MABON - autumn equinox, traditions and rituals of harvest celebrations

MABON – a holiday based on Celtic and neo-pagan traditions, symbolizing the autumnal equinox. Traditionally celebrated from September 20 to 23. It is the sixth holiday of the Wheel of the Year, a cycle that represents the natural transition of the seasons. Eight significant holidays are associated with them, through which we celebrate various aspects of life, growth, abundance, death and rebirth.
It celebrates the balance of light and dark, gratitude for the harvest , and is a time of preparation for the darker half of the year. It is the second harvest festival after Lughnasadh.

The name Mabon was not introduced until the 1970s by American neopagan Aidan Kelly, who was inspired by the Welsh mythological figure Mabon, son of Modron (from a story from around 100 AD). Among neopagans, Mabon is often understood as the god of light, the second harvest, and his mother Modron as Mother Earth.

Holiday energy and aspects

• A balance between light and dark, gratitude, letting go of the old and unnecessary. It is a time to slow down, reflect on the past year, and prepare for the shortening days. A balance is struck between day and night, activity and rest, and receiving and giving.

• Gratitude – giving thanks for the gifts of nature and life experiences.

• The end of the cycle - the harvest of crops, but also of life lessons from which we learned lessons that enriched us.

• Letting go – getting rid of everything that no longer serves you and creating space for new opportunities, relationships…

• Harmonization – tuning into the natural rhythm and preparing for the winter season.

Colors characterizing the Mabon period: brown, orange, yellow, red, but also copper and gold

In Feng Shui, brown represents the energy of the earth, which is the energy of stability, patience, honesty, balance and resourcefulness. It is our home energy, the energy of the land we live on. It is the energy of the mountains, the plains, the shore and the valley. It is our endurance, our home in the black cold universe.

Orange is a symbol of joy, friendship, pleasure and family togetherness. Orange is the most amazing color for its natural strength and action, it is the color of people born at the end of summer, i.e. August 23 to September 22 under the sign of Virgo.

Orange is the color of joy, friendship, and physical pleasure. The passion of these rays is a combination of red and gold. Joy is a pure emotion, elusive but heartfelt. As people age, they sometimes lose the ability to rejoice, and yet it is a way of very easy pleasure or a deep, lasting feeling.

Yellow is a symbol of optimism, enlightenment, warmth and understanding. Yellow is the color of the incoming and strengthening rays of the sun and the warmth it brings with it. It is the color of the bright days of the coming summer and as the Sun shines from the sky onto the landscape, its yellow rays bring the power of enlightenment and support the search for knowledge. It is the color of the summer solstice at a time of bright long days, the color of warmth.
Yellow is the color of mid-year, the successful beginning of a new journey, promises and fulfilled promises, and "sunny" optimism.
How does yellow affect our psyche, how do we perceive it, and how is it perceived in the world? You can find out in our article Yellow: the color of light, joy, optimism, and vitality.

Gold is a symbol of enthusiasm, happiness and power. Gold is the traditional colour of kings, wealth and the Sun and seems to touch the deepest part of our minds, evoking images of mystical places, treasures and adventure. Gold helps to alleviate fears and worries, strengthening our enthusiasm and ambition.

Traditional gemstones for Mabon celebrations

These stones and crystals are worn as talismans , can be used to decorate an altar, or to meditate with. They are an energetic support for the coming season, can be used as a decoration for a feast or as part of a protective amulet. Add lavender, cinnamon, rosemary or sage to your altar.

How best to experience this holiday?

Create a Mabon Altar

Whether you create a simple or elaborate altar, it is important that it reflects your intentions. It should be a place of joy, light, and above all, full of positive energy.

Here are a few types of what should be on the altar:

• Harvest fruits: apples, grapes, pumpkins, corn and nuts.

• Grain and grains as a symbol of abundance and the cycle of life.

• Leaves and twigs: leaves in autumn colors, acorns.

• Herbs: sage, rosemary, cinnamon, lavender.

• Something from nature, e.g. seeds, pine cones, stones...

• Candles in orange, brown, gold, red, yellow can be made of beeswax.

• Stones for grounding, optimism, vitality, joy, happiness, positive energy, self-confidence and inner strength, e.g. tawny, carnelian, red jasper, orange calcite, tiger's eye, garnet.

• A vessel with water or wine – the element of water and a symbol of hospitality.

• Sun and moon shaped ornaments – a balance between light and dark.

  

Ritual Tip for Mabon – A Ritual of Gratitude and Balance

What you will need

A bundle of cleansing herbs or a stick of palo santo, gold and dark red candles, a bowl of water, a harvest fruit (e.g. an apple, grape or walnut), a stone (agate, carnelian or citrine), paper and a pencil.

Procedure

• Clear the space, light the candles, and slowly inhale and exhale three times.

• Gratitude: Write down 3 things on paper that you are grateful for in the past period.

• Balance: place the stone on your left hand as a symbol of the past and the fruit on your right hand as a symbol of the future. Close your eyes and feel the balanced energy of both sides.

• Symbolic blessing: touch the paper with gratitude to the candle and then place it next to the bowl of water. Leave it there until the end of the ritual.

• End of the ritual: eat the fruit or offer part of it to nature, let the candles burn out or extinguish them if necessary. Burn the paper safely or bury it in the ground.

Affirmations for Mabon

Affirmations are positive statements that we repeat or write down. The purpose is to strengthen our thinking, self-confidence and thus support the achievement of goals.

• "I find a balance between light and dark in my life."

• "I am grateful for all I have gained and I am preparing for new beginnings."

• "I open myself to the peace and wisdom of autumn days."

