Just to let you all know, on Sunday the 23rd of September, Mabon is happening!
Now, that’s great, but… what is Mabon?
Mabon is a pagan holiday that takes place on the annual Autumnal Equinox (which this year is on Sunday, September 23rd).
Also called Harvest Home, it is a time for celebration and for reaping what you have sewn.
It is a time to give thanks to Gaea, our Mother Earth.
Mabon is also the name of the welsh god of light and the son of the Earth Mother, Modron.
How do you celebrate Mabon?
Witches celebrate Mabon in a number of different ways. Typically, witches will incorporate the symbols of the harvest holiday into their day.
These symbols include items such as horns of plenty, ivy, and pine cones; foods such as pomegranates, pumpkins, dried seed, and apples; colours such as orange, gold, maroon, brown, and red.
Many wiccans have a large feast on this night, filled with the foods of the holiday such as potatoes, carrots, squash, pomegranates, apples, and onions. It is sometimes seasoned with the herbs of the god Mabon (rose, honeysuckle, acorns, thistle, and ferns) but make sure they’re edible!
Some witches build an altar for Mabon and decorate it with the symbols of the harvest holiday, as well as with tools (such as hand trowels, baskets or scythes), and a yellow or orange candle. When the candle is lit, many witches offer a prayer to the Goddess Mother or the Green Man.
What are other things to do on the holiday?
There are many things to do! Here are just a few suggestions.
Practice apple magic, go on a long walk in the woods, listen to music, do arts and crafts, and spend time with your family and friends!
Mabon is a time of balance. Meditation for harmony is great to do on this holiday. Maybe even meditate outside if it’s not too cold!
Celebrate the hearth and the home and cleanse your home by burning sage or using consecrated water. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season!
Leave an offering of thanks to the gods of the vine. Whether that is Dionysus, Bacchus, the Green Man, or other gods! Leaving an offering of wine, honey, apples, frankincense, etc.
I hope you all have a wonderful harvest season and a great Mabon! Feel free to leave a comment of how you’re celebrating this year. Blessed be to all!
Mabon is the holiday of The Great Harvest, and it’s the Autumn Equinox.
Colours – orange, brown, ochre, all colours of the season
Altar/Home Decorations – orange candles, fallen leaves, pine cones, acorns, chestnuts, wheat, nuts, hazelnuts, apples and anything that’s in season where you live (in Italy we have figs, peaches, plums and grapes)
Something to eat – apples, apple pie, hazelnut pie, almond cookies, anything listed above that is in season, honey, milk, coffee and hot tea
Things to do – set new goals, forgive someone who did you wrong, meditate, cook something, try to be kinder and nicer (the season for anger and revenge will come, but this time of the year it’s easier to find peace)
Mabon is the second harvest festival in the Wheel of the Year that is celebrated on the autumnal equinox.
🍎Make apples into bowls! Carve out an apple so that the filling is gone and all that is left is a thick bowl-shaped apple shell. You can put small plants in these, offerings to spirits or deities, or you can place a candle inside. Put it on an altar or windowsill and it’s complete!
🍎Donate food! If you have food to spare, donate some to a local food pantry. Also, if you have pet food or toys to spare, donate to those to a local animal shelter! Mabon is a great holiday to give back and donating what you can is a wonderful way to celebrate the equinox!
🍎Burn bad habits! Literally. If you have a fireplace or somewhere where you can safely burn things, write down your bad habits and throw them in the fire. Then write down good habits you wish to have and hang it near the fireplace or on the fridge if you don’t have a fireplace. This season is all about change, so burn away the bad and work towards positive change!
🍎Spend time with friends and family! Surround yourself with good company and have a fun time! You can visit an apple orchard, watch a movie and eat sweet treats, spend time in the living room together, enjoy a meal with each other, and more.
🍎Bake and share! Apples are an ideal ingredient for homemade goods this time of year. Share your homemade treats with friends, family, or share them with a deity or spirit as an offering. Not only will you get to enjoy your goodies, but your loved ones will, too!
🍎Visit the deceased. Gather some fallen leaves (or flowers if you prefer), acorns, and pine cones and adorn the deceased’s grave with them. You can also light a candle for them and pray or talk to them. Take time to remember them on this holiday.
🍎Harvest and take care of your plants! Gather your herbs or take extra special care of your plants. You can use your harvested materials right away, dry them out, and/or store them away for later use! If your plant is not ready to be harvested, treat it to some new soil or fresh water!
🍎Make or buy wine! Unless you’re underage or an alcoholic. Otherwise, get or make some wine and celebrate! Who doesn’t like to get a little drunk on holidays?
🍎Take time to bask in nature! Winter is coming soon and those walks in the park won’t be as pleasant. Spend some time in the woods, an apple orchard, a lake, or just in your backyard and embrace what nature has to offer!
🍎Meditate or do some spells for balance! Mabon is an ideal time to perform spells that help balance your life. You can also meditate to relieve stress or whatever it is you like to do to relieve stress. Take time to relax and take care of yourself this holiday!
This week is Mabon! For all Witches, and with any sabbath, it’s a fun time to celebrate. So, I figured I’d put together a little guide for Mabon.
Mabon is also known as the Autumnal Equinox, when Night and Day are equal with each other. With Mabon, we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending darkness. The Druids call this celebration, Mea’n Fo’mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.
At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.
Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.
Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.
Herbs of Maybon:
Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon’s seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.
Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Incense of Mabon:
Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.
Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.
Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.
Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.
Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.
Deities of Mabon:
Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona and the Muses. Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man.
Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life. May your Mabon be memorable, and your hearts and spirits be filled to overflowing!
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