Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun,
MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox
divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our
respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning
sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year's crops. The Druids call
this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of
the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines,
herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the
aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God
as he prepares for death and re-birth.
Various other names for
this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest,
Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii),
or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time
from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.
At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and
dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family
as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to
finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and
reflection.
Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and
Balance.
Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples,
pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.
Herbs of Maybon:
Acorn,
benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh,
passionflower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and
vegetables.
Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as
potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Incense of
Mabon:
Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and
sage.
Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.
Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli,
and yellow agates.
Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds
and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested
fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves,
acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.
Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those
of harmony and balance.
Deities of Mabon:
Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone,
Pamona and the Muses. Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man.
Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a
time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of
balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal
harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our
jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of
everyday life. May your Mabon be memorable, and your hearts and spirits be
filled to overflowing! |
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