Mabon

Despite the bad publicity generated by Thomas Tryon's novel, Harvest Home is the pleasantest of holidays. Admittedly, it does involve the concept of sacrifice, but one that is symbolic only. The sacrifice is that of the spirit of vegetation, John Barleycorn. Occurring 1/4 of the year after Midsummer, Harvest Home represents mid-autumn, autumn's height. It is also the Autumnal Equinox, one of the quarter days of the year, a Lesser Sabbat and a Low Holiday in modern Witchcraft. Recently, some Pagan groups have begun calling the holiday by the Welsh name 'Mabon', although there seems little historical justification for doing so.

Technically, an equinox is an astronomical point and, due to the fact that the earth wobbles on its axis slightly (rather like a top that's slowing down), the date may vary by a few days depending on the year. The autumnal equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on it's apparent journey southward, and we experience a day and a night that are of equal duration. Up until Harvest Home, the hours of daylight have been greater than the hours from dusk to dawn. But from now on, the reverse holds true. Astrologers know this as the date on which the sun enters the sign of Libra, the Balance (an appropriate symbol of a balanced day and night).

However, since most European peasants were not accomplished at calculating the exact date of the equinox, they celebrated the event on a fixed calendar date, September 25th, a holiday the medieval Church Christianized under the name of 'Michaelmas', the feast of the Archangel Michael. (One wonders if, at some point, the R.C. Church contemplated assigning the four quarter days of the year to the four Archangels, just as they assigned the four cross-quarter days to the four gospel-writers. Further evidence for this may be seen in the fact that there was a brief flirtation with calling the Vernal Equinox 'Gabrielmas', ostensibly to commemorate the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary on Lady Day.)

Again, it must be remembered that the Celts reckoned their days from sundown to sundown, so the September 25th festivities actually begin on the previous sundown (our September 24th). Although our Pagan ancestors probably celebrated Harvest Home on September 25th, modern Witches and Pagans, with their desk-top computers for making finer calculations, seem to prefer the actual equinox point, beginning the celebration on its eve.

Mythically, this is the day of the year when the god of light is defeated by his twin and alter-ego, the god of darkness. It is the time of the year when night conquers day. And as I have recently shown in my seasonal reconstruction of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd, the Autumnal Equinox is the only day of the whole year when Llew (light) is vulnerable and it is possible to defeat him. Llew now stands on the balance (Libra/autumnal equinox), with one foot on the cauldron (Cancer/summer solstice) and his other foot on the goat (Capricorn/winter solstice). Thus he is betrayed by Blodeuwedd, the Virgin (Virgo) and transformed into an Eagle (Scorpio).

Two things are now likely to occur mythically, in rapid succession. Having defeated Llew, Goronwy (darkness) now takes over Llew's functions, both as lover to Blodeuwedd, the Goddess, and as King of our own world. Although Goronwy, the Horned King, now sits on Llew's throne and begins his rule immediately, his formal coronation will not be for another six weeks, occurring at Samhain (Halloween) or the beginning of Winter, when he becomes the Winter Lord, the Dark King, Lord of Misrule. Goronwy's other function has more immediate results, however. He mates with the virgin goddess, and Blodeuwedd conceives, and will give birth -- nine months later (at the Summer Solstice) -- to Goronwy's son, who is really another incarnation of himself, the Dark Child.

Llew's sacrificial death at Harvest Home also identifies him with John Barleycorn, spirit of the fields. Thus, Llew represents not only the sun's power, but also the sun's life trapped and crystallized in the corn. Often this corn spirit was believed to reside most especially in the last sheaf or shock harvested, which was dressed in fine clothes, or woven into a wicker-like man-shaped form. This effigy was then cut and carried from the field, and usually burned, amidst much rejoicing. So one may see Blodeuwedd and Goronwy in a new guise, not as conspirators who murder their king, but as kindly farmers who harvest the crop which they had planted and so lovingly cared for. And yet, anyone who knows the old ballad of John Barleycorn knows that we have not heard the last of him.

They let him stand till midsummer's day,

Till he looked both pale and wan,

And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard

And so become a man...

Incidentally, this annual mock sacrifice of a large wicker-work figure (representing the vegetation spirit) may have been the origin of the misconception that Druids made human sacrifices. This charge was first made by Julius Caesar (who may not have had the most unbiased of motives), and has been re-stated many times since. However, as has often been pointed out, the only historians besides Caesar who make this accusation are those who have read Caesar. And in fact, upon reading Caesar's 'Gallic Wars' closely, one discovers that Caesar never claims to have actually witnessed such a sacrifice. Nor does he claim to have talked to anyone else who did. In fact, there is not one single eyewitness account of a human sacrifice performed by Druids in all of history!

Nor is there any archeological evidence to support the charge. If, for example, human sacrifices had been performed at the same ritual sites year after year, there would be physical traces. Yet there is not a scrap. Nor is there any native tradition or history which lends support. In fact, insular tradition seems to point in the opposite direction. The Druid's reverence for life was so strict that they refused to lift a sword to defend themselves when massacred by Roman soldiers on the Isle of Mona. Irish brehon laws forbade a Druid to touch a weapon, and any soul rash enough to unsheathe a sword in the presence of a Druid would be executed for such an outrage!

Jesse Weston, in her brilliant study of the Four Hallows of British myth, 'From Ritual to Romance', points out that British folk tradition is, however, full of mock sacrifices. In the case of the wicker-man, such figures were referred to in very personified terms, dressed in clothes, addressed by name, etc. In such a religious ritual drama, everybody played along.

