Mabon! How to Celebrate the Fall Equinox Alone!🍇

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? :sparkles:

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

Video%20Mabon%20Ritual
Click here to watch the video

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.

Mabon%20Altar

Ideas for a Mabon Altar

Mabon Symbols

  • :basket: 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 :candle:

Gather and place any of the following foods on your altar to give thanks:

  • Fruits, such as apples, berries or grapes.

  • Nuts and hazelnuts.

  • Seeds, grains, and bread.

  • Tomatoes, squash, eggplants, peppers, potatoes, carrots and onions.

Mabon colors :orange_circle: :yellow_circle: :brown_circle:

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

  • 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.

  • Plants and Herbs: Cereals of all kinds, sage, thistle, honeysuckle, passionflower, ferns, tobacco, and Solomon’s seal.

  • Incenses: Frankincense, Cypress, Sandalwood, Pine, Juniper, Myrrh.

  • Oils: Incense, Sandalwood, Sage.

  • Stones: Amber, Tiger’s eye, Yellow Agate, Citrine, solar stones, or any yellow or orange stone.

  • Deities: The Mother Goddess, Brighit, Isis, Persephone, Freyja.

The Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty :corn:

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.

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Mornings are crisp and the leaves are falling from the trees here- Autumn really feels like it has arrived! I can’t believe September came so quickly. Mabon is just a few weeks away now :corn::ear_of_rice::orange_heart:

I’m still not sure what I’ll do to celebrate… time to start planning! :grin:

Does anyone have any Mabon plans in the works yet? I’m on the hunt for ideas! :raised_hands:

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I can’t believe Mabon is already around the corner! Time is really flying by.
But I’m very happy that it’s getting colder and the days are getting shorter - autumn just always feels very cozy to me, and a bit nostalgic as well :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :herb:

I don’t have any plans yet; I’ll definitely cook and bake something, maybe invite friends over to have dinner together :blush:

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Cheers to that, @christine4! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: I know the feeling, Autumn is definitely my favorite season! There’s something powerful in the air, and I’ve always thought nature is most beautiful at this time of year! :jack_o_lantern::maple_leaf: It’s a bit somber though, like the trees are putting on one final show before winter comes and the world retreats to grays and whites :snowflake:

It sounds like you’ve got some great ideas in the works! And maybe a little kitchen witchery too :grin: Do you have any favorite recipes for this time of year?

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Here’s a seasonal recipe that look great! It’s from Llewellyn’s Sabbats Almanac

Mabon Recipe: Crispy Apple Pie Wraps :pie:

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cooking time: 6–15 minutes
  • Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 apples, cored and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of cardamom
  • ÂĽ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 4 flour burrito-sized tortillas or gluten-free wraps
  1. Preheat oven or air fryer to 400° F (200° C).

  2. Mix cut-up apples, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave 1 more minute.

  3. Melt coconut oil for less than a minute in the microwave and spread it thinly on both sides of each tortilla using a basting brush.

  4. Divide the apple mixture between the 4 tortillas. Roll each one like a burrito: fold one side over the apples, then pull the sides in to enclose the apples, while rolling it all the way up. Fasten it closed with a toothpick.

  5. Bake them either in the oven on a baking sheet for 15 minutes or in an air fryer for 6 minutes.

  6. Optional: dust the tops with powdered sugar

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I’ve always loved Fall, it just is the best season to me. This will be my first celebration of Mabon, so I am definitely thrilled. I think I’ll make some pumpkin bread and find a recipe for a good stew, and put out a bit of wine for the celebration. Might also study either Freyja or Isis.

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I absolutely love soups, so I might just make a pumpkin soup and bake some bread for dipping :yum: :shallow_pan_of_food:

And the recipe for crispy apple pie wraps that @Francisco posted would be perfect for dessert :grinning: :pie:

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@Francisco, I can’t get outside to release crushed leaves. Is it okay to dispose of them using water rather than air? I was thinking of flushing the bits of leaves away. LOL. That’ll get rid of it.

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Wonderful information! I was just wondering about this myself and looking through my BOS for any information regarding Mabon. This was a great read!

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I’m glad you liked it @Susurrus!!

@Amethyst Yes, that sounds like a good idea :+1:

Releasing them in the wind is a way to connect with Air as we approach Libra season :libra: (Air sign) but of course if you can’t go outside, flushing them with the same intention will work!

Other elemental ways could be:

  • Burning them in a safe container (or bonfire, hearth) :fire:
  • Burying them in the ground or in a flowerpot. :seedling:
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OOh, I can burn them in my cauldron and then flush away the ashes. Thanks for the help @Francisco! I knew I could count on you!

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I’m definitely saving that recipe! I can’t wait to make it!

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Crispy apple pie wraps, pumpkin bread with stew, and pumpkin soup- oh my! :drooling_face::two_hearts: You all have some wonderful fall recipes and ideas! I just got my first pumpkin at the market- I was planning to make some pumpkin puree, but it’s so cute I think I’m tempted to leave it as a decoration for a few more days! :jack_o_lantern::laughing:

Mabon is coming very quickly this year it seems- happy Autumn, everyone! :fallen_leaf::two_hearts:

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Oooooh that’s inspired me to make my apple strudel!
I’ll see if I can get that uploaded this week :apple: :green_apple: :heart_eyes:

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Love Strudel!! :wink::yum:
Blessed Be,

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@Francisco, thank you for recipe!!

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We are so in sync, @LimeBerry! :laughing: :green_apple: It’s more of a crisp I threw together yesterday, but kind of similar:

Apple and raspberry crisp with raspberry white chocolate ice cream! :yum:

What is everyone else cooking/baking up this week? My apple crisp is already devoured and I’d love to see all the autumn dessert recipes you lovely folks recommend! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts::apple:

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@BryWisteria, looks absolutely delicious! Enjoy!

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I’m the only one here so I don’t cook much, not desserts anyways. I can’t have sugar much so I just buy like an individual serving of an apple tart and a pint of ice cream for it. :neutral_face: There are days I miss cooking but I’m glad I don’t have to face all the temptation!

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Thank you, @walter! :blush:

You are very right about the temptation, @Amethyst! I try to only use small baking dishes when I bake to avoid having too many snacks and goodies laying about. When I know they are there I tend to eat them all very quickly :sweat_smile: I think it’s a smart idea to buy a single portion when you want a snack! I hope you have some nice places nearby that sell single portions of tasty (and low sugar!) autumn goodies for when you get a craving :yum:

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