The Wheel of the Year Turns to Autumn

 The Wheel of the Year is once again turning, bringing a change of season and perhaps changes to your own life.  We are on the way to the Autumn Equinox aka Mabon.  The Autumn Equinox 2021 in Northern Hemisphere will be at 3:20 PM on Wednesday, September 22. In the days after the autumnal equinox, the Sun begins to rise later and nightfall comes sooner. This ends with the Winter Solstice, when days start to grow longer and nights shorter.

As any practicing witch can tell you, the equinox is a powerful time energetically; the start of autumn, specifically, marks the point at which the light begins to wane. For pagans, equinoxes are particularly significant events, and the autumnal equinox—also referred to as Mabon by neo-Pagans—is somewhat equivalent to Thanksgiving. This is an important time to give thanks to Mother Goddess and the earth for her gifts. 

 This year, the Harvest Moon happens on Monday, September 20 two days before the autumnal equinox. I can already feel the energy and magic in the air.  Here are a few ways to celebrate Autumn Equinox/Mabon:

Spend time outside immersed in nature and her gifts. Take this time to find a connection to Gaia, the goddess of the earth and nature incarnate. Consider casting a protective circle, creating an altar outside, or leaving an offering of apples, milk, honey or bread for the faeries and elements.

Cleansing yourself by burning protective cleansing herbs like sage, mugwort, and cedar is a good way to use the Autumn Equinox energy.  

With each passing day, nighttime arrives a little earlier and lingers into our waking hours. With this gift of environmental down-time. This is a time for meditation and rest. A time to ask difficult questions and listen deeply for what arises. Get curious as you dive into the darkness you may consider the following contemplation questions either in meditation or in journaling:

What has been my personal harvest this year, what has grown into full expression and brought me joy? Begin each sentence with I celebrate…

What seeds of insight will I collect and re-plant in the next season? I nourish…

Where am I creating struggle or holding on? How can I conserve energy by releasing any unnecessary effort in this cycle? I release…

Am I holding any latent anger towards myself or others? How can I liberate myself from it? I forgive

Do I feel guilty for any of my thoughts, words, or actions? How can I make a conscious change? I resolve…

If my body were to speak, what would it say to me? I hear…

I know throughout the season I will be reflecting on some of these things as I continue to regain my health and make a few changes in my own life.

Colors of the season: brown (family, hearth, home, stability and family)
Orange (balance, action, warmth)
Red (action, change, passion, protection)
Yellow (creativity, happiness)

Crystals and Stones of the Season:

Stones for the Root Chakra to bring in Earth’s energy: red jasper, red garnet, red cornelian, obsidian
Stones for abundance and prosperity: amber (also protection), bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, flourite, yellow and orange calcite, jade, topaz, smoky quartz

Flowers & Trees of the Season:
 
Chrysanthemums (protection)
Marigold (healing and protection)
 
Ash Tree (protection, prosperity)
Maple (abundance, balance)
Oak (health, fertility and protection)

Foods of the season: apples, barley, breads, carrots, corn, squash, potatoes, nuts, oats onions wheat, parsnips, pears, cranberries, figs, pumpkin, wild mushrooms, pomegranate, chestnuts, cider, wine, mead, beer.  Apples are known as a symbol of the Divine, wisdom and guidance.

A few Goddesses of the Season: 

Demeter-Greek Goddess of harvest and agriculture, rules over the fertility of the Earth-mother of Persephone. (Greek) Upon the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades, lord of the Underworld, they were able to get her back, but not before she ate pomegranate seeds that bound her to Hades for 4 months out of the year. In these four months Demeter dries up the earth and all the crops (winter) in her grief, until the first signs of spring when she returns.
 
Symbol: grain
Goddess of plants that feeds us
Offerings: honeycombs, unspun wool, unpressed grapes uncooked grain.
 
Persephone-Greek Goddess of the Underworld and goddess of the spring. Mother Demeter mourned her kidnapping by Hades, creating Winter. (Greek)
Symbol-pomegranate
This is the time she returns to the underworld until spring
 
Hestia or Vesta- Goddess of the hearth-she represents unity of family, spiritual center of the home and community. The hearth is the center of the home for taking care of a family, older sister Demeter and Hera. (Greek/Roman)