Mabon Approches
Night and day are again of equal length and in perfect equilibrium - dark and light, masculine and feminine, inner and outer, in balance. But we are again on the cusp of tra nsition and from now the year now begins to wane and from this moment darkness begins to defeat the light. ( https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/mabon )
September 21st or 22nd holds the date for the next Sabbat: Mabon (pronounced “MAY-bon”) marks the Second Harvest of the Celtic/Pagan year. ( http://www.magickalwinds.com)
Ahhh - the crisp air - the smell - the colors - Mabon is approaching. I love this time of year. It is my favorite season and it brings the Feast of the 2nd Harvest, Mabon. It is like a Pagan Thanksgiving. Apples are the star of this Feast Day. I use them in so many of my dishes. I make Apple chips to snack on - Apple fritters - Apple wine and Apple cider - Sherry Pork chops with Apple Chutney - Apple Bread - Apple Crisp... I do make other things with other harvested items - Mashed Sweet Potatoes - Corn on the Cob - green beans - carrots - squash (butternut) - dried cranberries - nuts (usually cashews).....
Along with the Feast prep (baking & cooking) I usually walk in the crisp air, meditate outside and plant bulbs. I also perform my Mabon ritual and honor the Morrigan and the Green Man. His time is short.
Associated with Mabon:
• Foodstuffs: Grapes, Acorns, Wheat Bread, Goat, Indian Corn, Horn of Plenty, Cornbread, Corn, Root Crops (ie Onions, Carrots, Potatoes, etc.), Nuts, Dried Fruits, Apples, Beans, and Squash.
• Drinks: Wine, Ale, and Cider.
• Colors (for those who work with Candle Magick): Red, Deep Gold, Orange, Brown, Maroon, Violet, Russet, Yellow, and Indigo.
• Animals: Dogs, Wolves, Stag, Birds of Prey (especially the Blackbird, Owl, and Eagle), Salmon, and Goat.
• Mythical Creatures: Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaurs, Cyclops, Andamans, and Gulons.
• Stones: Yellow Topaz, Carnelian, Sapphire, Yellow Agate, Lapis Lazuli, and
Amethyst. Also, river or stream stones which have been submerged for the Summer may be used.
• Plants: Vines, Garlands (made of these various plants), Gourds, Pine Cones,
Acorns, Wheat, Dried Leaves, Corn, Pomegranate, Ivy, Hazel, Hops, Cedar, and Tobacco.
• Herbs: Myrhh, Thistles, Tobacco, Oak Leaves, Hazel, Mums, Hops, Acorns, Marigold, Roses, Sage, Milkweed, Solomon’s Seal, Asters, Ferns, Honeysuckle, Benzoin, Passionflower, Pine, and Cedar.
• Incense would include: Aloes Wood, Cinnamon, Cloves, Benzoin, Jasmine,
Frankincense, Myrrh, and Sage.
• Dieties: All wine Deities (especially Dionysus and Bacchus), the Mother aspect of the Triple Goddess, Persephone, Thor, Modron, Morrigan, Snake Woman, Epona, Pamona, Muses, Mabon, Thoth, Hermes, Hotei, Harvest Deities, and Aging Deities.
• Other: Burial Cairns, Rattles, and Sun Wheels ( http://www.magickalwinds.com)
Mabon History ( http://www.magickalwinds.com)
Mabon (May-bawn) is also known as the Feast of Avalon and the festival of the Wine Harvest. To the Celts, Avalon is the mysterious place for the land of the dead. and literally means the “land of apples”. Thus this is a holiday for celebrating the bounty of the harvest and the desire for the living to be reunited with their deceased loved ones.
But the holiday is also named for the Welsh God Mabon. Mabon means the “great son”. He was the son of Modred, kidnapped at the age of 3 and later rescued by King Arthur. His life represents the innocence of youth, the strength of survival and the growing wisdom of the elderly. Perhaps it is this view of the cycle of life that brings Mabon to his most popular role, the King of the Otherworld and the God of Darkness.
His myths overlap with other Gods such as the Welsh God Gwyn Ap Nuad, which means “white son of darkness”. He is seen as the God of war and death, the patron God of fallen warriors. Once again this is a representation or connection to the Land of Avalon.
Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance. ( http://www.magickalwinds.com)
Just a little info on my upcoming Sabbat (which is the 22nd of September this year). There is a lot more that goes into the celebration, but my actual ritual and chants are a private thing. I wish you all a wonderful Autumn season.
A peek inside my upcoming Sabbat.
My husband's birthday is Sept. 21. I love this time of year in Michigan. It's not yet cold; the days are still warm, but the nights become chilly and great for sleeping with the windows open.
My son's BD is Sept 21. He was born on the one of the hottest days of the year in Lubbock, TX. We thought fall would never get there that year
It's the same here in Western NY. I love it.
I hope your husband has a wonderful CRISP birthday.
Western NY and SE Michigan are pretty level with each other as far as geography, but if you're anywhere near Buffalo, you get WAY more snow than I do.
Rochester - hit or miss with the snow. Some years knee deep - some years inches.
Blessed Be, hope your holiday is a good one. I suppose this will be the end of large public gatherings for awhile.
Our gatherings are fairly small. So we are good.
Peace be with you, Veronica as you celebrate this festive time of year.
Spring and Autumn always felt more balanced to me more so than Winter (blech!) or Summer (my fave time of year), but I guess that's because those are the 2 times of year where day and night are pretty much equal
I feel more balanced as well. I tend to sweep out the negativity from the house on those two days as well.
Those are all colors I love to wear; my birthstone is garnet, which is deep red. My favorite color overall is red.
My birth sign is represented by the goat.
I love Sapphire. Ironically my husband's birthstone.
Love me some Sage, Cedar, and Tobacco... I just made a body butter with sage and cedar essential oils. I think next time I'll bring in the patchouli & tobacco with sage and Bergamot.
Sorry. I know, I went a little nuts there. I'm just happy to be commenting on something that's happy today. Blessed be.
No apologies. I appreciate the responses. Sounds like you are an Autumn person. Sage is one of my favorites. I a water sign & my totem animal is the turtle (slow & steady). I really like to incorporate all the colors, stones & scents in my ritual work for the Sabbats. It just makes me feel more balanced.
I was going to write this close to Mabon, but the front page depressed me so much I had to write something I find to be uplifting.
May the Goddess shine upon you as well.
And I thank you for that!!!
Sincere thanks for posting an article that soothes my neo-pagan soul.
I purchased spiced pumpkin and salted caramel scented candles to bring calm and balance to my world because the weather has been too hot to bake. Next week, I have plans to fill my home with the real scents of baking pumpkin bread, pumpkin zucchini bread, and even some apple pumpkin bread if I can find decent apples in my area.
Blessed be.
I have been in the dumps for the past 2 Sabbats & I told myself to pull myself out of it. So I wrote this & am feeling better.
Your words have put me into a baking mood as well - think I will grab myself some pumpkin & apples & start the Harvest Feast a little early.
May the Goddess bless you.
Nice article. Thank you.
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