I don’t know about you, but Fall is my all-time favorite season! The cooler days (hello sweater weather!), the beautiful fall colors, and of course that means that Halloween is around the corner (insert happy dance here). This also means that Mabon is upon us.
What is Mabon?
Mabon, also known as the Autumn Equinox, is a celebration honoring the harvest. Taking place around September 20-21 Northern hemisphere, March 20-21 Southern hemisphere (or 19-23 depending on location). This festival can last around two to three days. It is a time to give thanks for the food and sacrifices needed for the upcoming winter. But that is not all! Preservation is a huge component this time of year as well. So, not only is the harvest important, but finding ways to preserve the food is as equally important. This can be done by baking, canning, pickling, fermenting, or freezing (yay modern times!).
Gratuity during Mabon
During this time, it was a state of urgency for our ancestors. It was a race against the clock. Well, against the sun. With no electricity, our ancestors worked tirelessly trying to harvest everything from the gardens and fields and then continued working by preserving everything. This would have been such a huge undertaking. During this time, the sun is setting earlier and earlier. So, time is of the essence! And with no electricity, our ancestors did not have the luxury of being able to work after dark to get those preservation projects done like we can.
As you go through your garden, picking all of the things or preserving late into the night, take a moment to give thanks for what we have today. Everything that makes this time of year much easier to handle. You could also take some time to show gratitude and appreciation for your ancestors and all the hard work they endured during this time.
If you do not grow or preserve your own food, you can still take a moment to be thankful for where your food comes from. Many people do not think past the grocery store. But, in order for our grocery stores to have all of that food, it has to come from somewhere first. And that somewhere is farms. On those farms are hard working men and woman who plant, grow, and harvest the foods we buy at the grocery store. Without them and this harvest time, our grocery shelves would be empty and a lot of us wouldn’t know what to do.
Origins of Mabon
Mabon is not as old as we all may think. The traditions behind this festival are, but the name Mabon is more modern. So how did the Autumn Equinox become Mabon? Let’s first get into knowing the guy who named this festival as we know it today.
How Mabon got its name
Back in the 70’s, a man by the name of Aiden Kelly christened the Pagan holiday (Autumn Equinox) as what we know today as Mabon (he came up with the names for Ostara and Litha as well). He wanted to find a name for this festival that would fit the Celtic side of the celebration as well as the Saxon side. Through his research, he came across the Eleusinian Mysteries. He found that this fit with the emotional side of the Autumn Equinox. But since the theme of the Autumn Equinox was already established as Celtic and Saxon, throwing Greek into the mix could make things confusing. Looking more into the Celtic side for a name for this festival, Kelly came across The Tale of Mabon.
Although most of his inspiration came from the Eleusinian Mysteries, the Mabon name being Celtic fit into what he was searching for. This is when the Autumn Equinox became Mabon. To learn more about this you can check out Kelly’s post here.
Now that we know where the inspiration came from, let’s dive further into what Aiden Kelly pulled from these traditions and stories.
The Eleusinian Mysteries
The Eleusinian Mysteries is a sacred harvest festival in Greece. Although some of this celebration is known, there is still much more that remains a mystery. What is known is that this festival is taken very seriously. This festival takes place once every four years in the city Eleusis. The celebration lasts 9-10 days beginning on the full moon before the Autumn Equinox.
Part of this celebration included a procession of people. Many were farmers who carried offering baskets and blessed carts all while shouting “Hail Demeter!”. It is believed that a pregnant sow was used as a sacrifice to Demeter.
The foundation of this celebration comes from the story of Demeter and Persephone.
Tale of Demeter and Persephone
Demeter (Greek goddess of agriculture, harvest, and fertility) had a daughter Persephone (Greek goddess of agriculture and vegetation). One day, Pluto (Roman god of agriculture, wealth and the dead) kidnapped Persephone and brought her to Hades kingdom in the Underworld.
Upon the discovery of Persephone’s disappearance, Demeter searched Earth high and low for her daughter. She learns that Pluto had taken her daughter and was keeping her in the Underworld. This is when Demeter refused to let anything grow on Earth. This left the people on Earth helpless and prone to starvation. Zeus (god of the sky, weather, order and destiny, AND Persephone’s father) worried about the people of Earth. He insisted that Pluto release Persephone from the Underworld.
During her time in the Underworld, Persephone ate six seeds from a pomegranate. This was a BIG no no! Consuming any food from the underworld meant that you cannot leave. This meant that Persephone is now a part of the Underworld Kingdom and could not return to the land of the living. Demeter refused to accept this which also meant that she refused to return any growth to the lands on Earth.
Zeus and Hermes (Zeus’s messenger) negotiated with Hades on the return of Persephone. They agreed on a partial release. During the Springtime, Persephone was allowed to return back to the land of the living, but every autumn, she would have to return to her husband (Hades) in the Underworld until the next Spring. When Persephone comes back to the land of the living, Demeter allows the lands of Earth to grow, only to start killing off the vegetation as her daughter returns back to the Underworld.
The Tale of Mabon
The Tale of Mabon is also known as Mabon Ap Madron which means “son of the mother”. First written down in about 990 AD, this tale was found in another tale called “How Culhweh won Olwen”. The story goes:
A woman by the name Madron gave birth to a son named Mabon. When Mabon was only three nights old, he was kidnapped. Culhweh was given the impossible task of finding the missing child. If he could find the missing child, Culhweh would be able to marry Chief Giant Ysbaddaden’s daughter Olwen.
With the help of his cousin Arthur and a few others, they searched for Mabon. They searched high and low and could not find anything. Asking everyone they could to get any information. Asking many creatures along the way as well. No one knew where Mabon was taken. No one, except one ancient creature. In their searches, they happened upon a creature; a salmon named Llyn Llyw. The group asked the salmon if he had seen the child. Llyn Llyw’s response was that it had “found such evil as I had never found before” at Gloucester. The salmon lead the party to this evil, and there they found the imprisoned Mabon.
No amount of silver or gold could release Mabon from his imprisonment. Wealth was not the answer. Battle was. So, Arthur summoned British warriors to fight. During the battle, Kei (one member of the party) broke through the wall that was holding Mabon and they were able to rescue him.
There isn’t much more detail to this short tale. The abduction remains a mystery. The theme of Mabon develops further in the tales of other mythologies. If you wish to learn more about these, you can check out this site here.
Life and Death
The story of Mabon plays off of life and death. Many cultures have their own take on life and death. The sacrifice of the leadership role is part of the spiritual theme of Mabon. Their sacrifice ensured the survival of their people.
Greek
While in the womb, Dionysus died when his pregnant mother died. At the last minute, his father Zeus rescued him, saving his life.
Aphrodite’s lover Adonis died after angering her sister Artemis during a hunt.
These gods are a symbol of the harvest according to these myths. Each of the gods are resurrected seasonally. Some come back as themselves while others come back in a different form.
Christo-Pagan/ Christo-Wiccan
The death and resurrection of Jesus coincides with the resurrection harvest theme.
Egypt
The god Osiris; said to be an Egyptian King at the time; was murdered by his brother Seth. Osiris’s body was torn apart into 14 pieces and scattered across Egypt. His wife Isis and her sister Nephthys searched across Egypt to find the pieces of Osiris. Finding all but one piece, they put his body back together and Osiris was resurrected. The revival of Osiris brought back the life and growth of the land.
Old Times Celebration
Pagans called this harvest festival an Ingathering which was later turned to Harvest Home by the English.
In ancient times, the Autumn Equinox festival was a time of feasting, decorations, negotiations and sacrifice. A sacrificial ritual was held as a purification for the community. The sacrificed was often livestock (goats and pigs), but some civilizations would use criminals as the sacrifice. These sacrifices were chased out of the town, hunted and killed. This sacrifice represented driving out the vermin that affected the crops.
Some rituals were performed in the form of games. There were cock fights, pig catching and wrestling. Animals were released into the fields to be hunted. Once captured, this animal was either sacrificed for the main feast, or the one who captured it could keep the animal as a prize.
Feasting
Feasting was the time to settle debts. Landowners and workers all gathered together to pay for the years rent. This was also the time to negotiate wages for the upcoming year. During the feast, a drinking game was usually played. Taking turns passing a horn of mead around. Anyone who would speak out of order would have to pay a small fine. This fine was pooled and used at a nearby alehouse, where everyone would meet up after the feast for further drinking.
Decoration
Corn dollies were one of the main decorations during this festival. These cute little dolls were made from rye, wheat, oats, maize and millet. Usually crafted with the cuttings of the first harvest or the cuttings from the last harvest. They were often decorated with ribbons, flowers and fruits. Depending on what region you lived in, these dolls were crafted either as males or as females. The dolls would be placed at the center of the main feast or around the room facing the feast table. At the end of the night, farmers would take the corn dolly home and hold onto it until next year where it was ceremonially burned.
Fun fact: Corn dollies have been discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs and are said to have originated there.
Most of these traditions came from Pagan fertility rituals for Pagan gods and goddesses. This was eventually switched over to rituals for Christian Saints.
Named after three Christian Saints, three separate festivals were made around the Autumn Equinox.
- Feast of the Nativity of Saint Mary (Sept. 8)
- Feast of Saint Michael, also known as Michaelmas (Sept. 29)
- Feast of Saint Martin, also known as Martinmas (Nov. 11)
Michaelmas was intended to replace Harvest Home. This festival was a time of selling and slaughtering livestock, settling debts, and hiring workers. Landlords would collect their seasonal debts from the workers. Workers would sometimes include a goose along with their payment as a gift to the landlord. This goose was either kept or used in the feast.
Landlords and workers getting together during the Autumn Equinox was one of the four days of the year where everyone gathered to settle their debts. The English called it quarterly days, which we know now as our first, second, third and fourth quarters.
Modern Celebration and Activities
Today we have many different ways that we can celebrate Mabon. Getting into the spirit of the fall is something so many of us enjoy and look forward to. I know I do! Seasons are changing and there are so many things to do!!
- Decorate for Fall
- Share a meal with friends and family
- Have a bonfire (if allowed)
- Harvest from your garden
- Hold a food drive
- Participate in a food drive
- Prep for the Winter (winterize, put gardens to bed, etc.)
- Plant flower bulbs for the next year
- Plant garlic for the next year
- Preservation Projects (canning, freezing, pickling etc.)
- Make a scarecrow
- Declutter your home
- Get outside (WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!)
- Go for a walk/ hike
- Have a picnic
- Watch the sunrise/ sunset
- Decorate your altar
- Walk in the woods
- Craft a wreath
- Honor the Harvest Moon
- Hunting (only during the specific animal hunting season, check local laws)
- Do a moon ritual
- Practice divination
- Hang dry herbs and flowers
- Go apple picking
- Honor your ancestors
- Have a BBQ
- Make a Corn Dolly
- Wine/ beer tasting
- Have a family parade through the garden (or around the yard)
- Feast with seasonal foods
- Press flowers
- Make a harvest basket
- Leave offerings to the harvest deities
- Leave offerings to the nature spirits
- Go to a Pagan Pride Festival (check online for one near you, or create your own)
- Set up an outdoor altar
- Meditate
- Volunteer in your community
- Simmer Pots
- Target games (such as archery)
Depending on traditions, some celebrate Mabon on the full moon closest to the Equinox. Some will celebrate the day of the Equinox, and some celebrate three days before or three days after the Equinox. You decide when you wish to celebrate. There is no wrong time! Celebrate the whole month if you want!
Correspondences
Names: Alban Elfred (Druids), Winter Finding (Norse), Feast of Avalon (Celtic), Equinozio di Autunno (Italian), Aequinoctium Auctumnale
Theme: Gratitude, death, grief
Spiritual Focus: Preparation, Goals, Accomplishments, Healing, Sharing, Equality, Gratitude, Death, Grief, Balance Success
Magical Focus: Community, Agriculture, Family, Grounding, Wisdom, Harmony, Planning, Honor
Symbols: Apples, Corn Dolly, Cornucopia, Grains, Harvest Baskets, Scarecrow, Scythe, Wreaths
Deities: Demeter, Apollo, The Green Man, Dionysus, Jupiter, Juno, Persephone, Thor, Yemaya, Thoth, Mabon, Epona, Inanna, Madron, Hermes
Colors: Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Yellow
Herbs: Bay, Myrrh, Acorn, Echinacea, Ivy, Hyssop, Sage, Benzoin Resin, Yarrow
Flowers/Trees: Ash, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Elder, Maple, Marigold, Oak, Sunflower
Animals: Blackbird, Eagle, Goose, Horse, Owl, Salmon, Squirrel, Stag
Crystals: Amber, Hematite, Golden Topaz
Incense: Aloe, Myrrh, Burning Leaves, Cedar, Pine, Clove, Benzoin, Frankincense, Cinnamon
Food/Drink: Apples, Barley, Beer, Bread, Carrots, Cider, Corn, Gourds, Grapes, Mead, Melons, Nuts, Oats, Onion, Potatoes, Rye, Water, Wheat, Wine