Mabon: A Witchy Thanksgiving
Mabon most notably is known as the Autumnal Equinox. It is a pagan harvest festival which includes a time of thanksgiving and celebration of balance.
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Its significance has been for farmers and those who value the earth's bounty. Mabon marks the time when the success of the season's crops is reflected upon. It is also the time when the sun is directly over the equator making the day and night equal in length.
Mabon is considered the second harvest of the year. In the pagan Wheel of the Year, the first harvest is Lughnasa (the grain harvest) and the third harvest is Samhain, on October 31.
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Mabon is known as the Witches' Thanksgiving. During this time, there is a great abundance of food. Throughout human history, people have given thanks to Mother Earth, for providing nourishment to sustain them through the dark cold months ahead.
Harvest season is very much still celebrated throughout the world in very much the same way as our pagan ancestors did during Mabon. You definitely don’t have to be a witch to feel thankful during this time. In North America, we traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving, a time to share with family and close friends, around the dinner table and give thanks.
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Summer months in paganism are predominately represented by male energy and deities. As the nights grow longer and the weather gets cooler, the Sun God comes to the end of his life. During Mabon, the Sun God hands this time over to the female energy, the Mother Earth-like energy, that of the protection, comfort, and nurturing that we all desire come winter time.
The balance felt during this time of the year is a good time to reflect on how we want the scale to tip in our lives: up or down? Do we want to create a new project or sit back, and slow down. Or do you prefer to wait until the New Year to dream and create? Setting goals for the next 6 months is a crucial part of Mabon magic.
For me, autumn season is my favorite time of year. Starting in August (my birth month) and through Samhain (October 31) I relish in every bit of it all: the colorful leaves, the spooky season decor, slow cooking, the cooler weather and especially the fashion. Oh, I cannot wait to sit in front of a fire, in my cozy sweater and blanket watching a movie and sipping my chamomile tea.
Some simple magic you can easily practice during this time is that of balance. Start with a few quiet and slow breaths, sitting in some peaceful space. You can visualize yourself sitting on a large rock overlooking an autumn scene. On a tree nearby, you see a leaf fall and float gently in the wind. Reach your hand out and see the leaf land in your hand. Pour into the leaf anything you no longer require in your life. When you’re ready to let it all go, just imagine the wind taking the leaf and see it floating away until it gets lost in the horizon.
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Here are some other ways the magic of Mabon can be manifested:
Giving thanks: A time to express gratitude for the earth's harvest, our health and well-being, and the abundance in our lives.
Sharing: A time to recognize the need to share the harvest to secure blessings during the winter.
Preparing: A time to prepare for the journey ahead, including the darker, cooler days of winter.
Feast: Share a meal with family and friends that includes seasonal fruits and vegetables like apples, squash, and pumpkins.
Ritual: Perform a ritual to thank the gods for the harvest, or to restore balance and harmony to your life.
Set intentions: Choose an intention related to the changing seasons and decreasing light, like getting to bed earlier
Happy Mabon and blessed it be.
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Written by Rachel DeMicco
