Mabon: The Witches Thanksgiving
Mabon alternatively known as The Witches Thanksgiving and is the Autumn Equinox, the second harvest of the year.
This is when the earth is full of autumnal colors of deep reds, yellow, oranges and golds, throughout the lands. A time for celebrating the harvest yielded, after all the hard work of sowing the seeds.
In the pagan cultures in history this time of the year was celebrated by dancing around great bonfires, music played and songs sung. Honoring and thanking the Gods for the blessing of the harvest, while praying for their bounty to last through the winter.
Check out the video tutorial below for some Mabon Magick!
How You Can Celebrate
Let’s take a look at some ways Mabon can be celebrated in your home today!
Cleansing Preparations
The season’s change is upon us and cleaning out the old energy, making space for the new is a perfect way to set the tone for Mabon celebrations.
Some ways to cleanse and prepare are:
- Putting away your summer clothing and replacing it with your winter apparel
- Change your window curtains and bedding to match the energy of fall & winter
- Give away anything that no longer is a part of your path to make way for what is
- Clean by dusting and wiping down everything in your home
- Burn some cleansing incense like rosemary, cedar or white sage
Reset/Create an Altar Space
You may feel the need to rearrange your altar space to reset its energy. And if you do not have an altar, you may feel drawn to set one up.
What To Place on the Altar
- flowers/plants of the season, dried or fresh, for example, sunflowers or mums)
- Scented candles like pumpkins spice, cinnamon, anything that reminds you of fall
- Candles: Orange, Gold, Yellow, Deep Reds
- Deity (if applies) representations
- A representation of the four elements
- Corn Dollies
- Pumpkins
- Crystals & Stones like carnelian, bloodstone & smoky quartz and any stone that correlates with this season’s energy.
The Energy of Mabon
Prepping for the Dark
Harvesting
A feeling of Gratitude for the Abundance
Reset
Botanicals Used
As there are so many herbs, plants, roots and trees that can be used, it all depends on your culture and surroundings. It’s best to use what grows locally to you.
Here are a few:
- Chamomile
- Cinnamon
- Cedar
- Cloves
- Pine
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Rue
Rituals
There are some rituals that are passed down from ancient pagan cultures and many are still a part of celebrations today. In our times things may be a little different, so celebrating doesn’t always look the same but still carries the same exuberant energies.
First let’s talk about bonfires, because what witch doesn’t love a good burning fire! While wonderfully magnificent the bonfires are, we all may not have the access to the land to create one.
One way to create a celebratory fire in this day and age is by taking a cauldron out into your backyard or balcony (if you don’t have access to either, find a private area in a park and bring a small cauldron), and in the cauldron place some wood pieces along with the botanicals of the month. Then write down your words of gratitude and you have written this down then burn and place into the cauldron lighting everything on fire. Continue to add wood pieces for as long as you desire it to burn while sitting with a drink in solitude or toasting with friends.
Casting Magick for Mabon, The Witches Thanksgiving
One of the ways you can cast a little magick of your own is by creating a spell jar!
What is the Spell Jar for?
The jar is created for abundance and gratitude, thankful for the harvest we are given.
Supplies Used:
- Small Glass Jar 6 to 8 ounces in size
- 2 types of dried fruits that correlate with Mabon – 2 Tablespoons each
- 2 types of herbs that correlate with Mabon – 2 Tablespoons each
- 2 Tablespoons of Honey or Maple Syrup
- 2in Votive Candle, yellow or orange (white can be used if you do not have the other colors)
- Small note paper (about 3×3 post it size) *paper should be small enough to fold and place in the jar
Spell procedure:
- Clear the space where you will cast the magick, with incense
- Before using the Fruit and Herbs place your hands over them and thank them for their purpose and speak gratefulness to them. Fill the jar with the dried fruits and then the dried herbs. See the list of suggested supplies below.
- Write out on a small piece of paper (like a 3×3 post it paper size) a few words of gratitude, fold the paper 3 times toward you and place in the jar with the herbs and dried fruit.
- Pour the Honey or Maple Syrup into the jar
- Place the Votive candle on top of the jar. For safety please make sure the jar is placed in a heatsafe area for the candle to burn.
- Light the candle and while doing so think of gratitude for the abundance of the harvest and all the things you are thankful
- Now, speak the Harvest Jar Spell.
Harvest Jar Spell
What has been planted is now grown,
Fruits of my labor have been sown,
I am grateful for the bountiful gifts,
And awareness as the season shifts,
I cast this magick the honor is mine,
To give thanks for this Harvest Time.
Blessed Be
- When the candle has completely burned out you can leave the jar on your altar during the harvest season. If you feel led to light another candle during the harvest season and place it on top of the jar to feed and magnify the energy, feel free to do so.
- When the harvest season is over (the end of Samhain) you will take the components of the jar, find a spot outside around your home, dig a hole and pour it in and cover back over with the dirt. This will release your gratitude and abundance back into the earth.
Note: You can also find an area in your favorite woods or trail and bury the items within the jar there, and if you live in an apartment another alternative is in a large enough houseplant to bury the items in that dirt. Whichever one of these places you feel led to bury your items is up to you.
The jar can be then washed and reused as it has wonderful energy.