Apples
Long before Eve got hold of one and Christianity promulgated the symbology of temptation and sin, apples were considered the fruits of life, symbols of love and happiness. "Golden apples of the sun" were often associated with goddesses like Freya, Hera, Idunn and Aphrodite and apples even had their own deity, the apple-goddess Pomona. Fairy-tale poisonings aside, witchcraft favors apples for love, seduction and divination, not for cursing. Apples possess strong magickal powers, corresponding to love, fertility, healing and immortality. If you slice one open horizontally, the pentacle is revealed within.
Apples, Vermont, 2003
Especially in our culture, September heralds a very apple-centric time of year. School begins and with it the modern mythology of bringing apples to the teacher. On bright sunny Saturdays when the air is crisp with the first hints of Autumn we revel in the glory of the weather and go apple picking - quintessential September fun. At the Autumnal Equinox we Wiccans celebrate Mabon, the second of the three harvest festivals, where apples are among the bounty of the feast. Favorite foods of the season begin to appear: caramel apples, apple cider and cider donuts.
With tomorrow's New Moon and Solar Eclipse coming right before Mabon, it seems like the perfect time to turn to the apple as a renewed source of love and abundance:
Apple Group Ritual for Good Luck1. Distribute an apple to each person
2. While everyone holds an apple, make a wish or blessing. (One person may preside over the ritual or every individual might make personal wishes.)
3. Wish the assembled company good fortune and together eat the apples.
Source: The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Judika Illes
Posted by Angela-Eloise at 2:49 PM
Comments
I remember the time that I first realized that if you cut an apple the right way, it would reveal a star. My cousins and I were so amazed that we took a whole bag of apples and cut them all in half to see if they all had stars in them! We were excited to see that each of them did. My Grandma, however, wasn't so excited..... LOL
We ended up learning to make applesauce that day.
Posted by: Sojourner | September 21, 2006 4:43 PM
We went apple-picking last weekend with my sister's family last weekend up in NH as sort of a dual birthday party celebration for two adults who really don't need any more cake (that would be Jay, Michelle's husband, and myself). We had a great time. It was fun to see the kids get so involved. Jackson loved riding the tractor and was very gung-ho about picking, and Caroline just considered the place her personal apple orchard where she could pick freely and discard at will. We lost Seth at least twice. Later, we went back to my sister's house where she insisted on making pies -- and I wasn't complaining.
I love this time of year. The weather, the harvest, the activities are all fun. I most enjoyed being with the children; watching them participate in something that has meaning beyond the mundane brings hope and joy.
Posted by: Tricia | September 22, 2006 1:20 PM