Mabon i zajedništvo

Mabon je vrijeme kada slavimo obilje u svojim životima - slavi se bogat urod plodova, slavi se emocionalno bogatstvo, iskustveno bogatstvo i društveno bogatstvo. Jedno od poruka Mabona jest da čovjek može imati sve bogatstvo svijeta, ali mu je ono uzalud ako ga nema s kime dijeliti. Iz ovog razloga su gozbe ustaljena praksa koja je posebno izražena za ovaj sabat. Svi plodovi koji su pobrani do ovog trenutka se dijele unutar zajednice koja ih je posijala, njegovala i naposljetku brala skupa. Oni koji imaju suviše toga poklanjaju onima koji imaju manje. Iz ovoga je potekao običaj doniranja i volontiranja za ovaj sabat. 

Ali vratimo se na zajedništvo. Iz više razloga mi se upravo ovaj aspekt Mabona nametnuo ove godine. Osvijestila sam više nego ikad da je čovjek zaista društveno biće i zaista pojmila važnost društva i zajedništva unutar njega. Ali zajednica je komplicirana stvar jer odnosi unutar nje mogu biti šaroliki. Zajedništvo se ne temelji samo na onim pozitivnim iskustvima i emocijama; ljudi se mogu svađati, ne pričati međusobno i ne voljeti se međusobno a da ih zajednica ipak spaja. Na kraju krajeva, zajedništvo jača ako se upravo ove trenutke i emocije uspije prebroditi i riješiti. Mabon nas podsjeća na važnost zajedništva jer je zajednica, bez obzira na njezinu veličinu, uvijek tu za nas. Naša rodbina, prijatelji, partner(i), učitelji i tako dalje nas formiraju kao ljude i tu su za nas u sretnim i tužnim trenucima (makar netko više, a netko manje). Unutar zajednice se ne moraju svi voljeti, ali ono što je čini zajednicom jest to što je svaka karika lanca potrebna da ne pukne. Odnosno, svatko na svoj način pridonosi cjelovitosti zajednice.

Fokus mog slavlja Mabona je bilo provođenje vremena s ljudima koje nisam vidjela jako dugo vremena i koji su mi najiskrenije nedostajali. Fokus mi je bio na druženju, smijanju, skupljanju lijepih iskustava i uspomena sa svim tim ljudima, što sam i učinila. U cijeloj toj priči ipak nisam zaboravila na one ljude koje redovito viđam. Podsjetila sam se da njih ne smijem uzimati zdravo za gotovo i proučavala naše međusobne odnose; kako se oni mogu poboljšati, što je u njima dobro, a što loše, na čemu se temelje. Na ovakva pitanja nije uvijek lako pronaći odgovor, ali ukoliko se uspije u tome, čovjek doživi određeno ispunjenje.

Znam da je teško ponekad izdvojiti vremena za zajednicu s obzirom na ubrzani tempo života, ali se usprkos tome nadam da ste uspjeli provesti ovaj sabat sa svojim bližnjima i maksimalno uživati u njemu!

Blagoslovljen vam Mabon! :)

Vaša Witch's Cat

Mabon and Community

Mabon is a time of celebrating the abundance in our lives - we celebrate the rich harvest, emotional wealth, experiential wealth and social wealth. One of the messages that Mabon sends us is that you can have all the wealth of the world but it is all worthless if you have nobody to share it with. Because of this, feasts are a consistent practice which is particularly accentuated for this Sabbat. The entire yield that has been gathered up to this point is shared among the community which sowed them, cultivated them and finally harvested them. Those that have plenty give to those that have little. It is from this that the practice of donating and volunteering during this Sabbat stemmed.

But let's go back to community. This aspect of Mabon beckoned me this year for several reasons. More than ever, I have brought to consciousness that man is a social being and truly understood the importance of society and togetherness in it. But community is a complicated thing because relationships in it can be diverse. Community is not based solely on positive experiences and emotions; people can quarrel, not talk among each other but still be connected through their community. After all, togetherness strengthens if one is able to surmount and solve precisely these moments and emotions. Mabon reminds us of the importance of community; regardless of its size, it is always there for us. Our family, friends, partner(s), teachers and so on form us as people and are there for us through the good and the bad (albeit some more than others). Not everyone has to love one another inside a community, but what makes a community is that every link in the chain is necessary to keep the chain from breaking. That is to say, everyone in their own way contributes to the community's integrity.

The focus of my Mabon celebration was spending time with people I haven't seen for too much time and whom I missed dearly. The focus was on socialization, laughter, gaining pleasant experiences and memories with all of these people, which I did. However, in all of this, I didn't forget about the people that I see often. I reminded myself that I shouldn't take them for granted and contemplated our relationships; how they can be improved, what their good sides are, what their bad sides are, what they are based on. It is not always easy to find answers to these questions, but if you succeed, you can experience a sort of fulfillment.

I know that it is sometimes difficult to set aside time for the community taking into account our fast pace of life, but despite this, I hope that you managed to spend time with your loved ones during this Sabbat and enjoyed this time!

I wish you all a blessed Mabon! :)
Yours,
Witch's Cat

Kolač od mrkve i jabuke

Mabon je druga žetva i slavlje sakupljenih plodova i obilja. Ovo je i vrijeme berbe jabuka zbog čega ih ima ne pretek za korištenje u svim vrstama jela. Berba mrkve također u ovo vrijeme nije isključena, a poznato je da mrkva u kombinaciji s jabukom zna biti božanstvena. I zaista jest tako. Ako me vjerujete, isprobajte sami ovaj recept!

Potrebno je:

Napomena: mjere su plastične čaše jogurta (200g)

Za tijesto:

• 4 jaja
• 1-2 čaše šećera (po ukusu)
• 2 čaše glatkog brašna
• 1 čaša ulja
• 1 prašak za pecivo
• 1 vanilin šećer
• 1 čajna žličica cimeta
• 250 g naribane mrkve
• 350 g naribane jabuke

Za glazuru:

• 200 g čokolade za kuhanje
• 50 ml mlijeka
• 25-50 g maslaca

Napomena: biti će vam potrebno više mrkve i jabuke s obzirom da ćete izgubiti na količini guljenjem gore i, u slučaju jabuke, odstranjivanjem koštice. Primjerice, od 350g mrkve sam, nakon guljenja, rezanja krajeva i odstranjivanja vanjskog sloja dobila 250g, a od malo iznad 500g jabuke sam spala na 350g kada sam ih ogulila i izribala do koštice. Također, kod glazure možete otprilike dodati masla i mlijeka kako biste postigli željenu konzistenciju. Ja sam navela otprilike koliko sam maslaca i mlijeka dodala.

