Mabon is a pagan holiday and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats celebrated during the year. It is also known as the Autumn Equinox and is the second harvest sabbat of the pagan wheel of the year. Mabon is a time to give thanks for the abundance of Mother Earth, both literally and spiritually, and to reflect on the Wheel of the Year, recognizing ones successes and letting go of the things that did not serve them during the past twelve months.
The origins of Mabon as a harvest festival can be traced back to ancient times, although the name itself was adopted in the 1970s. The holiday is named after the Welsh God Mabon ap Modron, which means "Son of Mother," although its connection to the autumnal equinox is not clear, and the holiday was not originally recognized as a pagan-Celtic celebration by the Welsh.
Mabon is often associated with feasting, fires, offerings, and sacrifices, as ancient Celts and pagans used this day to give thanks to nature for a good harvest and to pray for the crops to last throughout the winter. It is a time of balance, equality, and harmony, as it marks the point when day and night are equal. The holiday is both celebratory and solemn, intrinsically linked with the concept of death, the inevitability of change, and the necessity of letting go.
