How to Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox

The autumnal equinox, which typically occurs on or around September 21st, is a threshold, where day is equal to night. Mystically known as Mabon, it was named after the Welsh god, the son of the earth goddess Modron, who was stolen from his mother and taken to the underworld, where he remained for years before he was rescued.

Here’s how Nikki Van De Car describes Mabon in The Wheel of the Year:

Mabon is a figure of rebirth, renewal, and the recovery of lost knowledge. He, like so many other mythical figures, represents the eternal cycle of life, and his rescue symbolizes the restoration of balance and harmony in the world. And yet, the autumnal equinox, a time of balance when day is equal to night, is not a doorway into the light, but rather into the darkness…Mabon stands as the final harvest, the point at which we must survey what we have gathered and determine whether it will be enough to see us through the long winter night—and yet, if it is not, we will have to make do, for the night is here and nothing will stave it off.

We love how Sophie Saint Thomas simply describes Mabon in Weed Witch: “Mabon is an ideal time to reflect on what you’ve learned from the past year and think about how you can evolve based on that knowledge.”

With all of this in mind, here are some of our cherished rituals and spells for the autumnal equinox, covering themes of turning inward, practicing gratitude, facing your shadow self, and more.

A spell to fall for yourself

This spell from Your Magical Life by amanda lovelace is a perfect way to look inward and fall for yourself.

As the leaves fall, why not do a spell to help you fall for yourself?

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Your magical journal
• A writing utensil
• A piece of scrap paper
• Three autumn leaves
• Tape
• A small to medium tray
• Acorns or other signs of autumn (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Make a list of reasons you’re worthy of falling for in your magical journal. Avoid your physical attributes as much as possible; instead, describe your spirit. Are you a loyal friend? Are you exceptionally trustworthy or helpful? Go with things like that!
• When you’re done with your list, pick three of your favorite reasons. Tear up your scrap paper and write one reason on each piece.
• Next, you’re going to tape your papers to your autumn leaves—one reason per leaf. They’ll be flatter and easier to work with if you have pressed them between the pages of a large book for a few days beforehand.
• If you don’t have autumn leaves where you live, then any naturally fallen leaf will do. Alternatively, you can buy artificial autumn leaves from the craft store or draw and color some autumn leaves and cut them out.
• Lay your leaves in the middle of your tray, pausing to say each reason aloud using this format: “I am worth falling for because ____________.” After you say your last reason, say, “Therefore, like these leaves, I choose to fall for myself each and every day. So mote it be.”
• If you want to add an extra touch of magic, you can surround your leaves with other signs of autumn like fallen acorns, chestnuts, or maple seeds (those fun helicopter things).
• Leave the tray on your altar for as long as you’d like; this past fall, I kept it set up for a few weeks because it was almost like fall altar decor and it made me happy to look at it every day.

Look Inward with Journal Prompts

Journaling is a simple yet powerful tool for self reflection. Here are journal prompts for the autumnal equinox from Sacred Seasons by Kirsty Gallagher.

• Looking back, what are you most grateful for over the summer? What were the highlights and things you are most thankful for over the last three months?
• What have you discovered about yourself and life over the summer? What are three of your greatest lessons?
• Sum up your inner harvest here; what are you celebrating about the summer, about life, about you?
• What drains your nutrients? What (or who) in your life feels like it does not nourish, support, or sustain you?
• What are you finally ready to let go of and release, once and for all? Declare it.
• How can you support this transition? What strong roots, foundations, and beliefs do you need to develop in yourself.

Practice Shadow Work with an Oracle Spread

Here is a six-card spread from The Dreamgate Oracle by Danielle Noel.

Shadow Key

This spread looks at any blocked energies or unresolved patterns that may need additional love or care. Let it reveal that which wants to come to light.

(A note from RP Mystic: Click the image to reveal the position’s theme. Then click the triangle to reveal the card’s meaning.)

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Concoct an Aromatic Hot Mulled Cider

Activate the senses with this mulled cider recipe from Cheese Magic by Erika Kubick, which serves as an energy cleansing simmer pot for the home and a tasty drink that exudes autumn.

