Month: September 2013

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Sept. 20th is Mars

Your Ancient Symbol Card  for Today

Mars

Mars represents those qualities we commonly associate with the male/yang persona. Mars traits include raw energy, ambition, aggression, confidence, passion, and a sense of adventure. The occurrence of Mars denotes the dominating presence or need of the qualities listed above. Martian influence may have a negative impact unless it is balanced with an influence that can blunt the brashness and impulsiveness of Mars.

As a daily card, Mars suggests you would be well served by allowing your more aggressive side take control for at least for a short while. Now is a time for you to act with confidence and decisiveness. However, keep in mind that the qualities associated with Mars can do more damage than good if allowed to run free for too long.

Your Rune For September 20th is Naudhiz

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bw-naudhizYour Rune For Today 

Naudhiz       

Naudhiz may foretell needs unmet and friction in relationships. You may be in a time where you should be very careful in whatever endeavor you take on. Also it may be that you are about to learn some of life’s hard lessons and come out the other side of this period a stronger being.

Today's Tarot Card for Sept. 20th is The High Priestess

The High Priestess

Friday, Sep 20th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally called the High Priestess, this major arcana, or trump, card represents human wisdom. She can be viewed as a kind of female Pope, the ancient Egyptian Priestess of Isis, the even older snake and bird Goddesses, the Greek Goddess Persephone, or the Eve of Genesis before the Fall.

For the accused heretics who were burnt at the stake for revering her in the 14th and 15th century, she symbolized the prophecy of the return of the Holy Spirit, which was perceived as the female aspect of the Holy Trinity.

In the sequence of cards in the major arcana, the High Priestess appears as soon as the Fool decides he wants to develop his innate powers, making a move toward becoming a Magus. The High Priestess is his first teacher, representing the Inner Life and the method for contacting it, as well as the contemplative study of Nature and the Holy Mysteries.

 

Full Moon in Pisces Horoscopes

Full Moon in Pisces Horoscopes

Sensitivity and service are highlighted by September’s Full Moon

Jeff Jawer  Jeff Jawer on the topics of pisces, moon, horoscopes, full moon, astrology

It’s time to embrace compassion! The Full Moon in Pisces on September 19, 2013, operates on faith, while the opposing Virgo Sun prefers facts. Yet what these signs have in common is a sense of service.

This Full Moon reminds us that we don’t have to be precise to be helpful and that sometimes making an error with a loving attitude is more beneficial than perfect behavior done with a scowl.

When Pisces compassion combines with Virgo skills, we have the best of both worlds.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Spiritual awakening and creative inspiration are potential gifts of this Pisces Full Moon. But it lands in your 12th House of Escapes, which means that you could benefit from taking more breaks from your daily duties and concerns. Seek quiet places in the world to find tranquility in yourself. But this is not peace that puts you to sleep; it’s an ocean of imagination that can take you to more exciting places.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

The compassionate Pisces Full Moon occurs in your 11th House of Friends and Groups, making you a more sensitive and caring ally. Allowing yourself to be supported by others doesn’t make you weak if it helps you do your job and assist your community. But if you’re already sacrificing personal interests to benefit others, make sure that you save some of that love, time and energy for yourself.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Your sharp mind and quick wit are major professional assets, but this sensitive Pisces Full Moon in your 10th House of Vocation shows that how you feel about your work is as important as what you think. Finding inspiration in your job is possible if you unclutter your head with facts and tune in to emotions — that will help you tap into imagination and faith that take you further in your career.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Dreams of faraway places are awakened by this magical Pisces Full Moon in your 9th House of Travel and Higher Mind. Studying a subject that touches your soul will take your further than mere academic exercises. Broaden your horizons by planning a trip, connecting with people in distant locations or reading about exotic locales that bring more imagination and beauty into your life.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

The forgiving Pisces Full Moon lights up your 8th House of Deep Sharing, providing insights into your relationships. Personal and professional partnerships flourish when you are caring, compassionate and working with people who also have these qualities. Use your intuition, because reason alone will not supply the answers you seek to questions about love, intimacy and business alliances.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

The imaginative Pisces Full Moon opposes the Sun in your precise sign, challenging you to overlook details to feel a bigger picture than cannot be seen by intellect alone. It occurs in your 7th House of Partners, where it can trigger crises in existing alliances but also open doors to people and possibilities with others. Compassion and big dreams are key to making connections that will satisfy your soul.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Work can be exhausting if you can’t find meaning in what you do. That’s because this revelatory Pisces Full Moon is in your 6th House of Employment, where it stirs up strong feelings about your job. Getting more rest is one way to keep your competence and confidence high. Yet getting inspiration from a hobby or taking on tasks where you can use your imagination will recharge your batteries.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

You could be flooded with romantic feelings with this dreamy Pisces Full Moon in your 5th House of Love. Expressing yourself in poetic, imaginative and creative ways are other means for riding these inspirational waves of energy. You’re ready to show more tenderness and expose some of your vulnerability because these are effective ways to appear more attractive and bring others into your life.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

This tender Pisces Full Moon lands in your domestic 4th House of Home and Family, where it signals a need to pay more attention to your personal life. Spending more time at home and relaxing in peaceful places will bring insights into your past that will make you more excited about the future. But there’s less need to push yourself ahead now because quiet times and contemplation reveal fresh sources of inspiration.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Looking at the world around you with less critical eyes will reveal much more than logic now. This intuitive Pisces Full Moon occupies your 3rd House of Perception and Communication, making you more sensitive to what you see, say and hear. Tender conversations and the freedom to fantasize are not distractions but are sources of inspiration and faith that give your life more meaning.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

Insights into income opportunities come with this sensitive Pisces Full Moon in your 2nd House of Money. This lunation could awaken old dreams about work that touch your heart. The path to a better cash flow comes from creativity and imagination now, so make sure you don’t set aside fantasies that might not appear to be practical but which can lead you to greater prosperity.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20)

The Pisces Full Moon touches your 1st House of Outward Appearance. It could inspire you to be more creative in your look and in the ways to you connect with people. But it can also increase uncertainty about where you stand with others. Be gentle with yourself, nourish your dreams and forgive any mistakes you’ve made. Others’ criticism counts less than attending your own needs now.

Weekend Love Horoscopes for Sept. 20 – 22nd: Comfy Love

Weekend Love Horoscopes

September 20-22: Comfy Love

Maria DeSimone  Maria DeSimone on the topics of love, horoscopes, astrology

The weekend starts out with plenty of sparks in the romance department, thanks to Friday’s feisty Moon in Aries. The Moon will connect beautifully with Mars, adding to your ability to chase the object of your affection with little trepidation. In fact, there’s bound to be plenty of loud, theatrical activity in the bedroom Friday night, thanks to this alignment.

Emotional drama? Yes, but thankfully a happy ending for all.

Saturday and Sunday, love turns cozy thanks to a tasty Taurus Moon. The simple pleasures are to be enjoyed with your lover now. A long walk along the beach, candlelit dinner or attending a concert together are all ways to arouse the spirit, the heart and the body.

The Sun’s entry into relationship-oriented Libra on Sunday will only add to your ability to relate.

* Your Weekend Love Horoscope is now written by counseling Astrologer Maria DeSimone, who knows love, dating and relationships better than anyone. Maria tracks the planets so you can make the right romantic moves every weekend!

