In this post, I wanted to go through the reason that Witches and Pagans celebrate this time of year.
Mabon is the time of year that we reach the autumnal equinox, and is also the second of the pagan harvest celebrations. The best way (for me) to look at Mabon in relation to the wheel of the year, is that if Yule is the Midnight of the year, then Mabon is its sunset.
We are using this time to connect with the season of autumn, as well as celebrating and thanking the deities for the harvests that summer has given us. At this time of year, trees, vegetables, fruit and herbs alike, are producing their gifts to us from the Earth, and we should celebrate that! Everything is ripe, and in times of old, pagans would harvest their crops to store for the winter – all the time thanking the gods for providing them.
Mabon also sees the turn of the seasons from summer to autumn and the world around us is beginning to show that. ThLook for trees near your home to demonstrate how we can begin to physically see the changes that are happening.
Your rituals and ceremonies should be adapted for your own taste and feelings for this time of year, but as a guide, I thought I would share my smaller altar with you which has been designed for Mabon and will be the part of my celebration this year. Up until this point, I have shown you how to make smudge sticks using herbs that (hopefully) you have harvested for yourself, and also a Mabon-rich incense that you can use in your own celebration.
As you can see, I have collected fruits and herbs that have strong ties to Mabon for their harvest qualities.
I collected an apple and used both Horse Chestnut (conkers) and acorns to decorate the altar. You should do your own research into herbs that mean something to your ritual (maybe herbs that you have grown or collected?). As always I have included a brief fact file of the herbs that I have used for your benefit!
I always like to leave an offering for the deities on my altar, and on my Mabon altar I have used Elf’s Leaf (Lavender) and Dew of the Sea (Rosemary) – simply, because I grew them in my garden and it seemed appropriate to give thanks for them. The altar is also decorated with colours of the season – in this case Red, Gold, Orange, Yellow and Brown.
Of course at this time of year, if you have your own garden (big or small) you should use this time to collect and store your herbs for your own personal use – whether they are for magical, ceremonial, medicinal or culinary uses.
Horse Chestnut (Buckeye):
- Buckeye is a masculine herb that represents Jupiter and Fire.
- Magically, It is used for Money, Success and Healing spells.
Oak (Tanner's Bark):
- Tanner's Bark is another Masculine herb that represents the Sun and Fire.
- It has many uses, including spells for Protection, Health, Healing, Money, Fertility and Luck.
Lavender and Rosemary: See Post called “Making Mabon Smudge Sticks”
As always, please feel free to comment and maybe leave pictures of your own altars and celebrations for others to see. The best way that we can learn new skills is through others! Happy Mabon and Blessed Be
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