Mabon Altar: Autumn Equinox and the Second Harvest
Share
Mabon is the autumn equinox — the moment at which day and night are again equal, the second balance point of the year, and the beginning of the season's decisive turn toward the dark. It falls around September 22nd or 23rd, and it is the Wheel's second harvest festival: where Lughnasadh celebrated the first harvest of grain, Mabon celebrates the second harvest of fruits and vegetables, the full abundance of the earth's giving before the cold of winter closes the growing season.
Mabon is the Wheel's thanksgiving — the moment of deep gratitude for the year's abundance, the acknowledgment of all that has been received, and the preparation for the inward turn of the dark half of the year. It is a festival of balance, gratitude, and the bittersweet beauty of autumn: the leaves are turning, the light is golden and slanted, the air carries the first chill of the coming cold, and the earth is giving its final, most generous gifts before the long rest of winter.
Colors
The Mabon altar works with deep orange, burgundy, brown, and gold — the colors of autumn at its most beautiful. Deep orange for the turning leaves and the harvest abundance. Burgundy for the depth and richness of the season. Brown for the earth preparing for its winter rest. Gold for the harvest light and the gratitude of abundance received.
Symbols and Objects
Mabon symbols include a cornucopia overflowing with autumn fruits and vegetables; acorns and pinecones for the seeds of the next year held in the harvest; autumn leaves in their full color; a balance symbol for the equinox; and apples, the sacred fruit of Mabon, for the harvest's sweetness and the wisdom of the season.
Crystals
Mabon crystals include amber for the ancient earth energy and the warmth of the harvest season; smoky quartz for grounding and the preparation for the inward turn; tiger's eye for the strength and clarity needed for the dark half of the year; and carnelian for the warmth and vitality that sustains through the coming cold.
Plants and Botanicals
Mabon botanicals include apple for the sacred harvest fruit; rosehips for the abundance of the season; sage for wisdom and the clearing of what is no longer needed; and marigold for the golden beauty of autumn and the honoring of the harvest.
Get 12 Seasonal Altars: Wheel of the Year →
The second harvest and the autumn equinox. Deep orange, burgundy, brown, gold. Cornucopia, acorns, apples, autumn leaves. Amber and smoky quartz. The Mabon altar — gratitude, balance, and the bittersweet beauty of autumn's abundance.