They've hired men with scythes so sharp,

To cut him off at the knee,

They've rolled him and tied him by the waist

Serving him most barbarously...

In the medieval miracle-play tradition of the 'Rise Up, Jock' variety (performed by troupes of mummers at all the village fairs), a young harlequin-like king always underwent a mock sacrificial death. But invariably, the traditional cast of characters included a mysterious 'Doctor' who had learned many secrets while 'travelling in foreign lands'. The Doctor reaches into his bag of tricks, plies some magical cure, and presto! the young king rises up hale and whole again, to the cheers of the crowd. As Weston so sensibly points out, if the young king were actually killed, he couldn't very well rise up again, which is the whole point of the ritual drama! It is an enactment of the death and resurrection of the vegetation spirit. And what better time to perform it than at the end of the harvest season?

In the rhythm of the year, Harvest Home marks a time of rest after hard work. The crops are gathered in, and winter is still a month and a half away! Although the nights are getting cooler, the days are still warm, and there is something magical in the sunlight, for it seems silvery and indirect. As we pursue our gentle hobbies of making corn dollies (those tiny vegetation spirits) and wheat weaving, our attention is suddenly arrested by the sound of baying from the skies (the 'Hounds of Annwn' passing?), as lines of geese cut silhouettes across a harvest moon. And we move closer to the hearth, the longer evening hours giving us time to catch up on our reading, munching on popcorn balls and caramel apples and sipping home-brewed mead or ale. What a wonderful time Harvest Home is! And how lucky we are to live in a part of the country where the season's changes are so dramatic and majestic!

And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl--

And he's brandy in the glass,

And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl

Proved the strongest man at last.

[Song quotations from recording by Traffic]

Document Copyright © 1986, 1999 by Mike Nichols. This document can be re-published only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others. Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by Mike Nichols. Revised: Sunday, February 7, 1999 c.e. Please click here to go to Mike Nichols home page.

The Fall Equinox, or Mabon, is celebrated as the final harvest of the season. This holiday was pivotal in ancient times, since a good final harvest was crucial to surviving the winter months ahead. This is the time of year where we truly reap what we have sown and we prepare for the long winter that lays before us. The day and night are again equal in time and the God has traveled at last to His place of rest. Now, He has sacrificed the last of Himself to provide us with a final harvest of food before the winter begins. Celebrants gather to mark the turning of the wheel and to give thanks for the ultimate sacrifice of The God, recognizing that He will be reborn at Yule. This holiday has been called "The Witches' Thanksgiving" and is a time for feasting together with family and friends.
This is also the time to welcome the season of the Crone. Kore' goes to the Underworld to learn the secrets of the Crone (or in some stories she is kidnapped by Hades), and the earth is bare as Her mother, Demeter, mourns Her loss. But although the winter is before us, we know that the wheel will turn again, life will be reborn, and our blessings are bountiful.

by Gabrielle Diana Laney

This old folk song that has survived to this day, tells perfectly the story of this time of year called Harvest Home or Mabon. John Barleycorn was called the spirit of the fields.It was believed the sun’s life was trapped and crystallized in the corn (corn was a word that referred to wheat mainly, but also described other types of grain). Often this corn spirit was believed to reside most especially in the last sheaf or shock harvested, which was dressed in fine clothes, or woven into a wicker-like man-shaped form. This effigy was then cut and carried from the field, and usually burned, amidst much rejoicing. And yet, if we listen to the old ballad of John Barleycorn, we find we have not heard the last of him.

The song of John Barleycorn is a metaphor of the mystery of death and rebirth. The song describes the life, death and resurrection of the grain as it tells the story of John Barleycorn, who was killed, buried, sprang up in the spring, grew stronger in the summer and grew weaker in the autumn. This is a story of life and not death. The cycle of the year and of the sacrifice and transformation of grain into food and drink.
The word “Mabon” is from the story of Mabon ap Modron, “the son of the mother”, the Divine Youth. Mabon is taken when he is three nights’ old. His whereabouts are shrouded in mystery; it is through the wisdom and memory of the most ancient animals (Blackbird, Stag, Owl, Eagle, and Salmon) that we understand where he is and why. Mabon dwells in His Mother’s womb, the Otherworld in a place of challenge, nurturing, renewal, regeneration and new life. Just as the light is now being drawn into the earth accumulating strength and wisdom, to become a new seed, Mabon has returned to his Mother’s womb.
Mythically, this is the day of the year when the god of light is defeated by his twin and alter-ego, the god of darkness. It is the time of the year when night conquers day.
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. On that note here’s wishing all a happy Harvest!

The Autumnal Equinox
As with the Vernal Equinox, the Autumnal or Fall Equinox, also known as Mabon to those who follow the Olde Way, is the time when day and night are equal. Here the land is full of the gifts of nature and the effort of humankind
The night air has a tang about it, the darkness of winter is coming and it's time for the earth to sleep until the sun is again brought forth from the dark.
The Second Harvest
In the ancient cycle of the year, this was actually the second harvest; the first harvest festival occurs on August 1st and is known as Lammas. As methods of agriculture became more uniform and sophisticated, the autumn harvest was moved back until the last possible growing time was completed to maximize its size. As such, the Autumnal Equinox became synonymous with not only the completion of the harvest, but also the end of summer.
Relationship to Thanksgiving
This final gathering of the crops and the beginning of preparations for the long winter that lay ahead marked a time of thanksgiving for all that Nature had given her children and for the completion of another turn of the Great Wheel.

Although an essential part of human life, celebrating the bounty of the harvest would not appear in the post-Christian era until the late 1500s and early 1600s by those individuals whom history would later call "Pilgrims."