Boiling water with aromatics to perfume your home is a common practice, but for the magically inclined, it’s a spell. A simmer pot combines all four elements to cleanse energies and support an intention: water is the medium, warmed by stovetop fire and scented with the earth’s gifts, all rising into the air as steam. Here, the ritual also simultaneously brews a potion that tastes of autumn. This mulled cider is simmered with warming, protective spices and cleansing citrus, all garnished with the apple’s naturally occurring pentagram. Slice an apple from core to stem and you’ll see the magical five-pointed star formed from the seeds, bobbing around in the cider like a magical talisman. Pair with a wedge of clothbound cheddar or Pecorino Plum Crumble (recipe found in the book).

Ingredients:

• 6 cups unfiltered apple cider
• 5 star anise pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced into half moons
• ½ orange, thinly sliced into half moons
• ½ apple, thinly sliced into rounds
• ½ cup (120 ml) dark rum or rye whiskey (optional)

Directions:

• Set a medium pot on the stove and heat over medium-low.
• Add the cider, star anise, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and sliced lemon, orange, and apple. Stir three times counterclockwise, visualizing dark, stagnant energy evaporating into the air. Then stir three times clockwise, asking the powers of protection to flow into the pot.
• Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 30 minutes. Stir in the rum or whiskey (if using), and serve hot.
• Note from Erika: I like to keep the spices and fruit in there as garnishes, but you can strain them out as well.

A Mabon Ritual to Embrace the Darkness

Though Mabon can feel ominous, there is power in it, too. “Darkness is more than a place of fear and uncertainty—it also allows us to rest.”

With this in mind, here’s a simple ritual to embrace the darkness from The Wheel of the Year.

The ideal time to perform this ritual is right at sunset, the threshold over which we step into the night. Light a candle just as the sun goes down, and sit in this dim light—for it is still light out, the refracting rays of the sun shining even though the orb itself has dipped below the horizon. It is a darkness in which we can still see.

You’ll need the following items:

• A fresh apple
• A small knife or athame (sharp enough to cut)
• A pen
• A small piece of paper
• A handful of dried, crumbly leaves

Hold the apple in your hands, feeling its shape. Note how the color of itsskin shifts, as well as any flaws you can find. Inhale its scent. The apple is a symbol of hidden knowledge and wisdom—envision it as a vessel of secrets waiting to be shared.

Take your athame and carefully carve into the top of the apple, focusing your intent on unlocking this secret understanding. Hollow out the core and pull it out, leaving a hole in the center of the apple.

In the light of your candle, write out your intention, being specific about the kind of inner knowledge you seek. Fold the paper several times, until it is small enough to fit into the apple. Crumble your dead leaves over the paper, adding in the wisdom they hold, and then cover them with the stem of the apple, sealing it all in.

Cup the apple in your hands and speak the following invocation:

Mabon, holder of hidden wisdom,
I invoke your presence and guidance.
As I delve into the realms of secret knowledge
Guide me on this journey of understanding.

Hold the apple close to your heart as you look into the candle. Watch it flicker and move with the unseen wind of your own breath, of the mysterious flow of air that makes it dance. Let your eyes blur and your mind open, welcoming any insights, symbols, or messages that may arise during this quiet contemplation. Be receptive to any intuitive knowledge that may come to you.

When you’re ready, consume the apple. You may want to use your athame to slice it to avoid accidentally ingesting any bits of leaves or paper—but don’t worry, their energy has infused the apple with all you need.

Continue with your evening, celebrating the sabbat with family or friends as you choose, perhaps enjoying some mulled apple cider or stuffed pumpkins or even apple pie. When you’re ready for sleep, take a few moments to center yourself, reflecting back on what you saw before and after eating the apple. Lie back in your bed in the darkness, and find that sense of openness again. As you dive down into the realm of sleep, imagine Mabon standing before you, newly freed from his imprisonment, holding knowledge that no one else has. Understand that you too carry secrets within you, and that your dreams can summon them from the depths. Let Mabon be your guide in the darkness.

When you wake, take a few moments just on the edge of sleep, recalling any dreams you may have had. Write them down. And then, as you go on with your day, consider ways in which you can use the knowledge you have gained. Follow your intuition as Mabon followed the stars, wherever it may lead you.

Dive Deeper

Reflect on your personal final harvest of the year with these offerings from the RP Mystic catalog: