Mabon Sabbat – The Celebration of the Second Harvest
Mabon (pronounced MAY-bawn) is one of the Lesser Wiccan Sabbats and is celebrated at the autumnal equinox, which is usually around September 21st – 23rd (this is the date of the actual astronomical event, so check your calendars, as the date will shift from year to year). Night and day are of equal duration on this day, and one begins to feel the approach of winter and darkness.
The Mabon Sabbat is considered a time of balance, of darkness overtaking light, and a celebration of the Second Harvest. It is a time to honour the ageing deities and the spirit world. The principle key action of Mabon Sabbat, however, is that of giving thanks.
The symbolism of Mabon is that of the Mysteries, and Equality and Balance. Mabon symbols include grapes, wine, vines, garland, gourds, pine cones, acorns, wheat, dried leaves, burial cairns, rattles, Indian corn, Sun wheels, and horns of plenty.
Activities for this Wiccan Sabbat may include making of wine and the adorning of grapes. A traditional practice is to take a walk in wild places and forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants for use during the upcoming winter. These can then be used to decorate the home and altar, and can also be saved for use in herbal magick.
Mabon celebration time is a perfect time to stop, relax, and just be happy. While we may not have toiled the fields from sunrise to sunset every day as our ancestors would have, most of us still work hard at what we do, nonetheless. At this time of the year we should stop and survey our personal harvests that each of us has brought in over the season. For us, not unlike our ancestors, this becomes a time for giving thanks for the successes we have worked so hard to achieve.
Spellwork appropriate for the Mabon Sabbat are spells for protection, wealth and prosperity, security, and spells to bring a feeling of self-confidence. As this is a time for balance, you may like to include spells or rituals that bring into balance and harmony the energies in a room, home or situation you are currently involved in.
Appropriate Mabon Sabbat associations for use in your spellwork and rituals are:
- Colours – red, orange, deep gold, brown, russet, maroon and violet.
- Candles – orange, dark red, yellow, indigo, and brown.
- Altar cloths – should follow the above colour guidelines, and can be made of materials with fall designs.
- Altar decorations – Mabon altar decorations might include autumn leaves, acorns, pine cones, a pomegranate, and a small statue or figure to represent the Triple Goddess in her Mother aspect.
- Deities – deities associated with the Mabon celebration are any and all Wine Deities. Special emphasis should be placed on the Goddess in her aspect of Mother.
- Stones – amethyst, yellow topaz, carnelian, lapis lazuli, sapphire and yellow agate. River and stream stones that have been gathered over the summer can also be empowered for various purposes at this time.
- Animals – some animals associated with the Mabon Sabbat include the dog, wolves and birds of prey.
- Herbs and botanicals – vines, ivy, hazel, cedar, hops, tobacco, acorns, asters, benzoin, ferns, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, mums, myrrh, oak leaves, passionflower, pine, roses, sage, Solomon’s seal and thistles.
- Incense – frankincense, aloes wood, jasmine, cinnamon, musk, cloves, benzoin, myrrh and sage.
- Foods – anything that would be harvested during the period of the Second harvest, including grains and fruit and vegetables, especially corn. Cornbread, cider, beans and baked squash are considered traditional fare for a Mabon celebration, as are wine, grapes, breads, pomegranates, root vegetables such as carrots, onions and potatoes, plus nuts and apples.
As you celebrate the Wiccan Wheel of the Year with this Lesser Wiccan holiday, remember to don your festival celebration table with a centrepiece made from the fruits of the season, such as small pumpkins, gourds, cranberries, and Indian corn, with candles of yellow for health, orange for sharing the harvest, and purple for spiritual awareness.
Take time to be outdoors during the last of the golden rays of the Sun. Walk through falling leaves and observe the animals in your neighbourhood, readying their nests for winter. Most importantly, remember to reflect on the hard work you have done to achieve what you have, and to be thankful and grateful.
Have a happy Mabon celebration!
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