Suggestions for reflection and building your altar to honor this Lesser Sabbat
As the summer winds down, we start our decent, moving away from the outward expression of growth and light to the inner world of regeneration and darkness. Gratitude and appreciation for the harvest, literal and metaphoric, provided by the fertile soil of Mother Earth. In the coming months, we will focus our energy on rest and reflection, integrating and learning from the experiences of the past year, taking note of what worked, what failed, what flourished. This is the time for deciphering the lessons and making adjustments in preparation for the coming year.
Many cultures throughout history have celebrated this time of harvest with feast and ceremony. Mabon is one of these celebrations, a pagan holiday originating with Welsh tradition, though the name appears more recently. Early September is when the crops that have been tended all summer are collected and shared. There is a great bounty of traditional fare such as apples, grapes, persimmon, pomegranates, berries, melons, and squash. Other symbols of Mabon are pinecones, acorn, seeds, grain, ivy, dried herbs and autumn leaves. You may use these on your altar. Traditional colors for a Mabon altar are red, orange, gold, maroon, and brown. Here's a few examples I like:
With the equinox, we have the idea of balance, stemming from the equal amounts of light and dark on this day. This energy is only present twice a year, and we have a unique opportunity to consider where we may be out of balance and what steps to take to remedy the incongruencies. There are many different sets of opposites at work in our lives to consider: work & rest, masculine & feminine, give & take, caring for others and caring for self, doing & being, something & nothing, have to & want to, etc. In our society, it is normal to work forty or more hours a week. In theory, we would need to also be doing forty or more hours of self-care each week to maintain balance!
While I realize that forty hours of self-care a week is out of reach for most, I would like to suggest setting aside at least a few minutes a day as your sacred time with yourself. This may be a daily walk you take in silence. Ten minutes of meditation each morning before you leave the house. A yoga class three times a week. Make this a priority. Schedule it. Commit to it. Set the reminders. No excuses! Be sure to keep this concept close as we get into holiday season. Prevent burnout by scheduling plenty of downtime in between family obligations and travel.
This year, for 2022, Mabon lasts from September 21-29. During this time, I suggest keeping a gratitude journal. Also, begin setting your intentions for decrease and reduction. These goals will be well served and supported by your Mabon ceremony and throughout the coming months.
In Peace,
SteffaniAlyn
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