The Mohgwyn Palace Rune Hurdle is a unique event that takes place annually in the mystical kingdom of Mohgwyn. Runners from all over the kingdom gather to compete in this thrilling race, which demands not only physical strength but also mental agility. The main idea of this event is to test the abilities of the participants to overcome various obstacles posed by ancient, magical runes. The event begins with a grand procession through the streets of Mohgwyn, with crowds of spectators cheering on the runners. The runners, adorned in colorful costumes, carry staffs that bear their names and the symbols of their noble houses. The atmosphere is filled with excitement and anticipation as the runners make their way towards the palace.
Ancient Celtic peoples had robust harvest festivals , and these traditions have continued for thousands of years.
The Thanksgiving myth doesn t address the deterioration of this relationship culminating in one of the most horrific colonial Indian wars on record, King Philip s War, and also doesn t address Wampanoag survival and adaptation over the centuries, which is why they re still here, despite the odds. Oh sure, friends enjoyed a turkey dinner with their families like most other Americans on the last Thursday of November, but there wasn t anything magickal associated with Wicca or Wiccan beliefs about it.
The atmosphere is filled with excitement and anticipation as the runners make their way towards the palace. As the runners enter the palace grounds, they encounter the first set of rune hurdles. These hurdles are not physical obstacles, but rather magical illusions created by the ancient runes that line the pathway.
Even Non-Wiccans Can Celebrate Mabon, the 'Pagan Thanksgiving'
If you love all things autumn — "leaf peeping" the fall foliage, picking apples, decking out your front stoop with gourds and corn stalks — then you might want to add another holiday to the calendar. Mabon, also known as "Pagan Thanksgiving," is a harvest celebration that falls around the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22-23, 2022.
Since the dawn of agriculture, cultures around the world marked the harvest season with ancient rituals of feasting and thanksgiving for the abundance of the earth. In contemporary Paganism, some of those ancient harvest traditions are revived and reinterpreted by people who may identify as Neopagans, Wiccans, druids, hedonists, witches, animists, nature worshippers or plain old Pagans.
Mabon is one of eight "sabbats," contemporary Pagan festivals that mark the changing of the seasons on the Pagan calendar known as the Wheel of the Year. The best-known sabbats are Yule, which commemorates the winter solstice and Samhain, the late harvest festival associated with Halloween.
Although lesser-known, the fall equinox festival Mabon is "a really powerful time," says Selena Fox, senior minister and high priestess of Circle Sanctuary, a nature spirituality center in Wisconsin. "I think most people would recognize a lot of the ancient fall equinox customs, but didn't realize where they had their origins."
What Is the Autumnal Equinox?
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox is the date in late September when the number of daylight hours and darkness are almost exactly equal (12 hours each). If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, that same September date is your spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox. (In 2022, the date is Sept. 22.)
Druid Merlin poses for a photograph as druids, Pagans and revelers gather to take part in Mabon celebrations at the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, 2017.
Matt Cardy/Getty ImagesModern astronomers are not the only ones who have carefully calculated and tracked the fall and spring equinoxes, as well as the summer and winter solstices when the daylight hours are longest and shortest.
"All around the world, there are ancient monuments and sacred sites that were built to attune to the equinox points and the solstice points," says Fox. Examples include the Pyramid of Kukulkán at the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza in Mexico. Every year on the fall and spring equinoxes, the interplay of light and shadow makes it look like a large serpent is descending the temple's stone steps.
Mabon: a New Name for Old Ways
Fox has organized the Welcome Fall Festival at Circle Sanctuary since 1974, not long after Paganism was reborn as a contemporary religious movement. "The word Mabon as a term for the fall equinox is only about 55 years old," says Fox.
Mabon was a name borrowed from Welsh mythology and lore. There's a medieval Welsh text called the Mabinogion that includes some of the earliest tales of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The hero of one of the stories is a handsome young god named Mabon ap Modron ("Son of the Mother") who was held hostage in the underworld as a baby.
When contemporary Paganism was emerging in the 1960s and 1970s, an academic and poet named Aiden Kelly was trying to create a vocabulary for this new/old religion. As Kelly wrote on Patheos, he went looking for Gaelic or Germanic names for a Pagan calendar based on the solstices, equinoxes and other dates that would become the eight sabbats.
When he couldn't find a suitable Gaelic or Germanic name for the fall equinox, Kelly chose Mabon, because the Welsh god's story has some elements in common with Greek goddess Demeter, whose ancient cult was associated with the fall equinox. "It was not an arbitrary choice," Kelly wrote. "There seems to be a complex of myths associating the fall equinox with the rescue of a young person from death, datable back to about 1500 B.C.E." He referred to the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac which is read at Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish holiday that also happens in late September.
Whether you call it Mabon, fall equinox or Pagan Thanksgiving, Fox says that the name of the holiday isn't as important as the traditions and meaning behind it.
