Celebrate Mabon | The Autumn Equinox
Sep 20, 2023
It's time to celebrate and honor Mabon as we mark the Autumnal Equinox
Learn about the Mabon goddess and autumn equinox. Try these six Mabon rituals to welcome fall; how to decorate your altar, mabon simmer pot, and more.
As the world turns and the seasons change, we now enter a new phase of gratitude and harvest. Equinoxes occur two times each year, once in the spring, marking the astrological new year of rebirth & rejuvenation. This is the beginning of the Aries season symbolizing initiation, drive, and independence. And then again to commence the harvest of fall, and the beginning of Libra season symbolizing balance, justice, and relationships.
What is an equinox?
The equinox is an astronomical event that signifies the Sun's crossover from the north to the south of Earth’s equator. It signifies a massive vibrational shift over the light and life of our planet that is ever changing, and ever transforming us. In the northern hemisphere this happens between September 22 & 23 every year.
In the spring on the vernal equinox that typically falls between March 19 & 20 every year, the sun transits from the south to the north. As it happens, the Sun’s light upon the Earth is in perfect balance. The southern hemisphere experiences the opposite.
There is equal time for the light and the dark to exist.
What is Mabon?
Mabon is the second of three harvest festivals recognized in the Pagan calendar. The first is Lughnasadh/Lammas on August 1, and the third and final is Samhain/Halloween on October 31. The harvest season is a well beloved time of year for those who recognize it because it is about practicing deep gratitude and appreciation for the gifts of the Earth.
What does the Mabon Goddess represent?
The nourishment, bounty, beauty, and richness of her blessings are profoundly felt, because this marks the time of entering into the seasons of darkness and rest.
It reflects a time to balance the inner light and darkness within your own soul that we all experience. To harmonize yourself with the outside world.
As above and so below, as within and so without.
The days continue to disseminate in light, as they also grow cooler and the trees demonstrate their own symbols of change and release.
The Mabon goddess returns to the underworld for the autumn and winter months, to rest and retreat, to heal and replenish. We are also called to experience this healing & replenishment for ourselves.
And, when we give ourselves permission to be in the flow with nature and the oneness with Source energy, we can encounter presence and stillness.
Feel the heartbeat of our dear Earth Mother, her vibration sings through your soul to remind you of the great medicine and magic you possess.
Ways to honor Mabon with these Mabon rituals for the Autumn Equinox
Decorate Your Fall Altar for Mabon
Adorn your sacred space with the warm hues of autumn. Golds, reds, yellows, and brown candles, ribbons, corn husk dolls, bundles of wheat, autumn leaves, pumpkins, and gourds.
Make a Mabon Simmer Pot
This is an ancient folk method of filling your home with the spirit of nature. The aromatics of seasonal herbs & flowers reset the vibration of your home to reflect specific intentions and energy. Read my blog all about The Magic of Simmer Pots, and how to make a perfect fall brew!
Make a Mabon Wreath for Fall
Use sticks, branches, rosemary, cinnamon sticks, dried flowers, wheat stalks, ribbons, acorns, and pinecones. Get creative and use items found in nature all around your neighborhood or nearby forest. Whatever you take, make sure that you respect nature, and express gratitude for her offering to you.
Bake Mabon Bread
Pumpkin bread and muffins are a delicious way to embrace the autumn season! Offer the first slice to the nature spirits as a demonstration of appreciation for their gifts.
Burn a Mabon Fire
Whether it be a small candle, or a large bonfire, this is a magical way to embrace the change of seasons. Fire is a purifying element that cleanses and purges the old away. You may dress a candle and use this in a ceremony of transition & release, as you shift away from the warm abundance of the summer months.
Mabon Candle Dressing Blend
Cinnamon - Healing, good fortune, spirituality (good for solar magic)
Clove - prosperity, protection, divination
Blessed Thistle - Strength, protection, and purification
Burdock Root - Cleansing, clearing, dispels negativity
Rosemary - Mental power, focus, memory, and purification
Orange Peel - Abundance, happiness, and love
