New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
| Color of the day: White
Incense of the day: Cedar Known as the Witch's Thanksgiving, Mabon occurs at the Autumnal Equinox. As the year shifts from light to dark, the focus shifts from the masculine to the feminine, from the God to the Goddess, and from external work to internal reflection. On this day, Lugh, honored at Lughnasadh, sacrifices himself in battle with his dark twin. In Wiccan mythology, the Goddess, full and radiant in her own abundance, waits to give birth to the new Sun god at Yule. Also known as Harvest Home, the Feast of Avalon, Wine Harvest, and the Festival of Dionysus, Mabon can also be seen as a celebration of the god of the vine. In either form, it marks the second harvest and is a time to relax, enjoy, and give thanks for the bounty of the earth. Create an altar with the colors, fruits, and flowers of fall. Decorations could include leaves, grain, acorns, apples, grapes, a cornucopia, the Empress card from your favorite tarot deck, and a picture or statute of Demeter, Persephone, Lugh, or Dionysus. Light an orange or rust candle, and reflect on all that you have harvested in the past year. Light another candle in thanks for each item or event, saying: "Thank you, Lady, for your great gift of abundance." End by raising a chalice containing a small amount of juice, wine, or mead, saying: "Thank you, Lord, for your gift of sacrifice and bounty." Take one sip, and then go outside and offer the rest in libation to the earth. Let the candles burn down and leave the altar, adding fresh items as needed, until Samhain. |
