Category: Mabon/Autumn Equinox
Spell For Today – Ways to Honor Mabon c. 2017
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Happy and Blessed Mabon/Autumn Equinox
Who are the Harvest Gods and Goddesses? Archetypal meanings of Harvest deities.
Source: .triplemoonpsychotherapy.com
The practice of expressing gratitude for the harvest season and preparing for the onset of winter is a widespread and ancient tradition observed by cultures across the globe.
Festivals are held to celebrate the abundance of crops, offer thanks to Mother Earth, and bid farewell to Summer. Historically, mythologies worldwide have honored and revered various deities associated with the harvest and the Autumn Equinox. Although not a comprehensive account, this article briefly acknowledges some of the most prominent harvest and equinox deities from various cultures, listed alphabetically.
Autumnus, the Roman goddess of the Harvest
Autumnus, the fall season’s deity, embodies nature’s overflowing abundance during harvest. In addition, Autumnus is gender fluid, appearing in both male and female forms, which speaks to the inclusive and diverse nature of this season’s divine patron.
Banbha, the Celtic goddess and Earth Mother
Amidst the fall equinox celebrations, the Irish deity Banbha reigns supreme. As an Earth Mother, she presides over the culmination of the bountiful harvest. Banbha, much like the revered Greek goddess Gaia, is the protector and nurturer of all living beings and the land that sustains them.
Ceres, the Roman goddess of the Harvest, grain, and fertility
Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, was revered for her abundant generosity and for imparting essential knowledge to humanity.
In Greek mythology, she was known as Demeter. She was hailed as the deity who taught people the art of cultivating, preserving, and preparing grains and maize. Her divine powers were closely linked to the land’s fertility, and she was regarded as one of the most prominent guardians of the harvest.
Ceres’ influence and guidance ensured the earth’s bounty was always plentiful. Her legacy lives on as a symbol of abundance and fertility.
Çhicomecoatl, the Aztec goddess of abundance and corn
Çhicomecoatl, the goddess of fire and fertility, embodies vitality, community, and plenty. She is revered in Mexico, particularly during the harvest season, as the guardian of corn and all fertile things. Her emblems are hot spices, maize, and fire, representing her power and providence over the land.
Corn Mother, the goddess of the Harvest of the Indigenous Peoples of North America
With her bountiful presence, the Corn Mother embodies the qualities of abundance, vitality, and strength. Her powers of fertility and harvest are celebrated as she blesses the land with the promise of plentiful crops.
In addition to her agricultural emblems of corn and corn sheaves, she also holds the healing attributes of the earth, nurturing all who seek her aid.
Demeter, the Greek goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture
At the center of one of the most famous myths about the seasons and the Harvest lies Demeter, the goddess of grain and fertility and mother of Persephone.
When Hades, the god of the Underworld, abducted Persephone, Demeter’s anguish for her daughter resulted in a severe drought that threatened all life on Earth. With the crops perishing and humankind facing doom, Demeter embarked on a quest to rescue her daughter.
However, despite eventually reuniting with Persephone, now the goddess of the Underworld, fate demanded a sacrifice. Having consumed six pomegranate seeds, Persephone was bound to spend six months of the year in the Underworld, which begins with the Autumn Equinox when Persephone descends again into the depths.
Huichi, the Japanese goddess of the Harvest Click here to read the rest of this article
Mabon: The Bounty
The sabbat of Mabon observes the autumn equinox. It’s a time of Thanksgiving for the bounty of the earth and a time to observe nature’s decline into the dark season.
Mabon means “Great Son.” As the legend goes, Mabon the son of the Goddess, was abducted as a child and taken to the land of Avalon. He was freed and returned as a young man. The legend is used to explain nature’s decline in autumn and its return at Ostara. Even though we are entering the dark season, we are surrounded by bounty. Country markets overflow with pumpkins, apples, and autumn flowers.
To celebrate this time of bounty, decorate your altar with seasonal decor–pumpkins, mums, and leaves are ideas. Then in your Book of Shadows write down the bounty you are grateful for–family, home, career, etc. Leave your book open for a few days. Then review your list. Send loving thoughts to the people and things on your list. Put your book away.
The chill comes and the fingers of the dark earlier across the land, but we are surrounded by the bounty of Mabon.
