Our Cailleach has some thoughts for us all this Mabon.

Mabon is the celtic harvest festival observed on or around the autumnal equinox (in the northern hemisphere). It marks the time the harvest is winding down and the fields are almost bare, with most of the crops already in storage for the winter.  It honours the transition of seasons and is a time of plenty most often associated with apples, squash, and grains. 

At 7.50 am BST on Saturday September 23rd, the autumnal equinox will occur in the Northern Hemisphere, heralding the definitive end of summer and the official beginning of autumn.  It sounds very sudden and clear cut, especially when the foliage on the oaks that line my street is still defiantly fulsome and green. It really is a fitting reflection of the resistance many of us feel to the slow decline into winter and the first hints of shadow that Mabon brings. 

Meanwhile at home, we are planning the customary garden chores of uprooting annual flowers, weeding, turning beds over and carrying out general maintenance in preparation for shutting the garden down for winter. In doing so, I can’t help but feel a deep pang of grief for the fading light of summer as my mind turns to ponder the darker side of life and, as uncomfortable it is to sit with those feelings, I am filled with a deeper appreciation for the year that has passed, a desire to prepare myself for the winter to come and a deep empathy for our poor sapling of an apple tree.  This young tree has been so unexpectedly bountiful this year, that her juvenile boughs have sat heavily on straining crutches.  She now desperately needs a rest. You can indeed have too much of a good thing. 

If you are interested in observing Mabon this weekend, you may like to join me in any of the following practices.

Spend time in nature and enjoy a sunset:  Whether it’s the middle of nowhere or a public park, spending time outdoors is good for the soul.  Spend time appreciating the glory and power of the natural world’s ability to change and transform.  Note the changing colours, the crispness in the air, wonder at the transition from day to night and appreciate the magical golden light of the setting sun.  Even in nature’s decline, the world is beautiful and powerful. And you deserve to bask in it.

Let go, and prepare:
The equinox, a time of balance, is an excellent time to declutter – whether it be your desk at work, areas of your home, or your inbox.  Doing so will help provide clarity, and find the resilience needed to embrace the darkness of winter.  Personally, with a child under one, effectively decluttering might be a touch ambitious but very much needed.

Expressing gratitude

Mabon is a time to slow down, appreciate the beauty around us, and to reflect on the journey we have been on throughout the year.  With repetition, practising gratitude becomes easier and can help boost our mental health, our relationships, and build resilience.   While practising gratitude can and should happen throughout the year, Mabon really is an opportunity for a “look how far we’ve come” moment, and I have so much to be grateful for: a thriving family, loving and supportive friends, and my health.

Celebrate and share the abundance of the summer
For as much as Mabon draws our attention to the transition to winter and endings, it is a celebration of life and its bounty – bounty which should be shared.  You could host a potluck or a bonfire for friends, for example.  It’s also fitting at this time of year, if you are able, to share your abundance with those who may not have had as good a summer as you.  In the current financial climate, food banks are in need of donations and financial support more than ever with heartbreakingly more people reliant on them.   As well as staples and toiletries, the ideal products to donate are things that can be eaten cold or require minimal cooking.  Most supermarkets have a food donations bin now, and many local food banks also have their own drop off points.  Below is a link to the Trussell Trust’s food bank finder if you would like to support your local community.

https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/