Blessed Mabon

As we finished group meditation, Amora handed out bells.

“It’s time to cleanse the space” Amora said.

She walked out of the room, Alexa and Amelia stood up to follow her. I took this as my cue to do the same. We followed her to the back yard. The black night was lit only by a bonfire in the center of the yard.

“So, we’re each going to take a section of the yard and just jingle these bells around the area to cleanse the space” Amora explained to me as Alexa and Amelia found their designated areas. “Your space will be between the porch and the fence on that side. I’ll take the other side. If you feel silly just look at what everyone else is doing and you’ll realize you’re doing it right”

The instructions seemed odd and unclear, but I went to my designated quarter of the yard and started waving the bell around. I did feel silly. Was I doing this right? I looked around to see the other girls doing the same thing I was. Alexa had added some kind of crazy arms style interpretive dance to the mix and looked much sillier than I did. Amelia looked at least as awkward as I did. Who cares if I look silly anyway? The only people who can see me are these weirdos. I started copying Alexas weird dance style and locked eyes with her, we both busted out laughing.

We all met up by the fire when we were done. We returned the bells to Amora, who gently placed them in a velvet lined box.

“We’re calling the corners now” Amora explained, “Aria, since this is your first time, you can do west. You’ll go last. Just watch us and do what we do.”

Alexa helped my find my place around the fire and then she and Amelia got to their position. Then, Amora walked to the far end of the yard on her side and held out her hands as if they were against some invisible wall.

“I call upon the guardian of the north. Element of earth. Guard us in our journey and aid us with your power” Amora announced loudly into the void.

Then she returned to the fire. Next, Amelia walked to the next edge of the yard, holding out her hands in the same fashion.

“I call upon the element of air! Guide us on our journey and aid us in our quest” Amelia spoke more softly.

Then, she returned to her position by the fire. Her cheeks were a little red. It was good to know I wasn’t the only one who was embarrassed. Next, Alexa went to what I was to assume was the south most point of the yard.

“I call upon the guardians of the watchtower of the south. Element of fire. Join us in our quest and aid us in our journey.” Alexa proudly projected into the empty night.

Then she gleefully returned to her position around the fire.

“It’s your turn” Alexa told me, “You’re west, your element will be water”

I copied what I’d seen them do, walking to the farthest point within the yard in the direction I was assigned.

“Call on something you believe in” Amora shouted. “We called on guardians, but you can call on a water deity or water related spirits. Something that calls to you”

I thought about it for a moment before the image of a fin flashed through my mind. If there was one thing I wanted to believe in it was…

“Mermaids of the west, element of water.” I started nervously, “I call upon you to aid us with your power and protect us on our journey.”

As I returned to the fire, I felt myself turning a deep shade of red. Mermaids? Really? What am I 5?

“That was perfect” Amora smiled.

Alexa gave me two thumbs up. We all laughed and walked towards the table set up at the head of the yard. It was lined with a black tablecloth and covered in stones and candles in shades of deep red, dark black, purple, and orange. The candles were all lit. We had all placed our bags here earlier.

“I’ll start” Amora said grabbing her bag and walking up to the table. “I summon Richard Wilcox.”

Amora pulled a funeral itinerary and a candle from her bag and placed them on the table. As she lit the candle, she told us a story of her friend who she grew up with, whose smile lit up every room he entered.

Alexa went next. She placed an old doll in a faded blue box on the table, and lit a candle. As she did, she told us a story of visiting her aging great great grandmother on her death bed.

Then, Amelia grabbed her bag. On the table she placed an urn, a photo of a woman, and a candle. As she lit the candle, she told us a story about catching butterflies with her mother at the park. As she did, a butterfly flew past them into the night. Not a moth. A butterfly. A tear ran down Amelias cheek.

“I love you mama” she whispered.

She kissed her fingers and placed it on the photo of her mother before sitting down.

“Here” Alexa said. “I brought you a candle.”

I looked down to see that Alexa was handing me a candle and a lighter. I took them and walked to the table with my bag. I placed the candle and a dog collar on the table.

“So, as you guys know, Skippy, my family dog, just died” I said as I lit the candle.

I told them a story about playing in the snow with him and as I did, I swore I could hear his barks in my mind. Then I sat down.

“We’re going to share a meal with the spirits we’ve invited now.” Amora announced as she and Alexa grabbed a cooler off the porch.

They placed it next to the table which was covered in dishes that had aluminum foil covering them.

“Make a plate and a cup for the spirit you’ve summoned.” Amora announced.

We each grabbed a plate and filled it with small portions of each dish, then we filled a cup with wine or water and brought them to the table. We placed the plates next to the candles we lit for the spirits. Then we each grabbed ourselves a plate and loaded up, each grabbing a glass of wine.

“It’s tradition to eat silently with the spirits” Amora announced, “we aren’t strict about it, but we try to maintain a quiet atmosphere.”

As we all sat silently eating our food, I thought back to all the fun times I’d had with Skippy. And I smiled.