The wheel has turned again and the Autumn Equinox, also known as Mabon is soon upon us. You can probably see Mabon fast approaching by the turning of the leaves, transitioning from green, to yellow, amber and brown. But you might alsp be able to smell it in the wind. Mabon has a hint of frost in the air. And for me is one of the two festivals that really celebrate the a precipice at a turning moment of the seasons. For For truly at Mabon we are leaving the summer behind and heading to the darker months.
Mabon is the last of the harvest festivals in the wheel of the year. Some people, like me, like to call Mabon the sweet harvest as the trees are full of berries at this time of year. It’s time to gather the sweetness this wheel has produced and preserve it for the winter months.
Mabon is the other point of perfect balance on the journey through the Wheel of the Year, its counterpart being Ostara or the Spring Equinox. Day and night are once again at equal lengths. So as well as being a time of Harvest this is a time of balancing and like Spring Equinox preparing and cleansing. However, one of the biggest themes at points of celebration of Mabon is gratitude. There is simply so much to celebrate as Mother Earth pours her bounty upon us.
Symbols of Mabon
Symbolism of Mabon: Fruit harvest, Berry harvest, the second harvest, gratitude, abundance, balance, transitioning from light to dark, accomplishments,
Date of Mabon: Mabon is usually celebrated around the 20th- 22nd of September
Symbols of Mabon: Berries, The Cornucopia, Horn of plenty, Apples, Nuts, Thanks giving, Deer, Sun wheel, preserves like jam and marmalade, Oak and Maple.
Colors: Dark brown, Burnt orange, Deep green, Dark red, Golden yellow, Earth tones
Foods: Blackberries, Rasberries, Elderberry, Pumpkin,Apples, Corn, Zucchini, Squash, Acorns / Nuts, Root veggies
Herbs: Bay Laurel, Sage, Yarrow, Cinnamon, sandlewood,
Flowers: Rose Hips, Sunflowers
Animals: Stag, Owl, Blackbird, Squirrels
Goddesses: Earth Mother Goddess, Modronn, Gaia, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Demeter, Pamona and the Muses.
Gods: Frey, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, Herne the Hunter, The Horned God and The Green Man
Activites of Mabon
- “Spring” (Autumn Cleaning) – Mabon is the equal opposite of Ostara. From now on we will be spending more time indoors and bringing in our second harvest so its time to make space and clean our homes in preperation.
- Leaf Mandala – With all the amazing colours in nature make a leaf mandala to celebrate your harvest.
- Gratitude – There are so many ways to pratice gratitude. Mabon is sometimes called the pagan thanksgiving so you could have a family feast or something as simple as listing out what you are thankful for is a great way to connect with mabon energy.
- Make preserves – Go out and harvest all the free food nature is throwing at us and preserve it for the winter as jam or marmalade.
- Plant bulbs – Mabon is the time to get next years spring bulbs in the ground before the frost comes. As I said Mabon is a time of preperation. Basically we are doing what squirrels are doing. We are getting ready to hibernate.
- Store your herbs from summer – If you gathered your herbs in the summer and put them to dry now is the time to store them.
- Make incense – I love dried loose leaf incense. I am not a jam person myself. 1. I am diabetic. 2. My kitchen skills have never developed that far. Loose leaf incense is a great way to preserve the sweetness from the summer and bring it into our home in winter.
- Potluck dinner – what better way to share your harvest with family and friends. And a pot luck is such a great way to do this.
Mabon incense
Loose Autumn Equinox incense
You’ll need the following dried ingrediants:
- 2 parts pine
- 2 parts sandalwood
- 1 part rosemary
- 1 part cinnamon
- 1 part dried apple
- 1 part dried oak leaf
How to make
- Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time.
- Measure carefully, and if the leaves or blossoms need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so.
- As you blend the herbs together, say out loud the things for which you are proud of yourself for and grateful for this Autumn equinox.
- Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Use within three months.
- To use your incense burn it on a charcoal brick in a heat proof container.
I wish you a sweet abundant Mabon !
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