Mabon: Honoring the balance during the Autumn Equinox

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Sep 21, 20252 comments

Mabon: The Autumn Equinox

September 22nd, 2025

Festival of the second Harvest,

when day and night are equal

Happy Equinox and Mabon Blessings!

As plants wither, and the trees drop leaves, their energy returns to their hidden roots, nourishing the Earth. Leaves turn from green to red, brown and gold- symbolizing nature's descent as it prepares for winter. This is a the time of balance between the outer and inner worlds. From now until the spring equinox, we turn towards nurturing our own roots, pondering our inner lives and planning for the long-term. Thoughts can be seeded, gradually growing in the subconscious until they emerge in the spring.

The Autumn Equinox, also known as Mabon to those who celebrate the Wheel of the Year, is a time of equilibrium and balance. Day and night are equal, and we begin to move away from light and into darkness. The equinox usually occurs on or around September 22nd, when the Sun reaches 0 degrees of Libra.

While the Spring Equinox manifests the equilibrium before action, the Autumn Equinox represents the relaxation that comes after action. The abundance we’ve created for our self throughout the summer is coming to an end. It’s an opportunity to assess our goals, celebrate our achievements, tend to all we've grown, and prepare for the upcoming winter. While celebrating the abundance around you, this is also an excellent time to begin clearing out clutter--be it emotional, spiritual, or physical--in preparation for the darker half of the year.

Honoring the Balance & The Wheel of the Year

Equinoxes are powerful markers of equilibrium. On this day, day and night are of equal length. Mabon marks the second harvest in the Wheel Of The Year, a time of balance between light and darkness as the days grow shorter. From this day until the Winter Solstice, the Sun King's path arcs downward toward the earth.

We celebrate the abundance of the Earth, making jams from any excess fruit or jarring vegetables from our gardens. This allows us to preserve the richness of Earth's bounty, bringing joy and sustenance even through the dark half of year.

Crystals: clear quartz, amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow topaz, tiger's eye, citrine, ruby, aventurine, amethyst

Symbols: cornucopias, pentagrams, apples, leaves

Colors: maroon, gold, brown, orange, yellow, tan, red

Magical Workings: spells of balance, harmony, and is also personal transitions. Protection, wealth and prosperity spells are appropriate as well.

Persephone's Journey

The Autumn Equinox is most closely associated with the mythological story of Persephone. The legend says that while admiring narcissus flowers in a field, the earth opened up and revealed the dark realm of the Underworld. Hades, the God of death, whisked her away, forever altering her destiny. Persephone's mother, Demeter, the Goddess of harvest and agriculture, fell into despair. In her grief, she turned the land barren and the soil infertile, plunging the world into an unending winter.

During her time in the Underworld, Persephone was enticed to eat a seed from a pomegranate, which forever bound her to that realm. When Demeter learned of this, she went to Zeus and threatened that if she wasn't reunited with her daughter, the fields would never be fertile again, and the distinction between the Earth and the Underworld would dissolve, leaving no mortals to worship the Gods. A compromise was struck: Persephone would be allowed to return to her mother and spend two-thirds of the year on Earth. However, for the remaining third, she would return to Hades as Queen of the Underworld.

This eternal dance between realms explains the changing season. It's on the Autumn Equinox Persephone descends into the Underworld, causing the earth to wither into fall and winter. She returns to Earth on the spring equinox, reunited with her mother, in which Demeter brings forth spring and summer's bounty. Persephone's story is a metaphor of embracing the cycle of life and death. It is one of growth and transformation, embracing duality, and honoring the balance of light and dark.

Mabon Rituals

Mabon is also a wonderful time to do magic spells that involve decrease or endings. Do you want to let go of self-destructive beliefs or behaviors? Lost weight? End an unfulfilling relationship? Now is the time to break old habits and patterns that have been limiting you. Anything you wish to eliminate from your life can now be released safely, before the new year begins with Samhain.

Spend time outside
Like all Wheel of the Year celebrations, it is a time to be present with the season. Spending time outside barefoot is an easy way to ground yourself and connect with the earth. Having a bonfire at sundown is also a magical way to honor the transition into fall.

Host a dinner party

Feed your eyes, your nose, your mouth, and your soul with the last of summer's bounty. Cook up and share what’s left from your garden.

Visit an orchard

If you don't have a garden, find the nearest orchard, pumpkin patch, or corn maze and make a day of it.

Cleanse your space
Cleanse your space and clear out junk. Get your home organized before the colder months so you can sink into a sanctuary that feels comfortable and cozy.

Honor your dark side
Do shadow work or express your inner shadow artistically. You can do this through journaling or guided meditations.

Decorate your altar for the season
A change of season is always an appropriate excuse to give your altar a facelift. Decorate with flowers that are in season, natural items you find in nature, and the golden colors of fall.

Mabon Simmer Pot

There's nothing quite like the scents of autumn filling a home. Simmer pots are an efficient and non-toxic way to make your home smell like fall, and they also carry their own magical properties.

suggested ingredients:

-cinnamon sticks

-whole cloves

-sliced apples

-vanilla bean or extract

-star of anise

-cardamom pods

You don't need all of these ingredients to make a simmer pot, a few will do just fine. I usually use cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and apples. Simple! Use whatever amount of each ingredient that feels right, this is your spell.

what to do:

Fill pot with water about 3/4 full.
Add ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, stir the pot clockwise. Unless you are doing a banishing or releasing spell, in that case stir the pot counter clockwise.
Visualize your desired outcome or goal for the magical work you are doing. Are you aiming to create happiness in the home, or more money in your wallet? Whatever it may be focus on what you want the outcome to look like. Continue with the visualization and stirring until it feels right to finish. You’ll know when!
You may recite your goal, a chant, or ritual words while you stir as well. Something pertaining to your desired outcome.
When you finish just remember to not let your pot boil dry. If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low.

Wishing you autumn blessings of abundance and balance. ⚫⚪🍁🧡
Sending love & insight,
Kendra

Article originally published September 21st, 2024
Updated September 21st, 2025

About the Writer

Kendra is the creator of Luna Lifted, an eclectic witch with a passion for sharing her craft and knowledge of magick with the world. When she's not designing and creating new things for Luna Lifted, you can find her reading a fantasy novel, gardening, gaming, or indulging in a long bath. Kendra resides in Minnesota with her three cats: Tunechi, Rumi, and Marceline.