Daily Cosmic Calendar for September 20th

Stop, look and listen! Yesterday’s Full Moon and Mercury-Jupiter square-off may be behind you, but they still carry a psychic punch today. The 48 hours after a Full Moon are a time-period for distribution of the illuminating solar-lunar vibrations just received.  What may put you into a temporary blissful state of mind and heart is a comforting, 60-degree rapport from Venus to Ceres (1:03AM). However, excitement and intensity reign supreme due to the monthly Moon-Uranus union in Aries (5:21AM), Venus forming a flowing trine to Chiron in water signs (5:58AM), and — above all — Pluto leaving retrograde motion behind at 9 degrees of Capricorn as it stations to turn forward (8:30AM). [Pluto will remain in direct motion until April 14, 2014 when it will once again reverse itself in the zodiac at 14 degrees of Capricorn.]  Throughout this entire 24-hour time-period, stay alert to the following Pluto themes — death-and-rebirth; mysteries and secrets; regeneration; metamorphosis; spiritual willpower and mental concentration; catharsis; hypnosis; reincarnation; repressed emotions; extremes of any kind; the underworld; corruption; manipulation and controlling behavior patterns; hidden agendas; phobias.  Adding to the strange twists and turns of fate are Ceres in opposition to synchronicity-ruling Chiron (12:46PM), Venus forming an off-kilter, 150-degree link to shock-master Uranus (1:54PM), and Mercury making an abrasive, 135-degree tie with hazy Neptune (5:08PM). If that isn’t enough cosmic tomfoolery for you, make space for a long void lunar cycle starting at 6:26PM and lasting until 3:34PM tomorrow as well as a 60-degree and yet weighty liaison from Saturn in Scorpio to Pluto in Capricorn (10:46PM).  If you are not careful, this could become one of those days when the unknown is completely running the show and you are a mere pawn on the chessboard of life.  Note to readers: All times are calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.

Current Moon Phase for September 20th – Full Moon

Full Moon

(waning/90% illumination)

A veil of self-absorption is lifted and suddenly you gain access to an unbiased view of others. This is a rare moment when you can see yourself objectively and become aware of whether or not what you want in your heart is actually beginning to manifest in your life. Traditionally, the Full Moon phase stirs emotion, and this is because when you “see” what is happening, you may become upset if you’re experiencing the “same ole, same ole” — rather than the things you would like. If the Full Moon phase is a disappointment, on the next New Moon it’s time to take creative action in the direction of your dreams.

The Witches Spell for Sept. 20th – The Drink of Love

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The Drink of Love

Tools:

The Lovers card from a tarot deck

A glass of spring water

A silver (or silver-plate) spoon

A drop of melted honey or a pinch of sugar

When: On a Friday night during the waxing moon

Place the tarot card face up on a windowsill where the moon will shine on it. Set the glass of water on top of the card and leave it overnight. The image of the card will be imprinted into the water. In the morning, use a silver spoon to stir the honey or sugar into the glass to sweeten the water and, symbolically, your relationship. Drink the water with your partner to strengthen the love between you.

Mabon Cooking (Yum!) – Flaming Apples

Mabon Comments & Graphics

Flaming Apples

Prepare one apple for each person. Use McIntosh or Winesap apples. Wash, core, and peel the skin down about ½ inches from the top. Fill the center with brown sugar and butter. Top with cinnamon. Place the apples in a baking dish with about 1 inch of water. Bake the apples for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove the apples to a warmed serving dish; pour heated cognac over each apple, ignite and serve flaming.

Mabon Crafting – The Corn Baba or Dolly

Mabon Comments & Graphics

The Corn Baba or Dolly

To make a Corn Baba, strip the husks from a dried ear of corn and soak them in water until pliable. Drain the strips on a paper towel and press flat with a warm iron. Take one strip and wrap around a cotton or foam ball to for the head. Attach the head to the cob with tape or glue. Use several long strips to cover the head and body. Cut a narrow strip of husk for arms and roll into 7″ length. Tie off at the ends with strings. Attach to cob and then fashion dress from strips of corn husks. Finish the doll using the silk or yellow yarn for hair. Embellish with colored ribbon, buttons, hats, and a basket.

