Ways to celebrate Mabon

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Mabon and the autumn equinox is here, the second of the three harvest festivals. It is a firm reminder of the changing seasons and a period of reflection, thankfulness, and plenty. Joy and celebration are in the air, with the abundance of crops, gatherings, and rich, sumptuous autumn colours—a magical time of year and a time to honour.

Like Ostara and the spring equinox, it is also a time of balance when both night and day are of equal length. A period to acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses. And allow them to work in harmony with one another.

With darkness about to become a dominant factor over the next few months, it is a great time to remove negativity from your life. Because we are being reminded that nothing lasts forever, complete those projects, clear out, let go and move forward.

Reflection and gratitude should also be practised at this time. We must acknowledge that good and bad are found in everything; without darkness, we wouldn’t have light. And be thankful for the lessons we learn and all that we have. So how can you go about putting all of these things into practice? We have compiled a few ideas below to help you celebrate Mabon and the autumn equinox.

Begin by embracing the season

Immerse yourself in nature, pull on a warm outer layer, and go outside. Take a walk in the woods or through the countryside and absorb all the changing colours, falling leaves, and different sights.

Look out for animals gathering supplies and readying themselves for the colder weather. Take a bag with you and collect fallen fruits, such as acorns, fir cones, leaves, and other natural treasures.

You could use some of your collected treasures to make an altar in your home or to decorate a journey stick as you walk. Look at our blog post, ‘autumn, a season of gatherings and warmth’, for more information on journey sticks.

Make an altar

To begin, find a space in your home to set up your altar while thinking about the season’s vibrant colours. Use these colours as a base for your altar, including autumnal-coloured candles and altar cloths.

Next, include mabon symbols. These can include items such as:

• Pine cones, acorns, and leaves.
• Apples, corn, and wheat.
• Squashes, Pomegranates, and root vegetables.
• Grapevines, seed pods, and nuts.

Use your altar to give thanks for the abundance you have in your life, from harvests to family. Ask for blessings and to bring balance into your life.

Take in the scents of the season

Fill your home with the season’s scents and let them wrap you in their warmth. Benzoin, apples, cloves, myrrh, sage, and cinnamon are all great starting scents since they all embrace the spirit of autumn. 

Practice the ritual of smoke cleansing (you can find a beginner’s guide to smoke cleansing here). It is a great way to clear negative energy from your space and bless each room—ready for the new season.

Go apple picking

Find yourself an apple tree orchard and pick some fresh apples, giving thanks as you go. Not only is it the right time of year to harvest this fruit, but they also embody mabon perfectly. Their juicy, abundant appearance reminds us just how beautiful and generous nature is.

There is a lot of magic and rituals that surround apples; many of these are used at mabon. After all, when you cut across an apple, you will find a five-pointed star or, if you prefer, a pentacle.

Gather with friends and family

Gather family and friends and feel the gratitude wash over you. Feel the abundance of love and friendship. Gather some of nature’s harvest and make a feast for everyone to enjoy.

Share stories and include things that you are thankful for. Look at balances in your life, the good and the bad. Recite folk tales and stories of your ancestors while listening to others. Overall, this is a time for sharing and feeling blessed.

Make music together, raise your vibrations, grab drums, guitars, shakers, etc. and get a rhythm going. Start with a slow rhythm and build it up faster and faster until you feel the vibrations of high energy wash over you. But most of all, enjoy each other’s company.

Crystals for Mabon

The autumn equinox symbolizes endings and new beginnings. Crystals can bring balance and clarity where needed. Here are three crystals for mabon:

• Citrine – brings balance and harmony. As well as manifesting abundance.
• Green aventurine – is known as the bringer of good luck. Balancing masculine and feminine energies while promoting new beginnings.
• Amethyst – can help to create and find balance in your life.

You can find more crystals for the autumn equinox in another of our blog posts here.

Completing unfinished projects

Now is the time to complete any unfinished projects. That way, you can easily move into the new season and have a renewed sense of purpose. It is also an ideal time to give your home a real clean. After all, with the colder, darker days, we all spend more time indoors. Clear out unwanted items and prepare for comfort and warmth; you could even take this time to smoke cleanse your space.

However, you decide to celebrate mabon, remember to stop and enjoy the abundance in your life while reflecting on what’s passed and what is to come. Enjoy the balance of the light and dark and the simple blessing of life.

For more information, hints, and tips, look at our blog. And please remember to tag us @surrender_to_happiness on Instagram with all your autumn equinox adventures. We love to see you enjoying our ever-changing world. Finally, for ways to celebrate Samhain, click here, and for more on halloween, click here.

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