By James Kambos in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2024 Page 119
Mabon (Autumn Equinox) Folklore and Traditions
Source: learnreligions.com
Interested in learning about some of the traditions behind the celebrations of the autumn equinox? Find out why Mabon is important, learn about the legend of Persephone and Demeter, the symbolism of stags, acorns and oaks, and explore the magic of apples and more!
Wondering where the word “Mabon” came from? Was it a Celtic god? A Welsh hero? Is it found in ancient writings? Let’s look at some of the history behind the word.
Mabon falls around September 21 in the northern hemisphere, and around March 21 below the equator. This is the autumn equinox, it’s a time to celebrate the season of the second harvest. It’s a time of balance, of equal hours of light and dark, and a reminder that the cold weather isn’t far away at all. If you’ve got kids at home, try celebrating Mabon with some of these family-friendly and kid-appropriate ideas.
Autumn Equinox Around the World
At Mabon, the time of the autumn equinox, there are equal hours of light and dark. It is a time of balance, and while summer is ending, the winter is approaching. This is a season in which farmers are harvesting their fall crops, gardens are beginning to die, and the earth gets a bit cooler each day. Let’s look at some of the ways that this second harvest holiday has been honored around the world for centuries. Read more about the Autumn Equinox Around the World.
Gods of the Vine
Grapes are everywhere in the fall, so it’s no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate wine-making, 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. Learn more about the Gods of the Vine.
Pagans and Renaissance Festivals
Renaissance Faires and Festivals aren’t specifically Pagan, but there are a few reasons why you’ll see a lot of us there. Let’s look at how this counterculture institution of the sixties and seventies turned into a place where you can almost always find other Pagans.
The Celebration of Michaelmas
In the British Isles, Michaelmas is celebrated on September 29. As the Feast of St. Michael within the Catholic church, this date is often associated with the harvest because of its proximity to the autumn equinox. Although it’s not a Pagan holiday in the true sense, Michaelmas celebrations often included older aspects of Pagan harvest customs, such as the weaving of corn dolls from the last sheaves of grain. Read more about the Michaelmas Celebration.
Nutting Day
Around the middle of September, the nut season starts. Hazelnuts ripen in the hedges, and they have long been connected to folklore and legends. Hazel is associated to the Celtic tree month of Coll, from August 5 to September 1, and the very word Coll means “the life force inside you.” Hazelnuts are connected to wisdom and protection, and are often found near sacred wells and magical springs.
The acorn is a symbol of strength and power. In the fall, these tiny yet hardy little nuggets drop from the oak trees to land on the ground. Because the acorn only appears on a fully mature oak, it is often considered a symbol of the patience needed to attain goals over long periods of time. It represents perseverance and hard work. In many cultures the oak is sacred. Read more about Acorn & Oak Folklore.
Pomona, the Apple Goddess
Pomona was a Roman goddess who was the keeper of orchards and fruit trees. Unlike many other agricultural deities, Pomona is not associated with the harvest itself, but with the flourishing of fruit trees. She is usually portrayed bearing a cornucopia or a tray of blossoming fruit. Learn more about Pomona, the Goddess of Apples.
Although they haven’t always looked the way they do now, scarecrows have been around a long time and have been used in a number of different cultures. From the farms of ancient Greece to the rice fields of Japan, scarecrows are often used for a variety of purposes. Learn more about Scarecrow Magic & Legends.
Can You Balance an Egg on the Equinox?
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There’s a very popular story that circulates on the Internet twice every year at the spring and fall equinoxes, and it’s about eggs. According to legend, if you try to stand an egg on its end on the vernal or autumnal equinox, you’ll be successful, because of the polarity and balance of the earth. Let’s explore the legend of Egg Balancing on the Equinox.
Source:
Wigington, Patti. “Mabon (Autumn Equinox) Folklore and Traditions.” Learn Religions, Sep. 5, 2021, learnreligions.com/mabon-folklore-traditions-4590167.
Blessed Mabon
Mabon Ritual Just For You – Solitary
Altar Arrangement:
My altar almost always contains the following tools at minimum:
Athame
God and Goddess candle or representation
Pentacle
Incense – I usually use Cinnamon for Mabon
Chalice
Small Cauldron containing Salt
Gemstones as needed
Candles as needed
Circle Casting:
(Note: I light incense and altar candles before this part of the ritual)
Hail to you Spirits of the North and the power of Air,
I do summon, stir and call you up to witness these rites and to guard this sacred space.
