Mabon is also known as the autumn equinox usually falls around September 21.
History of Mabon
Using the name, Mabon as a celebration is a relatively new idea. It was coined after the Celtic God of the Sun in the 1970’s. However, the autumn equinox has been celebrated as a Harvest Festival since ancient times.
It was known by other names such as the Harvest of First Fruits and a Wine Harvest in honor of the Greek God, Dionysus. In Germany, a harvest festival called Oktoberfest was celebrated the last week of September. It is still celebrated in Bavaria to this day.
At this point in the ancient year, our ancestors were harvesting the fruits and vegetables, taking count of how much they would have through the winter. They were also evaluating how well fed their animals had become, those, too would be butchered to feed the families.
These days we still think of Mabon as the second harvest festival of the year but also as a pagan Thanksgiving of sorts. It is a time of balance as represented by the equal length of day and night. Mabon represents a time of Transition.
Just like our ancestors harvesting their gardens and groves, we evaluate what we have reaped and reflect on what has manifested into our lives.
Mabon Altars & Associations
Activities to do for Mabon
Decorate for Autumn
Pull out the scarecrows and fall leaves. Stop by the farm stand to pick up corn stalks and hay bails. This is one of my favorite autumn activity. I tend to drop the decorating ball after the Spring Equinox and pick it up with wild abandon in the fall.
Harvest fall fruits and vegetables
Stop by the farm stand for squash and pumpkins. Pick up concord grapes. Go apple picking. Then preserve your bounty by making sauces, jellys, butters and juice.
Celebrate with a Thanksgiving Feast
We have our big family get-together on Samhain (more commonly known as Halloween). Instead I spend this time of year canning and freezing the fall harvest. Back when Thanksgiving was established as a national holiday, most of America was rural farming communities and I strongly feel that’s why it was moved to November. From September through October, I spend a lot of time preserving food and I’m pretty sure my grandmothers were even busier being as they had proper farms and gardens.
Take a walk or hike in the wood.
Look for signs of the changing season. The signs may be subtle or bold, depending on where you live. Either way you can see how nature prepares for winter. Besides, just walking through nature is a great way to find a balance.
Go Wild-harvesting while you’re out.
Collect seeds and fruit in the wild. While you’re out enjoying the crisp air, take some time to collect seed, berries and nuts to use in your practice. Be sure not to take too much, only what you need. We like to collect really pretty leaves, acorn ‘hats’, bird feathers, seed, and berries.
Cleans and clear out summer projects
Finish those summer projects you started. Make sure you clean up the mess and put away the tools as well. Its part of preparing for winter. At my house it means putting away the summer things, cleaning up the gardens and prepping for a hard Midwest winter.
Plant spring bulbs and fall flowers
This is usually done in September,but check your growing zone. This allows the roots to take hold before the first frost.
Modern Mabon Practices
Modern Mabon practices often lean toward spiritual activities. We take this time to reflect on the past season and see how we’ve grown.
My great grandmother had a list of all the things she canned and preserved. She stood tall and proud looking over her cellar storage, knowing this would feed her family in the coming months.
I have the same feelings as I look over the past season and see how my intentions have come to be. I spend a morning or two making a gratitude and blessing list.
Finding Balance at Mabon
We feel into our lives to look for places of unbalance. Mabon is the autumn equinox, when the days and nights are in balance. Now is a great time to evaluate our lives and identify where we need to balance out the scales.
Maybe you’ve been spending too much time and need to focus on family, or vice versa. Perhaps you’ve been neglecting your physical health or your spiritual practices. Now is the time to put some focus on those things.
Letting Go
With the sun waning and the leaves falling, we look into our lives to find the things we need to let go. Obviously, this can refer to the physical things as we finish projects and clean up. It also refers to the intangible things such as bad habits and poor discipline. Mabon is time for setting waning type of intentions such as getting rid of unhealthy habits and toxic relationships.
Protection and Blessings
While we’re finishing summer projects and doing some fall clean up, this is an excellent time to perform protection and blessing rituals for house and home. Soon the veil will begin thinning and its always a good idea to have your protections in place.
Blessings and Chants.
Here’s a couple of writings I’ve found on the internet. I suck at rhyming and usually borrow the things I’ve found.
Mabon a season of dark and light
Wigington, Patti. “Mabon Incense Blend.” Learn Religions, Aug. 26, 2020, learnreligions.com/mabon-incense-blend-4588975.
Balance of day turning to night
Counting my blessing in all I have and do
Love and harmony and gratitude too
Mabon bring balance to me
As I will so it shall be
Chant by Ian Corrigan
Hoof and horn, hoof and horn
All that dies will be reborn
Corn and grain, corn and grain
All that fall shall rise again
Journal prompts
1) What type of abundance have you grown this summer? What accomplishments have you tended and nurtured?
2) What did you learn from your summer experiences? What bounties are you harvesting this season?
3) What part of your life feels out of alignment? Where do you need more balance?
4) Its time to clear out the remnants of summers growth. What are you ready to let go of?
Other Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year:
8 Ways to Celebrate Ostara (a.k.a. Pagan Easter)
Beltane: How to Celebrate the Beginning of Summer
Litha: Celebrating the Magic of the Summer Solstice
