Connecting to Mabon through Ritual

As we arrive at the Autumnal Equinox, the second harvest festival whose date falls close to the original American Thanksgiving, it is important to take stock of all that has been bestowed upon us and show gratitude. Here is a simple ritual just for that purpose.

The following ritual is all about aligning yourself with the meaning of this sabbat and all it recognizes and honors. It is for acknowledging where that energy and its influence exist in your life and showing gratitude for its effects. In fact, I would suggest performing this prior to any other spells or ritual workings you may want to utilize the energy of this day for.

While Lughnasadh had a focus on the hard work that you put in and an acknowledgment of your own achievements, Mabon is more focused on showing gratitude for those who helped you and sharing that reward. Additionally, this ritual will provide a final adieu to the sun as after this sabbat, the days will be growing ever shorter than night.

If you are looking for intentions and spellwork than can be enhanced by casting near or on Mabon, you may want to consider spells focused on abundance, rest and rejuvenation, and anything that will prepare you for the coming dark: peace of mind, inner strength, protection, defense, loss prevention. Finally, any spell to restore balance will be greatly empowered on this day.

As with all spells I provide, please feel free to customize the wording, actions, and ingredients to what feels right to you. You can even adjust this ritual to make it a group or coven celebration.

The Ingredients

• Basic altar set up - this can be makeshift or portable, just something that will function as a workspace during your ritual

• Apple

• Paring knife

• Cutting board

• Pen and paper (or a gratitude list if this needs to be done in advance due to time restrictions)

• Candle (any color you like) and lighter/matches in honor of the dying sun

The Instructions

• Time: On the day of the Autumnal Equinox at sunset

• Location: Preferably outdoors, but if it needs to be done indoors, find a place outside to leave your offerings after. Consider that your offerings will attract wildlife and insects (which is a good thing as you want them to partake in your offering!), so place the items where they will not be a nuisance to you or others nor will they be harmed.

1. If it is a part of your practice, cleanse your tools, ingredients, and space. You can begin by opening sacred space however you prefer, if this is something you incorporate into your craft.

2. If possible, sit directly on the ground in front of your altar set up. Take time to ground and connect to the Earth and the heavens.

3. Gaze out at the setting sun and project appreciation for all it has gifted you. Light your candle in acknowledgement for its life-giving properties as well as the fact that it will be overpowered by the night until the spring.

4. If you did not create your gratitude list in advance, take the time while enjoying the sunset to write down all the things in your life that you are thankful for. While I hope you have dozens, this can be as many or as few as you can think of. If you have a lot, I recommend pairing similar ones together, especially if they are from the same source.

5. Using your cutting board, carefully cut your apple into a chunk or slice for each item on your list. If you have far too many, as mentioned before, you can pair a few together. I also suggest you remove the stem and seeds and set them aside to compost later.

6. Take one piece of apple into your hands and visualize the first item on your list. Remember how it manifests/manifested in your life and where or who it came from. Whisper the following into the apple piece: I am grateful for [list item] and send out my thanks. May that blessing continue in my life and be shared with others.

7. Either toss your apple piece out to where is can be enjoyed by the wildlife or place it aside on a plate if you plan to place it out later or in a different location.

8. Repeat for each apple piece and list item.

9. End your ritual with your chosen closing phrase ("Blessed be", "As I will it, so it shall be", "Thank you", etc.) and extinguish your candle.

10. Optional: If you do not want to/are unable to leave the apple pieces strewn about until they are either picked up by wildlife or decompose, leave them until the following sunset (or approximately 24 hours) and then you can dispose of whatever is leftover however you need to.

Final Note

Seeing as how you're a normal human being with responsibilities and a shifting schedule, don't feel downtrodden if this year or in many years to come you simply don't have the time to pull off a full ritual.

If the issue is schedule, yes, it would be best to perform this ritual right on the day of the Fall Equinox as the sun is setting. However, if that day is completely booked, just do it as close to the date as possible.

If even that is not doable, here are a few quick ways to honor this sabbat in a more time-friendly manner:

• Make an offering - Even if you are already doing so on a regular basis, make sure to make an offering or a prayer of thanks on Mabon for those who have assisted you in the past year. Whether that be deity, ancestors, demons, spirits, The All, etc. The ritual is a more complex manner of making an offering, but if all you have time for is lighting up some incense and saying thanks over it, that's okay too.

• Create a gratitude list - Simply creating a list outside of a ritual context is still beneficial for yourself and allows you time to take stock and project appreciation outward.

• Share your bounty by donating time, money, or items to a charitable organization or those in need.