Mabon, much like the modern day Thanksgiving, was a time for feasting, celebrating the good fortune of the previous year and preparing for the long months of winter that were ahead.

The Fall Equinox

The autumnal (or fall) equinox, which occurs as the sun enters Libra, takes place on September 22, 2000. It is a time when day and night, male and female energy (yin and yang), light and darkness are in perfect balance.
As the activity of the summer season draws to a close, the growth begun in spring has reached maturity. Moving into autumn, energy is decreasing and the pace is slowing toward the inactivity of winter. Fall is the time to harvest what was planted and to begin preparations for the next season of crops or activities. In ancient times, fall celebrations were common, with the harvest of fruits, grains, and vegetables critical for survival in the coming winter.
It is no surprise that celebration began in ancient times and continues to this day. Harvest festivals of many types still occur today in farming country, and Thanksgiving is an echo of these. Many of the festivals coincide with Jewish and Christian holidays, by no accident. These points in the year were important community celebrations and the Pagan practices were kept largely intact although they were rededicated to the Christian God or a saint.
The fall equinox is the time for the second of three harvest festivals celebrated by Pagan and Neo-pagan religions, known as Mabon, Alban Elfed, Harvest Home, and Winter Finding. (The first, Lammas, is on Aug. 1st and the last, Samhain, is Oct. 31st.) As a holiday, Mabon represents a time for honoring the dead, visiting burial sites, giving thankfulness for the end of the harvest season and the bounty it provides. These are the themes of closing, letting go, and remembering the year, the harvest, and those who were lost during the year.
Mabon marks a time to harvest fruits, nuts, vegetables, and herbs for the coming winter, along with completion of the grain harvest begun during Lammas. As such, it is often known as the Pagan Thanksgiving. Although many view the harvest season as a celebration of life, it is also a celebration of death. The bounty gathered from the garden provides nourishment for family and friends, but also results in the death of those plants and vegetables harvested. Thus, Mabon is a celebration of the cycle of life. A traditional practice is to walk through wild places and forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants to use in decorating the home and for future herbal magick.
In most Pagan lore, the fall equinox is also a day of symbolic sacrifice, represented in the story of John Barleycorn, designed to manifest sustenance that will last through the winter. It has been identified as the "assumption of the Crone," when the dark face of the Goddess assumes the sway over the world which she will hold until the return of the Maiden at Imbolc. It also symbolizes the day of the year when the god of light is defeated by his twin and alter-ego, the god of darkness or, in other words, when night conquers day. For modern Pagans, the last sheaf of grain harvested is commonly tied to the sacrificed god of light.
In ancient times, though, the last sheaf of the harvest was more commonly referred to as female, with English names like "shorn maiden," "ivy bride," or "wheat girl." This association may have originated with the ancient Greeks' Eleusynian rites, which honored the goddess' disappearance at the waning year and her return in the spring. In Germany, the last sheaf was made into a female figure, dressed, and carried home with ceremony to preside over the threshing. Among North African Berbers, a straw figure was set up in the fields while the women were reaping and then carried off by mounted warriors in a mock marriage by abduction.
In Ireland, the Fall Equinox is the time of the goose harvest and is associated with the ancient custom of giving gifts of newly-butchered goose and mutton to the poor. Perhaps this tradition is the root of our modern practice of contributing food to charitable organizations during the harvest season. The Norse celebrated the Equinox by making bread dough images of Freyr and Freyja and sacrificing to the Elves. The fall equinox also occurs during deer mating and, in many places, hunting season. In British folklore, this time of year is associated with Herne the Hunter, who leads a wild phantom chase through the forest, heralding confusion and change. In one Craft tradition, the fall equinox is considered "the Night of the Hunter," when weak livestock which will not survive the winter must be slain.
The ancient Greeks also incorporated harvest and death in their mythology for the change of seasons. Demeter, the goddess of earth and agriculture, lost her beautiful daughter, Persephone, to Hades, the king of the underworld, who abducted her as his bride. Demeter, in her sadness, quit working which caused all earthly plant life to die. Zeus, aware of Hades' trickery, ruled that Persephone would live with Hades half the year and with Demeter the other half. When Persephone is in the earthly realm, spring arrives and things grow. When Persephone departs to be with Hades, Demeter is gloomy which gives us winter when nothing grows. The fall equinox represents Persephone's departure with Hades.
In Japan, the Higan-e is celebrated for three days before and after an equinox (spring and fall). The six days represent the six perfections -- giving, observance of the precepts, perseverance, effort, meditation, and wisdom -- needed before one reaches nirvana. The temperate weather at the equinoxes is thought to offer an ideal time to reflect on the meaning of life. As such, activities include repenting for past sins, praying for enlightenment in the next life, and remembering the dead through visits to their graves.
In a spiritual sense, the fall equinox can be viewed as a time of balance and also of intense change. At this time of year, the life-force or universal energy on our planet changes. As it is drawn down into the earth, we start feeling drained. This energy change forces us to pay more attention to ourselves and reflect inward. The seasonal change heightens awareness of our own inner changes and gives us an opportunity to pause and take stock of our lives.
Autumn, the time of harvest, is a good time to review what we have harvested in our own lives. We can reflect on whether we have actually planted the seeds we intended and have nurtured them to fruition. We can refocus our attention on what we truly want to manifest and then create the right atmosphere or attitude to bring it about.
Because we tend to slow down at this time of year, it's also a great time to get rid of any excess baggage so we can start the new year with a clean slate. Take the time to relax and review what you have reaped over the past year and the sacrifices made to get where you are today. Consider the balance in your life, between your personal needs and outside commitments as well as between giving and receiving. You may even want to reflect on the perfect balance of the universe symbolized by the duality of winter and summer.
This time is also viewed as a beginning in some ways. While we may feel wistful at the loss of playfulness and freedom experienced in summer, getting back to routine and structure offers us more focus and direction, making this an excellent time to begin new projects. As the nights lengthen, you have more time to be alone, to concentrate, to nurture a seed which may not blossom until spring.

