Ways to Celebrate Mabon - the Autumn Equinox

Take a walk in nature to observe the transition of the seasons

Gather fall leaves, acorns, creek stones, and mushrooms

Gratitude journaling

Host a bonfire with music & dancing

Have a potluck or feast with loved ones

Hang up plants & herbs to dry

Practice ancestor veneration

Give offerings to your God or deities

Works of charity — give to others

Rituals for prosperity, protection, and power

Bake bread or fruit pies

Honor the Harvest Moon

Decorate your altar to honor and highlight the season

Visit an orchard or vineyard

Use grapes and apples in your spellwork

Pray or set intention for a bountiful harvest, new opportunities, and protection of your blessings

Pyromancy and fire rites

More detailed tips and info about the Autumn Equinox HERE

03.21.2021

The first day of fall is in 197 days

Hello everyone! I began this little series withLithaback in June, so it’s now time to continue my last minute sabbats series! As always, before we get started, I just want to note that not all Pagans celebrate the Sabbats, and not all witches celebrate the Sabbats either. I by no means am telling anyone that they need to celebrate the sabbats to have a full or valid practice. If you do celebrate the sabbats, however, here is some information about Mabon, including a prayer that I wrote in honor of the Sabbat and a little summary of my personal Mabon plans:

Mabon

When: Around September 21st (fall equinox)

Other names: Autumn/fall equinox

What:Mabon is the celebration of the Fall Equinox and the second harvest. Falling near American Thanksgiving, it is also seen as a time to give thanks for the bounties of the first harvest. For many Wiccans and Pagans who follow the Hellenic pantheon, this is seen as the time when Persephone leaves Demeter to descend to the Underworld with Hades.

Colors: Brown, gold, bronze, darker reds/oranges/purples

God/desses:Persephone, Demeter, Hades, Pomona, Morrigan, Freyr, Thor, Innana (not sure if Innana is from a closed culture or not? can someone please verify?)

Herbs/plants: Pomegranates, apples, acorns, grains, pinecones, corn, squash, pumpkins, sage, rose, seeds

Gems/crystals/stones:Yellow agate, amethyst, amber, citrine, yellow topaz, sapphire

Ideas for celebration: Big feasts or meals with family and friends are great for Mabon. Celebrations of balance or thanksgiving, nature walks/meditation, giving food or help to animals or people in need. Apple-picking, gardening, cooking.

My Mabon Prayer:

Oh many deities of the autumn equinox, who have been known as Persephone, Demeter, Hades, Pomona, Morrigan, Freyr, Thor– I offer you this prayer of thanks, lifting up my heart in gratitude for your many blessings. Thank you for the harvest, which brings food to those who are hungry. Your rains purify me. Your bounty nourishes me. Your skies surround me and watch over me in times of fear. For these blessings, I thank you. In this Mabon season, please bless those who are less fortunate than I. Bless the fallen animals, who have died that I may eat– I thank them for their beauty, strength, and sacrifice. To the animals who are hungry, forgotten, or abused by their owners– send your loving protection that they may be blessed and lead to safety. Bless all of the people who will spend this Mabon season hungry or cold– lead them also to safety and splendor. In your name, I pray that those who are less fortunate may be blessed and protected on this day. With much gratefulness, so mote it be.

My Mabon Plans:

I will not be celebrating Mabon this year, in all truthfulness. I’m recently having troubles with my faith and am looking into various religions. I don’t think that it’s fitting for me to celebrate Mabon when I don’t feel solid with my faith. I’ll still be continuing this series, nonetheless, since I know that it is very informational for some people.

I hope you have a happy Mabon and that you found this post helpful! Look out for more last minute sabbat posts in the future :) If you have any questions, feel free to send me an ask! To see the previous last minute sabbat post on Lammas, click here.

Livi

September 16th is the full harvest moon, those of you not living here in the Americas will also have the chance to see the lunar eclipse. Remember now is a good time to recharge the tools of your craft and release any negative vibes or energy you’ve been unable to let go of. Also don’t be afraid if parts of your life seem to be shifting out of balance right now. We are transitioning into Autumn, mercury is still in retrograde, and this means everything is in a flux. Things are not falling apart, change is simply inevitable, embrace it and you will find it’s much easier to control the outcome once everything finally settles down again

September 22nd is a special and magical day for Pagan communities. On this day a Fall Equinox takes place. It is the time when the length of day is equal to the length of night, and so are the forces of Light and Darkness. After this day we will continue to descent into shadows until the Darkness peaks on October 31st on Samhain - Witch’s New Year.

