Alban Elfed (Autumn Equinox)

Hello my fellow travellers of the old ways, once again it has been a while since my last blog, I have had quite a busy few months with work so not been able to post my blogs as much as I was hoping to.  I cant believe this is the last part of my section on working with the Wheel of the Year.  It started as you know with Samhain and we are already at Alban Elfed, the Autumn Equinox.  What a journey this has been what with one thing and another.

I want to now move on to the last part of working with the Wheel of the Year, Alban Elfed. 

 

Alban Elfed

This festival usually falls around the 23^rd – 24^th September, a time when the days and nights once more balance out ready for the longer nights to start drawing in.  Autumn is now upon us.  The mornings are darker when we wake as are the evenings when we get home from work and there is that distinctive chill in the air that, I have to admit, I really quite enjoy.  Once again it is the time for the harvests, the farmers work in their fields brining in the crops, the land goes from the lush green to that beautiful golden colour scattered with large hay bales that take the place of the crops.

 

The trees are heavy with berries this year more than I have seen in a while, the Hawthorns in particular, with the bright red cutting through the green of the leaves.  There is a small wood we walk through with our new little doggy person and everyday the changes stand out.  The Blackberries have gone over (we did have a lovely crumble though from the foraged fruits before they finished…….so yummy), the Beech trees full of Beech nuts, the conkers beginning to drop from the horse chestnut tree (oh the memories).  The leaves on the trees are starting to go that deep golden brown as they get ready to fall and cover the forest floor.  A part of me always feels sad knowing that these beautiful big trees will once again be bare but that is natures way after all.  I have also noticed the abundance of acorns this year too, so many in the woods where I walk.  I have to say that the thing I like most about this time of the year is the quietness of the woods, people tend to avoid them as the ground is usually a little wet and muddy, it means I can spend more time amongst my friends sitting with them alone and free from any distraction.  I love to take advantage and sit for a while when possible and just ground myself.  It was on one of our walks through this wood that we just happened across a small bench in the middle of nowhere, I now think of this as my bench and spend a few minutes on it just within the canopy of the trees listening to mother nature and watching her making her changes.

 

Herbs and Plants

As we know working with herbs was part of the Druid way. Herbs were used for medicinal purposes, in food and as offerings. For this spoke of the wheel I will give a short list of herbs associated with Alban Hefin and a brief idea of their uses. A list of herbs are as follows, and as always care should always be taken when working with any herbs.

Yarrow: One of the herbs linked with the planet Venus.  Venus herbs activate love. They include all scented herbs and plants that smell pleasant and sweet.  These herbs bring joy, beauty, artistry, sensitivity, and compassion.  Yarrow was often called woundwort or knights milfoil, thanks to its use in treatment in battle injuries. An old English custom is for a girl to pluck some yarrow from a young man’s grave and sleep with it under her pillow, and in her dreams, her future husband would appear.  Use in spells for divination; happy marriage; wards negativity; healing. Draws love. Wear or carry to boost your self-esteem and courage or prevent fear. A sprig hanging over a marriage bed will produce at least seven years of passion and love. Putting it in a ritual bath can help increase psychic powers.

Marigold:  A herb of the Sun.  These herbs promote self- confidence and personal success. They impart a sense of purpose and help develop a sense of identity and willpower. Sun herbs bring vitality, health, creativity, and dignity.  Marigold is associated with wealth, it’s potential, it’s attitude and it’s beauty. Protection; legal matters; psychic/spiritual powers; prophetic dreams; reclaiming boundaries; nurturing potential. Attracts respect and admiration, provides good luck in court and other legal matters. Pick at noon for comfort and strength. Place garlands at doors to prevent evil from entering. Scatter under the bed for protection and to make dreams come true. Good for bath spells. And an infusion of marigold to the bath for five days to find Mr or Mrs right. Add to sachets, amulets and incense to attract new love or add life to your current relationship. Place above the bed, or in a dream pillow for prophetic dreams.