Celebrating Our Spirituality 365 Days A Year – Mabon, Sept. 20 – 23

September 20 – 23

Autumn Equinox/ Alban Elfed/Mabon

NamedAlban Elfed by the Druids and Mabon by the Welsh, the Autumn Equinox marks the completion of the harvest. Once again, day and night stand in balance with equal hours of light and darkness. As do most celebrations held around this time of the year, the Autumn Equinox focuses on the harvest, the waning sun, and the onset of Winter. In the rural countryside, those who work the land come together to cut the last stalk of corn and sheaf of wheat. Following the gathering in of the last sheaf is Harvest Home, a huge supper or feast of roast beef, chicken, a stew of harvest vegetables, home-baked bread and cheese, and plenty of ale and cider. In Scotland, and parts of England, the man who cuts down the last sheaf is honored as lord and master of the harvest. The young woman who plaited the sheaf would be seated next to him and regarded as his consort.

In Wicca, the Autumn Equinox marks the waning of the year when the Goddess descends into the Underworld. As she withdraws, we see the decline of Nature and the onset of Winter. Now is the time we count up our blessings, give thanks for our bounty, and look within. As the God’s shadowy presence begins to emerge, we remember what it took to achieve our goals and what is needed to maintain them.

The Witches Correspondence for Friday, September 20

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The Witches Correspondence for Friday, September 20th

Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Heart
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla
Planet: Venus
Sign: Libra and Taurus
Angel: Ariel
Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua
Herbs/Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade
Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmrosa, Rose, Yarrow

Friday belongs to Venus, and its energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) works well on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart

The Witches Almanac for Friday, September 20th

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The Witches Almanac for Friday, September 20th

Friday (Venus): Love, friendship, reconciliation and beauty.

St. Eustace’s Day

Waning Moon

The Waning Moon is a time for study, meditation and little magickal work (except magick designed to banish harmful energies).

Moon Sign:  Aries

Aries: Good for starting things, but lack staying power. Things occur rapidly, but quickly pass. People tend to be argumentative and assertive.

Moon Phase:  Third Quarter

Incense: Yarrow

Color:  Pink

Mabon Sabbat and Lore

Mabon Comments & Graphics
“Leaves fall,
the days grow cold.
The Goddess pulls her mantle of Earth around Her
as You, O Great Sun God, sail toward the West
to the land of eternal enchantment,
wrapped in the coolness of night.
Fruits ripen,
seeds drip,
the hours of day and night are balanced.”
–Mabon Sabbat and Lore

Wishing You A Very Blessed & Prosperous Mabon Season, dear brothers & sisters!


I hope everyone is having a great day especially since it is Friday! I don’t know if any of you have heard the term “Mabon Season.” I know I hadn’t, it is a term I just made up. Some people start celebrating Mabon today while others celebrate it on the 23rd.  So I just figured “Mabon Season” would work because it is celebrated at some many different dates. It is very appropriate for this bunch around here. They start celebrating the morning of Sept. 20th and don’t quit to midnight Sept. 23rd. Seriously, party animals. Mystie is really cutting the rug in the photo I took of her, isn’t she, lol! I should be nice to her. I was really scared to look at the poll she did about me. No telling what that woman can come up with, scary even thinking about it. But she did pretty good on the first one, I just can’t wait to the second or third one :s .

I wanted to give you a heads up. Yesterday while I was working on our Pinterest account. I found out something very interesting. They will now let you have a business on there. They will let you advertise your merchandise for nothing. The only thing is that you have to pull the merchandise from your own site. Well to solve that problem, I am going to have a page called “Featured Merchandise for the Day,” pop up every now and then. That way I will be able to pull the item from here and the individual will come back here to buy it or something else. We will still have the raffles once a month.  And having the merchandise is in no way going to interfere with our mission.  We will still provide all the same services you are use too. And perhaps an item you have been looking for will pop up some where, who knows? But we will not post the merchandise till we are through with the daily postings. Beside Pinterest has been a great way of just advertising our site. I don’t know how many members have come over from there. Maybe we have the same luck with the items. Oh, I almost forgot, I was able to change the name of our account finally over to Witches Of The Craft. So if you have any graphics or interesting things you might want to share, you can now do so. It is your Pinterest about after all.

