Soft Spirituality

,

,

Mabon: Start of Fall

As the wheel of the year turns again, we begin the season of Mabon, a time of balance, reflection, and gratitude. Falling around September 21st-23rd in the Northern Hemisphere, Mabon marks the point of equal day and night, signaling the waning into the darker half of the year.

Why Mabon is Celebrated:

Mabon is a time to celebrate the fruits of the harvest, express gratitude for the abundance of the Earth, and acknowledge the balance between light and darkness. It’s a festival of reflection, giving thanks for the blessings received throughout the year.

Spiritual Themes of Mabon:

  1. Balance and Equilibrium:
    • The season of Mabon emphasizes the importance of balance in our lives, both internally and externally. Use this season to reflect on how to achieve and maintain harmony between various aspects of life, such as work and rest, giving and receiving, and the spiritual and the mundane.
  2. Gratitude:
    • Mabon encourages us to express gratitude for the abundance all around us. As the second harvest festival, Mabon is a time to give thanks for the abundance and blessings received throughout the year. Use this time as an opportunity to express gratitude for the fruits of labor, both literal and metaphorical, and to recognize the contributions your community as well as the natural abundance all around us.
  3. Reflection and Letting Go:
    • Mabon is a time to let go of what no longer serves you, whether it be old habits, grievances, or unnecessary burdens. This theme is about making space for new growth and preparing for the winter ahead.
  4. Connection with Nature and Cycles:
    • Mabon deepens the connection with the natural world and its cycles. It’s a time to honor the changing seasons, the cycle of life and death, and the continuous process of transformation. This theme fosters a sense of respect for nature and an understanding of one’s place within the larger web of life.

Mabon Correspondences and Facts:

  • Date: September 22
  • Themes: healing, equilibrium, grief, reflection, preparation
  • Time of Day: Dusk
  • Generational Cycle Correspondence: Crone
  • Season Correspondence: Beginning of Fall
  • Astrological Correspondence: Libra Season – First half of Scorpio Season
  • Moon Energy: Last Quarter Moon
  • Tarot: The Hermit
  • Crystals: amber, citrine, and carnelian
  • Colors: brown, gold, orange, red, yellow, green
  • Keywords: equinox, balance, gratitude, agriculture

Mabon on the Witch’s Calendar

  • Generational/Universal Time – Crone: Mabon falls under the season of the Crone. We are being asked to use the wisdom we’ve collected and spread it with others.
  • Season – Fall: Mabon kicks off the season of fall. Use this time to prepare for the upcoming winter and shed what no longer serves you.
  • Astrological Seasons – Libra Season – First half of Scorpio Season: Libra is the season of balance and Scorpio is the season of transformation. During Mabon we are asked to look to both themes and embrace change and the dance we do to balance the dark and the light of our lives.
  • Moon Phase – Last Quarter Moon: The moon is waning during this time and it’s a time to reflect and let go. Wrap up anything you started back during the seasons of Imbolc and Ostara. What goals can you achieve?
  • Time of Day – Dusk: Night is coming, but there is still daylight. Use this season to prepare for the night ahead and be present while the light is still here.

If you want to learn more about Sacred Cycles, check out this post: Cyclic Magic

Mabon Rituals:

Here are my favorite rituals for Mabon Season:

  1. Create a gratitude journal and write down everything you’re thankful for
  2. Host a harvest feast featuring seasonal foods like apples, root vegetables, and pies
  3. Press fallen leaves
  4. Save seeds for next season
  5. Make a Mabon wreath using autumn leaves, berries, and dried corn
  6. Have a bonfire to celebrate the harvest
  7. Do a ritual to honor the balance between light and dark within yourself
  8. Go apple picking and make a homemade apple pie
  9. Create a nature mandala using leaves, nuts, and berries
  10. Write down your goals for the coming months and place them on your altar
  11. Light candles in autumn colors to symbolize the changing of the seasons
  12. Host a potluck dinner with friends and family, sharing seasonal dishes
  13. Make a batch of spiced cider or mulled wine
  14. Perform a ritual to bless your home with abundance and protection
  15. Make a herbal sachet using fall herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme
  16. Make a donation to a local food bank or charity to share your abundance
  17. Host a community swap, exchanging clothes, food, or homemade goods

Mabon Altar Ideas:

  • Decorations: apples, pumpkins, leaves, seeds, dried flowers, cornucopia
  • Altar Tools: Chalice, cauldron, harvest tools, pulled tarot cards, pendulum
  • Crystals: amber, citrine, lapis lazuli, sapphire, topaz

Mabon invites us to pause and appreciate the abundance that surrounds us, acknowledging the changing seasons and the balance between light and dark. Through rituals, crafts, and a connection with the cycles of nature, we can honor the energy of Mabon and express gratitude for the blessings of the harvest. As we embark on the journey into the darker half of the year, may Mabon inspire us to find balance, reflect on our journey, and embrace the inherent beauty of the changing seasons.

Learn More:

Ariel
,

Discover more from Soft Spirituality

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading