Deaf Pagan Crossroads

THE HARVEST KING

I am the radiant King of the Heavens, flooding the Earth with warmth and encouraging the hidden seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation. I lift my shining spear to light the lives of all beings 
and daily pour forth my gold upon the Earth, putting to flight the powers of darkness.

I am the master of the beasts wild and free. I run with the swift stag and soar as a sacred falcon against the simmering sky. The ancient woods and wild places emanate my powers and the birds of the air sing of my sanctity.

I am also the last harvest, offering up my grain and fruits beneath the sickle of time so that all may be nourished. For without planting there can be no harvest; without winter no spring.

Worship me as the thousand-named Sun of creation, the spirit of
 the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest. See in the yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and rebirth – and know that such is the destiny of all creation.

I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest,
 and I send my rays of blessing to warm the hearts and strengthen the 
minds of all.

CIRCLE OF THE SEASONS – Lisa Theil

Now is the time of the Harvest, as we draw near to the years end.
 Now is the time of Mabon
. Autumn is the time to descend.

Old Woman waits patiently for us 
at the threshold of the labyrinth within
. She offers her hand that we may understand 
the treasures that await at journey’s end.

Great Mother has given of her body. We give thanks for her fruit and her grain. We then clear the fields so that next harvest’s yields
 will be full and abundant again.

Old Woman leads us through the darkness
 – our most ancient and trusted of friends
. She carries the light of spiritual insight
 and leads us to our wisdom once again.

And as we journey through the darkness
 and as we continue to descend, 
we learn to let go of what obscures our soul
 and re-discover our true being in the end.

MABON: SONG OF THE AUTUMN EQUINOX – Leanne Daharja

Wind, fire, sea, stone

Breath, flame, wave, bone

Long light has lingered here, Earth still is warm,
 deepening shadows lost by the dawn.
 Long darkness rising here, though heat lingers on. Twist of the Equinox. Mabon has come.

Dead leaves fall silently, drift on the air. Trees standing, slumbering – dry, cracked and bare.
 Time passes quietly, echoing past. Earth calls the winter in. Mabon at last!

Shadows through the mist I see. Time passing silently.
 Starlight, as the spiral bends.
 Moonlight, as the daylight ends.

Over the past eight years, I have been honored to share the visual artwork of various individuals within the posts of Deaf Pagan Crossroads. Thus it is with great pleasure that I introduce my Friends of the Crossroads to the beautiful artistry of a new photographer, whose pictures accompany the prose for this year’s Mabon celebration – Mr. Rubin Latz. Rubin, who was born and resides in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, is a like-minded individual who shares with me and my readership that special love for Mother Earth and a recognition of the divine spirit of Nature. The son of Deaf parents, he is now retired after many years of working for the state in serving deaf and hard of hearing clients…and can currently be found trekking the Northwoods with his trusty camera in hand, capturing images of all he finds interesting, beautiful, and inspirational. Thanks for the pictures, Rubin!

WISHING THE FRIENDS OF THE CROSSROADS

A JOYOUS MABON/AUTUMN EQUINOX