Some Suggestions for Making the Most of the Autumnal Equinox and Season

Give to those less fortunate than you are.
Give yourself permission to try something absolutely new.
Take a class that teaches you how to do something you've always wanted to do.
Weave seed pods, shells, feathers, and small pine cones into strands of yarn while thinking of what you want to create in your life.
Set aside a certain amount of time (an evening, a Saturday) which is creative time for you to make anything you want.
Give thanks for the harvest and for the gifts you've received this year. You might want to make a list of your gifts or find objects to represent them. Make an offering of thanks symbolically (tie a ribbon on a tree branch or pour some wine on the ground) or directly (make a stronger commitment to recycling or scatter seed for the birds).
Buy (or make) a basket to use while shopping as a symbol of Demeter that also helps save the lives of her trees.
Reflect on how you balance your personal needs with your commitments to others and how you balance giving and receiving in your journal.
Make the balance in your life tangible by putting objects on a scale. For everything representing one side of the scale to you (e.g., a book to represent quiet time alone), place something on the other side representing its opposite (a letter or phone for reaching out to friends).
Work for balance and equilibrium in nature or in human affairs.
During your holiday feast, share tales and happy stories about those you lost during the year. Share your experiences and the lessons you have learned during the past season.
After your holiday feast, share the chore of cleaning up as a display of honor and respect to your host. This physical action demonstrates your understanding of the interconnection of all life along with your respect and gratitude for what you have been given.
End your evening in private reflection on your actions, thoughts, emotions, and experiences, and record them in your journal or book of shadows. (See the selection of Journals in our Euphorium shops.)
Reflect on the past year, identifying what to harvest and what to plow under. And again, give thanks for the gifts you received.
Identify and cut away outworn habits and emotional baggage which are wearing you down.
A traditional way to celebrate the equinox is to visit the burial sites of your loved ones. Place an apple on their marker to represent the promise of the Great Spirits for renewed life through a new incarnation.
The equinox is often considered a risky time for magick, so you may prefer to avoid magickal work and important decision-making for the several weeks prior to the onset of fall.

Sources include The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, About.com, Covenant of the Goddess Web Site, Fire Web Site

Also called: Mabon, Michaelmas
dates: around September 21
colors: orange, red, brown, purple, blue
tools: cornucopia, corn, harvested crops
energy: appreciation & harvest
goddesses: Bona Dea, Land Mother
gods: Mabon, Sky Father
rituals: thanksgiving, harvest, introspection
customs: offerings to land, preparing for cold weather, bringing in harvest

Fall Equinox, also known as Mabon, occurs between September 20th - 23rd, this date fluctuates year over year.

Mabon is the main harvest festival of the Pagan calendar and marks the beginning of Autumn.
The Goddess manifests in Her Bountiful Mother aspects.
The God emerges as the Harvest Lord / Corn King.

Colors are Orange, Dark Red, Yellow, Indigo, and Brown.
It is the festival of thanksgiving.

Select the best of each vegetable, herb, fruit, nut, and other food you have harvested or purchased and give it back to Mother Earth with prayers of thanksgiving.

Hang dried ears of corn around your home in appreciation of the harvest season.
As you store away food for the winter, meditate and chant.

Mabon am I, whom my mother sought and whom heroes and creatures working together, found and set free. I am the young sun who rises with the morning and who shines down my light through the new day. At night I journey in other lands, leaving my task to my cousin the moon. I am the watcher at the gates of dawn, whi guides and guards the way of those who seek the greater Light, who look to the new sun for inspiration and courage. Now I represent the new year, whose bright rays reach out to all created things in the still moment between the old year and the new.

Mabon, also known as Winter Finding, Alban Elfed, Feast of Avalon, Wine Harvest and finally, the Fall or Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on it's apparent journey southward, and we experience a day and a night that are of equal duration. The sun enters the sign of Libra, the Balance (an appropriate symbol of a balanced day and night). This day was christianized under the name of "Michaelmas," the feast of the Archangel Michael.

This is the second of the three harvest festivals of the Pagan year (the first being Lammas, is on August 1st, the second being Mabon, on September 23rd of this year, and the last, Samhain on October 31st). Mabon marks the completion of the grain harvest begun during Lammas. It is also a time to harvest many fruits, nuts, vegetables, and herbs for the coming winter. As such it is often known as the Pagan Thanksgiving.

This is the day of the year when the God of Light is defeated by his twin and alter-ego, the God of Darkness. It is the time of year when night conquers day. At this time the "chase of Lugh" ends with the felling of the last shaft of grain. It is within this last shaft that Lugh has hidden, but with his death, his sacrifice, we live through his abundance. It does involve the concept of sacrifice, but one that is symbolic only. The sacrifice is that of the spirit of vegetation, John Barleycorn.

