Autumn has very definitely arrived, with the advent of mist, rain and cooler air after the heat of this summer… and as the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to change, many spiritual traditions mark this seasonal shift with a festival known as Mabon. Rooted in ancient harvest rites and celebrated today by Pagans, Wiccans, and Druids, Mabon honors the Autumn Equinox – the moment when day and night stand in perfect balance before we turn toward the darker half of the year….
Mabon usually falls between September 21st and 24th, here in the Northern Hemisphere. It is sometimes called the second harvest, a time of abundance and gratitude as communities gathered in the fruits of their labour and prepared for the coming winter.
The equinox itself symbolizes balance – light and dark, inner and outer, past and future. It’s a natural invitation to pause, reflect, and ask: What am I ready to release? What do I want to carry forward into the months ahead?
For some, Mabon also echoes other seasonal myths, like Persephone’s descent into the underworld, marking the transition into the darker season of the year… fans of the author Terry Pratchett will recognise the time of the other Morris Dance; the one danced in the dark, without bells, and with the dancers dressed in black; it’s a seasonal balance, after all.
Readers of my blog may remember my post last year on Mabon, when I first came across the Celtic Calendar as a means of mitigating my previously-suffered ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’; and how I discovered that this was less of a ‘Disorder’ than a disconnection from the natural world, and an acceptance of the different feelings engendered by the turning of the wheel of the year.
So I asked ChatGPT for some suggestions on ways we can honour the season of Mabon, and here is what it offered:
- Feast with Seasonal Foods: Apples, squashes, bread, wine, and cider make a hearty equinox table.
- Create a Harvest Altar: Decorate with autumn leaves, acorns, pumpkins, and a cornucopia to symbolise abundance.
- Offer Gratitude: Take time to give thanks – for the earth, your ancestors, or the blessings in your own life.
- Go on a Nature Walk: Notice the changes in the landscape; the colours and the shifting energy of the season.
- Seek Balance: Try meditation, journaling, or divination to reflect on what you’re letting go of and what you wish to preserve.
Mabon offers us a meaningful way to slow down and honour the turning of the seasons; it’s a reminder that cycles of growth and rest are part of both nature and our own lives.
So as the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, consider pausing to mark the equinox. Light a candle, share a meal, or simply step outside to breathe in the autumn air. In doing so, you join a long lineage of people who have looked to the rhythms of the earth for guidance, balance, and renewal.