Mabon is a Pagan holiday celebrated on September 22nd. It has been celebrated for thousands of years. The name Mabon was given by Celts.

The name Mabon comes from a figure in Welsh mythology Mabon ap Modron and symbolizes male fertility in the cycle of myths about King Arthur. Witches  did not originally celebrate this Sabbat, just as the did not celebrate  Ostara, until the Scandinavian influence took over England. But  although the name came later, the holiday was recognized by people well  before Christianity.

On Mabon witches make new staffs and wands and carve Runes from elm wood. This tradition came from the Druids.

Mabon  symbolizes the end of fruit, vegetable and grain harvest. The Fall  Equinox reminds us about the fact that winter is near. For this reason,  traditionally on this day the Magick performed involves rituals that  would guaranty abundance and plenty over winter season.

While  many of us are privileged in this accord, we can use this energy  towards working on any matters that are related to abundance. This would  also be the last chance until the end of the year to work on these  Rituals during a Sabbat, as Samhain and Yule do not carry a necessary  energy.

And today I want to remind you about the simple things that are still so close to the heart to our true pagan nature within.

We all know of this unconscious desire to fill up our storages and pantries, wash the windows before the cold days, throw out things we no longer need.

Just as the Mother Nature, we are getting ready to slow down. We draw conclusions and get together with our friends and love ones.

Even though it seems like we didn’t want to let the summer go, suddenly something inside of you shifts and you can’t wait to put on that warm sweater, enjoy the cool air and a nice cup of tea (or pumpkin spice latte and no, I’m not ashamed to throw in here my love for pls).

Mabon Elements, Tools & Correspondences

Mabon Colours: Yellow, Gold, Red Brown, OrangeCandles: Yellow, Gold, Red, Brown or plain beeswaxFlowers & Plants: Asters, Chrysanthemum, Сarnations, Sunflowers, Chamomile, NutsFood: Apples, Pears, Wheat & GrainsMabon Gods & Goddesses: Mabon, Cernunnos, MorriganCrystals: Citrine, Amber, Tiger Eye Mabon Animals: Owl, Wolf, Dog, Eagle, HawkIncense: Myrrh, Pine, Cedar, Frankincense

So, what to do on this day? As always, let’s remember that this ancestral pagan holiday did not necessarily contain many sophisticated rituals and tools. Just like the Mother Nature is herself, it was pure and simple and yet filled with gratitude and joy. And this is what we will strive for too!

First of all, are three main components of Mabon: letting go, being grateful and sharing successes. Let’s break them all down.

Mabon Traditions: Letting Go

First and foremost, let’s say farewell! Let go of everything that NEEDS to go.

While I will offer you a Letting Go ritual below, I want to also remind you that on Mabon it is customary to literally get rid of things. So, roll up your sleeves and get through that Fall time cleaning, ridding yourself of unnecessary things and junk. It will also be a good idea to perform a throughout cleaning of your home.

There are many ways to perform letting go and banishing rituals but here are a few quick ways you can incorporate in your complete Mabon ritual routine.

Mabon Letting Go Ritual: Burn It!

Letting Go With Fire Ritual Tools:

 -Paper

 -Pen

 -Black or Neutral Colour Candle 

-Lighter 

-Cauldron or any plate that can take on heat

The simplest way to let go is with fire. There are two benefits to this ritual. First of all, it allows you to concentrate and release everything you’ve been holding inside on a piece of paper. You will re-live some of the moments, you may cry, you may be feeling anxious. Know that all of these emotions are NORMAL and it is a necessary part of the process.

Second benefit to this is that you are working using the cleansing energy of the Fire Element and it is an incredibly powerful tool.

Begin by lighting a candle. It can be a black or neutral colour candle. For Christian Witches, as always you can go with a Church beeswax candle.

Start this ritual with a meditation. Relax and concentrate your mind. Pick and paper and pen. Write down everything you want to let go of, starting with your name: “I, Susan Smith, on this day of Mabon release the following:…..”

You can either make a bullet point list of things or just write down a story of everything you’ve been through that you no longer wish to carry with you into the Fall Season.

Once you are done, light your piece of paper on fire from your candle. Throw it into the cauldron or a plate and watch the Fire destroying your pain, past mistakes, people that hurt you and situations that brought you down.

You may conclude by saying: “And so it is done.”

Mabon Letting Go Ritual: Cut It Off!