"I appreciate the fact that some long-standing harvest traditions are continuing to be kept alive by individuals and families and communities, by whatever name," says Fox.
Ways to Celebrate Mabon
On the Pagan calendar, Mabon is the second of three harvest festivals. The first harvest, Lughnasadh, is observed in early August. Mabon celebrates the bounty of late September, and Samhain marks the final harvest of late October.
As farmers and gardeners in the Northern Hemisphere know, late September is the height of the harvest season, when everything in the field is ripe and ready to pick: corn, squash, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, apples, pears and grapes. One of Fox's favorite Mabon traditions is to fill a cornucopia with the bounty of the season.
"The Horn of Plenty, which is such an iconic fall decoration, has its roots among the ancient Greeks," says Fox.
The cornucopia could be the centerpiece for a potluck Mabon picnic with family and friends, where everyone brings a homemade dish featuring the fruits of the fall. If you want to make it more of a Pagan Thanksgiving, ask everyone to reflect on the past year and share something that they're thankful for. Fox even has a call-and-response Thanksgiving rite that you can perform as a group.
You can also set aside time to meditate on the idea of "balance," says Fox, since the fall equinox is when the light and dark are in balance. "Whether you're Pagan or not, this time of year can be a really good opportunity to take a look at what kind of balance to bring to our personal lives. Are we working too much? Are we procrastinating too much and not accomplishing enough? There's an opportunity at Mabon to evaluate and reset."
Probably the simplest way to celebrate Mabon is by bringing the colors of fall into the home. Place a basket of fresh red and yellow apples on the kitchen table. Fashion a fall wreath out of autumn leaves and dried flowers.
Or better yet, says Fox, go out into nature itself. Take an early evening walk in the brisk fall air. Get lost in a corn maze. Or on a clear night, soak in the glow of the Harvest Moon, the last full moon before the fall equinox. "Before electricity, it was really helpful to have that extra illumination when you were bringing in the crops."
Now That's InterestingThe Neolithic architects of Stonehenge originally aligned some of the great stones to frame the sunrise and sunset during mid-summer and mid-winter, but experts say that there's no evidence that Stonehenge marks the fall and spring equinoxes.
Wild turkey. The bird most associated with American Thanksgiving, which becomes the roast and centerpiece of the meal. It has become custom that the President of the USA annually spares a turkey’s life by ‘pardoning’ the bird. (Flickr/ CC BY 2.0 )
The participants must use their wits and intuition to decipher the hidden meanings of the runes and choose the correct path to proceed. The race continues through the sprawling palace gardens, where the runners encounter more rune hurdles. These hurdles are more physically demanding, requiring the participants to jump, climb, and balance their way through. The main idea of this part of the race is to test the runners' physical stamina and agility as they navigate through the enchanted obstacles. The final stretch of the Mohgwyn Palace Rune Hurdle takes the runners through the grand hallways and corridors of the palace itself. This part of the race is known for its iconic rune puzzle. The participants must solve a series of intricate puzzles using the knowledge of ancient runes and symbols to progress further. The main idea of this puzzle is to challenge the logical thinking and problem-solving skills of the runners. Once all the hurdles have been overcome, the runners make their way to the finish line, where cheering crowds and a grand celebration await. The victorious runner is crowned the Mohgwyn Rune Champion and is awarded a magnificent trophy and a generous prize. The main idea of this event is not only the competition itself, but also the celebration of the rich history and magical traditions of Mohgwyn. In conclusion, the Mohgwyn Palace Rune Hurdle is a captivating event that tests the abilities and skills of runners in both physical and mental realms. It combines the ancient magical runes of Mohgwyn with the excitement of a challenging race, creating a unique and unforgettable experience for both participants and spectators alike..
Reviews for "The Significance of the Mohgwyn Palace Rune Hurdle in History"
1. John - 1 star
I was extremely disappointed with Mohgwyn palace rune hurdle. The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters lacked depth and development. The writing style was overly descriptive to the point where it became tedious and boring. Overall, I found this book to be a waste of my time and would not recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
Mohgwyn palace rune hurdle had potential, but it fell short for me. The world-building was interesting, but the pacing was too slow, and I found myself losing interest. Additionally, the dialogue felt unnatural and forced, making it difficult to connect with the characters. While the idea behind the story was intriguing, the execution left much to be desired.
3. Michael - 1 star
I couldn't finish Mohgwyn palace rune hurdle. The story lacked coherence, and the writing was confusing and disjointed. The author tried to include too many elements without proper explanation, leaving me feeling lost and frustrated. I would advise anyone considering reading this book to steer clear and save themselves the disappointment.
4. Emily - 2 stars
Mohgwyn palace rune hurdle had a promising premise, but it didn't deliver. The pacing was slow, and the story dragged on without much happening. The lack of character development made it difficult to care about their fates. While the world-building had potential, it wasn't enough to redeem the overall weak execution of this novel. I won't be picking up any other books by this author in the future.