Hail to you Spirits of the East and the power of Earth,
I do summon, stir and call you up to witness these rites and to guard this sacred space.
Hail to you Spirits of the South and the power of Fire,
I do summon, stir and call you up to witness these rites and to guard this sacred space.
Hail to you Spirits of the West and the power of Water,
I do summon, stir and call you up to witness these rites and to guard this sacred space.
This sacred circle is cast
between future and past.
As above, so below,
The circle is made whole.
So mote it be!
At this time I will be invite my personal guides – both known and unknown
Invocation:
They who are called by many names, I honor you!
Father God, come join with me!
Tonight, I offer thanks for the blessings you have given me.
and for the sacrifice You have made for my benefit.
I mourn for You and rejoice in Your rebirth to come.
Autumn’s grain is Spring’s seed.
Mother Goddess, come join with me!
Tonight I offer thanks for the blessings to come.
As sunlight wanes and shadow grows,
I celebrate your mysteries.
With death comes new life.
Now I will offer a prayer of personal thanks to the Deities.
Meditation:
As this is the time of the autumnal equinox, I will focus on achieving balance.
Raising and directing power:
I will be releasing negative self image by writing our my self hatred and burning the paper. Afterwards, I will be raising power for healing myself and others I know who are in need. When I have directed the power to it’s purpose, I will earth the power.
Thanking the Deities:
Mother Goddess, Father God,
Who created All and are All
I thank you for your presence here
and for the blessings you have bestowed on me!
May Your love stay with me now and evermore.
I will now thank my personal guides.
Opening the circle:
Spirits of Air, Earth, Fire and Water,
Go if you must or stay if you will.
I humbly thank thee for your presence tonight!
Though the circle is open, it remains unbroken.
As Above, So Below.
So I have said.
So mote it be.
The Spiritual Meaning of Mabon
Spell for Today – Prayer for Mabon/Fall Equinox
Spell for Today – 5 Simple Mabon Rituals – Printable
Mabon Activities and Correspondences
Mabon Activities and Correspondences
Symbolism of Mabon: The completion of the Harvest begun. Day and night are equal and the God prepares to leave His physical body and begin the great adventure into the unseen.
Symbols of Mabon: all harvest symbols, corn, autumn flowers, red poppies,nuts, grains, leaves, acorns, pine and cypress cones, oak sprigs, wreaths, vine, grapes, cornucopia, horns of plenty, burial cairns, apples, marigolds, harvested crops. wine, gourds
Colors : Orange, Dark Red, Yellow, Indigo, Maroon and Brown.
Goddesses: Modron(Welsh), Bona Dea, Harvest Dieties, Persephone, Demeter/Ceres, Morgan(Welsh- Cornish), Snake Woman(Aboriginal), Epona (Celtic-Gaulish), Pamona(Roman), the Muses(Greek).
Gods: Mabon, Modron(Welsh), Sky Father, John Barleycorn , the Wicker-Man, the Corn Man, Thoth(Egyptian), Hermes, Hotei(Japanese), Thor, Dionysus(Roman), Bacchus(Greek) and all wine Deities.
Tarot Cards: Judgment and The World
Altar Decorations: acorns, pinecones, autumn leaves, pomegranate, statue of the Triple Goddess in her Mother phase.
Mabon Herbs: Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut leaves and husks, mistletoe, saffron, chamomile, almond leaves, passionflower, frankincense, rose hips, bittersweet, sunflower, wheat, oak leaves, dried apple or apple seeds.
Foods of Mabon: cornbread, wheat products, bread, grains, berries, nuts, grapes, acorns, seeds, dried fruits, corn, beans, squash, roots (ie onions, carrots, potatoes, etc), hops, apples, pomegranates, carrots, onions, potatoes, roast goose or mutton, wine, ale and ciders, breads, apples, pomegranates
Animals: dogs, wolves, stag, blackbird, owl, eagle, birds of prey, salmon & goat, Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaur, Cyclops, Andamans and Gulons.
Element: water.