The reason I am doing this is because I am tired of bumming off my family, YOU! There are other ways we can stay afloat and I am going to give them a try. All I ask is that you have patience with me. I am a very proud witch and every time I have to post about needing money, it takes a bite out of me. I don’t like it. So this is what is going on. Besides if you need anything, let us know. We have hooked up with a very reasonable wholesaler and have access to almost anything you want. Hey this might turn out to be a good thing! You get the info, the spells, the rituals, plus anything you need to work the spells/rituals. Damn I’m a genius, lmao! But we are going to give it a try for a bit. If it works, fine. If it don’t, we will try something else.

So much for the news……..Now let’s get on with the daily’s what do you say!

I wish everyone of you a very prosperous and blessed Mabon Season!

May the Goddess Bless You & Yours,

Love,

Lady A

It is a terrific Thursday! One more day to Friday! We will survive!

Yes, it’s me again! I am to tell you we are working on our Pinterest account today. As you know we have to work on it so often or else, they close it. It you haven’t visited it yet, please do so. Lady Abyss has put so much work into that site. It has beautiful graphics images and some very useful information on it. There is a button that will take you directly to the site.  I would encourage you to visit it today.

I did forget one thing yesterday trying to adjust to our new format. In case you didn’t notice, we are now selling some items. These items are placed throughout the daily posts. We don’t want to overwhelm the site with merchandise. Just a little at a time and hopefully something’s you will find useful. We have always been about supplying the Pagan community accurate and precise information. We will stand true to that. Back to what I forgot, I mentioned we were going to start a game on the site. A game about how well you knew the witches on this site. With each correct answer you will be able to earn points to go toward the purchase of something on our site. Sounds like a good deal to me! The question will run about 4 or 5 days and do not apply to our Raffle items. I am not going to close this out and post the first question about Lady A. I just can’t wait to see what she comes up with for myself.  This ought to be hilarious, lmao!

Have a very blessed Thursday, WOTC!

Mystie

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

By , About.com Guide

Mabon is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly bare, because the crops have been stored for the coming winter. Mabon is a time when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It is also a time of balance and reflection, following the theme of equal hours light and dark. Here are some ways you and your family can celebrate this day of bounty and abundance.

1. Find Some Balance

Mabon is a time of balance, when there are equal hours of darkness and light, and that can affect people in different ways. For some, it’s a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it’s a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit “off”. If you’re feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. You can also try a ritual to bring balance and harmony to your home.

2. Hold a Food Drive

Many Pagans and Wiccans count Mabon as a time of thanks and blessings — and because of that, it seems like a good time to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. If you find yourself blessed with abundance at Mabon, why not give to those who aren’t? Invite friends over for a feast, but ask each of them to bring a canned food, dry goods, or other non-perishable items? Donate the collected bounty to a local food bank or homeless shelter.

3. Pick Some Apples

Apples are the perfect symbol of the Mabon season. Long connected to wisdom and magic, there are so many wonderful things you can do with an apple. Find an orchard near you, and spend a day with your family. As you pick the apples, give thanks to Pomona, goddess of fruit trees. Be sure to only pick what you’re going to use — if you can, gather plenty to take home and preserve for the coming winter months. Take your apples home and use them in rituals, for divination, and for delicious recipes that your family can enjoy all season long.

4. Count Your Blessings

Mabon is a time of giving thanks, but sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and make a gratitude list. Write down things that you are thankful for. An attitude of gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way — what are things you’re glad you have in your life? Maybe it’s the small things, like “I’m glad I have my cat Peaches” or “I’m glad my car is running.” Maybe it’s something bigger, like “I’m thankful I have a warm home and food to eat” or “I’m thankful people love me even when I’m cranky.” Keep your list some place you can see it, and add to it when the mood strikes you.

