Mabon Blessings: Build Your Altar!
This Friday and Saturday, depending on your time zone, we welcome the Autumn Equinox and are invited to celebrate Mabon! Mabon marks the second of the three harvest festivals in the Wheel of the Year, celebrating the changing seasons. At this special moment in time, day and night are in perfect equilibrium and the Sun moves into Libra (HBD Libra Babies!), signifying balance in our lives. It's a time to honor the fading warmth and prepare for the colder months ahead. This is a day to acknowledging balance, reflection, and gratitude!
Throughout this week we can also invoke several Goddesses associated with this celebration - Modron, the Welsh Celtic goddess of Autumn, the harvest, magic, ritual, and fertility, Demeter the Greek Goddess of the Harvest, Ma’at the Egyptian Goddess of Underworld, Truth & Justice, and Rennutet the Egyptian Goddess of Nourishment & Harvest.
I invite you all to create an altar that represents the spirit of Mabon that you can connect to in the days leading up to the celebration. Read below for my ultimate Mabon altar tips!
Create your Personal Mabon Altar for Gratitude and Blessings
A central aspect of Mabon festivities is setting up a beautiful and meaningful altar that reflects the essence of this harvest festival. The photo is of my Mabon Altar from last year. I included, cinnamon sticks, sunflowers, apples, corn, and pumpkins. Building your own Mabon altar assists you in a powerful way to honor the changing seasons and express gratitude for nature's gifts!
You’ll want to find a quiet and peaceful area in your home or garden where you can set up your altar. This space should be conducive to meditation and reflection, allowing you to connect with the energies of the season.
Once you have an area selected, cover your altar with a cloth that represents the colors of autumn. Deep oranges, warm burgundies, rich browns, and earthy greens are perfect choices. The cloth provides a foundation and sets the seasonal tone for your altar!
Next, incorporate symbols of Mabon and the Autumn season. Some key items to include are:
Harvested fruits and vegetables: Place apples, pumpkins, gourds, corn, and other seasonal produce on your altar. These represent the harvest.
Autumn leaves: Collect colorful fallen leaves and arrange them on the altar. Each leaf can symbolize something you are grateful for.
Acorns and pinecones: These represent the promise of new life and the cycles of nature. Scatter them or arrange them in a decorative bowl.
Candles: Light candles in autumnal colors, such as orange, red, and brown. These symbolize the waning sunlight and the inner warmth of gratitude.
Crystals: Consider using crystals associated with the autumn season, such as citrine, carnelian, and amber, to amplify the energies of your altar.
Adorn your altar with fresh flowers and herbs that thrive in the fall. Marigolds, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and sage are wonderful choices. Their scents and colors evoke the essence of the season.
Since Mabon represents the balance between light and dark, you can include symbols of balance on your altar. You can use scales, yin-yang symbols, or any other representation of equilibrium.
If you have deities or spirit guides you work with, place images or representations of them on your altar. Consider gods and goddesses associated with harvest, such as Madron, Ceres, or Rennutet.
Add personal touches to your altar to make it uniquely yours. This could be a photograph of loved ones, a special piece of jewelry, or anything that holds personal significance for you.
Lastly, prepare a small offering, such as a glass of wine, a piece of bread, or a bowl of honey. This can be a token of gratitude that you leave on your altar to honor the Earth's abundance.
Once your altar is set up, take some time each day this week leading up to Mabon, to sit in front of it. Meditate and reflect on the blessings in your life. Express your genuine gratitude for the abundance you have received throughout the year!