Priprema:

Tijesta:

1. Elektičnim mikserom izmiješajte jaja sa šećerom i dodajte šećer i ulje.
2. Dodajte u glatku smjesu vanilin šećer i cimet.
3. Izmiješajte brašno i prašak za pecivo i potom postepeno ovo dodajite prijašnjoj smjesi miješajući kuhačom.
4. Naribajte jabuku i mrkvu (tek sada da jabuka ne bi pustila previše vode) i dodajte u smjesu.
5. Obložite posudu za pečenje (po mogućnosti metalnu, kvadratnog oblika) papirom za pečenje i ulijte tijesto u lim. Pecite 45 minuta na 180°C.

Glazure:

1. Na pari otopite čokoladu te dodajte maslac i mlijeko.
2. Miješajte dok se čokolada u potpunosti ne otopi i dok se svi sastojci ne prožmu.
3. Prelijte još topli kolač smjesom.
4. Kada su se kolač i glazura ohladili otprilike na sobnu temperaturu, ostavite u hladnjaku na nekoliko sati da se glazura stvrdne.

Carrot and Apple Cake

Mabon is known as the second harvest, the festival of fruits and the celebration of abundance. This is also the time of apple picking which is why there are apples to spare for all sorts of meals. Carrots are typically also ripe for the picking this time of year, and it is well-known that the combination of carrots and apples can be divine. And this is true. If you don't believe me, try this recipe out yourself!

You Will Need:

Note: the measurement is a yogurt cup (200 g).

For the Dough:

• 4 eggs
• 1-2 cups sugar (to taste)
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup oil
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 250 g grated carrots
• 350 g grated apples

For the Glaze:

• 200 g cooking chocolate
• 50 ml milk
• 25-50 g butter

Note: you will need more carrots and apples than stated here considering the fact that you will end up throwing away the skin and removing the core. For example, I had 350 g of carrots but after peeling, cutting off the ends and grating off the outermost layer, I ended up with 250 g. Similarly, just over 500 g of apples turned into 350 g ones I peeled the skin and threw away the core. Also, with regards to the glaze, you can eyeball the amount of milk and butter you add to the chocolate to get the kind of consistency you prefer. I just listed the approximate amount of milk and butter that I added to the glaze for a reference.

How To Prepare:

The Dough:

1. Using an electric mixer, mix the eggs, sugar and oil together.
2. Add vanilla sugar and cinnamon to the mix.
3. Mix the flour and baking powder together and gradually add this to the previous mixture and mix well using a wooden spoon.
4. Grate the carrots and apples (yes, just now so the apple doesn't let out too much water) and add them to the mix.
5. Cover your baking dish (preferably a square-shaped, metal one) with baking paper and pour in the mixture. Bake for 45 minutes at 180°C.

The Glaze:

1. Melt the chocolate over steam and add the butter and milk.
2. Stir until the chocolate completely melts and the ingredients permeate each other.
3. While the cake is still warm, pour the glaze over it.
4. Once the cake and glaze have cooled down to approximately room temperature, put them in the refrigerator for a few hours so the glaze can harden.

Razmišljanje o Mabonu

I tako nam je jučer stigla jesen. Moram priznati da me nije toliko iznenadila jer je ljeto bilo izrazito kišno,  a temperature su već nekoliko tjedana niže nego inače. No nisam je osjetila u punoj snazi do jučer na slavlju Mabona. 

Nas deset se skupilo i išlo slaviti jesenski ekvinocij u prirodi. Neki su putovali više do odredišta, a neki manje, ali je svatko podnio neku žrtvu da bi bio tu. Neki su se morali oprostiti od djece na to popodne, a drugi su morali smišljati opravdanja za posao. No jedan od aspekata Mabona i jest žrtva, zar ne? Rogati Bog na ovaj dan umire, poput zemljinih plodova, kako bi se uskoro ponovno rodio (i kako bi time zemlja bila obnovljena, plodovi opet mogli rasti, a priroda bujati). Ali usprkos svim preprekama, okupili smo se! Nije bilo ni oblaka na nebu, ali su prethodne kiše učinile svoje; zemlja je bila poplavljena, mekana i mokra, putevi teško prohodni (djelomično zbog poplave), a suho drvo gotovo nepostojeće. No, ustrajali smo i došli do odredišta, pripremili malenu vatru da se ugrijemo i napravili predivni ritual koji je bio pun smijeha, suza, plesa, pjevanja, spoznaja i ljubavi. Svatko je iz njega izvukao najbolje što je mogao u tom trenutku. Toliko nam je bilo lijepo da smo onu poznatu "Radosni se rastali, radosni se rastali i radosni se ponovno sastali" preoblikovali u "Radosni se rastali, radosni se sastali i radosni se što prije sastali". :)

Razlog zbog kojeg kažem da sam tek jučer spoznala što jesen zaista jest je sljedeći. Jesen je do sada za mene bilo godišnje doba koje je obilježeno dosadnim kišama, početkom školske/akademske godine i općim stanjem letargije. Jučer sam shvatila da su kiše potrebne zemlji kako bi se obnovila nakon ljetnog Sunca koje ju je nemilo pržilo cijelo ljeto. Radni dio godine je potreban da bi postojalo razdoblje za odmor. Čak i letargije sa sobom donosi određenu dozu opuštenosti te nam omogućava da malo usporimo svoj životni tempo. Jučer smo svi imali priliku stati na sat-dva vremena i razmisliti o svojim životima - nešto što nemamo baš prilike raditi u svakodnevnom životu koji je prepun svjetovnih obaveza.

