Autumn Equinox or Mabon
Northern Hemisphere: September 21/22 Southern Hemisphere: March 21/22
Named after the Welsh god, Mabon, son of the earth goddess, Modron. At the equinox, night and day are again of equal length and in perfect balance. But from now the year now begins to wane and from this moment the nights become longer than the days. This is the second harvest when we gather in the sweet fruit harvest: apples, pears, and berries.
Mabon Traditions
A time for harvesting, feasting and preparing for the cold months ahead. Today many pagans, witches and druids celebrate Mabon much as our ancestors would have. Simple practices may include:
Picking and preserving apples; a common symbol of the second harvest.
Setting up an altar with symbols of the season, such as fruits, and other seasonal harvests.
Celebration with a feast for family and friends.
Working the Seasonal Energies
The time in between each festival also has its own unique energy and significance, which can be honoured and acknowledged in ritual, spellwork and yoga practice. I've suggested practices to nurture our creative spirit during each of the seasons. Your inner yogi, witch and creatrix may just need a little encouragement to emerge or this can be a reminder to reconnect. After all, the witch, yogi and creatrix energies live within us all, just as the changing energies of the seasons do.
This is a time to Gather and Harvest
GATHERING (Lughnasadh to Mabon)
Gather with your inner yogi: Explore fluid movement – being in flow with body and breath. Gather in a feeling of gratitude for the abundance of wonder that is your beautiful body.
Gather with your inner witch: Gather herbs, flowers, wood and seeds in the late summer sun to add to your altar or spell supplies.
Gather with your inner creatrix: Explore and celebrate ways to get closer to nature while the weather is still warm: organise a beach clean, a tree planting, or track animal footprints.
HARVESTING (Mabon to Samhain)
Harvest with your inner yogi: Practice gratitude, non-judgment and non-criticism in your yoga practice.
Harvest with your inner witch: Reflect under the September full moon, known as the Harvest Moon. Consider what you've worked for: where has your path led you? What fruit has grown from your actions?
Harvest with your inner creatrix: Create beautiful and nourishing foods with the harvest of nature; jams, soups and wine will bring joy and sustenance!