The Wiccan celebration of the Autumnal Equinox is known as Mabon. This name comes from Celtic legend. Mabon ap Modron, the Son of the Mother, in his story from birth to kingship, is a recurring theme found throughout Celtic mythological and legendary literature.

Caer Australis presents the most complete overview of the Mabon myth I have found.

The Mabon theme is that of the birth of a miraculous - divine - boy, born to a remarkable or significant - divine - mother, who is lost to her, performs amazing feats to attain manhood, and wins the hand of a beautiful - also divine - maiden. Mabon is the Celtic child solar deity; his mother the Celtic tripartite goddess in her mother aspect and the maiden the goddess as maiden. His story has a seasonal aspect, for we can identify the time of birth of the Celtic god's nativity, and also of his union with the goddess: these are recorded in the myths quite clearly.

Mabon literally means 'son' and comes from the Celtic 'maponos' now found in 'map', 'mab' and 'mac' (meaning 'son of') in the extant Celtic languages. Likewise, Modron literally means 'mother', from 'matronae', 'the Mothers', the Celtic tripartite Goddess.

A key element of the Mabon myth is the story of how he is taken from his mother into the underworld. Modron enlists the help of King Arthur and his knights to rescue her son and in the course of their search they enlist the help of many mythical and magickal creatures:

The party began their search for Mabon by asking the Ousel of Kilgrwri: "Do you know anything of Mabon son of Modron, who when three nights old was stolen away from between his mother and the wall?" Though the ousel was old enough to have worn down an anvil to the size of a nut working with nothing more than its beak, it did not know anything of the man they sought. It did offer to guide them to a more ancient creature who might be able to assist them.

Sequentially, and asking the same formula question, and obtaining the same answer and assistance, the party meets more and more ancient creatures, namely the Stag of Rhendevre (as old as a forest), the Owl of Cwn Cawlwyd (as old as three forests), the Eagle of Gwernabwy (who was so old that he had worn down a rock which he pecked at the height of the stars to the size of a hand) and finally the Salmon of Llyn Llyw.

It was finally the Salmon, through his wisdom, who knew where the knights could find Mabon. They battled his captors to rescue him and were able to return him to his mother.

This story is one of many representations of the universal pagan belief that as the Wheel of the Year turns through the seasons, the God is born, grows to vigorous manhood, dies and then is reborn again. The Goddess, as mother and consort, ushers him through this process. It follows the cycle of the agrarian life led by the ancient people from whom the many myths come.

As it falls on the Autumnal Equinox, Mabon is the other time of the year, along with the Vernal Equinox in the Spring, when night and day is in balance. This day begins the sign of Libra and it is no mistake that Libra's symbol is a set of scales. This is a time for spiritual reflection on the past year, what it has brought to us and what have we sown and harvested in our lives. It is a time to give thanks to the God and the Goddess for what we have been able to accomplish and it is an opportunity to cut away the chaff, the useless things and situations that are keeping us from realizing our truest potential and greatest happiness. How can we work to bring more balance to our lives? Since we are coming to the end of our Pagan year it also is a time to imagine what we hope and plan to accomplish next year. These things are our modern "harvest."

Mabon is the Witches’ version of Thanksgiving and we celebrate the coming of the Autumn and the end of the year with the "Harvest Home" celebration. The Wheel continues to turn, the nights will get longer, the days shorter and the weather cooler. For the night of the Mabon ritual, we know that we accomplished much and the hard work is done. The light from the sun is as golden as it will ever be and the feasting is a sumptuous buffet with wine and good company to share it with.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 12:38 PM