Okruženi ljudima s kojima nismo povezani na onaj uobičajeni način, već jedan posebni, spiritualni način, imali smo priliku sagledati sebe na drukčiji način, ponašati se onako kako se inače ne bismo ponašali, plesati i urlikati onako kako inače nikada ne bismo i ispustiti svoje osjećaje i misli kako se inače ne bismo usudili.

Nadam se da ste i vi svoj Mabon obilježili na jedan posebni, vama značajan način i uspostavili ravnotežu u sebi koju jesenski ekvinocij potiče. Znam da ovo nije bio jedan od mojih tipičnih postova pun savjeta, ideja i teorije, no ponekad je refleksija o prošlim događajima potrebna kako bismo u potpunosti upili njihovo značenje u našim životima. Naposljetku je i to važan aspekt Mabona - sagledavanje prošloga truda i njegovih rezultata u ovom trenutku.

Sretan vam svima, Mabon, jesenski ekvinocij, Alban Elfed, Plodovi, ili kako god nazivali ovaj blagdan! :D

Vaša Witch's Cat

Reflections on Mabon

And so autumn arrived at our doorstep yesterday. I have to admit that this didn't surprise me all that much because our summer was very rainy and the temperatures here have been lower than usual the past few weeks. But honestly, I didn't fully feel autumn until yesterday at you Mabon celebration.

The ten of us got together and went to celebrate the autumn equinox in nature. Some traveled more to the meeting point, while others traveled slightly less, but everyone made some sort of sacrifice to be there. Some had to let go of their children for that afternoon, and others had to think of some excuse for their jobs. But one of Mabon's aspects is sacrifice, right? The Horned God dies on this day, just as to the fruits of the earth, only to be born again soon (and in the process revive the earth, enable the fruits of the land to grow once more and the land to thrive). But despite all of the obstacles, we got together! There wasn't a cloud in the sky, but the many previous rainstorms did their share; the earth was flooded, soft and wet, the paths were impassable (partly due to the floods) and dry wood was nowhere to be found. But we persevered and managed to get to our destination, light a small fire to warm our freezing hands and we also managed to do a beautiful ritual which was filled with laughter, tears, dancing, singing, much insight and love. Everyone got the best they could from it in that moment. We had such a nice time that we changed the well-known "Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again" into "Merry meet, merry part and merry meet as soon as possible". :)

The reason why I say that I truly understood what autumn is all about just yesterday is the following. Up to now, autumn was, at least for me, just that season marked by a lot of boring rain, the beginning of the academic/school year and a general feeling of lethargy. But yesterday, I realized that rain is essential to the land which is in desperate need of respite after the summer-long scorching Sun. The "working" half of the year is needed for there to be a time of rest. Even lethargy brings with itself a certain dose of relaxation and enables us to just slow down a bit. Yesterday, we all had the chance to stop for an hour or two and reflect on our lives - something we don't really have the opportunity to do in our everyday lives which are just so full of mundane obligations.

Surrounded by people with which we weren't connected to in the usual way, but rather in a special, spiritual way, we had the chance to see ourselves in a new light, behave the way we wouldn't usually behave, dance and yell the way we wouldn't typically dance or yell and release our emotions and thoughts the way we wouldn't normally dare to.

I hope that you too celebrated Mabon in a special way, one that has meaning to you and also that you were able to achieve balance in yourself as balance is just one thing that this equinox encourages. I know that this wasn't one of my typical posts in which I give advice, ideas and theories, but sometimes, some reflection on past events is necessary for us to fully absorb their meaning in our lives. After all, this is also an important aspect of Mabon - appreciating our past efforts and seeing their results in the present moment. 

A blessed Mabon, autumn equinox, Alban Elfed, Svarog's day or whatever you call this festival to you all! :D

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Štrudla od jabuka

Još jedan iznimno prikladni recept s jabukama za Mabon! :D Probala sam ovu štrudlu kod prijateljice i odlučila da se naprosto moram dočepati recepta. I evo, uspjela sam. Ova štrudla se donekle netipična jer u sebi sadrži griz. Po mom mišljenju, gustoća griza je upravo ono što je potrebno da upotpuni teksturu klasične štrudle. Na vama je hoćete li formirati tijesto u valjke i tako ih peći (kao što bi se inače radilo za štrudle), no ja sam odlučila slagati sve sastojke na katove u dublji lim za pečenje i rezati kolač na kocke. Takvog sam ga probala i takvog ću ga raditi.

Potrebno je:

• 3 čvrsta jogurta (oko 540 g sve skupa)
• 3 jaja 
• 2 šalice (od jogurta) šećera (oko 300 g sve skupa, ali sam ja stavila malo manje)
• šalica griza (oko 150 g)
• šalica ulja (oko 120 ml)
• 1 prašak za pecivo 
• 1 kg naribanih slatko-kiselih jabuka
• šećer i cimet (po ukusu za jabuke) 
• gotovo tijesto za štrudle (potrebno 12 listova)

Priprema:

1. Izmiješajte jaja i šećer prvo te umiješajte jogurt, ulje, griz i prašak za pecivo. 
2. Ogulite i izribajte jabuke te dodajte u njih malo cimeta i šećera (po ukusu).
3. Stavite jednu koru u dublji lim za pečenje. 
4. Na nju namažite smjesu od griza. Poviše nje stavite drugu koru i ponovno premažite ovom smjesom.
5. Na drugu koru nanesite naribane jabuke. 
6. Stavite treću koru poviše svega.
7. Ponavljajte korake 4, 5 i 6 dok vam ne nestane jabuka te prelijte ostatkom smjese od jogurta i griza.
8. Zagrijte pećnicu na 175°C i pecite 35-40 minuta. I sada imate jednu veliku štrudlu! (Znati ćete da je gotova kada vrh pute u potpunosti rumen)
9. Ako želite, pospite štrudlu kristalnim šećerom za ukras.
10. Režite je na kocke dok je još topla.

U slučaju da želite raditi uobičajene štrudle (u obliku valjaka), onda nemojte početi slagati kore iz 3. koraka u lim za pečenje već na neku radnu plohu. Pratite 4 i 5. Potom zarolajte kore u štrudlu i stavite ju zarolanu u lim za pečenje. Ponavljajte korake 3, 4 i 5 (slažući kore na radnu plohu) dok ne nestane kora. Ako radite ovako, sve skupa ćete dobiti 6 štrudli od 12 kora.

Apple Strudel

Yet another very appropriate recipe for Mabon! :D I tried this strudel at a friend's house and decided that I just had to get my hands on the recipe. And obviously, I did. This strudel is slightly atypical because it contains semolina. In my opinion, the density the semolina gives this cake is just what is needed to complete the texture of your classical strudel. It is up to you if you will form the cake into sausages and bake them like that (as is usually done with strudels), but I decided to make the strudel in layers in a deeper baking pan and then cut it into blocks. This is the way I tried it and it is the way I made it.

You Will Need: 

• 3 solid yogurts (about 540g altogether)
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups (yogurt cups) sugar (about 300g altogether, but I put a bit less in)
• 1 cup semolina (about 150g)
• 1 cup vegetable oil (about 120ml)
• 1 baking powder
• 1kg grated apples
• sugar and cinnamon (to taste, for the apples)
• ready-made strudel pastry (12 sheets needed)

The Process:

1. Mix together eggs and sugar, then add yogurt, oil, semolina and baking powder.
2. Peel and grate the apples and add cinnamon and sugar to taste.
3. Lay one strudel pastry sheet into a deeper baking pan. 
4. Spread some of the semolina mixture onto this sheet. Put a second pastry sheet on top of all this and spread semolina mix on it too.
5. Spread some of the apple mix onto the second pastry sheet.
6. Lay a third pastry sheet down on top of all these layers.
7. Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 until you run out of the the apple mix and then pour the rest of the semolina mix on top of it all.
8. Heat oven to 175°C and bake for 35-40 minutes. And you will have one big strudel! (you'll know it's done because the top will be completely golden-brown)
9. If you want, sprinkle some crystal sugar on top of the strudel once it's done.
10. Cut it into blocks while it's still warm.

In case you want to make typical strudels (in "sausages"), then don't start putting the pastry sheets from step 3 in a baking pan. Instead, put them on a counter top or any working area. Follow steps 4 and 5. Then roll the pastry into a sausage and place it in a baking pan. Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 (making the strudels on a counter top) until you run out of pastry sheets. If you've done everything right, you should end up with 6 strudels from these 12 pastry sheets.

Kako isplesti Božje oko

Božje oko je vrlo jednostavni ukras koji je prikladan za svaki sabat...jedino što se mijenja su boje materijala od kojeg ga pletete. Pošto sam ja svoje Božje oko plela za Mabon tj. jesenski ekvinocij, upotrijebila sam klasične jesenske boje (smeđu, crvenu i žutu). Ako ga radite za neki drugi sabat, naprosto upotrijebite boje koje odgovaraju tom periodu godine. Naravno, možete ga raditi i za bilo koje druge svetkovine i ukrasiti ga kako vam god odgovara. No prije nego što prijeđem na samu izradu i ukrašavanje rekla bih nekoliko riječi o tome što ovaj ukras zapravo predstavlja.

Simbolika

Kostur samog ukrasa čine dva ukrštena štapa; jedan položen horizontalno, a drugi vertikalno. Horizontalni štap predstavlja našu vezu sa ovozemaljskim, dok vertikalni štap (za kojeg se i vješa ovaj ukras) označava našu vezu s božanskim. Tkanje (ako se to može tako nazvati) ovog ukrasa je samo po sebi čin meditacije, a neki bi rekli čak i molitve. Ovaj običaj postoji u više tradicija i razlikuje se samo po načinu pletenja, no konačni ishod je sličan, ako ne i isti. 

U paganizmu četiri strane samog kostura predstavljaju četiri strane svijeta, četiri sunčeva blagdana (dva solsticija i dva ekvinocija koje pagani slave), kolo godine (direktno vezano uz sunčeve blagdane) te četiri elementa (i sve što ide uz njih). Neki pagani će sam čin pletenja pretvoriti u magijski obred tako da će se tijekom izrade fokusirati na određeni cilj koji žele "utkati" u Božje oko (najčešće je to zaštita kuće i/ili obitelji pošto se ovaj ukras i postavlja u kuću, no može biti i bilo što drugo). 

Dok budete pleli, primijetit ćete da će dva štapa biti sve više fiksirana kako budete tkali. Te vrpce/konac/vuna kojim pletete predstavljaju sve ono što vas spaja s božanskim tj. što spaja vaš ovozemaljski život s božanskim silama. Ovo naravno varira od religije do religije, ali možete pokušati zamisliti što to za vas znači. 

Ako pratite neku pagansku tradiciju, navesti ću prikladne boje i ukrase za svih osam sabata kako bi vam bilo lakše odabrati materijale. 

Prikladne boje:

• Yule: crvena, zelena, bijela, zlatna, srebrna
• Imbolc: bijela, crvena, roza, zelena, plava
• Ostara: zlatna/žuta, pastelne boje (prvenstveno ljubičasta, a potom roza, plava, zelena)
• Beltane: tamno zelena, bijela, dugine boje
• Litha: plava, zelena, žuta, dugine boje, tamno zelena
• Lughnasadh: zlatno-žuta narančasta, crvena, zelena, smeđa
• Mabon: narančasta, tamno crvena, smeđa, žuta, indigo,
• Samhain: crvena, crna, narančasta, bijela

Prikladni ukrasi

Smatram da su prikladni ukrasi ono što vidite oko sebe u periodu u kojem radite Božje oko. Ako vidite da tijekom Beltanea sve cvjeta onda upletite pravo/umjetno cvijeće. Za Lithu, koja označava početak ljeta, nalijepite školjke ili oblutke ovisno o tome je li živite blizu mora ili rijeke. Ako vidite da je tlo puno češera koji padaju sa drveća, iskoristite njih u svom radu. 

Neki ukrasi koji su uvijek lijepi za vidjeti uključuju kristale, posebne oblike ispletene od vrpci/vune, zvonca, gumbe prikladne boje itd. Sigurno će i vama mašta proraditi kada počnete s izradom pa ću ukrašavanje ostaviti vama. :)

Potrebno vam je:

• dva štapa jednake duljine (grane s tla, štapići od sladoleda, fino obrađeno drvo pa čak možete upotrijebiti i štapiće cimeta pa da usput dobijete i miris za kuću...vi odaberite)
• neki materijal različitih boja (obično se koristi vuna ili nekakve vrpce; vuna je svakako najjeftinija opcija, a svakako se preporučuje koristiti barem dvije boje)

Nemojte se bojati igrati pa koristiti više materijala, višebojnu vuku ili čak uplesti ukrase tijekom tkanja. Budite slobodni! :D

Proces:

Označite sredinu dvaju štapova.

Prekrižite dva štapa te ih držite tako ukrštene (ili ih pričvrstite s malo ljepila).

Napomena: od sada pratite dijagram ispod! (kliknite na sliku kako biste je uvećali i sačuvali na računalo u punoj veličini)

1. Zamotajte vunu nekoliko puta oko kraka a (dakle gornjeg kraka križa) nešto malo poviše mjesta križanja dvaju krakova. Motajte počevši s njegove lijeve strane (zelena točka na dijagramu), prođite vunom ispod kraka a, onda iznad i lijevo njega te ispod njega put desno itd. kako ukazuje strelica na dijagramu.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Vuna će vam sada biti s gornje strane kraka a okrenuta put lijevo. Nategnite ju dijagonalno do kraka b (dakle put lijevo) te zavrnite ispod kraka b put gore (pratite strelicu pokraj brojke 2 na dijagramu).
3. Izaći ćete s gornje strane kraka b. Sada ćete vunu nategnuti dijagonalno preko kraka b i c dok ne dođete do desne strane kraka c.
4. Dobro ćete držati nategnutu vunu i proći ispod kraka c (dakle s njegove desne strane tako da izađete na lijevu stranu). 
5. Zavrnut ćete vunu preko kraka c i d tako da stanete s desne strane kraka d. 
6. Proći ćete ispod kraka d dok ne izađete s njegove donje strane.
7. Zavrnut ćete vunu preko kraka d i a dok ne dođete s lijeve strane kraka a. 
8. Kada izađete s lijeve strane kraka a (korak 8 na dijagramu), ponovno ćete zavrnuti vunu ispod njega te izaći s njegove desne strane. 

Nakon ovih osam koraka dobit ćete nešto nalik onome na fotografiji ispod. Da, svjesna sam da ne liči ni na što, ali prvi koraci su tu da fiksiraju štapove. Tek će se kasnije početi viđati forma.

Nastavite ovako motati vunu (kada završite korak 8, vratite se na korak 2 itd.). Pazite samo da vam je vuna stalno zategnuta, ali ju nemojte previše ipak zatezati da vam ne pukne. 

Nakon nekoga vremena će vam Božje oko biti vidljivo i izgledati ovako:

Kada ste procijenili da biste htjeli zamijeniti boju, napravite sljedeće:

1. Zamotajte vunu nekoliko puta oko kraka a kada dođete do njega kao što je opisano u koraku br.1 prije.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Uzmite vunu druge boje i položite je u obrnutom smjeru od prve boje vune tj. kraj prema desno. Zamotajte je kao što je opisano u koraku ranije.
   
   
   
3. Zavežite slobodne krajeve dvaju vuna sa stražnje strane križa (obični dupli čvor je sasvim dovoljan).
   
   
4. Nastavljajući se na korak br. 2, izaći ćete s gornje strana kraka a i vuna će vam biti okrenuta put lijevo. Sada naprosto nastavite od koraka 2 od ispod dijagrama (Nategnite vunu dijagonalno do kraka b...).
   
   
5. Ako budete mijenjali još boja, onda ponovite korake 2,3 i 4. Ja sam dodala još i smeđu boju pa to izgleda otprilike ovako:
   
   
6. Zadnju vunu završite motati kao što je opisano u koracima pod brojem jedan iznad.
   
   

Kako biste završili pletenje, trebate još napraviti prsten/omču na koju ćete moći objesiti vaše Božje oko. Za to odsijecite klupko vuno tako da ostane cca. 40cm vune visjeti s oka. Kako biste taj preostali kraj donekle fiksirali, prođite njim još jednom ispod štapa, potom iznad ostavljajući vunu vrlo labavo i provucite kraj kroz olabavljeni dio. Ako vam je ovo nejasno, sljedeća fotografija će vam pojasniti. :)

Nemojte povući vunu put dolje već pute gore (prema vrhu štapa) kao što je prikazano na sljedećoj fotografiji.

Sada vam preostaje samo napraviti prsten. Ako ne znate neki kvalitetni čvor za ovu svrhu, ja vam preporučam čvor po imenu kirurška omča. 

Nadam se da ćete biti zadovoljni s vašim Božjim okom i da će vam još dugo služiti svrsi te ukrašavati dom. :) 

Do sljedećeg posta,

vaša Witch's Cat

How to Make a God's Eye

The God's eye is a very simple decoration which is fit for every Sabbat...the only thing you will need to change is the colors of the material you use. Since I made my God's eye for Mabon (the autumn equinox), I chose autumn colors (brown, red and yellow). If you're making yours for another holiday, then simply choose the colors that are appropriate for the time of year. Of course, you can make it for other holidays and not just Sabbats and decorate it as you please. But before I get to the actual making and decorating part of the post, I would like to say a few words on what this decoration represents.

Symbolism

The skelet of the decoration itself is made up of two crossed sticks; one horizontal and the other vertical. The horizontal stick represents our connection to this world and the mundane in general, while the vertical stick (by which we hang this decoration) represents our relationship with the Divine. The weaving (if you can call it that) of this decoration is in itself a type of meditation, some would even say prayer. You may find this decoration in several traditions and the only thing that will differ is the way in which it is woven, but the final result will be similar, if not the same. 