Sage:  A herb of Jupiter.  These herbs expand consciousness and opportunity. They bring growth on all levels and are helpful in health matters as they expand the body’s ability to heal itself. They expand the mind allowing for a greater understanding.  The Latin name for sage, salvia, means ‘to save’ and in the Middle Ages, it was the herbal equivalent of modern-day aspirin. In ancient times people used to take sage baths to keep away evil spirits. An infusion of sage was said to be good to sharpen the brain, memory, and senses. Eating sage daily during May was said to give immortality, Longevity; wisdom; protection; money; absorbs negativity and misfortune; drives away disturbances and tensions.  Burn it to consecrate a ritual space. Carry it as a herb of protection and to promote wisdom.  Used for self-purification and dealing with grief and loss. Place near a personal object of someone who is ill when performing healing spells or rituals. Write a wish on a sage leaf and place it under your pillow for three nights. If you then dream about your wish, it will come true. Otherwise, bury the leaf in the ground so no harm will come to you.

Rosemary:  A herb of the Moon and the Sun, as well as having the attributes associated with the sun (above) these herbs affect the subconscious mind and aid in the development of intuition.  The Celts used rosemary in the garden and in recipes to attract elves and fairies. In the Middle Ages, rosemary was associated with wedding ceremonies. The bride would wear a rosemary headpiece and the groom and wedding guests would all wear a sprig of rosemary. From this association, rosemary evolved into a love charm. It was believed that placing a sprig of rosemary under a pillow before sleep would repel nightmares and if placed outside the home, it would repel witches.  Good memory; friendship; fidelity. Burn rosemary to rid a home of negative energy or as an incense while you meditate.  Hang bundles on your front door to keep harmful people from entering. Put rosemary under your pillow to prevent nightmares and restlessness.

Hazel:  A herb of Mercury.  These herbs facilitate clear thinking and eloquent communication. They help in business success, where a clear head is needed, and in recovery from illness.  Mercury herbs enable you to communicate more and improve your learning skills. They tend to stimulate the central nervous system and brain.  Hazel is an ancient Celtic tree of wisdom and hazelnuts were eaten before divination. Wands of hazel symbolize white magic and healing.  Luck; fertility; protection; granting wishes; wisdom; inspiration; poetry.

Mugwort:  Another of the herbs linked with the planet Venus.  Venus herbs activate love. They include all scented herbs and plants that smell pleasant and sweet.  These herbs bring joy, beauty, artistry, sensitivity, and compassion.  It is also linked with the Moon, Moon plants affect the subconscious mind and aid in the development of intuition. They include all herbs that turn towards the moon.  Mugwort is associated with strength; psychic powers; protection; prophetic dreams; increase lust; healing; astral projection. Protects children. Use a wash or oil for consecrating magical tools. Carried to bring loved ones safely home from journeys.   Burn with sandalwood or wormwood to aid scrying. Make an infusion, sweetened with honey to enhance divination. Use in a sleep pillow or place it under your pillowcase to invoke prophetic dreams.   Mugwort can be harmful to pregnant women.

Crystals

Crystals are another thing that some people choose to use/work with, as with everything on my Druid journey I look at things and see if it is something I would like to work with or not everyone’s journey is their own there is no right or wrong way. I have once again picked six crystals that link closely to Alban Elfed and these are:-

Citrine - Citrine is another amazing crystal linked to the sun and its stunning yellow pigmentation makes you feel all kinds of sunshiny! It’s all about manifesting action and vibrance—perfect for Alban Elfed. Citrine is also known for its ability to awaken the powers of your creative energy. Spend some time with Citrine and let its energizing focus help you manifest your dreams and make them a reality

Lapis Lazuli - This pretty indigo and gold gemstone is known for cleansing the throat and third eye chakras and can be used to ward off psychic attacks. As a stone geared towards wisdom and communication, Lapis Lazuli can also help connect you to clarity, integrity, and intuition.