5. Honor the Darkness

Without darkness, there is no light. Without night, there can be no day. Despite a basic human need to overlook the dark, there are many positive aspects to embracing the dark side, if it’s just for a short time. After all, it was Demeter’s love for her daughter Persephone that led her to wander the world, mourning for six months at a time, bringing us the death of the soil each fall. In some paths, Mabon is the time of year that celebrates the Crone aspect of a triune goddess. Celebrate a ritual that honors that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Call upon the gods and goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings this time of year.

6. Get Back to Nature

Fall is here, and that means the weather is bearable once more. The nights are becoming crisp and cool, and there’s a chill in the air. Take your family on a nature walk, and enjoy the changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Listen for geese honking in the sky above you, check the trees for changing in the colors of the leaves, and watch the ground for dropped items like acorns, nuts, and seed pods. If you live in an area that doesn’t have any restrictions on removing natural items from park property, take a small bag with you and fill it up with the things you discover along the way. Bring your goodies home for your family’s altar. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!

7. Tell Timeless Stories

In many cultures, fall was a time of celebration and gathering. It was the season in which friends and relatives would come from far and near to get together before the cold winter kept them apart for months at a time. Part of this custom was storytelling. Learn the harvest tales of your ancestors or of the people indigenous to the area in which you live. A common theme in these stories is the cycle of death and rebirth, as seen in the planting season. Learn about the stories of Osiris, Mithras, Dionysius, Odin and other deities who have died and then restored to life.

8. Raise Some Energy

It’s not uncommon for Pagans and Wiccans to make remarks regarding the “energy” of an experience or event. If you’re having friends or family over to celebrate Mabon with you, you can raise group energy by working together. A great way to do this is with a drum or music circle. Invite everyone to bring drums, rattles, bells, or other instruments. Those who don’t have an instrument can clap their hands. Begin in a slow, regular rhythm, gradually increasing the tempo until it reaches a rapid pace. End the drumming at a pre-arranged signal, and you’ll be able to feel that energy wash over the group in waves. Another way of raising group energy is chanting, or with dance. With enough people, you can hold a Spiral Dance.

 

9. Celebrate Hearth & Home

As autumn rolls in, we know we’ll be spending more time indoors in just a few months. Take some time to do a fall version of spring cleaning. Physically clean your home from top to bottom, and then do a ritual smudging. Use sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water as you go through your home and bless each room. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season, and set up a family Mabon altar. Put sickles, scythes and bales of hay around the yard. Collect colorful autumn leaves, gourds and fallen twigs and place them in decorative baskets in your house. If you have any repairs that need to be done, do them now so you don’t have to worry about them over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that’s no longer of use.

10. Welcome the Gods of the Vine

Grapes are everywhere, so it’s no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate winemaking, and deities connected to the growth of the vine. Whether you see him as Bacchus, Dionysus, the Green Man, or some other vegetative god, the god of the vine is a key archetype in harvest celebrations. Take a tour of a local winery and see what it is they do this time of year. Better yet, try your hand at making your own wine! If you’re not into wine, that’s okay — you can still enjoy the bounty of grapes, and use their leaves and vines for recipes and craft projects. However you celebrate these deities of vine and vegetation, you may want to leave a small offering of thanks as you reap the benefits of the grape harvest

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Mabon History: The Second Harvest

Mabon History: The Second Harvest

By , About.com Guide

The Science of the Equinox:

Two days a year, the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight. Not only that, each receives the same amount of light as they do dark — this is because the earth is tilted at a right angle to the sun, and the sun is directly over the equator. In Latin, the word equinox translates to “equal night.” The autumn equinox takes place on or near September 21, and its spring counterpart falls around March 21. If you’re in the Northern hemisphere, the days will begin getting shorter after the autumn equinox and the nights will grow longer — in the Southern hemisphere, the reverse is true.

