Mabon or the Autumnal Equinox, falls on or around September 19-22. It marks the time of year when day and night are equal, as they are on the Spring Equinox, Ostara. The difference between the two is that on Mabon, the night will overpower the day, and the Sun will weaken until Yule, the Winter Solstice. Mabon is the second of the three harvest festivals, to include Lammas (Lughnasadh), Mabon, and Samhain. It is the harvest of fruits and vegetables, and metaphorically the harvest of the years trials, tribulations, and hard work. We mourn the weakening of the Sun God, and rejoice in the Goddess' bounty that she has given birth to. Our altars are decorated in the Autumn colors of golds, coppers, reds, and oranges, accented with gourds, oak leaves, acorns, and pumpkins. We cast spells for prosperity, abundance, new beginnings, drawing balance, and strength and protection. Mabon is a time of dramatic change, one from the vibrancy and newness of the Summer, to the impending darkne...
