Merry Autumn Equinox
Merry Autumn Equinox! Welcome to Mid-Autumn. Today the northern hemisphere begins its journey into deep Autumn. This time of year is often touted as the beginning of Fall, but according the Pagan Wheel of the Year, it is actually the midpoint of the Autumn season, with Lammas (August 1) and Samhain (November 1) being the beginning and end points of the full season.
Traditionally in Northern and Western Pre-Christian Europe, this equinox is the second harvest celebration of the year, with Lammas and Samhain being the first and third. The daylight is exactly even, 12:12, and we celebrate the fading away of summer into the full splendor of Autumn. We recognize the beginning of the descent of the goddess into the underworld as the leaves fade and clatter in the wind. Green fields become golden-red hills. We invoke and honor the goddesses of wheat and corn. We thank the Sun and Earth for our plenty with the symbol of the cornucopia.
Mabon Time
It is important to remember that much of our current paganism is reconstructed. The name Mabon was given to the autumn equinox holiday in the 1970’s by pagan groups. Mabon is the name of the Welsh hero-god. He is a part of a divine mother-son pair, his mother being the goddess Modron. Mabon means “son of the mother”. Mabon was stolen from his mother at three days old, and held in a dark prison in which he grew to manhood. King Arthur is given the task of recovering Mabon, the greatest hunter, and travels to consult the great salmon Llyn Llyw. Llyn Llyw carries Arthur and his men to the castle where Mabon is imprisoned, and they rescue him.
For modern pagans, Mabon represents the repression of the old ways in Europe, heralded by the Christian church and carried out by the massacre of women during the Inquisition. Arthur is the turning point in history in which magic gave way to religion, and thus his role in rescuing the “son of the Mother'' and bringing him out to light gives us hope that reconstructing a new way after a period of darkness is always not only possible, but immanent. Thus we enter into the dark time of the year with gratitude for the gifts of the light and readiness for the lessons of the dark.
How To celebrate
At this time, we give thanks in the form of offerings. What is it that you value the most? This may be plants, fruits, money, jewelry, artwork you make, or any number of things. Gather up a bit of that which is most dear to you, that which sustains you, and bring it to a sacred place. Create an altar with symbols of the harvest, fruits, flowers, seeds, and your special offerings. Leave the offerings for the nature spirits, the faeries, your guides, and the raw resources and labors that gave you these precious things. Learn their stories. Circle your altar three times, either physically or with your burning saining bundle. Send up a prayer of gratitude. Turn and walk away, without glancing behind.
Autumn is a busy time, so our celebrations are active. Picking apples, baking pies, making jams, bringing in the last of the tomatoes, canning vegetables, this is the celebratory work of Autumn. Put in little bits of magic in your work. Light an autumn candle when you begin a big project for the day. Say a little prayer while doing a repetitive task. Invite others over to share in the work of food-processing, and then share the fruits of your labor between you all. This work is the magic of the Autumn Equinox.
Blessings to you this season.
As above, so below.
May It be so.
In Love,
Susan Marie