Global Traditions:

The idea of a harvest festival is nothing new. In fact, people have celebrated it for millennia, all around the world. In ancient Greece, Oschophoria was a festival held in the fall to celebrate the harvesting of grapes for wine. In the 1700’s, the Bavarians came up with Oktoberfest, which actually begins in the last week of September, and it was a time of great feasting and merriment, still in existence today. China’s Mid-Autumn festival is celebrated on the night of the Harvest Moon, and is a festival of honoring family unity.

Giving Thanks:

Although the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving falls in November, many cultures see the second harvest time of the fall equinox as a time of giving thanks. After all, it’s when you figure out how well your crops did, how fat your animals have gotten, and whether or not your family will be able to eat during the coming winter. However, by the end of November, there’s not a whole lot left to harvest. Originally, the American Thanksgiving holiday was celebrated on October 3, which makes a lot more sense agriculturally.

Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on October 3. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued his “Thanksgiving Proclamation”, which changed the date to the last Thursday in November. In 1939, Franklin Delano Roosevelt adjusted it yet again, making it the second-to-last Thursday, in the hopes of boosting post-Depression holiday sales. Unfortunately, all this did was confuse people. Two years later, Congress finalized it, saying that the fourth Thursday of November would be Thanksgiving, each year.

Symbols of the Season:

The harvest is a time of thanks, and also a time of balance — after all, there are equal hours of daylight and darkness. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead.

Some symbols of Mabon include:

  • Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds
  • Apples and anything made from them, such as cider or pies
  • Seeds, nuts and seed pods
  • Baskets, symbolizing the gathering of crops
  • Sickles and scythes
  • Grapes, vines, wine

You can use any of these to decorate your home or your altar at Mabon.

Feasting and Friends:

Early agricultural societies understood the importance of hospitality — it was crucial to develop a relationship with your neighbors, because they might be the ones to help you when your family ran out of food. Many people, particularly in rural villages, celebrated the harvest with great deals of feasting, drinking, and eating. After all, the grain had been made into bread, beer and wine had been made, and the cattle were brought down from the summer pastures for the coming winter. Celebrate Mabon yourself with a feast — and the bigger, the better!

Magic and Mythology:

Nearly all of the myths and legends popular at this time of the year focus on the themes of life, death, and rebirth. Not much of a surprise, when you consider that this is the time at which the earth begins to die before winter sets in!

Demeter and Her Daughter

Perhaps the best known of all the harvest mythologies is the story of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece. Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter’s grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld. These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox.

Inanna Takes on the Underworld

The Sumerian goddess Inanna is the incarnation of fertility and abundance. Inanna descended into the underworld where her sister, Ereshkigal, ruled. Erishkigal decreed that Inanna could only enter her world in the traditional ways — stripping herself of her clothing and earthly posessions. By the time Inanna got there, Erishkigal had unleashed a series of plagues upon her sister, killing Inanna. While Inanna was visiting the underworld, the earth ceased to grow and produce. A vizier restored Inanna to life, and sent her back to earth. As she journeyed home, the earth was restored to its former glory.

Modern Celebrations

For contemporary Druids, this is the celebration of Alban Elfed, which is a time of balance between the light and the dark. Many Asatru groups honor the fall equinox as Winter Nights, a festival sacred to Freyr.

For most Wiccans and NeoPagans, this is a time of community and kinship. It’s not uncommon to find a Pagan Pride Day celebration tied in with Mabon. Often, PPD organizers include a food drive as part of the festivities, to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and to share with the less fortunate.

If you choose to celebrate Mabon, give thanks for the things you have, and take time to reflect on the balance within your own life, honoring both the darkness and the light. Invite your friends and family over for a feast, and count the blessings that you have among kin and community.