In Paganism, the four arms of the cross represent the four cardinal/compass points, the four solar Sabbats (two solstices and two equinoxes which Pagans celebrate), the Wheel of the Year (which is directly connected to the four Sabbats mentioned before) and the four elements (and everything that goes with them). Some Pagans will turn the act of weaving into a magical ritual by focusing on a certain goal that they wish to "weave into" the God's eye (the goal is most often protection of one's house or family since this decoration is put somewhere in the house, but it can be anything else you want).

In the process of making this, notice how the two sticks become more and more stable the more you weave. The ribbons/thread/yarn you use represent that which connects you to the Divine and also that which connects you mundane world to divine forces. This, of course, varies from religion to religion, but you can meditate on what these threads mean to you.

If you follow a Pagan tradition, you may be interested in the following section on the colors that correspond to the Sabbats because it will make it easier to choose your materials.

Appropriate Colors:

• Yule: red, green, white, gold, silver
• Imbolc: white, red, pink, green, blue
• Ostara: gold/yellow, pastel colors (primarily purples, but also pinks, blues and greens)
• Beltane: dark green, white, the colors of the rainbow
• Litha: blue, green, yellow, dark green, the colors of the rainbow
• Lughnasadh: golden-yellow, orange, red, green, brown
• Mabon: orange, dark red, brown, yellow, indigo,
• Samhain: red, black, orange, white

Appropriate Decorations

I believe that the appropriate decorations are the things you see around you in period you're making your God's eye in. For instance, if you see flowers blooming during Beltane then include fresh/plastic flowers. For Litha, which marks the beginning of summer, add sea shells or pebbles if you live near the sea or a river. If you notice the ground is full of pine cones in the autumn, then use them.

Some decorations with which you just can't go wrong are crystals, special decorations made from ribbons/yarn, little bells, buttons of appropriate colors etc. I'm sure your imagination will go wild when you start weaving so I'll leave the decoration part to you. :)

You Will Need:

• two sticks of equal length (tree branches, popsicle sticks, fine wood or even cinnamon sticks which give you a bonus of a house that smells wonderful...your choice)
• some material of different colors (yarn or ribbons are usually used; yarn is definitely the cheapest option and two colors are advisable, if not more)

Don't be afraid to experiment and play around a bit by using different materials, multicolored yarn or even weaving in certain decorations in stead of adding them at the end. Be free! :D

The Process

Mark the middle of both the sticks.

Cross the two sticks as shown in the picture below and hold them like that (or glue them together if you want to make it easier).

Note: from now on, follow the diagram below (click on the picture to view it full-size and save it onto your computer)

1. Wrap the yarn a few times around arm a (the upper arm of the cross) just a bit above the point where the two sticks overlap. Start wrapping from the arm's left side (the green dot on the diagram); pass below the arm then over and to the left and after this go below and to the right etc. as depicted by the arrow on the diagram.
   
   
   
   
2. The yarn will now be on top of/over arm a and the end will be on the left. Pull it diagonally towards arm b (so towards the left) then cross below arm b and go upwards (follow the arrow next to the number 2 on the diagram).
3. You will come out above arm b. Now pull the yarn diagonally across arm b and arm c until you get to arm c's right side.
4. Keep the yarn strained and pass below arm c (so from its right side and come around to the left).
5. Pass over arm c again going diagonally towards arm d and stop when you get the arm d's upper side.
6. Go below arm d so you come out on its lower side.
7. Cross the yarn over arm d and go diagonally towards arm a.
8. When you come out on arm a's left side (step 8 in the diagram), you will pass below arm a again and come out onto its right side.

After these eight steps, you will have something that looks like the photo below. And yes, I am aware that the photo doesn't look like anything at this stage, but these first steps have to be done in order to keep the sticks together. You will start seeing the form a bit later on.

Keep wrapping the yarn according to these instructions (when you finish step eight, go back to step two etc.). Just take care to keep the yarn strained at all times, but not too tightly so it doesn't break.

After some time, your God's eye will start to be visible and will look something like this:

When you feel that it's time to change colors, do the following:

1. Wrap the yarn around arm a (when you get to it) as described in step no. 1 previously.
   
   
   
2. Take a new color of yarn and lay it over arm a in the opposite direction of the first color of yarn (i.e. the end towards the right). Wrap it around arm a as described previously.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Tie together the two loose ends of yarn at the back or arm a (a double simple knot will do).
   
   
   
4. Continuing from step no.2, you will come out on the upper side of arm a and the yarn will be turned towards the left. Now simply follow the steps 2-8 from below the diagram (Pull the yarn diagonally towards arm b...).
   
   
   
5. If you decide to add more colors then repeat the steps 2, 3 and 4 above. I added brown yarn so my God's eye looked something like this at this stage:
   
   
   
6. Finish wrapping the yarn as describe in step 1 just above.
   
   

To finish weaving, you will have to make a loop which you will use to hand the God's eye. To do this, cut the ball of yarn so you leave about 40cm of yarn attached to the eye. In order to keep that left-over yarn in place, pass below arm a then above it again keeping the yarn loose (like you have been wrapping so far) and then pass through this loose part with the end of the yarn. If this is unclear to you for some reason, then hopefully the following photograph will help you understand better. :)

Once you have done this, don't pull downwards (towards your eye), but pull upwards (from it) as shown in the following photo.

You only have to make the actual loop now and you're done. If you don't know any quality knots for this, I recommend the surgeon's loop knot.

