It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is
winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked
and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is
when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the
second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions
it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant
crops or other blessings. You may want to take a moment to read up on:
Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many
different ways you can celebrate Mabon, but typically the focus is on either
the second harvest aspect, or the balance between light and dark. This, after
all, is the time when there is an equal amount of day and night. While we
celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We
have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind
us, cold lies ahead. Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying
-- and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner
or a small group, with just a little planning ahead.
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Mabon Magical Herbs
Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut leaves and husks,
mistletoe, saffron, chamomile, almond leaves, passionflower, frankincense, rose
hips, bittersweet, sunflower, wheat, oak leaves, dried apple or apple seeds.
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Incense
Pine, sage, sweet grass or myrrh you can also mix
marigold, passionflower, and fern, using
frankincense or myrrh as a resin for Mabon incense
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During Mabon, stones ruled by the Sun will help
bring the Sun's energy to you.clear quartz,
amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow
topaz, cat's-eye, aventurine.
Mabon is a good time to cast spells of balance
and harmony. It's also a time of change.
Protection, wealth and prosperity spells are
appropriate as well.
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Holiday Fare
Mabon is the Witch's Thanksgiving, a time to
appreciate and give thanks to the Goddess for
her bounty and to share in the joys of the
harvest. Fall fruits, squash, gourds, pumpkins,
grains, nut breads, vegetables.
A magickal Mabon beverage: hot apple cider.
Apple rules the heart, cider alone is a self-
love potion. By spicing it with cinnamon, ruled
by Jupiter and the Sun, we are in essence,
ingesting the sunlight.
Sample menu #1: Mabon Wine Moon Cider, Roast
Chicken Rubbed with Sage, Basil, and Thyme,
Acorn Squash made with Sweet Butter, Cinnamon
and Honey, and Apple Bread.
Sample menu #2: Wine from the god and beans and
squashes from the goddess. A hearty multi-bean
soup with smoked meats (optional), including
such as cut-up mild sausage like mild Italian
or Polish.
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Mabon Wine Moon Cider
4 cups apple cider 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
4 cups grape juice additional cinnamon sticks
2 cinnamon sticks for cups, 6 inches long
1 tsp allspice
In a 4-quart saucepan, heat cider and grape
juice. Add cinnamon, allspice and cloves.
Bring just to boiling. Lower heat and simmer
for 5 minutes.
Serve with ladle from a cauldron. Makes 8 cups.
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Mabon Activities
* Make grapevine wreaths using dried bitter-
sweet herb for
protection. Use ribbons of
gold and yellow to bring
in the energy of the
Sun, and decorate with sprigs
of dried yarrow
or cinnamon sticks.
* Make a Magical Horn of Plenty.
* Make Magickal Scented
Pinecones.
* Make a protection charm of hazelnuts
(filberts) strung on red
thread.
* Collect milkweed pods to decorate at Yuletide
and attract the faeries.
* Call upon the elementals and honor them for
their help with
(N-earth) the home and
finances, (E-air) school
and knowledge,
(S-fire) careers and
accomplishments,
(W-water) emotional
balance and fruitful
relationships.
* Make a witch's broom. Tie dried corn husks or
herbs (broom, cedar,
fennel, lavender,
peppermint, rosemary)
around a strong,
relatively straight
branch of your choice.
* Make magic Apple Dolls: Apples are sacred
symbols of the witch.
Our holy land, Avalon,
means Apple-land or
Island of Apples. Slice
an apple through the
midsection and its seeds
reveal the sacred shape
of the pentacle.
You will need two large
apples, one for Mabon
and one for Modron, 2
pencils and 2 dowels
about 12 inches long, a
paring knife, a glass
or bowl of water to wash
your fingers, a plate,
and a towel to wipe your
hands. Peel and core
the apples. Carve a face
in the apples. Place
apples on a dowel and
stand them in a jar
to dry (start now). Then
charge in a magick
circle. After 2 or 3
weeks, they should look
like shrunken heads.
Make them into dolls. Use
wheat, dried herbs or
doll's hair for hair.
Dress them in tiny robes
and bring them into
the circle, asking
god/dess to charge them with
their light.
Hang these Mabon and
Madron heads on a Witch's
cord or a Mabon wreath.
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From "Celebrate the Earth" by Laurie Cabot, Green Witchcraft
by Ann Moura, Llewellyn's Witches'
Calendar 1998,
and The Witches' God by Janet and Stewart Farrar.
-The Crafty Witch
