Mabon/Fall Equinox

What exactly is the holiday (holy day) that Witches and pagans alike celebrate that is called Mabon? In plain terms, we are celebrating the Autumn Equinox. For the magical community, this is our true Thanksgiving. We are thankful because the god lays down his life for the harvest, and is in the arms of the goddess, so that we may pull the harvest in, in preparation for colder weather, and the eventual darker nights. In order to do this, the god has sacrificed himself. This story of redemption, has a very familiar feel to it, when thinking about the Judeo-Christian world. We can clearly see the image of Michelangelo's Pieta, with the spiritual description of what is going on in the spiritual realm during this time.

The goddess is heart broken, and cries soft amber tears, which fall as the leaves fall. Although this loss is here, autumn is by far one of the most delightful and picturesque scenes of nature that we posses. Nature becomes colorful and bright, even though it is dying. This shows us how much the goddess loves us. Interesting, in Mariology, there is said to be an apparition of a beautiful Lady in France on September 19, 1846, weeping. This coincides very closely to the Fall Equinox! The Lady/Goddess can take any form she chooses even when religion will never admit to this.

But all will be ok, as the god will return when we celebrate Yule, with his birth. This coincides with the Winter Solstice, the darkest night of the calendar year is marked, when the light begins to return, and we are in hopeful anticipation of this. As the "light" returns, so does the god, who is represented by the Sun.

Even though we see this time as the beginning of the "dark" part of the year, it is important to remember that there is nothing spiritually dark about this time. The light within remains, even though the earth is in a different space in its yearly revolution around the sun. It is only when we think the visual darkness of this time can have a negative effect on us that it does. Our thoughts become our beliefs and our beliefs become our way of life. In fact, during this darker time of the year, with regard to sunlight, it is a greater time to make contact with those who have traveled beyond the veil. In fact, if you really pay attention, as we shift from the Autumn Equinox through the Winter Solstice, the urge to remember our loved ones who have gone beyond the veil, becomes quite intense.

For Mabon, a wonderful ritual is to look at the internal harvest that we have accumulated. Where is our life abundant? Give great thanks for all the blessings that we have. Where is what is lacking? Remember these! Because these are the new seeds that you can plant for the New Year! Check back next week, as we will share delicious recipes to bring in the harvest, and simple ritual ideas to celebrate with! Blessed Be!