We celebrate the story of Mabon ap Modron, "the son of the Mother", the Divine Youth, the Son of Light. Mabon is taken when he is three night's old. His whereabouts are shrouded in mystery; it is through the wisdom and memory of the most ancient animals (Blackbird, Stag, Owl, Eagle and Salmon) that we understand where he is and why. Mabon dwells in his Mother's womb, the Otherworld. It is a place where one is renewed and regenerated, a place of new life. So that He may be reborn, the source of Light and Joy, the champion of His Mother. Just as the Light is being drawn into the earth accumulating strength and wisdom, to become a new seed, Mabon has returned to his Mother's womb. For as winter begins, the earth incubates the tender seeds. Throughout the winter, the seeds are kept within Her womb so they may be reborn and bring forth new life.

Gardens and fields are in full bloom and heavy with nature's bounty. The harvest is upon us and it is time to reap the rewards of what has come to pass. There is a thankfullness for this abundance as well as a wish of the living to be in touch with the dead which comes up at Samhain. Mabon colors are russet, maroon, orange and all the colors of autumn. Foods consist of grains, fruits, vegetables and especially corn. Cornbread is traditional fare, as are beans and baked squash. Symbols are the apple, wine, vine, guard, cornucopia, burial cairns and garland. Deities for the Sabbat include Wine Gods (Dionysus and Bacchus), Aging Gods and Goddesses, Harvest Deities (Demeter Goddess of Grain), Persephone (Queen of the Underworld and daughter of Demeter), and Thor (Lord of Thunder in Norse mythology).

This is a time to give thanks to the gods for the fruits of our labor and our ability to provide for our family over the coming year. It is also a time to prepare for the new life and light that eternally begins. We go into the darkness to gather strength and wisdom. We gather with friends and loved ones to renew our reserves. We feast on the gifts of the harvest. We know that sometimes there is sorrow, sometimes joy. We know that the light will win again, but we must enter the darkness to get there.

Mabon, the Fall Equinox, is our harvest celebration. As during the Spring Equinox is is a time of balance between dark and light. But now, we are moving from light to darkness, from warmth to cold. We gather the harvest of summer and prepare for the winter ahead.

At Mabon, The Mother of the Harvest becomes the Old One, the wise grandmother who teaches us to rest after our labors.

In ancient Greece, the Goddess of the season was both Demeter, who can be generous with her gifts, or hold them back as she mourns for her daughter, and Persephone, who goes into the underworld to return again.

In the British Isles, the ancient name for the Goddess of this time was Modron, which simply means "Mother". Sometimes she was pictured as a trio of women, each seated on a throne. Together, they were called the Mothers. They were responsible for abundance and sustaining the life of the people In the Celtic myths, is is Modron's son who is stolen away into the Underworld.

This Holiday takes its name from the God Mabon. He was called "Mabon, son of Modron," which means "Son, Son of the Mother." He is such an ancient God that most of the stories about him have been lost. All we know is that he was stolen away from his mother when he was only three nights old and imprisoned until he was rescued by King Arthur's companions.

Because Mabon knows what it is like to be imprisoned, he is also the God of freedom. He frees animals from their cages and loosens the bonds of all those unjustly imprisoned. He protects all things wild and free.

We honor Mabon when we protect the wild things, animals and when we work for freedom for all people.

The Mabon altar is simple. Make an arrangement of some of the things harvested that will keep for a few weeks: winter squash, dried corn, herbs, pumpkins. If you haven't harvested anything yourself, this is a good time to go to a farmers' market or a pick-your-own farm and choose what you want on the altar.

Autumn leaves, a bouquet of late-blooming flowers, picture or figurines of animals are good additions, as well.

If you know any stories of people who have been imprisoned for their beliefs, their religion or race, you can put their pictures on the altar.

The colors of Mabon are vivid and brilliant. Just look at the burst of color in the forests with autumn leaves in red, bronze, orange, yellow and rust! Even the night sky glows a deep indigo and the stars shine clear thru the colder sky.

Nutmeg, cloves, SPICE are the scents of Mabon, along with Sandalwood and myrrh. Heather, pine and cedar also make good choices.

Herbs commonly associated with Mabon are: mace, cinnamon, cloves, cypress, juniper, oakmoss, marigold, ivy and sage.

Build your fires with pine, apple, and oak. Make your wands from hazel at this time of year.

Mabon (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon or MAH-bawn) or the Autumn Equinox is one of the Lesser Wiccan Sabbats and is usually celebrated around September 23rd, though it can occur as early as the 20th, depending on the timing of the actual Astrological event (check the calendar). The Autumn Equinox, like the Spring Equinox divides day and night equally. However during Autumn, (as opposed to Spring, when the opposite occurs) we begin to see the waning of the Sun more obviously now as the days continue to grow shorter until the Wheel of the Year spins around again to Yule. (Images to the left and below are by Anthony Meadows and from Llewellyn's 1998 and 1999 Witches' Calendars. Click on either image to go directly to Llewellyn's Web Site.)

The various other names for this Sabbat include the Autumn (or Autumnal) Equinox, the Fall Equinox, the Second Harvest Festival, Festival of Dionysus, Wine Harvest, Cornucopia, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), and Alban Elfed (Caledonii, or Druidic - which celebrates the Lord of the Mysteries). The Teutonic name for this period is Winter Finding, which spans from the Equinox itself until Winter Night, on October 15. Winter Night is the Norse New Year.

The symbolism of this Sabbat is that of the Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance - when day and night are equal. Symbols to represent the Mabon Sabbat are such things as grapes, wine, vines, garland, gourds, pine cones, acorns, wheat, dried leaves, burial cairns, rattles, Indian corn, Sun wheels, and horns of plenty. Altar decorations might include autumn leaves, acorns, pine cones, a pomegranate to symbolize Persephone's descent into the Underworld, and a small statue or figure to represent the Triple Goddess in Her Mother aspect.

