Following The Pagan Heart: Mabon, where did you go?

BLESSED MABON!!!

Ok, so I know... I'm like a week late.... I haven't posted in a while and I know I completely missed Mabon. I hope everyone had a wonderful day and gave many a thanks to the Earth. I spent The weekend before Mabon at the local Mabon/Pagan Pride event.... it.was.awesome! I've been active in my local community for a over a year now! Happy any to me! I got there kind of late since I was finishing up a hat for a friend of mine I was meeting there. When I got there they had just started the chanting workshop.... mmmm, chanting. I love it! I learned a few new chants and now I have forgotten them. But they were really nice, trust me. One day it will dawn on me and I'll write the words down. After that I did some window shopping while a local artist sang beautifully in the background. I stopped by the alter and placed some acorns on it as an offering. I was surprised to find that the alter this year was designated to the patron God of Virginia Beach.... can you guess who it is? Neptune of course! You have to love living by the beach! It was beautifully set up I wish i took a picture of it. They had stones sitting there that anyone could come up to and charge and place into a another dish filled with sand. They were released back into the ocean after the festival in order to help heal our oceans with everything that has been going on. My friend Julie, and I took her son to a children's drumming workshop which was really nice. Unfortunately not a lot of children showed up since they were required to bring their own drums. Julie and I discussed maybe setting up a children's tent next year so that the kids can come and do crafts and maybe make their own instruments while learning about some Pagan goodness related to mabon or paganism in general. If I don't vend next year I think I will try and arrange that. Next, we had a drum circle in the middle of the day (unheard of right? NOBODY DANCES IN THE LIGHT!! lol) But it was connected with other drum circles around the world taking place at the same time in order to promote global unity . We all circled up, people brought their drums, others of us just clapped, and a few people decided to get out there and dance. Somehow, this chick I was standing and clapping beside got the urge to dance. So she went out into the circle and started doing her thing. Next thing I know she has come back over to me, grabbed my hand, and led me out to the circle to dance too. I don't know her at all!! But I embraced it and got my dance on and somehow, I didn't feel paranoid or shy at all. I don't usually dance in the circles because, well, I find it just a bit relaxing and I don't feel the urge to dance. Not to mention sometime you just feel paranoid like others are looking at you like WTF is she doing! Which I know is never the Case, but I mean, come on, we're raised to think people are always going to look at us strange is we step out of line. But yeah, there I was, in broad daylight, dancing. I'm not gonna lie.... it was kind of awesome. After all that was done the local Pagan choir, The Inchantors, serenaded us with lovely music, harmonies, and drumming. After which the community came together and participated in a Mabon Ritual. It was a lot different from last year. Which is expected since every year someone different leads it. This year when you came in to the festival they handed you a mini baggie with 4 papers in it. Each saying something different, such as: Things continuing, Things to throw away, Things to start, and Things finished. We were to take time throughout the day and write things on these papers that corresponded with what each was saying. During the ritual the corner callers walked around at certain points with branches and we strung our papers on the branches. they looked almost like leaves. And then we took the one with Things to throw away on it and we placed it in a cauldron to be burned. After all of that was done we all sat in a circle and meditated and raised energy in order to do a Peace Spell while two very talented ladies played on the Tibetan singing bowls. Then a candle was passed around and we each put our energy into this candle which would be burned and the energy released. And finally we all got up, were given a piece of paper with a chant on it, and marched and stomped around the circle while chanting in order to bring down the circle or cone of power as we were calling it in the chant. It was one of the most active rituals I have been a part of this past year (minus dancing around the may pole). I left with a sense of accomplishment. After ritual a very popular and talented group by the name of Mystic Fire performed for us (I love them sooo much!!). And to close the entire day out we had a massive drum circle in a field. Best.Day.Ever... I'm sure that's what you're thinking. But it doesn't end yet. I was laying on my back looking up at the stars and letting my mind wonder with the drumming, when all of a sudden, there it was. A shooting star. I've never seen one in my life. Not in person. It was like some celestial sign. So I did what all people do and should do in the case of a shooting star. I made a wish. I wished for another job so that I could finally start making some money. I know, I know I shouldn't tell you what I wished for right? PISH POSH! That my friends is a bunch of hocus pocus! If I don't voice it out loud how will the universe know what it is I need. It's not a mind reader ya know! So, I came home, slept an amazing sleep and the next thing I know, my dad is calling me and telling em to fill out an application online at a store my non-blood-related-but-should-be Uncle works as at. He's going to get me a job!!! WHAT!??!!! Psh, Epic Win! I had an interview this Saturday morning and got the job. It's just a cashier position but it's money and I am in need of it. Student loans are no joke!

Long story short, after a very long year things are slowly taking a turn for the good. Let's hope this plane keeps on rising.