49 Degrees: Canadian Pagan Perspectives

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A Mabon Formulary

Sorry about the lack of posts this month!  I've been working a lot of extra hours at my day job and then I was busy with Sabbat celebrations.  In that spirit, I thought I would share a couple of Autumn Equinox related recipes from my personal formulary.

Apothecary by Sable Aradia.  Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

Apothecary by Sable Aradia. Copyright (c) 2015. All rights reserved.

Apple Cider

  • Apple peelings
  • Unsound apples
  • Water
  • Sugar

Optional:

  • Honey
  • Lemon Juice
  • Ginger
  • Cinnamon

Place apple peelings & cut up unsound apples in large pan and cover with water.  Allow to stand 3 to 4 days, then strain and add sugar according to taste.  Add any optional ingredients.  Pour into screw-cork battles.  It will be ready in a day or two.

 

Drying Herbs (public domain image).  Source: Pixabay.com

Drying Herbs (public domain image). Source: Pixabay.com

Mabon Incense

  • 2 parts Frankincense
  • 2 parts Myrrh
  • 1 part Nutmeg
  • 1 part Cinnamon
  • 1 part Cloves
  • 1-3 drops Red Wine

Equal parts frankincense & myrrh reference the Sun King association and represent the balance between light and dark.  In addition, frankincense has a bright citrus scent, and myrrh has a dark bitter scent; which I think between them captures that essence of the last hurrah of autumn sun and that slight rotting scent of dirt and leaves beneath it.  If you’re unable to acquire these then you can pick dried pine resin from trees and crush up and burn that as your resin base instead.  It’s called “colophony” in old formularies.

Nutmeg is associated with wealth and good fortune; cinnamon is associated with wealth, good luck, prosperity, psychic powers and seeing the spirit world; cloves are associated with spirit work and are often used as a magickal substitution for just about any purpose.  And of course all three of them together creates the scent of pumpkin pie, apple cider and fall spice!

Last, the wine recreates the scent of orchards and vineyards in the autumn, with its fermented fruit scent.  Add just enough to slightly dampen the incense and then let it dry before using. Burn on charcoal to release the scent.

Autumn by George Hodan (public domain image).

Autumn by George Hodan (public domain image).

Mabon Solid Perfume

  • quarter cup beeswax
  • quarter cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp balm of Gilead (optional – scent fixative)
  • a few drops tincture of benzoin (preservative)

Melt together on the stove in a double-boiler pot that you don’t mind scrubbing vigorously afterwards (or you don’t care about coating with a thin layer of wax).  Remove from heat and add:

  • 3 drops wormwood or clove oil
  • 6 drops oakmoss oil
  • 9 drops frankincense or ginger oil

Stir and pour into a small metal container to set (suggestions: candle tins, tobacco tins, empty tea light tins, even an empty tuna can that’s been thoroughly washed).

Alternatively, you can make an oil perfume by mixing the essential oils listed above into a small dropper bottle and adding almond, olive, or jojoba oil until you’re satisfied with the blend.  Add at least four times the amount of carrier oil as you have in mingled essential oils.

Crone Incense

  • 1 part myrrh
  • 1 part apple shavings or sawdust
  • 1 part ground cloves, powdered wormwood, or powdered mugwort (or mix them together to equal 1 part).

All of the herbs, resins and woods listed are associated with the Crone goddesses; most of them are associated with Hecate and Cerridwen.  Mix and burn over charcoal.

Horned God Incense

  • 1 part frankincense or colophony
  • 1 part powdered cedarwood
  • 1 part powdered deer’s tongue, vetiver or blessed thistle (or mix them together to equal 1 part).

All of the herbs, resins and woods listed are associated with the Horned God; deer’s tongue and vetiver are associated with Herne and Cernunnos; blessed thistle is sacred to Pan.  Mix and burn over charcoal.

These are licensed for your personal use but not for professional reproduction, since I sell most of this stuff on my Etsy shop.  Hope you enjoy making these little creations!  Happy Equinox to one and all!


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Sable Aradia (Diane Morrison) has been a traditional witch most of her life, and she is a licensed Wiccan minister and a Third Degree initiate in the Star Sapphire and Pagans for Peace traditions. Author of "The Witch's Eight Paths of Power" (Red Wheel/Weiser 2014) and contributor to "Pagan Consent Culture" and "The Pagan Leadership Anthology," she also writes "Between the Shadows" at Patheos' Pagan channel and contributes to Gods & Radicals. Sable is just breaking out as a speculative fiction writer under her legal name, and a new serial, the Wyrd West Chronicles, will be released on the Spring Equinox this year. Like most writers, she does a lot of other things to help pay the bills, including music, Etsy crafts, and working part time at a bookstore. She lives in Vernon, BC, Canada with her two life partners and her furbabies in a cabin on the edge of the woods.

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