Diamond - imparts fearlessness, invincibility and fortitude. It clears emotional and mental pain, reducing fear and bringing about new beginnings. Stimulates creativity, inventiveness, imagination and ingenuity. It brings clarity of mind and aids enlightenment.

Peridot - Known as the stone of compassion, peridot is believed to bring good health, restful sleep and peace to relationships by balancing emotions and mind. This friendly bright green stone also has the uncanny ability to inspire eloquence and creativity; it also brings delight and good cheer.

Carnelian - is thought by some to enhance self-esteem and creativity, to combat feelings of inadequacy, to increase physical energy and overcome insomnia. In the home, carnelian is believed to increase motivation towards action.

Smoky Quartz - It symbolizes courage, grounding, balance, and stability. Smoky is believed to help clear negative energy in an area or person wearing it. It is also said to provide insight into one's self by helping them become more aware of their inner feelings and strengths as well as weaknesses.

 

Ogham

The celtic tree alphabet, because of where Alban Elfed falls on the calender there are three trees/plants associated with it within the Ogham.

The First is Hazel, the Celtic Ogham name for this is Coll (roughly pronounced Coll) This is the time of year when Hazelnuts are appearing on the trees, and are an early part of the harvest. Hazelnuts are also associated with wisdom and protection. Hazel is often associated in Celtic lore with sacred wells and magical springs containing the salmon of knowledge. This is a good month to do workings related to wisdom and knowledge, dowsing and divination, and dream journeys. If you're a creative type, such as an artist, writer, or musician, this is a good month to get your muse back, and find inspiration for your talents.  Even if you normally don't do so, write a poem or song this month.

The Second is Vine, the Celtic Ogham name for this is Muin (roughly pronounced Mun) The Vine is a symbol of both happiness and wrath — passionate emotions, both of them. Do magical workings this month connected to the Autumn Equinox, or Mabon, and celebrate garden magic, joy and exhilaration, wrath and rage, and the darker aspect of the mother goddess. Use the leaves of the Vines to enhance your own ambition and goals. during this month. The month of Vine is also a good time to get balanced, as there are equal hours of darkness and light.

The Third is Ivy, the Celtic Ogham name for this is Gort (roughly pronounced Go-ert) This is a time to banish the negative from your life. Do workings related to improving yourself, and placing a barricade between you and the things that are toxic to you. Ivy can be used in magic performed for healing, protection, cooperation, and to bind lovers together.

 

Working with this part of the Wheel

When we look at working with this, as with all other parts of the wheel we have to think about what it means and its relation as a whole to the rest of the wheel.  Alban Elfed is a time when for the second time during the year the day and night are once more equal, it is a busy time for the farmers as the harvests are coming in and the ground is being prepared and rested for the next batch of planting.  It’s a time to look back at the past year and to see how you have managed goals you had set.  It’s a time to build up your reserves for the coming winter to maintain your energy levels.  In a nutshell it’s a time to take stock and balance your life before we start the whole process again. 

People traditionally would assemble at high points such as hills, mounds and viewpoints to celebrate this festival.  Why not take a picnic to a mount near you to celebrate the bounty of the late harvest and take berries to leave behind as an offering. Seek out the variations in the weather and notice the changes in and around you as the season turns.

Meditate on how the trees shed their leaves at this time, allowing them to fall away gracefully and not clinging to their dead. Allow yourself to shed what no longer serves you and align yourself with the Earth's natural rhythms.

Incense is used to clear and cleanse the old energy to make way for the new. Burning incense for cleansing lets you let go of old patterns and stories and revitalise your energy field.

Well, that about wraps it up for the blogs on working with the wheel.  I really hope you enjoyed these and they are giving you something to think about, not just for now but for working through the years to come.

 

As always my friends thank you for bearing with me, I hope you have found this interesting, let me know if you want me to talk about anything in particular otherwise I will just keep plodding on with my usual ramblings.

Take care my friends, stay safe.

Blessed be /|\