Deities associated with Mabon include all Wine Deities - particularly Dionysus and Bacchus, and Aging Deities. Emphasis might also be placed on the Goddess in Her aspect of the Mother (Demeter is a good example), Persephone (Queen of the Underworld and daughter of Demeter), and Thor (Lord of Thunder in Norse mythology). Some other Autumn Equinox Goddesses include Modron, Morgan, Snake Woman, Epona, Pamona, and the Muses. Some appropriate Gods besides those already mentioned are Mabon, Thoth, Hermes, and Hotei.

At this point in the Wheel of the Year, two appropriate mythological legends are that of Mabon and Modron, and the story of Demeter, Persephone and Hades. The Sabbat is named for Mabon, the Welsh God who symbolized the male fertilizing principle in the Welsh myths. Some mythologists equate him as the male counterpart for Persephone.

The universal story of Mabon and his mother, Modron has been passed down to us from the ancient proto-Celtic oral tradition. Mabon ap Modron, meaning "Great Son of the Great Mother", is the Young Son, Divine Youth, or Son of Light. Just as the September equinox marks a significant time of change, so, too, does the birth of Mabon. Modron, his mother, is the Great Goddess, Guardian of the Otherworld, Protector, and Healer. She is Earth itself.

From the moment of the Autumn Equinox, the Sun's strength diminishes, until the moment of the Winter Solstice in December, when the Sun grows stronger and the days once again become longer than the nights. Mabon also disappears, taken at birth when only three nights old (some legends say he was stolen from Modron at the age of three years). Modron cries in sweet sorrow... and although his whereabouts are veiled in mystery, Mabon is eventually freed with the wisdom and memory of the most ancient of living animals - the Blackbird, the Stag, the Owl, the Eagle, and the Salmon (other legends state that King Arthur himself was Mabon's rescuer). All along, Mabon has been quite a happy captive, dwelling in Modron's magickal Otherworld - Modron's womb. It is a nurturing and enchanted place, but also one filled with challenges. Only in so powerful a place of renewable strength can Mabon be reborn as his mother's champion, as the Son of Light. Mabon's light has been drawn into the Earth, gathering strength and wisdom enough to become a new seed.

According to one Greek myth, Autumn begins when Persephone returns to the Underworld to live with her husband, Hades. This is the tale...

Ø Demeter's daughter, known as Kore at this time, was out picking flowers in a meadow when the Earth opened, and the god Hades dragged the girl into the Underworld Kingdom to be his wife. Kore's name changed to Persephone when she became the wife of Hades. For nine days Demeter looked everywhere for Kore, to no avail. In despair, she finally consulted the Sun god Helios, who told her that her brother Zeus had given the girl to Hades. Furious to hear the news, Demeter left Olympus and wandered the Earth disguised as an old woman. She finally settled in her temple at Eleusis. She cursed the Earth so it yielded no crops. Zeus became frantic and sent her a message as to why she had done this. She responded by stating to Zeus that there would be no renewing vegetation on Earth until her daughter, Kore, was returned to her.

Zeus sent Hermes into the Underworld for the girl. Hades, not wanting to give up his wife permanently, enticed Persephone to eat pomegranate seeds before she returned to her mother. Upon learning of this trick, Demeter again despaired, until Zeus declared that Persephone-Kore would live with her husband during half of the year, and return to live with her mother during the other half. In gratitude, Demeter lifted her curse on the Earth, thus creating Spring at the time of her great joy of her daughter's return; and Fall at her time of great sorrow when her daughter returned to the Underworld to live with her husband, Hades.

Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries and marks the end of the second of three Pagan Harvest Festivals, when the majority of crops have been gathered. It is considered a time of balance, a time of darkness overtaking light, a time of celebration of the Second Harvest. It is a time to honor the Aging Deities and the Spirit World. The principle key action of Mabon is giving thanks. Pagan activities may include the making of wine and the adorning of graves. A traditional practice is to walk wild places and forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants. Some of these can be used to decorate the home or altar, others saved for future herbal magick. It is considered taboo to pass burial sites and not honor the dead.

The Autumn Equinox is a wonderful time to stop and relax and be happy. While we may not have toiled the fields from sunrise to sunset every day since Lammas - as our ancestors did - most of us do work hard at what we do. At this time of year, we should stop and survey the harvest each of us has brought in over the season. For us, like our ancestors, this becomes a time of giving thanks for the success of what we have worked at.

Spellwork for protection, wealth and prosperity, security and spells to bring a feeling of self-confidence are appropriate for Mabon. Since this is a time for balance - you might include spells that will bring into balance and harmony the energies either in a room, home, or situation. Ritual actions might include the praising or honoring of fruit as proof of the love of the Goddess and God, and a ritual sprinkling of Autumn leaves.

Depending on when the leaves turn in your area, beautiful multi-colored leaves can be dipped in paraffin, to be used for decoration. Quickly dip the leaves in melted paraffin, and put them on wax paper. When the leaves are dry, you can put them in a huge decorative jar with a sigil of protection carved lightly on some or all of the leaves.