Incense : pine, sweetgrass, apple blossom, benzoin, myrrh, frankincense, jasmine, sage wood aloes, black pepper, patchouly, cinnamon, clove, oak moss
Mabon Stones : During Mabon, stones ruled by the Sun will help bring the Sun’s energy to you.clear quartz, amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow topaz, cat’s-eye, adventurine.
Customs: offerings to land, preparing for cold weather by bringing in harvest, cutting willow wands( Druidic), leaving apples upon burial cairns & graves as a token of honor, walks in forests, gather seed pods & dried plants, fermenting grapes to make wine,picking ripe produce, stalk bundling
Spellworkings of Mabon: Protection, prosperity, security, and self- confidence. Also those of harmony and balance. Taboos:It was considered unlucky to cut down the very last of the Harvest, and so was also left to stand in the field by some traditions.
Activities of Mabon: Select the best of each vegetable, herb, fruit, nut, and other food you have harvested or purchased and give it back to Mother Earth with prayers of thanksgiving. Hang dried ears of corn around your home in appreciation of the harvest season. Do meditations and chanting as you store away food for the Winter. Do a thanksgiving circle, offering thanks as you face each direction – – for home, finances, and physical health (North); for gifts of knowledge (East); for accomplishments in career and hobbies (South); for relationships (West); and for spiritual insights and messages (Center). Decorate the table with colorful autumn leaves in a basket. Display the fruits of the harvest – corn, gourds, nuts, grapes, apples – preferably in a cornucopia. Or decorate with wildflowers, acorns, nuts, berries, cocoons, anything that represents the harvest to you. Like its sister equinox, halfway across the Wheel of the Year, the Autumn Equinox is a good occasion for a ritual feast. Plan a meal that uses seasonal and symbolic fruits and vegetables. You can serve bread, squash, corn, apples, cider and wine. Make some homemade wine or cordial gather and dry herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods. Make grapevine wreaths using dried bitter-sweet herb for protection. Use ribbons of gold and yellow to bring in the energy of the Sun, and decorate with sprigs of dried yarrowor cinnamon sticks. Make a protection charm of hazelnuts (filberts) strung on red thread. Make a witch’s broom. Tie dried corn husks or herbs (broom, cedar, fennel, lavender, peppermint, rosemary) around a strong, relatively straight branch of your choice. Make magic Apple Dolls Gifts of the Harvest can be used to make tools and emblems that will remind us of their bounty all year round. Look for colored leaves. Collect fallen leaves and make a centerpiece or bouquet for your home. Save the leaves to burn in your Yule fire. Vist an apple orchard and, if possible, pick your own apples. Hang apples on a tree near your home. Watch the birds and other small animals who will enjoy your gift. This is also the time for replacing your old broom with a new one. As the broom corn is ripe now, besom making is traditional and magickal this time of year. Begin the festival with a vineyard or orchard harvest. You might check the farm lands in your area to see if there’s an orchard or pumpkin patch that allows customers to harvest produce for themselves. Traditionally Sabbat festivals begin at sun set on the eve of the Holiday. You can use the daytime hours of this holiday eve to prepare baskets for harvesting the next day. Baking a pumpkin pie (from scratch if possible) is a wonderful way to bring in the fragrance of the holiday season
Mabon History: The Second Harvest c. 2018
Mabon History: The Second Harvest
By Patti Wigington, ThoughtCo.com
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.
A Magickal Rite for Mabon: Honor the Dark Mother
A Magickal Rite for Mabon
Honor the Dark Mother at Mabon
Demeter and Persephone are strongly connected to the time of the Autumn Equinox. When Hades abducted Persephone, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to the earth falling into darkness each winter. This is the time of the Dark Mother, the Crone aspect of the triple goddess. The goddess is bearing this time not a basket of flowers, but a sickle and scythe. She is prepared to reap what has been sown.
The earth dies a little each day, and we must embrace this slow descent into dark before we can truly appreciate the light that will return in a few months.
This ritual welcomes the archetype of the Dark Mother and celebrates that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Decorate your altar with symbols of Demeter and her daughter — flowers in red and yellow for Demeter, purple or black for Persephone, stalks of wheat, Indian corn, sickles, baskets. Have a candle on hand to represent each of them — harvest colors for Demeter, black for Persephone. You’ll also need a chalice of wine, or grape juice if you prefer, and a pomegranate.