I hope that you will be satisfied with your God's eye and that it will serve its purpose for a long time as well as decorate your home. :)

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Kruh Mračne Majke s medom

Za Mabon tj. jesenski ekvinocij (21. rujna) se slavi mračni aspekt Trostruke Božice (fazu Starice). Mabon označava početak jeseni, vrijeme kada lišće otpada i kada postaje hladnije. Ovo se nekima čini kao jako mračno razdoblje, ali je usprkos tome veselo jer je Mabon drugi od triju žetvenih blagdana (Lughnasadh je prvi, a Samhain posljednji). U kolovozu se bralo žito, a rujan sa sobom donosi obilje voća, orašastih plodova i povrća...i sve se to treba pojesti! :D 

Razlog zbog kojeg se ovaj kruh naziva kruh Mračne Majke je jer se radi o kruhu koji je posvećen Božici u njezinom aspektu Starice (odnosno u mračnom aspektu). Kako bi ime bilo vjerodostojno, kruh se radi dijelom od crnog brašna i recept je jako jednostavan. Možete se i sami uvjeriti u to. ;)

Potrebno je:

• 2 čaše tople vode
• 1 kesica instant kvasca
• 1/3 (ja sam stavila 5 jušnih žlica) meda
• 3 čaše crnog brašna
• 1 čajna žličica soli
• 1/4 čaše suncokretovog ulja
• 2 jušne žlice omekšalog masla
• 4 čaše glatkog bijelog brašna

Priprema:

1. Pomiješajte kvasac i toplu vodu tako da ne bude grudica te dodajte med (on zamjenjuje šećer koji bi inače omogućio kvascu da se digne).
2. Dodajte crno brašno, sol, ulje i maslo te miješajte dok smjesa ne postane kompaktna (ja sam miješala ručnom miješalicom poput ove do četvrte čaše i onda nastavila rukama). 
3. Dodajite bijelo brašno čašu po čašu i miješajte rukama. (ja sam stavila 4 i pol čaše brašna jer mi je smjesa bila još jako ljepljiva).
4. Pobrašnite jednu površinu i nastavite mijesiti tijesto rukama na njoj cca. 5-10 minuta. Tijesto će postati elastično i biti će i dalje malo ljepljivo. Pobrašnite površinu i više puta tako je potrebno da se tijesto ne lijepi previše, ali očekujte da će vam se lijepiti po prstima.
5. Nauljite i pobrašnite jednu posudu te stavite u nju tijesto kada ste ga izmijesili. Prekrijte ga krpom i ostavite na toplom mjestu dok se ne digne duplo (cca. 45 minuta).
6. Još jednom izmijesite tijesto i presijecite ga na pola. Oblikujte dvije štruce kako vam odgovara i stavite u tepsiju koju ste prethodno prekrili papirom za pečenje (ako ga nemate onda ćete ju morati nauljiti i pobrašniti). Prekrijte tijesto još jednom i pustite da se diže još 15ak minuta.
7. Zagrijite pećnicu na 200°C (meni je nešto jača pećnica pa sam smanjila temperaturu na 175°C).
8. Ako želite ukrasiti kruh nožem tako da urežete oblike i slično, onda to učinite nakon 15 minuti dizanja.
9. Pecite kruh otprilike pola sata (možda će vam trebati i manje, ali vam je svakako najbolje mjerilo da je kruh gotov kada mu površina porumeni).
10. Možete premazati kruh rastopljenim maslom zbog estetike ako želite (površina će poprimiti finu zlatnu nijansu). 
11. Pustite tijesto da se ohladi 15 minute prije nego ga maknete s tepsije. 

Preporučujem da se kruh jede dok je još topao uz malo masla...i sami znate da je takav svaki kruh najbolji. :D 

Sretan vam Mabon i prijatno! :D

Vaša Witch's Cat

Dark Mother Bread with Honey

The dark aspect of the Triple Goddess (the Crone aspect) is celebrated at Mabon i.e. the autumn equinox (September 21). Mabon marks the beginning of autumn; the time of year when the leaves fall from the trees and when the temperature starts to drop. This may seem like a very dark time of the year to many people, but it is also a merry time because Mabon is the second of the three harvest festivals (the first being Lughnasadh and Samhain the third). August was the time for gathering corn, but September brings with it an abundance of fruit, nuts and vegetables...and all of them have to be eaten! :D

The reason why this bread is called "Dark Mother bread" is because it is dedicated do the Goddess in her Crone aspect (i.e. her dark aspect). In order for the bread to be true to the name, it is made partly from whole wheat flour which is a bit darker than the usual flour you would use. The recipe is quite simple...try it out yourself. ;)

You Will Need:

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 tbs (tablespoon) active dry yeast
• 1/3 (a third) cup honey (I put 5 tablespoons since it's about the same)
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp (teaspoon) salt
• 1/4 (a quarter) cup vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)
• 2 tbs butter
• 3 cups all-purpose baking flour

How to Prepare:

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water so that there are no clumps and then add the honey (it's a replacement for sugar which is usually added in order for the yeast to rise). 
2. Add whole wheat flour, salt, vegetable oil and butter and mix until the dough is compact (I used a whisk up to this point, but after the third cup of flour, I continued kneading it with my hands).
3. Add the all-purpose flour cup by cup and knead it in with your hands (I added 4 and a half cups of this flour because the dough was still a bit too sticky).
4. Lightly flour a kitchen surface and continue kneading the dough there for about 5-10 minutes. The dough will be become elastic and will remain slightly sticky. Flour the surface several time if needed so the dough doesn't stick to it (though it will stick to your hands...that's ok). 
5. Oil up and flour a bowl. When the flour is ready, roll it up into a ball and put it in the bowl. Cover it with a cloth and leave in a warm spot to rise until it has doubled in size (about 45 minutes). 
6. Punch the dough down and cut it in half in order to make two smaller loaves of bread (though one big one is fine too). Form the loaves to your liking and place them in a pan on which you previously laid out some baking paper (if you don't have any, then simply grease and flour the pan). Cover the dough once more and let it rise for another 15 minutes.
7. Heat the oven up to 200°C (my oven is a bit stronger so I put it up to 175°C).
8. If you want to decorate the bread with a knife by cutting in shapes and things, then do it now (after the 15 minutes you left it to rise).
9. Bake the bread for about half an hour (though you can be sure it's done when it has turned golden-brown at the top).
10. You can brush some melted butter over the top of the hot loaves to add a golden glaze to them.
11. Leave the bread to cool down 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.

I recommend you eat the bread with a bit of butter while it's still warm...although I'm sure you know that any bread is best when served like this. :D

Happy Mabon to you all and bon appétit! :D Yours,

Witch's Cat

Mabon (September 21)

The Autumn equinox usually falls on September 21/22. It is the day when equality prevails (day-night, the Goddess-the God etc.), but in contrast to the Spring equinox which symbolizes strength and new beginnings, this equinox is a time for rest after a period of hard work. Also, the Sun enters the sign of the Libra, which is an obvious symbol of balance.

The restful characteristic of this period is visible in everyday life because this is the time after sowing and gathering all of the fruits of your labor when man can finally afford to put his feet up. But, Winter has not yet begun and the Sun is still with us, but its disappearance will be acknowledged about a week after this festival on Michaelmas (the celebration of the archangel Michael who is associated with fire and light).

Periods of change such as this often bring with them a certain dose of uneasiness and stress (as is common with any change), but don't worry because this will also pass.

If we wre to look at Robert Graves' calendar, we would see that this celebration is on the verge of the month of the Vine and the Ivy month; the only two plants in this calendar that grow spirally (the spiral is a symbol of reincarnation). An important symbol of this month is the swan (or its more domestic variant, the wild duck) who is also a symbol of the immortality of the soul.

While Lammas/Lughnasadh represented the ending of the harvest period, the Autumn equinox represents its actual completion and gratitude for the fruits of our hard work with a strong emphasis on the wish for the land to be equally fruitful next year.

In ancient Greece, this was the time of the Elusinian mysteries (the celebration of Demetre and her daughter Persephone and with them of the grain yield). We don't know much about these traditions since the initiates managed to keep quite a lot of it secret over the ages, but what we do know is that, during the initiation, the initiates were given a single ear of corn with the words: "In silence is the seed of wisdom gained.". I'll leave it to you to figure out its meaning ;)

Vine

You can guess that a common decoration for this celebration is corn and wheat (and other wheat-like plants) because of their symbolical meanings which date back all the way to the Elusinian mysteries (as explained in the previous paragraph). Other decorations include pine cones, blackberries (which is an ok replacement for wheat), Autumn flowers and leaves. An excellent ambient can be achieved using myrtle and sage (which is always great for cleansing the circle) for incense and decorating using Autumn colors (brown, red, orange, yellow and indigo).

If you usually eat and drink (take the cakes and wine) after your ritual, a good choice of food would be any sort of grain/cereal or cornbread. A simpler alternative would be an apple (which obviously isn't a type of grain but it is an Autumn fruit). A good idea would be to cover this food with any cloth since this was the tradition back in Elysium when the ear of corn (or its symbol) would be covered before the ritual, and uncovered when necessary.

So, if you plan do write your own ritual for Mabon, I recommend starting from the decorations. For examples, your quarter candles can be in Autumn colors in stead of the usual ones and you can put some pine cones or dried leaves/flowers on your altar and around the circle. If this is a bit too untidy for you, then you can choose a cloth of an appropriate color to cover your altar. In the end, it's the intention that counts. When you do your ritual, keep in mind that you are celebrating Autumn! Show gratitude for the food you have and for the fertility of the land which made this possible. Say goodbye to the Sun until Spring and show respect to the God who will soon (or more precisely on Samhain) leave for the Summerlands where will await to be reborn into yet another cycle. Celebrate the equality of day and night and any other form of equality you can think of or find important. If you believe in the immortality of the soul, now is the time to meditate on this and be thankful for it.

Ivy

An example of a Mabon altar (not mine
unfortunately)

Of course, not everything has to be so serious. A wonderful game which is great for both Mabon and Imbolc (February 2) is the candle game. More people are needed for this but here it goes anyway. The men sit in a circle separated so they can easily touch each others' arms. The women stand outside the circle. The men have to pass a burning candle in the circle and keep it burning while the women (without entering the circle) have to try to blow it out. The woman that succeeds in this has the right to "nip" the man a few times (traditionally, this is done using some sort of twig, rod, wicker or ritual cords, but I would recommend pinchip or something like this). In return, he gives her the Fivefold kiss. The game can then continue if everyone feels like it and if not....then let the real party begin! :D

As a small present, I give you the Celtic tree calendar that I mentioned earlier :)

BIRCH: Beth, December 24 – January 20 

ROWAN: Luis, January 21 – February 17

ASH: Nion, February 18 – March 17

ALDER: Fearn, March 18 – April 14 

WILLOW: Saille, April 15 – May 12

HAWTHORN: Uath, May 13 – June 9 

OAK: Duir, June 10 – July 7

HOLLY: Tinne, July 8 – August 4

HAZEL: Coll, August 5 – September 1

VINE: Muin, September 2 – September 29

IVY: Gort, September 30 – October 27

REED: Ngetal, October 28 – November 24 

ELDER: Ruis, November 25 – December 22

Along with this, I should explain the Ogham alphabet a bit. Namely, this old Druid alphabet was used

for divination and magick. The alphabetical symbols were engraved into wooden sticks which would then be thrown to get a reading. Each letter represents one tree (most often than not, this is the first letter of the Celtic name for that tree as you can see above). The symbols for each tree can be seen in the picture of the wheel.

It is obvious that trees played a big role in the lives of the Druids and it is possible that even the word druid itself came from the Old Celtic word for oak; derwydd or duirwydd.

December 23 doesn't have a corresponding tree because of tradition which states this is that one day in the period of a year and one day.

The other letters of the alphabet can be connected to other types of trees or woody plants (that don't have their own month) or with the Elements. But you can look into this in more detail by yourselves ;)

I hope that this post gave you some new information that you will find useful in your rituals, but also in life in general. Let me know if all went well! :D

Sabbat:	Mabon
Pronunciation:	/'meibon/
Date:	September 21
Other names:	The Autumn equinox
Phase of the God:	Withering (the Oak King)
Phase of the Goddess:	The Crone
Symbolism:	The second harvest, mysteries, saying goodbye to the Sun, celebrating balance
Traditions:	Glorification of fruit (the love of the God and the Goddess), throwing leaves, the candle game
Symbols and colors:	Orange, dark red, yellow, indigo, brown, pine cones, Autumn flowers and leaves, corn
Appropriate food:	Apples, cornbread, anyting made of corn or wheat "Witches' fingers" Apple pancakes Dark mother bread with honey Apple strudel
Appropriate incense:	Myrtle, sage

I wish you a merry Mabon and a successful ritual! :D

Blessed Be! Yours,

Witch's Cat