For many,
Especially Wiccans and Pagans,
The celebration of prominence in the month of October is that of the Sabbath of Samhain.
But there is a second Pagan observance in the month of October that is not as well known to most,
But celebrated by many,
Which is the Great Horn Festival.
Celebrated on or about October 18th,
This is a time at which the Horned God and the Lady of the Forest are in vote for both the fertility of game animals and the success of the hunting season.
This observance,
Of course,
Corresponds with what we see occurring in nature at this very time.
Life is both fading,
Yet simultaneously preparing to begin anew once again.
And it also has parallels to the two deities being invoked,
As well as the duotheistic nature of Wicca.
Since Paleolithic times,
Deity has been viewed as being two-fold,
Masculine and feminine.
The masculine associated with hunting,
And the feminine associated with birth and nurturing,
Both being the core essentials of life,
Survival,
And continuance.
Accordingly,
Both are invoked and given special reverence at this point in autumn.
The god is preparing to be reborn again at the winter solstice,
Whereas the goddess is seen as aging at this time.
As with all observances in Wicca,
It is a reflection of the unbroken and unending cycle of life.
So,
At the Great Horn Festival,
We call out to both the god and the goddess.
As we see nature preparing for its winter slumber,
We,
At the same time,
Anticipate the hunting season that is beginning,
A continuance of the unending cycle of birth,
Life,
Death,
And rebirth.
We celebrate this time of mystery by lighting bonfires,
Eating bread and root vegetables,
And drinking cider infused with spices to honor both the god and the goddess.
And we celebrate this now with a meditative working to honor the horned god and the lady of the forest by,
Through our mind's eye,
Going into the temple of the wilderness.
Please begin in a position that is comfortable for you.
This can be sitting or lying down.
If you wish,
Allow the eyes to close.
Allow the eyes to soften.
Allow the neck and shoulders to also soften,
Releasing any tension they might be storing.
Free your mind of anything that does not support your highest good or is an obstacle to your peace,
Allowing yourself the blessing of being fully present at this time.
Bring the awareness to the breath.
Notice the breath without attempting to alter it in any way.
Allow the breath to continue being as natural as the wind in nature,
Not seeking permission or approval,
Occurring naturally without effort or resistance.
Feel yourself rooting into the earth,
And in doing so,
Drawing in energy from the core of the earth.
See,
Sense,
And feel this energy coming into you through your root chakra,
Rising up as a tendril of light until it reaches your crown chakra.
As you do so with gratitude,
You recognize that you are being supported by the earth.
You are safe here.
You are welcome here,
And you are wanted here.
In your mind's eye,
See yourself somewhere in nature.
Perhaps it is a wooded area where you are surrounded by trees,
And in your surroundings,
You begin to attune to the peace that exists naturally all around you without prompting,
Without intervention,
And without resistance.
And in the majesty of the trees,
You sense strength,
Stability,
Shelter,
And you become aware that these things also reside within you.
Spend a moment tuning in to the ways in which the trees before you mirror that which resides naturally within you.
While attuning to the trees,
Sense within them the spirit of the mighty horned lord,
And in so doing,
The trees begin to become guideposts within the natural world around us.
Both spring and summer are behind us now,
Yet life has not ceased.
Nature is simply transitioning at this time.
And if we listen closely,
We can hear its heartbeat.
We can hear this carried by the sounds of rustling leaves,
Branches creaking in the wind,
The steps of wildlife upon the earth.
Blessed be the Lord God,
You who tends to the needs of all plants and animals.
May your example guide me as I nurture and attend to all that has been placed in my trust.
As your hand turns the mighty wheel of the year,
I learn from you patience,
Patience,
And adaptability.
Great keeper of all cycles and passages,
Teach me to befriend and defend all that is around me as you do.
Ancient God of the forest deep,
Lord of all that is wild and free,
Father of woman and man,
Lover of the moon goddess,
And protector of all the wicca,
Grant your blessing to me and to the coming harvest season.
Likewise,
We can observe the great lady,
Having shifted from the spring maiden to now the crone.
She seeks rest before her return to radiance,
After the sun's rebirth at the winter solstice.
But now,
As the crone,
She offers us wisdom,
The wisdom of the ages.
Her wisdom is that which is nurturing all around us at this time of year.
As vegetation transitions from vibrance to peaceful rest,
As the gate to the other world prepares to open and winter begins to settle in.
Blessed be the lady goddess,
Triple deity,
Maiden,
Mother,
And crone.
By us,
You are adored in each of your forms.
Maiden,
Cherish us.
Mother,
Nourish us.
Crone,
Enlighten us.
Gracious goddess,
You who are the queen of the gods,
The lamp of night,
The creator of all that is wild and free,
Mother of woman and man,
Lover of the horn god,
And protectress of all the wicca,
Grant your blessing to me and to the coming harvest season.
Standing peacefully within the temple of the wilderness,
We absorb the strength of the lord and the wisdom of the lady,
Honoring them with our stillness,
Offering thanks to them with each act of kindness and the care we give to all around us.
We also call out to our guardian spirits,
Honoring those spirits which help and guide us.
Through them do the lord and lady also speak.
In them resides also the strength of the lord and the nurturing support of the lady.
And as we offer our gratitude to these spirits for guiding us,
We realize that we,
Too,
May one day serve as guardians and guides for others.
Within this temple of the wilderness,
We are both welcomed and wanted,
And we are also reminded that we are not alone.
Spend a few moments now absorbing the many blessings of this realization.
Spirit before me,
Spirit behind me,
Spirit above me,
Spirit below me,
Spirit to the right of me,
Spirit to the left of me,
Bless my intentions and keep me safe,
So mote it be.
Allow the mind to begin becoming external now.
The awareness returns to the breath,
The natural flow of the breath going in and out of the body.
Begin to become aware of the external sounds around you,
Simply noticing them without any sort of expectation or judgment,
Allowing those sounds to just be there.
Slowly now the awareness returns to the present.
Invite subtle movements into the hands and feet,
The fingers and toes.
With peace,
Love and gratitude,
Take a deep breath and release it slowly.
And when you are ready,
Open the eyes.
During the season of autumn and always,
May you be constantly aware of the magic that is all around you,
And may you ever be aware of the magic within you.
The crow flies from me to thee,
To send the message,
Blessed be.
