Mabon/ The Autumn Equinox

Mabon is a celebration of the second harvest and a time to give thanks for the food and crops the earth has provided for us. It is a time to start preparing for the darker and colder months ahead of us- from this day onwards the dark will be taking over the light, the days become shorter and the nights become longer. It is named after a welsh god Mabon ap Modron (the son of Modron). The term Mabon is a neo-pagan term that was created in the 1970's, but the celebration of the festival dates back to 3000 B.C. The Druids call this celebration Mea'n Fo'mhair.

The timing of Mabon varies slightly each year. Astrologer David Rowan helped me to understand this better ''This year's Solar Ingress to Libra (Autumn Equinox) is at 20:44 BST on the 22nd of September 2013.  The word 'Ingress' describes the moment when a planet changes Sign'' (David Rowan, 2013).

''The stations of the Sun, Solsticial and Equinoxical moments, occur when the Sun Ingresses into each of the 4 Cardinal Signs of the Tropical Zodiac:
Capricorn = Yule, or mid-winter
Aries = Spring Equinox
Cancer = Summer Solstice
Libra = Autumn Equinox'' (David Rowan, 2013)

''The dates vary each year because our calendar counting system is not calculated to follow the celestial sphere properly, hence the 'one day adjustment' every 4 years (leap year) '' (David Rowan 2013)

For those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of astrology I will link David Rowans website at the bottom of this post.

 Mabon Insence

 (recipe by Scott Cunningham)

• 2 parts Frankinsense
• 1 Part Sandlewood
• 1 Part Cypress
• 1 Part Juniper
• 1 Part Pine
• 1/2 Part Oakmoss
• 1 pinch of pulverized Oak Leaf

Astrological sign 

 1 degree Libra

Mabon strones 

 yellow agates, carnelian, lapis lazuli.

Colours

  Reds, browns, yellows, maroons, golds.

Herbs

Acrons, myrhh, seeds, tobacco, ferns, marigolds.

 

 

Activities 

 Long walks in the woods, scattering offerings in nature, making wines, making corn dollies,

making of talismans and amulets, dip leaves in paraffin wax and bless them (they make perfect little gifts).

Mabon

(by Ezzy Violet)

The Time of Change is upon us again -
the Equinox comes, the Wheel turns...

The Goddess and the God prepare for
Their journey to the Otherworld,
as the Earth and all of Her children
prepare for the Time of Quiet and
Reflection that lies ahead...

May we use this Autumnal period to seek for the strength and power within
to assist us on our own quests for
vision, feeling, and peace...

May we see and feel the presence of

the Goddess and the God within, though
without, the Earth begins Her slumber...

Keep us in Your light...

 

I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Blessed Mabon! 

http://www.davidrowan.co.uk/solar/introducing_astrology.html 

http://www.davidrowan.co.uk/solar/astrology_online_teaching.html