Appropriate colors for this Sabbat are red, orange, deep gold, brown, russet, maroon and violet. Candle colors might be orange, dark red, yellow, indigo, or brown. Altar cloths can also be made of material with Fall designs. Stones to use during Mabon are amethyst and yellow topaz, carnelian, lapis lazuli, sapphire, and yellow agate. River and stream stones gathered over the Summer can be empowered for various purposes. Animals associated with the Autumn Equinox are dogs, wolves and birds of prey. Mythical creatures include gnomes, minotaurs, sphinx, cyclopes, andamans and gulons. Plants associated with Mabon are vines, ivy, hazel, cedar, hops and tobacco. Traditional herbs of the Mabon sabbat include acorns, asters, benzoin, ferns, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, mums, myrrh, oak leaves, passionflower, pine, roses, sage, Solomon's seal, and thistles. Incense for the Mabon Sabbat Ritual might include any or all of the following: frankincense, aloes wood, jasmine, cinnamon, musk, cloves, benzoin, myrrh, and sage

The foods of Mabon consist of the gleanings of the Second Harvest, so grains, fruit and vegetables predominate, especially corn. Corn bread and cider are traditional fare, as are beans and baked squash. Others foods include wine, grapes, breads, pomegranates, roots (carrots, onions, potatoes, etc.), nuts and apples.

May the Lord and Lady bless you all with lots of prosperity, and a plentiful Second Harvest!

2 parts Frankincense
1 part Sandalwood
1 part Cypress
1 part Juniper
1 part Pine
1/2 part Oakmoss (or a few drops Oakmoss bouquet)
1 pinch pulverized Oak leaf

Burn during Wiccan ceremonies on Mabon (the Autumnal Equinox, circa September 21st), or at that time to attune with the change of the seasons.

(This 'Mabon Incense' recipe is from "The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews" by Scott Cunningham, Llewellyn Publications, 1989)

45 drops Honeysuckle Oil
1 cup Oak Moss
6 small Acorns
2 cups dried Oak Leaves
2 cups dried Honeysuckle
1 cup dried Passionflower
1 cup dried Rosebuds and Petals
1/2 cup dried Pine Needles
1 tablespoon Sage

Mix the honeysuckle oil with the oak moss and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.

(This 'Autumn Equinox Ritual Potpourri' recipe is from "The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch's Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes" by Gerina Dunwich, a Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994)

And finally, here are a few nice devotional incantations/poems with proper credit given to each author...
Enjoy and May Ye Blessed Be!

Lady Autumn, Queen of the Harvest,
I have seen You in the setting Sun
with Your long auburn tresses
blowing in the cool air that surrounds You.
Your crown of golden leaves is jeweled
with amber, amethyst, and rubies.
Your long, flowing purple robe stretches across the horizon.
In Your hands You hold the ripened fruits.
At Your feet the squirrels gather acorns.
Black crows perch on Your outstretched arms.
All around You the leaves are falling.
You sit upon Your throne and watch
the dying fires of the setting Sun
shine forth its final colors in the sky.
The purple and orange lingers
and glows like burning embers.
Then all colors fade into the twilight.
Lady Autumn, You are here at last.
We thank You for Your rewards.
We have worked hard for these gifts.
Lady Autumn, now grant us peace and rest.

The Goddess and the God prepare for
Their journey to the Otherworld,
as the Earth and all of Her children
prepare for the Time of Quiet and
Reflection that lies ahead...

May we use this Autumnal period to seek for the strength and power within
to assist us on our own quests for
vision, feeling, and peace...

Portions of the Poetry section are reprinted from various issues of "Circle Network News"

The Fall Equinox on September 21st is the exact opposite of the Spring Equinox of March 21st. Both of these are times of equal night and equal day. The Fall Equinox is a reminder that the Sun light will now start to grow shorter each day until Yule, when the longest time of darkness will come again. This is the time of equality between the God and Goddess, the God represented by the Sun, the Goddess by the Moon, each representing half of one whole that is fulfilled by their joining as one. Fruitfulness of the land being the end result of their mutualness, the bounty of the harvest will be brought in and stored against winter and the dark times. From here the next festival is Samhain and the start of a New Year.
Mabon(mah-bawn) is the time of the year when we can rest after hard work. Crops are gathered and winter is still a month and a half away. The nights are getting cooler, though the days are still warm and perhaps something magickal is in the air. The light seems almost silver. We pick up our projects of making corn dollies, and weaving wheat but suddenly we stop because we hear the sounds of baying hounds passing through the sky, "The Hounds of Annwn ".

Lines of geese are flying by and a beautiful harvest moon hangs in the air. We move closer to our fires and the longer evening hours give us time to catch up on our reading. We sit and munch popcorn, crunch apples, sip hot cider and drink home brews. What a wonderful time of the year Mabon is, the leaves turning colors, warm days, cool nights. How lucky we are to be alive.

Mabon is a lesser Wiccan Sabbat and is usually celebrated around Sept. 23, though it sometimes falls as early as the 20th, depending on the timing of the actual astrological event. This is the Autumn equinox, when we see the sun wane and days begin to grow shorter. Other names for this Sabbat are, the fall Equinox, Second harvest festival, the feast of Avalon, Equizio di Autunoo and Alban Elfed.

Some of the symbols associated with this sabbat are grapes, wine, garlands, pine cones, gourds, acorns, wheat, dried leaves and horns of plenty (cornucopias). Actually, Mabon is rather like Thanksgiving for Pagans. As you decorate your altars, you might want to use some these symbols, perhaps including a pomegranate to symbolize Persephone and her descent into the Underworld - and, of course, a small statue of the goddess in her triple mother aspect.

Some of the goddesses associated with Mabon are Morgon, Snake Woman, Epona, the muses and Demeter. Some of the gods might include, of course, Mabon, Thoth, Hermes, Thor, Dionysus and Bacchus. You also might associate Herne with Mabon. This sabbat is named for Mabon, the Welsh god who symbolizes the male fertilizing principle in myths. Mabon ap Modron, means "Great Son of the Great Mother", Young Son, Divine Youth, or Son of Light. Modron, his mother, is the Great Goddess, Guardian of the Otherworld, Protector, and Healer. She is Earth itself.

