Autumn Equinox

The Autumn Equinox or Harvest Home is also called Mabon, pronounced 'MAY-bon', after the Welsh god Mabon ap Modron, which means literally 'son of mother'.
Mabon appears in 'The Mabinogion' tale. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honour The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to the trees. The Welsh know this time as 'Alban Elfed', meaning 'light of autumn'.

It takes place on September 21 and marks the last harvest before Winter claims the Earth. As with the Vernal Equinox, day and night are of equal length across the planet. The passage tomb Sliabh na Caillí is aligned with the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes, when the sunrise shines on several sunwheel carvings.

The balance is felt more at this time than in the spring. The harvest is in, and as we feast it’s a time of reflection on what we have achieved, and we reach out to understand the mysteries of balance. Gifts are often shared, as it is usual to share food and drink, often from a large found loaf of home baked bread and honey mead.

During the Autumn Equinox  is a time when the day and night are of equal length, occurring between the twentieth and twenty-third of Septembers. It celebrates the end of the grain harvest. It is a festival of Harvest Home. It is a festival where people acknowledge what one has learned throughout the year and how one will use it.

The ideas of balance are observed at this time, allowing people the opportunity to see the world(s) around them, those of paradox and duality. Whims are held equal and balanced, even if only for moments at a time. This culture will seek to understand that those paradoxes and balances are reflected in each one’s own self.

Taking time to question one, as to what one has achieved during this cycle of growth and which is now coming to an end be a common practice. Looking at the actual harvest of the land is the beginning of this process, which is why it is common that at this time, people gather (festive) to eat food that is locally grown. It guides consciousness to better connect with the Awen flow through each individuals loyalty.

Looking into what one selves have harvested, allows the focus of the earth’s harvest to guide them and it’s the essence aspect of this ritual, allowing people to explore own sense of value and achievement ~ expressing the weave of life.

Only by sharing, can one be able to receive feedback that builds confidence and self-esteem.

Feasting on excesses in a rich dance of wonder, people slowly draw together, a focus’s upon the ritual itself.

Harvest festival
This is the second festival of the season of harvest - at the beginning of the harvest, at Lughnasadh, winter retreated to his underworld, now at the Autumn equinox he comes back to earth. For our Celtic ancestors this was time to reflect on the past season and celebrate nature's bounty and accept that summer is now over. Harvest Home marks a time of rest after hard work, and a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of nature.
This is the time to look back on the past year and what you have achieved and learnt, and to plan for the future.

The full moon nearest to the Autumn Equinox is called the Harvest Moon and farmers would harvest their crops by then, as part of the second harvest celebration.
Mabon was when livestock would be slaughtered and preserved (salted and smoked) to provide enough food for the winter.

At the South Pole they will be celebrating the first appearance of the sun in six months. However, at the North Pole they will be preparing for six months of darkness.

During Medieval times, the Christian Church replaced Pagan solstices and equinox celebrations with Christianized occasions.
The Autumn equinox celebration was Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael.


Mabon
Mabon is also known as the Autumn Equinox and the Harvest Home Festival and the Second Harvest. Holy day in paganism, especially in the Wicca religion. Celebrated on the autumnal equinox, which corresponds to approximately the 20th of March in the southern hemisphere and on 22 September in the northern hemisphere (the dates of the equinoxes may have a variation of up to three days according to years).

This Sabbath, which occurs between the first harvest festival (Lughnasadh) Pagan and New Year (Samhain), marks the beginning of autumn, pagan holy day of rest and celebration of the harvest, a time of thanksgiving to the gods for everything that has been gathered and hunted. It is a time of balance, where day and night are of equal length.

This is the day of thanksgiving of paganism. Date where the pagans honor the God in his aspect of seed and the Great Mother in her aspect of Provider.

The name Mabon has come from a Celtic god (also known as Angus), the God of Love. This is the ideal time to ask for all those we love, and all who are sick or old.

It is traditional to gather friends for a dinner to celebrate the bounty and celebrate achievements.

It is also customary to remove a time to give attention to your home, how to fix damaged objects, restore the stocks or simply to clean up. It is common in some traditions make a blessing on the house of Mabon.

The nights have started to get longer, since the Summer Solstice, is approaching the time of departure from God to the earth in summer, leaving their own seed in the womb of the Goddess, where reborn (keeping the eternal cycle of birth -death-rebirth).

In each of the eight sabbats of the wiccan Wheel of the Year correspondences are specific to the composition based on the symbolism of the rituals of the time.

Plants and fruits: acacia flowers, benzoin, honeysuckle, marigold, myrrh, oak leaves and bark.

Typical foods: apples, walnuts, chestnuts, almonds, corn, blackberries, jabuticabas, cloves, and breads, pies and other dishes made ​​from the fruits of the season.

Typical Beverages: Wines, beers, ciders, and juices and other beverages prepared from the fruits of the season (especially apple).

Incense: carnation, patchouli, myrrh, apple, sage and benzoin.

Colors: brown, green, orange and yellow. (Autumn colors in general).

Stones: carnelian, lapis lazuli, agate, sapphire, and yellow.