Mabon, the Autumn Equinox

This past Wednesday, 22 September, marked the first day of Autumn! I don't know about you guys, but there's something about the first days of autumn that perceptively changes everything around us: that combination of the old dying and the new approaching, that smell of fallen leaves and the crispness of fresh air. Even if none of these are actually going on (and considering the high here in central Maryland that day at over 90 degrees, that's an understatement!), there's still a discernible change in the air.

Mabon (MAY-bone or MAH-bawn) is the Pagan holiday that marks the autumn equinox, which is typically between 20 and 22 September. It is a time to give thanks to the bounty the earth has given to us, and marks a time of balance; as the day and the night are equal, so must the acts of giving and receiving be equal in our lives. Warmth is now passing, and cold is straight before us. This year's Mabon was especially unique, as it directly coincided with the harvest moon.

You might recognize some other festivals that happen around this time of year, including Oktoberfest, originally celebrated by Bavarians as a festival of feasting and merriment that has quickly become a global celebration; Oschophoria of the ancient Greeks, which celebrates the harvests of grapes for wine; and China's mid-autumn festival on the harvest moon, honoring family unity. Why not celebrate all three as you eat the harvests of the earth, drink the wine provided by her, and celebrate your family and friends!

There are many symbols that correspond with the Mabon sabbat, including:

• Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds
• Apples and anything made from them, such as cider or pies
• Seeds and seed pods
• Baskets, symbolizing the gathering of crops
• Sickles and scythes
• Grapes, vines, wine

Many Pagans celebrate Mabon by serving a meal of wine for the gods and an earthy meal for the goddesses for their families and friends, using ingredients above and other bounties. They may also make protection charms from hazelnuts and other seasonal nuts; cast spells for home, finance, knowledge, and other things they hope to increase over the year; and clean the entrances to their homes and hang ears of corn on the threshold. Pagan Pride Days are also common during Mabon, during which PPD organizers include a food drive as part of the festivities, to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and to share with the less fortunate.

 

Rev. Selena Fox hanging a wreath to bring in the season!
Click the image to visit her Facebook page.

There are also several myths that revolve around this season, including one of my favorites about the goddess Demeter, her daughter Persephone, and the lustful god Hades of the underworld:

Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece. Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter's grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld. These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox. Each year, Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter for six months. At Ostara, the greening of the earth begins once more and life begins anew.

Celebrating Mabon means giving thanks for the things you have and to reflect on the balance in your own life. Honor the darkness and light within and around you, invite family over for a grand feast, and count your blessings on this day. I know that I, personally, am blessed to have my family and friends, who are always with me during difficult times in my life; my job and career path, as I know some who are not as fortunate; and my fiance, for whom I would do anything and who I know would do the same for me. ;)

While I would have some recipes for you, I am unfortunately busy visiting with family in town this weekend (future mother-in-law is up from Florida), but no worries, I'll have something for you soon! In the meantime, answer me this: What do you have to be thankful for?