Mabon Musings
Written By Autumn Damiana
The fall equinox, or Mabon: what do you think of when you hear these words? What images come to mind? Almost anyone that you ask will probably identify their experiences of this season with things like the changing autumn leaves, cooler temperatures, and the upcoming holidays. Halloween and Back to School are two major features of this time of year, and for rural communities where farming is more prevalent, fall is all about harvest time.
It is this harvest aspect that we Pagans tend to dwell on as well, as this would have been first and foremost in the minds of our ancestors this time of year as they preserved and stored food from the harvest in preparation for the long, cold, hard winter ahead. We’ve all heard this before and understand what it means, but let’s be realistic; few of us really know what it would be like to live this way, and therefore can’t imagine it very accurately. In our modern times, who worries about starvation when there’s a supermarket just down the street? And what does harvest time mean to a population that’s used to having almost any kind of food available year-round? Still, despite being disconnected from that way of life, many of our harvest traditions survive, and we celebrate the fall season not entirely unlike our ancestors would have.
For example, have you ever wondered why so many of our culture’s major holidays take place this time of year? (Remember, the majority of the holiday season actually occurs in late fall!) Also, why each one has food or feasting as the central component to the celebration? I believe that this goes back once again to the concept of the harvest. In olden times, we'’re told, harvest time started around the end of summer and finished in early to mid fall. And then it was time to kick back and have some fun! I imagine that our ancestors felt that after all the hard work of bringing in the harvest, culling the herds, and stocking the larder, feasting with family and friends would be a natural way to celebrate. And thus we have the origins of our modern holidays.
I think that keeping with these traditions is the easiest way for Pagans today to feel a connection with our ancestors, and to understand the meaning behind the holidays we observe, and why we observe them at all. This is why I believe it is important to remember Mabon, the autumn equinox and first day of fall, as much as any other holiday. There are, after all, many timeless and subtle ways that people continue to mark the transition between seasons this time of the year, and these should be both honored and celebrated. Here are a few ideas:
You could hold a changing of the house ceremony, in which your seasonal items are rotated from summer to fall all at once. This would include putting away your summer clothes, and bringing out the fall sweaters, boots, hats, etc. Switch to your flannel sheets, and/or pile an extra blanket or comforter on the bed. Bring out the crock-pot and bake ware, and start cooking all those yummy fall comfort foods. Choose autumn colors to accent your decor, adding items from nature if you wish. And don’t forget to put that cozy afghan on the couch. You can even have a ritual ‘first fall fire’ in your fireplace. Be creative!
Another idea is to have a farewell to summer barbecue, either on the equinox itself, the day before, or even the weekend before if it’s more convenient. I realize that this is akin to what people commonly do to celebrate Labor Day in early September, but think of it this way: it’s likely that no one else you know will also be having a party that competes with yours, and you won’t have to worry that most of your friends will be out of town. Sounds like a great way to start a new tradition! Even just having a special meal with family or friends in honor of the first day of fall is enough to commemorate the occasion.
If you want to really get into the spirit of the holiday, you could try your hand at some of the tasks that would have occupied our ancestors. Try making some candles for those longer nights ahead. Perhaps you can make jam or do some canning (there are plenty of seasonal fruits still available this time of year.) Sew, knit, or crochet a blanket or scarf, especially one you might like to give as a gift at Yule. If you’re not feeling quite that ambitious, you can also go to the library and learn more about what people did during harvest time. Any of these activities are even more fun when you do them with your kids or a group of friends.
Finally, there is one thing you should NOT do when fall arrives: Don’t get too carried away. We all tend to slow down as the weather gets colder, while at the same time eating too much during the holidays, and Goddess, do we ever go overboard on the spending! And the result is that we become fat, we’re broke, and we get stressed out, tired, and somewhat let down when it’s all over. My advice to you is simply to practice moderation this fall, and take a cue from our ancestors. They would not go to such excess in their revelry that it would deplete their food supply or ruin the family name borrowing on bad credit. For them, this was a matter of survival. So eat, drink, and be merry, but don’t forget to exercise. Spend within limits this season, and give heartfelt, if not homemade, gifts. Take time to be with family and friends.
Above all, count your blessings and give thanks for your own personal ‘harvest’ this fall equinox, whatever that may be. Let your symbols of the season include not just pumpkins and autumn leaves, but hearth and home, family, good company, and good cheer. In your celebrations, honor our ancestors by remembering their way of life, for it is because of them that we have our cherished traditions today. And traditions are the ties that bind us from one generation to the next. Many blessings to you all, happy Mabon, and have a truly enjoyable fall season!