This is a quicker version of “Letting Go Ritual” that, as a matter of fact, you can perform at ANY TIME when you feel you need to cleanse yourself or you have built up to much negativity or stress.

All you need for this Ritual is Athame, or any ritual knife.

If you don’t have one and have no time to order one for Mabon, you can use any knife BUT the moment you use it for ritual work, you can no longer use it in cooking. The handle of the knife should ideally be black and made of natural material.

* Disclaimer: Athame often tends to b blunt while the regular knife can be quite a sharp object, so be careful making your magick! For this reason, it is best if you perform this ritual in nature.

Stand tall holding your knife in your dominant hand. Concentrate you mind. Take 7 deep breaths.

Imagine your knife being a vessel. With the tip of the athame pointing towards you, take the knife on the journey around your body, starting from the top. Imagine how the knife sucks out and collects all the negative energy, illnesses or worries. It is similar to when you are cleaning yourself with herbal stick.

Work your way towards your feet. When you are done stand tall or sit down on your knees. Imagine everything you have extracted being inside of your athame. Now take a deep breath in. As you breath out fast and with force stick your knife into the ground. This will help to empty the vessel. As you are doing this, imagine the energy going back to the Source.

Mabon Traditions: Show Off, Admire and Recognize

On Mabon it is customary to…show off and brag!

Of course, it comes from a tradition of showing off the results of your harvest and the hard work you’ve put in. People would decorate beautiful tables and create tasty dishes to impress their neighbours.

But we can definitely adapt this tradition to our modern life.

First of all, invite people over and repeat the old tradition! Stores and craft shops are now filled with beautiful fall decorations but you can certainly make your own.

You can also put some fall flowers, such as chrysanthemum and asters.

Tell your friends or family that is coming over that you would like to share all your accomplishments in the past year (from the time of last Mabon) and want to certainly hear theirs! Begin with the most important events but try not to forget anything and be as detailed as you want.

If you feel like people will not be interested to hear your stories, then find those who are genuinely interested in your life but don’t forget that the interest should be mutually shared. Learn to also listen to others and recognize their victories with the same passions as you speak of yours.

You have no idea how inspiring it is! And if you are unsure, know that it’s most important to just begin :)

Also, it is a great day to recognize your children and their accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem to you.

Mabon Traditions: Feasts and Treats

As I mentioned before, it as customary on Mabon to show off the products of your harvest.

But of course, those were shared and guests were treated with tasty food. As you let your guests taste the food, accept acknowledge good comments and praises (hopefully your cooking skills are on point though ha-ha!).

You can exchange gifts, or even have your guests bring over the food too, so that you can share and praise each other. Recognition of the hard work your loved ones do is a very important part of Mabon.

Mabon Rituals: Invitations and Elemental Work

Mabon offers you the last chance to perform an invitation type of magick on a Sabbat for the year.

While you are doing the invite, try to incorporate Elements into your Ritual.

This is important, as you may want to balance the elements before Winter season comes. The Air Element will be dormant for the next 6 months and balancing the Elements beforehand will prevent the feelings of tiredness and sleepiness that are so prevalent in Winter months. Don’t mix those with a desire to sit quietly with a cup of hot tea watching the flames in your fireplace. This is perfectly acceptable and much needed.

How to easily incorporate Elements into your Ritual?

Choose materials that correspond to each element and place them on your Altar. Place them according to the hour directions:

East - Air

South - Fire

West - Water

North - Earth

What can you choose to represent each Element? Here’s a quick list to choose from:

Air: Burning incense, ringing a bell

Fire: Burning herbs, lighting candle

Water: Pour water in chalice or simply a cup

Earth: Place some soil, salt or a plant on your altar

This will help to bring the energies of elements in balance in your ritual and your life. Address each element and express gratitude for their help in your work.

What Is a Ritual Invitation?

Ritual Invitation simply means any work you do to manifest or “invite” something into your life.

It can include making a Spell or Manifestation Jar, doing Tarot or Rune magick or simply writing your wish on a piece of paper and setting it on fire.

Mabon is a great chance to work on Earthly matters, such and career or finance or perform abundance types of Rituals.

Whatever you choose, you may want to call upon the Gods or Ancestors to aid you in your working. Don’t forget to express gratitude to the Gods or Goddesses of choice by making an appropriate offering.

I hope this Blog post helps you to plan your Mabon this year. Happy celebration!

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I’m so fudging excited witches

Autumn Equinox

Happy Fall Equinox~☆