Mabon is a modern Wiccan term to describe the Autumn Equinox, and it’s one of my favourite times of the whole year. It’s when day and night are perfectly balanced, before the darker half of the year takes over.
This seasonal festival is a prominent part of the Wheel of the Year and often represents the second harvest, another opportunity to recognize the abundance of nature before winter arrives.
For witchy folk, Mabon an ideal time to do something a little special to honour the changing seasons. But not before pausing for a moment, to feel the magick that sits on the balancing point of light and dark.
On a practical note, Mabon is a good time to start preparing for the months ahead when the darker times close in.
From creating an altar to feasting with friends and family, there are so many delicious traditions to mark Mabon.
It’s never more important to connect to Mother Earth’s rhythms, through the symbols of the season (we’ll take a look at some of those Mabon correspondences later).
So read on for some inspiration, and prepare to reflect, give gratitude and set some powerful intentions for the ever-shortening year we have left.
What is Mabon and the Autumn Equinox?
Mabon occurs on the autumn equinox, typically around September 21st or 22nd.
When is Mabon 2024?
This year, Mabon arrives on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024.
It is a time to celebrate the harvest’s bounty and prepare for the colder months ahead. The day also symbolizes balance, as the hours of light and darkness are equal.
It’s believed the name ‘Mabon’ was coined by Aidan Kelly around 1970, as a reference to Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology. This relatively recent naming has become one of the most commonly used names for this festival among modern Wiccans.
During this time, many Wiccans and pagans give thanks for the harvest and reflect on personal growth during the past year. Setting up altars with autumn colours, fruits, and symbols of the harvest can enhance your connection to the season and create a celebratory energy in your home.
20 Rituals to Celebrate Mabon
For modern Wiccans and pagans, celebrating Mabon means creating meaningful rituals that focus on gratitude for what has been, honouring the harvest from the land, and preparing for the darkness to come.
Here are 20 ideas for your own Mabon celebration. From the traditional to the more esoteric, take a look and see what calls to you. Trust your instincts, and remember there’s no right or wrong way – rituals are personal and the more personal to you, the more meaningful it will be.
1. Bake with apples
Kitchen witchery comes into its own at Mabon! So embrace the essence of this fall festival by baking with apples.
Gather a bounty of crisp, juicy varieties, and whip up a luscious apple pie, its warm spices wafting through your home. Or create a decadent apple crisp topped with a buttery crumble. Or go traditional and plump for apple cake or strudel.
As you mix and stir, infuse your baking with intentions of abundance and gratitude. Let the oven’s warmth envelop you as alchemy occurs, filling your space with the comforting aroma of baked apples… yummmm!
2. Host a harvest feast
Gather your favourite witchy sisters for a sumptuous harvest feast that celebrates the bounty of Mabon.
Set a long, inviting table adorned with pumpkins, golden grains, and a cornucopia of seasonal produce. Prepare hearty dishes that showcase the richness of autumn—think roasted squash, earthy root vegetables, and warm bread fresh from the oven.
As you share this meal, invite laughter and stories to flow, weaving a tapestry of connection and gratitude within your spiritual community.
Let the flickering candlelight and the sweet aroma of spices create a joyful ambience, to forge the bonds that nourish our souls.
3. Write in your gratitude journal
Find a cozy nook, perhaps wrapped in a soft blanket, grab your journal and pen, and list the blessings that have graced your life—big or small.
Allow your heart to swell with appreciation for the lessons learned, the connections nurtured, and the abundance surrounding you. With each word, feel the energy of gratitude flow through you, inviting even more blessings to unfold in the months ahead.
Also read: How to Start a Moon Journal
4. Create a Mabon altar
To set up a Mabon altar in your home, choose a central location, such as a table or shelf, where you can place items symbolizing the season. Use a piece of fabric or scarf in a autumn colours like deep reds, oranges, and golds, as a base for your altar.
Decorate your altar with apples, other seasonal fruits, grains, and small pumpkins. You can also include symbols of gods and goddesses associated with the harvest, like Demeter or Ceres.