If you normally cast a circle, or call the quarters, do so now. Turn to the altar, and light the Persephone candle. Say:
The land is beginning to die, and the soil grows cold.
The fertile womb of the earth has gone barren.
As Persephone descended into the Underworld,
So the earth continues its descent into night.
As Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter,
So we mourn the days drawing shorter.
The winter will soon be here.
Light the Demeter candle, and say:
In her anger and sorrow, Demeter roamed the earth,
And the crops died, and life withered and the soil went dormant.
In grief, she traveled looking for her lost child,
Leaving darkness behind in her wake.
We feel the mother’s pain, and our hearts break for her,
As she searches for the child she gave birth to.
We welcome the darkness, in her honor.
Break open the pomegranate (it’s a good idea to have a bowl to catch the drippings), and take out six seeds. Place them on the altar. Say:
Six months of light, and six months of dark.
The earth goes to sleep, and later wakes again.
O dark mother, we honor you this night,
And dance in your shadows.
We embrace that which is the darkness,
And celebrate the life of the Crone. Blessings to the dark goddess on this night, and every other.
As the wine is replaced upon the altar, hold your arms out in the Goddess position, and take a moment to reflect on the darker aspects of the human experience. Think of all the goddesses who evoke the night, and call out:
Demeter, Inanna, Kali, Tiamet, Hecate, Nemesis, Morrighan.
Bringers of destruction and darkness,
I embrace you tonight.
Without rage, we cannot feel love,
Without pain, we cannot feel happiness,
Without the night, there is no day,
Without death, there is no life.
Great goddesses of the night, I thank you.
Take a few moments to meditate on the darker aspects of your own soul. Is there a pain you’ve been longing to get rid of? Is there anger and frustration that you’ve been unable to move past? Is there someone who’s hurt you, but you haven’t told them how you feel? Now is the time to take this energy and turn it to your own purposes. Take any pain inside you, and reverse it so that it becomes a positive experience. If you’re not suffering from anything hurtful, count your blessings, and reflect on a time in your life when you weren’t so fortunate.
When you are ready, end the ritual.
By Patti Wigington,Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article found on & owned by ThoughtCo
Happy and Blessed Mabon Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Guests
Ancient Celebrations for Today – MABON
For more about Mabon and the Wheel of The Year
Known as the pagan Thanksgiving, Mabon marks the Autumn Equinox, when day and night are equal, making it a time of balance, equality and harmony. In ancient times Mabon was a celebration of the second harvest (Lughnasadh was the first) when farmers gathered hearty foods like gourds, pumpkins, grapes and apples.
Modern Mabon celebrations are a time to give thanks for the abundance of Mother Earth – both literally and spiritually. It’s also a good time to reflect on the Wheel of the Year, recognizing your successes and letting go of the things that did not serve you during the past twelve months.
History Of Mabon
Modern Pagans began celebrating Mabon as the last of the eight Sabbats in the 1970s, but its roots as a harvest festival go back to ancient times.
Named after the ancient Welsh hero named Mabon ap Modron, which means Son of Mother, Mabon is the second of three harvest festivals that take place in the Wheel of the Year (Lughnasadh is the first and Samhain is the third). Similar to Apollo, the figure of Mabon was depicted as a handsome youth with a lyre. As a baby Mabon was said to have been held hostage as a baby in the underworld, similar to the story of Persephone and Demeter.
Indeed, the Greek goddess Demeter is much more closely associated with the Autumn harvest, as…
THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2021: HOLIDAYS, FUN FACTS, FOLKLORE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SEPTEMBER
From The Old Farmers Almanac
What happens in the month of September? It’s a little for everyone: the last days of summer and the first days of fall. See September holidays, advice, recipes, fun facts, and trivia below.
September, in Old England, was called Haervest-monath (Harvest Month). This is the time to gather up the rest of the harvest and prepare for the winter months.
There are flowers enough in the summertime,
More flowers than I can remember—
But none with the purple, gold, and red
That dye the flowers of September!
—Mary Howitt (1799-1888)
THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
September’s name comes from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven.” This month had originally been the seventh month of the early Roman calendar.
