Mabon

Origin of the name

The name "Mabon" was popularised in modern Wicca by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s, taking it from Welsh medieval mythology: Mabon ap Modron ("son of the great mother") was a Welsh deity of The Mabinogion (collection of medieval Welsh tales), young god trapped in the underworld and rescued. The mythological-symbolic association with the autumn equinox is interpretive (it was not historically Celtic festival of the equinox by this name — the Celts were more focused on the four "fire festivals" Samhain-Imbolc-Beltane-Lughnasadh). But the name has stuck and is universally accepted in modern Wicca.

The autumn equinox itself, however, has been celebrated as significant date in multiple cultures for millennia: it is the moment of perfect balance between equal day and equal night; from this point on, days will continue to shorten until the winter solstice. Astronomically marks the entry of the Sun into Libra — the sign of balance. Christianisation: Saint Michael Archangel's liturgical festival is September 29, near the equinox — sometimes considered as discreet Christianisation of the festival.

Themes of Mabon

Spiritual themes of Mabon: 1) Conscious balance — the perfect equinox of equal day and night invites reflection on personal balance: in your life, what is unbalanced? where do you need readjustment? 2) Second harvest and gratitude — fruits, vegetables, mature grapes are at their fullest; bountiful traditional harvest. 3) Beginning of harvest introspection — luminous half is ending, dark half is beginning. The plants withdraw their sap to the roots; the animals prepare for hibernation; humans (in pre-modern world) prepare provisions and home for winter. Symbolically: time of beginning to look inwards rather than outwards.

4) Acceptance of cyclical letting go — leaves changing colour and falling are powerful natural metaphor; what areas of your life are you ready to let go? 5) Final preparation before winter retreat — preparing your home, your routines, your wardrobe for the introspective coming season. 6) Seasonal feast — apples, pumpkins, mature grapes, late vegetables, mushrooms.

Celebrating Mabon today

1) Walk through autumn nature — observe leaves changing colour, autumn fruits, slow withdrawal of nature. Mindful walking. 2) Seasonal feast — cook with autumn ingredients (pumpkin, apple, walnuts, late mushrooms, mature grapes); enjoy with friends or family. 3) Apple ritual — eat apple consciously; cut a horizontal apple and observe the natural pentagram in its core (sacred symbol naturally hidden in the apple). 4) Annual balance — write the harvests of the year (what you have created, learnt, gained) and what you wish to release in the coming dark half. 5) Preparation of your home for the coming cold half: gentle deep cleaning, decorating with autumnal elements, light candles to symbolically mark the inner light against the growing darkness. 6) Reading and reflective study — Mabon initiates the more introspective season; perfect for starting deep reading projects, study, journaling.