For added authenticity, incorporate a cornucopia to symbolise abundance.
Light a candle to signify the waning sunlight and add a small bowl of wine to represent the season’s celebrations.
5. Decorate your home
Transform your space into an autumnal sanctuary that reflects the magic of Mabon.
Use rich, warm colours and adorn your home with autumn-themed decorations like vibrant leaves, plump gourds, and flickering candles to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
Drape your windows with deep-hued fabrics and arrange seasonal flowers to add a touch of elegance. Infuse a hint of enchantment by incorporating crystals like citrine and amber, or hang dried herbs to invite prosperity and protection.
6. Make seasonal crafts
Make seasonal crafts, such as wreaths or decorations from natural materials. Incorporate intentions as you craft, ritualising your work to give it added meaning and significance.
Mabon is also a great time to make magickal tools, oils, elixirs and incense. Crafting makes use of the abundance of harvest, yet it can also help you to prepare and your craft for the winder months. Check out these posts for craft inspiration:
7. Host a bonfire gathering
Ignite the spirit of Mabon by hosting a bonfire gathering under the starlit sky. Gather your closest friends and family, inviting them to share in the warmth and magic of the flames.
Create an inviting circle with cosy blankets and cushions, and let the flickering firelight dance as you share stories, laughter, and perhaps a few secrets.
Enhance the ambience with herbal incense or essential oils that evoke the essence of autumn. Toast marshmallows or sip on spiced cider to celebrate the season’s bounty and the bonds that bring us together in this enchanting time of transition.
8. Host a wine tasting
Embrace the rich flavours of fall by hosting an intimate wine tasting that celebrates Mabon’s bounty. Curate a selection of local wines and meads, particularly those infused with autumn fruits like apple and pear. Set the mood with dim lighting and soft music, inviting guests to savour each sip.
Cheers to the harvest!
9. Plant a tree
Autumn is the best time to plant a new tree, as the heat of summer is over, yet the ground has yet to freeze. So embrace the earth’s magic this Mabon by planting a tree, one of our most powerful symbols of growth and renewal.
Choose a spot that feels sacred to you, and as you dig into the soil be present with the dark soil of the Great Mother.
Adorn the planting site with autumn leaves or crystals, or plant spring bulbs around it, creating a witchy sanctuary that will flourish with time, reminding you of the cycles of life and the beauty of new beginnings.
10. Perform a candle ritual
So many kinds of candle magick that can be performed at Mabon. Here’s one candle ritual to call focus and attention to inner and outer balance:
- Gather supplies: Select two candles in contrasting colours – white for light and black for dark – to symbolize balance. You could also select a couple of crystals like obsidian and clear quartz to place in front of you too.
- Create sacred space: Find a quiet, sacred area where you can focus. Dim the lights and arrange your candles to represent the harmony between light and dark.
- Set your intentions: Reflect on the balance in your life. Write down areas where you seek equilibrium, acknowledging both your light and shadow aspects.
- Light the Candles: Begin by lighting the white candle, visualizing the illumination of your favourite strengths and qualities. Next light the black candle, with the intention to embrace the gifts revealed in your shadow. Feel both energies within.
- Meditate: Spend a few moments in meditation, pondering the dance between light and dark within you. Allow the flickering flames to guide you to a deeper understanding of this duality.
- Close the Ritual: Thank the energies for their guidance. Snuff out the candles (don’t blow them out) and keep your intention paper in a special place, honouring the balance you’ve cultivated as the seasons shift.
11. Perform a personal harvest ritual
I absolutely LOVE this ritual, and I think it’s vital to create the opportunity to feel proud of ourselves! As the end point of harvest, Mabon is the perfect time in the wheel of the year to do this:
- Create Your Altar: Set up a small altar with items that represent your past seasons – photographs, mementoes from meaningful experiences or even a scatter of post it notes with your best memories scribbled on – to honor your journey.
