Mabon is a time of balance, and it is the time to celebrate the stability of the hearth and home. This ritual is a simple one designed to place a barrier of harmony and security around your property. You can do this as a family group, as a coven, or even as a solitary. If you live in an apartment, feel free to adapt the rite as necessary. The key here is to focus on the perimeter of your personal space, whether you have a half-acre yard, a big rural spread, or a downtown condo.

You'll need the following items:

There is no need to cast a circle before beginning this rite, because you will be casting a magical perimeter as part of the working.

• A bowl of fresh earth from your yard
• An assortment of iron nails* (railroad spikes work nicely if you can get them)
• A brown or green candle to represent the land

Begin at the entrance to your property that sees the most traffic. If you have a yard and house, this will likely be the end of the driveway, where it connects to the street. If you live in an apartment or town home, you may wish to use your front door, or the hallway in front of your door. You may want to put your supplies on a tray or in a bag, if you're doing this alone. If you have other people participating, give each person some items to carry. You can do this rite at any time of the day, although evening may be better if you don't want your neighbors to come over and ask what you're up to.

Place the bowl of earth at the entrance to your property. If you like, you can place it on a table, or you can just set it on the ground.

Place your hands into the bowl, and feel the cool soil on your fingertips. Feel the energy of the earth, traveling from the ground, up into the bowl, through the dirt, and into you.

Focus on the bowl of earth, and say:

Earth, symbol of security and stability,
bring peace and harmony into my home
at this season of thanksgiving.
May my family be well,
my house be a haven,
and my table be one of hospitality.
May the earth, the soil, the land,
ground me and protect me and
those whom I love,
and that which I call mine.
My property shall be a safe place,
a secure place, a harmonious place
for all those who enter.
As I will, so it shall be.

Leave the bowl in place, and begin slowly walking around the perimeter of your property, traveling in a deosil, or clockwise, direction. Feel the energy of your land, and the way in which you connect with it. Is there a tree you particularly love? Or the big rock where the kids always sit? Or that weird piece of root that you trip over every time? Consider why your property is home instead of just a place to live. Even if you live in an apartment, you can do this -- what about that creaky spot by the door that your mom always hears when you come in late? All of these make a house personal and connect us to it.

Periodically -- and depending on how many iron nails or railroad ties you've got -- stop and touch the ground. Drive a nail or spike into the dirt - iron is known as a protective material throughout many cultures. As you push it into the earth, say:

Iron spike, in the ground,
protect my home, my family and me.
Keep out that which would cause us harm.

Repeat this with each iron nail or spike, until you've placed a protective barrier around your property. By now, you should have returned to your bowl of earth at the entrance. Light the green or brown candle, and place it within the bowl. Pack the earth lightly around it so that the candle doesn't topple over. Say:

Dark and light, equal parts
at the time of Mabon.
Fire and earth, together.
Balance, harmony, security,
these things shall be mine.

If there is a particular deity of your tradition that represents hearth and home, now might be a good time to call upon them asking for assistance. If you do so, be sure to make an offering in their honor. If you choose not to call upon deity at this time, just take a few moments to reflect on your home life, and the things that mean security to you. When you are finished, bring the bowl with the candle inside, and place it in a spot where all can see -- on your hearth, or the kitchen table -- and allow it to sit until the candle goes out. When the candle has burned away, return the earth to your property.

Tips:

• Even if you just live in one room of a home, you can still do this rite. Simply adapt it so that you're going around the perimeter of the room, beginning with the doorway. Instead of pounding iron spikes into the ground, you can tuck a small nail up under the edge of the carpet.
• A reader points out that in some areas, the ground may freeze enough to push iron nails out of the ground, which could cause problems once things warm up - no one wants a small child to step on a rusty nail! If you live in an area where this may be a problem, you may wish to remove the nails at certain times of year, or at the very least, check to make sure they are securely in the ground.