Today is the Feast of Pomona, a Roman goddess of fruit trees, especially apples, and abundant fruitfulness. She was considered to be a guardian of people, homes, gardens and orchards. Her name is from the Latin "pomum" - apple.
Of course apples have long been a symbol of many goddesses and their worship. It is appropriate at this time of year that we honor Pomona and the magick of apples, therefore I offer the following magickal suggestions.
Take apples, peel a few strips only of the apple skin, remove core and split in half reserving the strips of peel and core. Place in a baking pan, flat side up, add a bit of butter, sprinkle with cinnamon, cloves and/or a little maple syrup. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes or until soft. While cooking and eating, ask a blessing from Pomona for good health, protection and abundance. Be sure to save a slice to be presented as offering.
Take the reserved peel and wrap it around a sprig of thyme or oregano, perhaps even both, and a cinnamon stick. Using a knitting needle or awl, gently pierce the rolled peel in three places and stick cloves into each hole. Bake in a warm oven of 250 degrees for an hour or so to dry the peel and herb. Once dried, the peel can be added to an autumn pot pourri, used as offerings or in charms. Keep nearby when performing any divinatory or oracle workings.
Apples - sacred to many goddesses and a symbol of women's magick; enhances loving energies, love magick, wisdom and protection.
Thyme - cleanses and disperses stagnant energies while attracting new and positive energies. Also assists in opening the third eye.
Cinnamon - enhances magick, aids magickal focus and connecting to other realms.
Cloves - purifies, repels negativity and hostility, elevtes spiritual vibrations.
Oregano - brings joy, protective, good for wards.
Maple syrup - a sweetener - sweeteners sweeten people and situations; maple's magick brings protective, sheltering energy, as well as encourages good health, longevity and balance.
Don't forget to bury an apple or two outside your home, offerings for both Pomona and your ancestors.
copyright 2010 E A Kaufman - from the forthcoming, A Book of Artes & Charms.
Blessings nine!
Thank you for posting this! I've had apples on my altar since Samhain and being the full moon I wanted to use it as an offering, but didn't know exactly what to do. I'm baking three apples now, peeled another to wrap around cinnamon sticks, and tomorrow will take the peeled uncooked apple pieces to work to plant outside my office (I live in an apartment with no yard) or give to the squirrels that hang around our windows. :)
ReplyDeleteBree, that sounds like a lovely way to make the offerings!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!