SEPTEMBER CALENDAR
- September 6—the first Monday in September—is Labor Day. Canadians also observe Labour Day.
- September 6 is also Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish holiday that marks the beginning of the new year.
- September 11 is Patriot Day, held in honor and remembrance of those who died in the September 11 attacks of 2001. This year marks the 20th anniversary of September 11.
- September 12 is Grandparents Day. Honor your grandparents today—and every day!
- September 15 is Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday in the Jewish calendar.
- September 17 is Constitution Day. This day celebrates the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, which occurred on September 17, 1787 (just five years prior to the founding of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, believe it or not!).
- September 21 is recognized as the annual International Day of Peace. Observances range from a moment of silence at noon to events such as peace walks, concerts, and volunteering in the community.
- September 22 marks the start of fall! This year’s Autumnal Equinox occurs at 3:20 P.M. EDT on Wednesday, September 22. At this time, there are approximately equal hours of daylight and darkness.
- September 29 is Michaelmas. Michaelmas is an ancient Celtic “Quarter Day” which marked the end of the harvesting season and was steeped in folklore.
“Just for Fun” Days
Have fun with these strange celebrations in September!
- September is National Happy Cat Month
- September 8: National Hug Your Hound Day
- September 13: Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day
- September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day
- September 24: National Punctuation Day
HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Mid-Autumn Festival: September 20–21, 2021
Also known as the Moon Festival, this holiday has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is said to be the second largest festival in China after the Chinese New Year. Observed on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, it can occur in either September or early October in the Gregorian calendar.
This autumn festival occurs during the full Moon nearest the fall equinox, which is traditionally said to be the brightest and roundest. Local festivities might involve brightly colored lanterns, dances, games, and other entertainments. Families and friends celebrate into the evening to give thanks for the harvest and for being together, offering each other wishes for happiness and long life and remembering loved ones who live far away.
Celebrants may make offerings to the Moon goddess Chang’e or share traditional mooncakes by moonlight. These round pastries, which symbolize the full Moon and reunion, are often filled with red bean or lotus seed paste surrounding a salted egg yolk in the center.
September Zodiac
September’s zodiac signs are Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) and Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22). Find out your zodiac profile!
See the Best Days to do things this month.
SEPTEMBER ASTRONOMY
Full Harvest Moon
September’s full moon, the Harvest Moon, reaches peak illumination on Monday, September 20, at 7:54 P.M. EDT. Read more about September’s Full Moon!
Moon Phases for September
New Moon: September 6, 8:52 P.M. EDT
First Quarter: September 13, 4:41 P.M. EDT
Full Moon: September 20, 7:54 P.M. EDT
Last Quarter: September 28, 9:58 P.M. EDT
See more about Moon Phases.
Check out our Sky Watch for the month’s best night sky events.
RECIPES FOR THE SEASON
We like to think of September as the month of apples, as apple-picking becomes a common weekend pastime. Here are a few recipes for this fruit of the season:
Wondering which kind of apples to use in your dish? See the Best Apples for Baking: Apple Pie, Applesauce, Cider & More to find out!
For more fall recipes, use our Recipe Search.
SEPTEMBER GARDENING
The garden may be winding down, but there’s still plenty left to do!
- See our list of gardening chores to be done around Labor Day: Labor Day Gardening Tips
- Correct any soil deficiencies you’ve noticed; healthy soil is crucial to healthy plants. See more on soil amendments and fixes.
- Compost should be watered during dry periods so that it remains active. Learn more about composting.
- Onions are nearly ripe when the tips of the leaves turn yellow. See our onion page for harvesting tips.
- Fall is the time to plant garlic. Got your cloves ready? Read more about planting garlic.
- Sunflower seeds are best dried while still in the plant. See more about how to harvest sunflower seeds.
- If you’re running out of ideas on where to store your crops, try using a root cellar.
See more gardening jobs for September.
EVERYDAY ADVICE
If you’re planning on baking some apple pies, try consulting our Best Apples for Baking article.
Do you still have herbs left over? If so, use them to make your own herbal remedies.
Try this fun fall craft using apples: Apple Heads.
Help out the birds this coming winter by preparing some bird food for them.
FOLKLORE FOR THE SEASON
- Heavy September rains bring drought.
- September dries up ditches or breaks down bridges.