- Reflect on the Year: Take a moment to sit quietly and reflect on the achievements and challenges of the past year. Acknowledge the lessons learned and the growth you’ve experienced.
- Write Your Gratitude List: Pen a heartfelt list of things you are grateful for, celebrating both the triumphs and the trials that have shaped you. Let each word resonate with appreciation.
- Offer a Toast: Pour a small glass of your favourite equinox beverage, perhaps cider or herbal tea, and raise it in gratitude for the abundance in your life, honouring the fruits of your labour!
- Meditate on Your Achievements: Spend a few moments in meditation, visualizing your accomplishments as seeds planted in fertile soil, ready to blossom in the future. Embrace feelings of pride and fulfilment.
- Close the Ritual: Thank the energies of the season for their guidance. Keep your gratitude list in a special place, as a reminder of your sacred and unique journey and the abundance surrounding you.
12. Declutter
Embrace the transformative energy of Mabon by decluttering in time for the darker, colder times ahead. As the leaves fall, release what no longer serves you – old belongings, stagnant energy, and emotional baggage. Move through your living space with intention, lighting a cleansing saining bundle or incense to invite fresh energy.
Remember that each item you release creates space for the dark energy of potential to surround you this wintertime, making room for the magic of transformation to flow freely into your life.
13. Plan for Winter
As Mabon whispers of the impending chill, embrace the witchy magic of preparation.
Gather your thoughts and materials to create a cosy sanctuary for the winter months ahead. Curate a list of nourishing recipes, herbal remedies, and enchanting activities to keep your spirit warm and vibrant.
Stockpile candles, soft blankets, and seasonal decor, inviting the comforting embrace of winter into your home.
Reflect on your intentions for the colder days, allowing this time to be a period of introspection and growth, where the seeds of your dreams can rest and flourish in the quietude of the darkest season of the year.
14. Give yourself a tarot (or oracle card) reading
Dive headfirst into the mystical realms this Mabon by giving yourself a tarot, or an oracle card reading.
First create a sacred space: light candles and surround yourself with autumnal treasures to set the mood as you set an intention for guidance and clarity through the transformative darker days ahead.
Embrace the messages you receive with an open heart, allowing the cards to guide you through the shadows and light of your path, enriching your connection to the season’s magic.
15. Connect to the dark goddess
Mabon is the ideal time to step onto the path of the Dark Goddess, a powerful deity archetype embodying the wisdom of shadows and the transformative darkness inherent in life.
Whenever you call upon the Divine Feminine, be sure to make offerings and come with humility.
Invoke her presence through meditation or ritual, inviting her energy to guide you in embracing your shadows and hidden strengths. Reflect on the lessons she offers -transformation, intuition, and the beauty found in darkness. Allow her to inspire you to reclaim your power, fostering a deeper connection to the cycles of nature and the magic that resides within.
15. Create a seasonal grimoire page
Explore and express the witchy essence of Mabon by crafting a seasonal grimoire page that captures the magic of this harvest time. Gather your favourite pens, stickers and markers, and consider including the following elements:
Mabon Correspondences:
- Symbols: Cornucopia, scales, apples, acorns, pine cones, seeds, vines, dried leaves, scythes, sickles, harvest Moon.
- Animals: Fox, dog, wolf, goat, deer, owl, birds of prey, bear, sphinx
- Colours: Deep orange, rich gold, earthy browns, dark reds, burgundy
- Gods and Goddesses: Demeter, Persephone, Ceres, Dionysus , The Green Man
- Food: Apples, pumpkins, squash, nuts (such as acorns and walnuts), grains (like wheat and barley), corn
- Flowers: Asters, chrysanthemums, marigolds, sunflowers, goldenrod
- Crystals: Citrine, amber, carnelian, green aventurine, tiger’s eye
- Zodiac signs: Virgo (August 23 – September 22), Libra (September 23 – October 22)
Add illustrations and decorate your grimoire page with sigils that represent abundance and gratitude, along with drawings of seasonal elements like pumpkins and acorns.