• "I let go of what no longer serves me and welcome new possibilities."

Mabon Prayer – Song of Balance

"O Mabon, guardian of the gate of autumn,
On this day when the sun and the moon walk hand in hand,
I bring you the fruits of my harvest – from the earth and from my soul.

The winds of a cooler morning caress me,
The leaves are golden with streams of Your light,
and I feel the world slowing down,
to listen to the silence between breaths.

Thank you for the bread on my table,
for the wine in my glass, for the smiles that warmed me in the summer.
Thank you also for the shadows that showed me,
Where my roots grow stronger.

May balance dwell in my heart,
as I see her today in the sky above me.
May my mind accept changes like a river accepts rain,
and my soul lets go of what belongs to the past.

Bless, Mabon, my steps,
Let me walk calmly into the night that is coming,
with the belief that even after the longest winter
Your spring sun will rise again.

We decorated the Nefertitis altar with rowanberries and rose hips, added grain, pumpkins and apples, stones that energetically resonate with Mabon. On the altar you will find By Nefertitis Mabon - a blend of 100% natural essential oils, a smoker from our magical Mabon workshop, bundles that we prepared for this magical holiday and homemade pumpkin soup with bacon.

Mabon incense burner from our magical workshop in Nefertitis

Crystal lattice

contains stones for grounding, optimism, vitality, joy, happiness, positive energy, self-confidence and inner strength: tawny, carnelian, tiger's eye, orange calcite and red jasper.

Prepare festive food and drinks
Savory and sweet dishes made from apples, pumpkins, nuts, root vegetables, grains and spices are suitable. Examples include apple pie or strudel, walnut cake, pumpkin soup, wholemeal bread, wine, mead, cider or herbal tea. It is an ideal time to spend time together with family and friends.

Small menu design for Mabon by Nefertitis

Appetizer: fresh whole grain or rye bread with cheese (gouda, cheddar or goat cheese) with apple chutney.

Main course: baked pumpkin stuffed with rice, mushrooms and herbs: halve the Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash, scoop out the seeds, brush with oil and bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes. In a pan, fry the chopped onion, garlic, mushrooms and herbs to taste, salt and pepper, stir in the cooked rice. Fill the pumpkin with the mixture and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Dessert: apple pie with cinnamon: roll out the puff pastry and place in a baking dish. Cut the apple into slices, mix with sugar to taste, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and fill the dish. Put pieces of butter on top and bake at 180 °C for about 35–40 minutes.

Don't forget the warm spiced cider: heat the cider with a cinnamon stick, add a clove and a slice of orange, and a teaspoon of honey. Don't boil, just warm it to release the aroma of the spices.

Meditate
Find a quiet place where you will be alone and nothing and no one will disturb you. Light a candle and meditate.

Create a talisman for Mabon with us

You will need: a canvas bag (orange, brown or gold), a stone (turquoise, citrine or carnelian), dried herbs (sage for cleansing, cinnamon for abundance, rosemary for protection), an acorn or seed (a symbol of new beginnings) and a red ribbon or string.

Procedure: Place a stone, herbs, and an acorn or seed in the bag. As you place each ingredient, say your intention out loud (e.g., “I accept balance,” “I invite abundance”). Tie the bag with a red ribbon/string and hold it to your heart for a moment during the full moon or sunset on Mabon. Carry it in your pocket, keep it on your altar, or hang it at the entrance to your house or car.

Formula for consecrating a talisman

"Fruit of the earth, stone of fire,
Wise herb, protect me.
Balance in the heart, abundance in the palm of your hand,
May the talisman protect my steps.
"So be it."

-----------------------------------------------------------

There are similar holidays around the world that, like Mabon,

Although the Mabon holiday is a modern neo-pagan term, its theme – the autumnal equinox, the harvest, the balance of light and dark – appears in many forms in different cultures.

Alban Elfed – Celts, Druid tradition: September 22. The holiday is the “Light of Water”, a celebration of the equinox and harvest.

Erntedankfest – Germany, Austria: depending on individual regions, usually September 5. A Christian version of the harvest thanksgiving holiday, similar to our harvest festival.

Chuseok – Korea: 15th to 8th day of the month according to the full moon. Chuseok, also Hangawi or Jungchujeol, is an important Korean holiday celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for the harvest.

Shūbun no Hi – Japan: September 22 or 23. It is a public holiday on the autumnal equinox, a time for visiting the dead and remembering ancestors.

Thanksgiving Day – North America: fourth Thursday in November, i.e. between November 22 and 28. A holiday of gratitude and thanksgiving for the harvest.

Mid-Autumn Festival/Moon Festival – China, Vietnam: 15th to 8th day of the month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. Family gatherings, cake baking, and a holiday associated with the celebration of the end of the harvest. 

Meán Fáimháir – Irish tradition: 9th month of the Gregorian calendar. It is a harvest festival associated with feasting and mythology. It means middle of harvest.

Whatever the name of the holidays, they are united by the balance of light and night, gratitude for the harvest and fruits of nature, the end of old cycles, and preparation for the dark part of the year.

We wrote the article for you on August 11, 2025.

Articles about other holidays in the Wheels of the Year series can be found here.

Was this article useful to you? Share it with your friends - click the Facebook button below this text.

© 2014 www.nefertitis.cz . This article as a whole or in part may not be copied or distributed without the prior written consent of www.nefertitis.cz . Our articles are protected by Copyscape and their copying is traceable and demonstrable. If you would like to use the information from the article for your blog, etc., we will be happy to provide you with the texts and images, please contact us by e-mail at info@nefertitis.cz .