The wheel of the year turns once again.  The second of the harvest festivals is upon us.  Mabon is taking place on the 23rd September.  The Autumn Equinox.  A liminal time where we have balance in day and night.  Light and dark are equal.  Day and night of equal length, just for a short time.  This time we tip into the dark half of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The beginning of the dark season.

 

We’re nearing the end of the cycle of the wheel of the year.  The year begins with Samhain (31st october), a move indoors, internally, underground, into darkness.

 

But not just yet!

 

Mabon and the Equinox are a time to celebrate the harvest, a time of thanksgiving and community.  Although the hard work is still not over.  The days are still long enough to gather and prepare the abundance of the garden, hedgerows and collect firewood for Winter.

 

Although it’s thought that the Celts maybe didn’t have prolonged festivities around this time (due to being still very busy), they definitely took pause and marked the equinox.  Standing stones and monuments still exist to mark this special point in time.

 

Many cultures across the world also mark this point in time with celebrations.

 

America - Cherokee - Ripe Corn Ceremony

Japan - Buddhist - Higan 

China - Moon Festival

Germany/Austria /Switzerland - Erntedankfest

India - Hindu - Navarati

 

In the West we have become more disconnected from harvest, and the need to store food for Winter.  We can remedy that by growing our own food, gathering and foraging.

 

What hedgerow fruit, nuts have you got in abundance near you?  Do you know of a fruit tree nearby?

 

You could sketch your tree before gathering?

You could use a fallen twig to sketch with.

How about using the juice of the berries to make your sketch with?

 

If quiet contemplation is more your thing, face West, and watch the sun go down.  Sketch as you watch the Earth’s sun move from light into the dark, symbolizing the shift in the year.

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’d love to know how you’re going to celebrate this important pause in the year.

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