The Autumnal Equinox: Celebrating Mabon
In pagan mythology, the Autumnal Equinox is called Mabon, or Second Harvest. It is a time to give thanks for the summer and to pay tribute to the coming darkness. Known as the pagan Thanksgiving, Mabon marks the Autumn Equinox, when day and night are equal, making it a time of balance, equality, and harmony. In ancient times Mabon was a harvest celebration when farmers gathered hearty foods like gourds, pumpkins, grapes, and apples.
Modern Mabon celebrations are a time to give thanks for the abundance of Mother Earth - both literally and spiritually. It’s also a good time to reflect on the Wheel of the Year, recognizing your successes and letting go of the things that did not serve you during the past twelve months.
One of the easiest and most fun ways to celebrate Mabon is decorating your home for autumn. I like to bring in both fresh and dried flowers and gourds to place throughout my kitchen and other living spaces. If you don’t have access to your own greenery, a visit to the local farmer’s market or even a short walk in the woods (if you can) can provide plenty of Mabon decorations for your home. Bring autumn inside throughout Mabon so you can bring yourself closer to the grounding abundance of nature. Create pinecone garlands, handwoven wreaths, and embrace the gratitude that surrounds you.
Mabon Symbols
Symbols: Cornucopia (horn of plenty), pinecones, seeds
Colors: Orange, red, yellow, brown, copper, dark yellow, dark green
Foods: Corn, beans, squash, apples, pumpkins, cider, root vegetables, pomegranate, wine
Deities: Mabon, Green Man, Demeter, Persephone, Morgan, Pomona, Inanna
Stones: Amber, citrine, cat’s eye, aventurine, sapphire, jasper
Herbs: Yarrow, rosemary, sage, mugwort, rosehips,
Flowers: Sunflowers, thistle, marigolds
Animals: Owl, stag, blackbird, salmon
For many families Mabon falls right at the start of the school year and it can be hard to plan a big celebration, especially if it falls during the mid-week. If that’s the case with your family, know that there is nothing wrong with celebrating Mabon with a family meal at the end of a busy day. You can dress up a simple meal with a bouquet of fresh flowers or some candles. Take turns saying what you are grateful for and what you hope to accomplish in the coming year.
As the Wheel of the year comes to an end, Mabon is a good time to set intentions that involve decrease and reduction such as ending bad relationships, unhealthy habits, or self-destructive beliefs. This is the time to look back not just on the past year, but also your life, and to plan for the future. In the rhythm of the year, Mabon is a time of rest and celebration, after the hard work of gathering the crops. Warm autumn days are followed by chill nights, as the Old Sun God returns to the embrace of the Goddess.
If you opt to celebrate Mabon by yourself, try finding a quiet space outside to mediate and journal before treating yourself to a nice meal. Mabon is a great time to release the baggage of the past year and set some new personal goals.
Witch Tip: Who needs another busy holiday to stress over? A simple Mabon celebration you can do is light a candle, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for five minutes, giving thanks for all your blessings.
The Autumnal Equinox, or Mabon, is also a time of preparing for Samhain (October 31–November 1), the bigger pagan festival that begins winter. Some Wiccan rituals for Mabon include building an altar with harvest fruits and vegetables, meditating on balance, gathering, and feasting on apples, offering apples to the goddess, sharing food, and counting one’s blessings.
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However, you choose to celebrate the changings of the season, from me to you: Happy Mabon/Autumn Equinox! Here are some journal prompts for you to fully embrace the energy of this transition —
Gratitude
What abundance + blessings did you receive this summer? Take a moment to express your gratitude for these things - big or small.
Harvest
What are the things in your life that you’ve been tending to and nurturing? What is growing? What is ready to be harvested?
Balance
Where do you feel balanced? Where do you feel unbalanced? What is 1 action you can take to get back into alignment?
Let Go
What are you ready to let go of? What do you need to shed, in order to grow?
Celebrate
Enjoy your harvest! Write a love letter to yourself celebrating all the hard work you’ve done this year! Take pride in it.