"...As my own eyes survey the miracle of fruition, I am reminded of the European earth goddess Habondia, her braided hair thick as loaves of oven-baked bread, her arms pliant as dough yet supple and strong from outdoor labor, her long skirts colorful and well-pocketed to carry the bounty of the harvest and share it with all.
The ripening of the barley, the flowering of the goldenrod and the readiness of the corn all come from the generous land embodied by this luxuriant goddess. The purpling of the plums and the reddening blush of the apple fruits mirror the healthful bloom in her cheeks and the swelling of the gourds matches the mounting ripeness of the goddess to womanhood. Habondia's lush physicality teaches us to be proud of abundance in all forms on earth, be it our own ample and curved flesh, the fruits of her joyous labor or the endless river of human imagination which brims its banks, flooding us with poetry, dance, song, story, meal-making and ritual. She invites us to savor, celebrate and create with the gifts of the land and to remember that we are worthy of these gifts.
Habondia's spirit is meant to remind us that abundance is our birthright and that through the act of gathering to ourselves the harvest of nature, we accept and relish this cycle of ripeness and fullness as well as our worthiness to receive treasure. Spilling her vast riches before us, Habondia challenges us to use our creativity to preserve some of the harvest, that it can sustain us through the long winter months. She asks only that we have gratitude for our full baskets and that we share what we have with others through the gift of hospitality..."
"Herbal Rituals" by Judith Berger
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