- September blow soft, till the fruit’s in the loft.
- Married in September’s golden glow, smooth and serene your life will go.
- If the storms of September clear off warm, the storms of the following winter will be warm.
- Fair on September 1st, fair for the month.
SEPTEMBER BIRTH FLOWERS
September’s birth flowers are the aster and the morning glory. The aster signifies powerful love, and the China aster expresses variety or afterthought in the language of flowers. The morning glory symbolizes affection. It can also mean coquetry, affectation, or bonds in the language of flowers. Find out more about September’s birth flowers and the language of flowers.
SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONE
The September birthstone is the sapphire, which was once thought to guard against evil and poisoning.
- Sapphire is a form of corundum that is typically blue, a color caused by tiny bits of iron and titanium; the vivid, medium blues are more valuable than lighter or darker forms. Due to various trace elements, sapphires also appear in other colors. Those with red colors are called rubies.
- Sapphires were thought to encourage divine wisdom and protection. They symbolized purity, truth, trust, and loyalty. Some believed that if they were placed in a jar with a snake, the snake would die.
- The sapphire, along with the related ruby, are the second-hardest natural gemstones, with only the diamond being harder.
Find out more about September’s birthstone.
THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
September 12: Choices
On this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy went to Rice University in Houston, Texas, to make a speech justifying his proposed $5.4 billion space program. He had called on Congress in the previous year to fund a massive project to put a man on the Moon and bring him home safely before the end of the decade. Toward that end, he asked his vice president, Lyndon Johnson, to make it happen. Johnson, a Texan, was happy to oblige.
The plan was to establish a Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, upon land that had been made available by Rice University (which had received it from Humble Oil and Refining Company). If that happened, federal money would flow to that city and to Rice, a university distinguished for its scholarship, if not for its football. In football, the University of Texas was king, although Rice gamely played Texas every year.
Kennedy challenged 35,000 listeners, sweltering in the Rice football stadium, to think big: “But why, some say, the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, Why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?” he asked. Then he added another impossible goal, one he had jotted in the margin only minutes earlier: “Why does Rice play Texas?”
The line drew a huge laugh and added a touch of humor and humility to the soaring rhetoric. His speech continued, soon issuing the now famous lines, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard … .”
Kennedy eventually got his moonshot, although he did not live to see Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moonwalk. And, three years after the speech, in 1965, Rice beat Texas. It would be 28 years before that happened again.
Some Mabon Correspondences
Blessed Mabon and Happy Autumn Equinox 202
This year Mabon/Autumn Equinox is on September 22nd starting at 9:30 AM EDT in the northern hemisphere lasting 89 days, 20 hours, and 31 minutes.
This is the time to start preparing for the colder weather. The time to reap what you had sowed in the spring. The Fea Folk so active outside during the warm weather are stock piling what they need to get through the cold months. This is a time for them to start moving a little slower so if you are in your yard or hiking in the woods and hills in you see the grass or undergrowth move when there is no wind do not be startled or frighten it is only the Fea doing their gathering.
This is the time when the animal born in the spring starting eating more from the land-side or what they are fed to fatten up to survive the cold. They are no longer drink their mother’s milk and have grown quite a bit. This is the time the sheep are sheared, the grain is harvested, and we stock up on stables in our pantries. Here is a trivia question for you…Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable and why?
A Very Happy and Blessed Ostara or Mabon
Well, I just learned something new about the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the fall equinox in the southern hemisphere. Ostara the spring equinox is on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 10:49 PM PM CT while Mabon the fall equinox is on Friday, March 20, 2020 at 2:49 PM AEDT in the southern hemisphere. Which means we are experiencing the equinoxes at the exact same time just in different time zones and because of the international date line on a different date.
When I read this I felt it covered more than just a blessing for Ostara and Mabon. I felt it was a blessing to carry with us all through the year.
Northern Brothers and Sisters: May what you sow this spring come to a bountiful harvest in the fall.
Southern Brothers and Sisters: May what you sowed in the spring be bring you a bountiful harvest this fall.
Remember we can sow different things for our own reasons they do not have to be something we plant in the ground and watch grow, they can be something we change in our lifestyle or in our spiritual or magickal path. Then when we harvest them they become part of us and who we are.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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