At the Autumn Equinox, the Sun's strength begins to diminish, until Winter Solstice in December, when the Sun grows stronger and the days once again become longer than the nights. Mabon also disappears, taken at birth when only three nights old . Modron cries .. and although his whereabouts are veiled , Mabon is eventually freed with the wisdom and memory of the most ancient of living animals - the Blackbird, the Stag, the Owl, the Eagle, and the Salmon. All along, Mabon has been quite happy, dwelling in Modron's magickal Otherworld - Modron's womb. Only in so powerful a place of renewable strength can Mabon be reborn as his mother's champion, as the Son of Light. Mabon's light has been drawn into the Earth, gathering strength and wisdom enough to become a new seed.

In a Greek myth, Autumn begins when Persephone returns to the Underworld to live with her husband, Hades. Demeter's daughter, known as Kore , was out picking flowers in a meadow when the Earth opened, and the god Hades dragged the girl into the Underworld Kingdom to be his wife. Kore's name changed to Persephone when she became the wife of Hades. For nine days Demeter looked everywhere for Kore. She finally consulted the Sun god Helios, who told her that her brother Zeus had given the girl to Hades. Furious, Demeter left Olympus and wandered the Earth disguised as an old woman. She finally settled in her temple at Eleusis. She cursed the Earth so it yielded no crops. Zeus became frantic and sent her a message as to why. She responded by saying to Zeus that there would be no renewing of crops on Earth until her daughter, Kore, was returned to her.

Zeus sent Hermes into the Underworld for the girl, but Hades did not want to give up his wife. He enticed Persephone to eat pomegranate seeds before she returned to her mother. When she learned of this trick, Demeter despaired, until Zeus declared that Persephone-Kore would live with her husband during half of the year, and return to live with her mother during the other half. In gratitude, Demeter lifted her curse on the Earth, creating Spring as the time of her great joy for her daughter's return; and Fall as her time of great sorrow when her daughter must go to the Underworld to live with her husband, Hades.

The key action at Mabon is giving thanks. Pagan activities might include the making of wine and the adorning of graves. A traditional practice is to walk wild places and forests, gathering seedpods and dried plants. Some of these can be used to decorate the home or altar, others saved for future herbal magick. It is considered taboo to pass burial sites and not honor the dead.

Spellwork for protection, wealth and prosperity, security and spells to bring a feeling of self-confidence are appropriate for Mabon. You might include spells that will bring into balance and harmony the energies either in a room, home, or situation. Ritual actions might include the praising or honoring of fruit as proof of the love of the Goddess and God, and a ritual sprinkling of Autumn leaves.

Appropriate colors for Mabon are red, orange, deep gold, brown, russet, maroon and violet. Candle colors are orange, dark red, yellow, indigo, or brown. Altar cloths made of material with Fall designs are good. Stones to use during Mabon are amethyst and yellow topaz, carnelian, lapis lazuli, sapphire, and yellow agate. River and stream stones gathered over the Summer can be empowered for various purposes.

Animals associated with the Autumn Equinox are dogs, wolves and birds of prey. Mythical creatures include gnomes, minotaurs, sphinx and cyclops. Plants associated with Mabon are vines, ivy, hazel, cedar, hops and tobacco. Traditional herbs of the Mabon sabbat include acorns, asters, benzoin, ferns, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, mums, myrrh, oak leaves, passionflower, pine, roses, sage, Solomon's seal, and thistles. Incense for Mabon Rituals might include any or all of the following: frankincense, aloes wood, jasmine, cinnamon, musk, cloves, benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

The foods of Mabon consist of the second harvest's gleanings, so grains, fruit and vegetables predominate, especially corn. Corn bread and cider are traditional fare, as are beans and baked squash. Others foods and drinks include wines, grapes, breads, pomegranates, roots (carrots, onions, potatoes, etc.), nuts and apples.

A traditional practice is to walk wild places and forests,
gathering seed pods and dried plants. Some of these can be used to decorate the home; others saved for future herbal magick.

May you be blessed with prosperity in the coming year. May the Lord and Lady look out on you. Good Sabbat

Also known as: Fall or Autumn Equinox, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Alban Elved (Druid), Alban Elfed (Caledonii), Winter Finding (Teutonic)

Herbs: benzoin, marigold, myrrh, sage, and thistles may be burned; acorns, astors, ferns, honeysuckle, milkweed, mums, oak leaves, pine, and roses may be used as decorations.

Mabon (MAY-bone or MAH-bawn) is named for the Welsh God and it is seen as the second of the three harvests, and particularly as a celebration o fthe vine harvests and of wine. It is also associated with apples as symbols os life renewed.
Celebrating new-made wine, harvesting apples and vine products, and visiting burial cairns to place an apple upon them, were all ways in which the Celts honored this Sabbat. (Avalon, one of the many Celtic names for the Land of the Dead, literally means the "land of apples".) These acts symbolized both thankfulness for the life-giving harvest, and the wish of the living to be reunited with their dead.
Taken from "Celtic Myth and Magick" by Edain McCoy

Here are a few suggestions for Mabon activities that can be incorporated into the Sabbat or done during the day.

A traditional practice is to walk wild places and forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants. Some of these can be used to decorate the home; others saved for future herbal magick. The foods of Mabon consist of the second harvest's gleanings, so grains, fruit and vegetables predominate, especially corn. Corn bread is traditional fare, as are beans and baked squash.