and brightest. 
To all the Shining Ones, first children of the mother, wisest and mightiest, loving and comforting; Gods and Goddesses, we offer you welcome. 
To the gods and goddesses of this place, ancient and powerful, known to us or unknown; Gods of this place, we offer you welcome. 
To all the deities of those here gathered, you whom we worship, you who bless our lives; patrons and matrons, we offer you welcome. 
So, Shining Ones, we call to you as our elders, in reverence and love, to join in our magic. Come to our fire, shining ones; meet us at the boundary. guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways. deities, accept our sacrifice. 
Chelsea [An offering of scented oil on the fire.]
THE SACRIFICE
[all prepare the final offerings.] 
Jason: We have given of our love and our wealth to our patron deities. Now let our voices arise on the fire, let our voices sound in the well, let our words pass the boundary to the otherworlds. Shining Ones, we give you our love, our respect, our devotion as we pray to you. 
All: Shining Ones, accept our sacrifice.
Deirdre: will everyone please take this moment to mediate on the kindreds, sending energy through the Gates

After a pause, Willow leads the everyone in singing/chanting:  (by Ian Corrigan)
Hail all the Gods, Hail all the Goddesses
Hail all the holy ones we’ve brought together
Powers of the sky, Powers of the sacred earth
Powers of the underworld we’ve brought together
Hail all the Gods, Hail all the Goddesses
Hail all the Gods and Goddesses
(Repeat three times)
THE LITANY OF THE WATERS
Willow: Ancient and Mighty Ones, we have honored you. We pray you honor us in turn. Hear your children. 
All: Shining Ones, give us the waters.
Willow: We thirst for the waters of wisdom, of bounty, of rebirth from the well of wisdom, from the spring of renewal, from the bosom of the earth mother. Hear us.
All: Shining Ones, give us the waters.
Willow: We open our hearts to the Great Ones' blessing. We stand in honor and friendship with all the Powers. Hear us. 
All: Shining Ones, give us the waters.
HALLOWING THE WATERS
[Chelsea pours apple juice is poured into the chalice and gives it to Deirdre] 
Deirdre [elevating the chalice]: We draw blessing from the cauldron of blessing. We pour the ale of inspiration. Behold the holy cup of magic, the outpouring of blessing from the mighty ones. When we share the draught of the Shining Ones, we drink in wisdom, love and strength. 
Hear us, Shining Ones; hallow these waters! We, your children, rejoice in your gift. Bless our lives with love, magic and bounty as we drink these sacred waters.   Behold the waters of life!
All: Behold the waters of life! 
[The chalice is passed and all drink]
Deirdre: Now let us rest in silence, with the Power of the Between in us, and know the blessing as it manifests itself in our lives...
(Silence, for a time)
WORK OF THE RITUAL
Jason: Having prayed to the powers, let us open to them, asking what blessings they offer us in return.
[Willow reads and interprets the omen, leading everyone in contemplation of the things they would ask of the Powers, especially as suggested by the omen. 
All meditate on their own needs, those of loved ones, and the community. In this moment each person's own desires may be strongly imagined, held in mind and heart, with harm to none, for the good of all.]
[Offering for prosperity:]
Deirdre: of all we ask this night, we ask together that you help to guide us to economic prosperity. We seek not riches, but only financial comfort through what ever means you ordain. Hear our prayers.
[Everyone thinks about money.]
CLOSING THE GATES
Jason: The Mighty Ones have blessed us. With joy in our hearts let us carry the magic from our sacred grove into our lives and work. Each time we offer to the powers they become stronger and more aware of our needs and our worship. So now as we prepare to depart let us give thanks to those who have aided us. Modron and Mabon, we thank you!

All: We thank you! 
Deirdre: Gods and Goddesses of elder days, we thank you! 
All: We thank you! 
Jason: Spirits of this land, we thank you!
All: We thank you! 
Deirdre: Ancestors, our kindred, we thank you!
All: We thank you! 
Jason: To all the powers that have aided us, we say again, we thank you!
All: We thank you! 

Deirdre: Mother of all, to you we return all we leave unused. Uphold us in the world as you have in our rite. We thank you!
Chris and Chelsea [pour the rest of the offerings near the tree]
All: We thank you! 
[The Celebrants stand in the center.] 
Willow: Gatekeeper, warder of the ways, for your presence and power, your guiding and guarding we say, we thank you. 
All: We thank you! 
Deirdre: [makes closing sign over the hallows, saying:]  Now we end what we began. Let the fire be flame, let the well be water; let all be as it was before.  Let the magic gates between the worlds be closed.
All: Let the gates be closed! 
Jason:    "The givers of the harvest have been thanked. The gates are closed.
The rite is ended. To each and all, health, happiness and well-being.
All: Biodh se!
Deirdre: [ The bell is rung three times.]