September 21 is almost here! Time to celebrate Mabon, the Fall Equinox!
The meaning of Mabon
The second Sabbat of the harvest season, this holiday is named after the Welsh God, Mabon, son of Earth Mother goddess Modron. The Anglo-Saxons called September halegmonath or “holy month”, and some believe that at this time the fairy kingdom begins to touch the veil of mortals.
Astronomically, the equinox is a point of equilibrium because night and day have the same duration. The long days of summer have come to an end as the wheel of the year keeps turning towards cold and darkness.
At the same time, the leaves are dying and fall invites us to let go of everything we no longer need. It is a time of detachment and release.
What to do on Mabon?
It is an ideal time to let go of everything that is old and useless in our homes, and in our lives. A great time for a haircut, deep cleaning, giving things away, and moving forward.
You can write down on a piece of paper everything that has been weighing you down, then break it into pieces and burn it on Mabon’s night.
Video Ritual: Sabbat Celebration #CastAlong
Mabon is also a celebration of abundance. It is time to give thanks for the generosity of Earth as Goddess (the feminine aspect) and the light and energy of the Sun God (the masculine aspect). Because of this Natural balance we obtain all goods and it is time to honor it in a Wiccan thanksgiving feast.
The God prepares to die and the Goddess becomes the Elder but, inside, she is already the Maiden and carries the seed of God, which will be reborn in Yule. We celebrate the dual nature of life and death. Past and future are united in this never-ending cycle.
Ideas for a Mabon Altar
Mabon Symbols
- Baskets filled with:
Corn, leaves, flowers, red poppies, nuts, grains, acorns, pine and cypress cones, oak sprigs, wreaths, vine, grapes, apples, marigolds, harvested crops, wine, gourds.
Mabon Offerings
Gather and place any of the following foods on your altar to give thanks:
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Fruits, such as apples, berries or grapes.
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Nuts and hazelnuts.
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Seeds, grains, and bread.
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Tomatoes, squash, eggplants, peppers, potatoes, carrots and onions.
Mabon colors
The use of color is a great way to celebrate. Mabon symbolizes the fall of the leaves, the beginning of the darkest and coldest part of the year.
Because of this, Mabon should reflect the colors of autumn:
- Yellow, gold, brown, reddish, orange, white, black.
Other Items for a Mabon Altar
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Food & Drinks: Cornbread, Bread, Grains, Berries, Nuts, Grapes, Acorns, Seeds, Dried Fruits, Corn, Beans, Squash, Onions, Carrots, Potatoes, Hops, Apples, Pomegranates, Roast Goose or Mutton, Wine, Ales And Ciders.
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Plants and Herbs: Cereals of all kinds, sage, thistle, honeysuckle, passionflower, ferns, tobacco, and Solomon’s seal.
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Incenses: Frankincense, Cypress, Sandalwood, Pine, Juniper, Myrrh.
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Oils: Incense, Sandalwood, Sage.
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Stones: Amber, Tiger’s eye, Yellow Agate, Citrine, solar stones, or any yellow or orange stone.
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Deities: The Mother Goddess, Brighit, Isis, Persephone, Freyja.
The Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty
The horn of plenty (referring to the symbolic Horn of the Wiccan God) is a symbol widely used since the 5th century BC to evoke abundance and prosperity.
In artwork, it was often full with an abundance of food, leading it to become a symbol of harvest time. Over the centuries, the image of a cornucopia evolved from an animal horn to a horn-shaped basket.