Include a simple spell or affirmation that resonates with your intentions for the season, and infuse your words with devotion to your craft and to the ever-changing cycles of nature.
This creative ritual is not only a beautiful and personal way to celebrate Mabon, but also serves as a powerful talisman of seasonal magic, deepening your connection to the invisible currents of life.
18. Make a seasonal spell jar
Create a spell jar to harness the enchanting energies of Mabon, infusing your intentions with the essence of the harvest season. Follow these simple steps to craft your own magical vessel:
- Gather Your Ingredients: Choose items that resonate with autumn – dried herbs such as sage and cinnamon, small crystals such as citrine or amber, and seasonal symbols like acorns or beautiful golden leaves.
- Set Your Intention: Take a moment to reflect on what you wish to cultivate – abundance, balance, or gratitude -and focus your energy on this intention.
- Layer Your Jar: Begin layering your chosen ingredients in a small glass jar, starting with the herbs, followed by crystals, and finishing with any symbols or personal tokens.
- Add a Personal Touch: Write your intention on a small piece of paper, fold it, and place it inside the jar, so that your desires mingle with the energetics of its contents.
- Seal the Energy: Close the jar tightly, and if you wish, seal it with wax or a ribbon to keep your intentions safe and secure.
- Charge Your Jar: Place your spell jar on your altar or a special space. You can also hold it during meditation, visualizing your intentions blooming like the autumn harvest.
16. Do autumn scrying
The ancient practice of scrying is a really captivating way to connect with the more mystical energies of the season. Find a quiet, dimly lit space where the quiet whispers of intuition can dance around you.
Use a bowl of water, a crystal ball, or a black mirror to serve as your reflective surface. Set an intention for what you wish to see or understand more deeply, and as you gaze into the depths, allow your mind to drift, inviting visions and insights to unfold.
Let the emerging images, feelings, hunches and sparks of knowing guide you, offering glimpses of truthe, and illuminating the path of your inner journey.
With each scrying session, you deepen your connection to the magic of the season, so stick with this esoteric but oh-so-rewarding practice.
17. Try autumn leaf divination
Tap into the whispers of nature this Mabon, through autumn leaf divination.
With full conscious awareness and presence, gather a selection of fallen leaves in varying shapes and colours, each a vessel of hidden knowledge.
Create a sacred space and lay the leaves before you, inviting the energy of the goddess to guide your insights. Trust your intuition as you select a leaf that calls to you, reflecting on its shape, texture, colours and patterns.
Allow its messages to weave into your consciousness. Trust the impression you receive and the information that rises in you. This is what you are supposed to hear. Mother Nature is speaking with you!
19. Take a medicine walk
Set a potent intention to uncover the answers to the question that has been lingering for you.
Then on the sacred day of balance, set out on a solitary walk into nature, making each step deliberate and with full attention on your surroundings. Be open and receptive to what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Receive any and all information coming to you from the deep, all-knowing, all-loving Mother.
This medicine walk is a sacred dance with Mother Earth, a profound spiritual practice that deepens your connection to the unseen forces that guide your path.
20. Create an Autumn sound bath
Immerse yourself in the soothing energies of the season by creating a sound bath experience. Use your own instruments, such as crystal bowls or chimes, or find recordings of nature sounds associated with autumn, such as rustling leaves or distant thunder.
Light candles infused with autumnal scents, such as cinnamon and amber, and as you settle in, let the sounds wash over you like a gentle breeze. Focus on the vibrations, inviting the release of density and contraction, whilst embracing the energies of reflection and renewal.
How to celebrate Mabon the right way…
The right way to celebrate Mabon is YOUR way. Don’t ever do something because you feel like you ‘should’ but come with a devotional heart and the spirit of curiosity.
Celebrate Mabon in a way that feels authentic to you. If you want to take a quiet, solitary walk in the fields, then do that. If you want to dance around a bonfire singing with your witchy sisters, do that!
But do something. Mabon comes but once a year, and the goddess will offer you her blessings if you offer her yours.
