Fall Equinox Celebrations

On September 23rd at 5:51 AM EDT, this year's Fall Equinox begins and the sun enters the sign of Libra. The sun will cross the equator and day and night will be of equal length once again.

The Fall Equinox is known by many different names like the Autumn Equinox, Cornucopia, Feast of Avalon, Harvest Home, Festival of Dionysus, Mabon, Night of the Hunter, Harvest Tide, Second Harvest Festival, Witch's Thanksgiving, Wine Harvest and the first day of Autumn.

The full moon that is closest to the Autumn Equinox is known as the Harvest Moon, as farmers used to harvest their crops at night with the help of this full moon. The month of September also brings about the Wine Moon.

Many celebrations will be taking place on the Fall Equinox to celebrate the coming of a new season. Some of the different religions/cultures around the world that will celebrate the Fall Equinox are:

The Chumash Tribe

The Chumash are a Native American tribe from Southern California. Their Fall Equinox sun ceremony is celebrated during the Chumash month of Hutash, known to us as September. Their ceremony takes place right after the harvest is picked and has been stored. The Chumash tribe gathers together and focuses on the importance of togetherness during confinement in winter, death and rebirth.

The Christian Church

The Christian church replaced Pagan solstice celebrations with their own Christian tradition called Michaelmas, which is the feast dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It is customary in England to eat a goose on Michaelmas to protect financial interests in the coming year. In Ireland, finding a ring in your pie means that you will soon be married.

Druids

The Druids celebrate the Fall Equinox as Mea'n Fo'mhair and give thanks to The Green Man or the God of the Forest, by offering gifts dedicated to the trees. Some of the Druids' offerings are ciders, wines and herbs.

Wiccans and Pagans

Wiccans and Pagans celebrate eight days out of the year; four of these are minor sabbats and the other four are major sabbats. Wiccans might celebrate the Fall Equinox, or Mabon, on the night before or at the sunrise at the morning of the equinox itself. Mabon is the second and the main Wiccan harvest festival.

Wiccans take this time to celebrate the Goddess as she passes from the Mother to the Crone, and her consort prepares for a death, followed by rebirth. The God becomes the Corn King and the Harvest Lord. This is a time of balance, and a time to look back at not just the past year, but at your whole life and to make new plans for the future. After the hard work of gathering crops for the winter, it is a time for relaxation and celebration.

Some of the symbols that can be used to celebrate Mabon include wine, pine cones, acorns, apples, corn, pomegranates, dried seeds and grains. Different foods that can be used on Mabon are breads, appes, nuts, potatoes, onions and carrots. Myrrh and sage incense can also be used to enhance celebrations.

Colors of Mabon that can be focused on are red, maroon, brown, gold and orange. Sapphires, yellow agates and lapis lazuli are some stones that are fitting for a Mabon altar.

Mabon activities that you could engage in could be anything from gathering dried herbs to taking a long walk in a field or forest amongst nature, and scattering offerings to acknowledge those that have passed over. Hanging dried ears of corn around your home is another contemplative activity that can be done either alone or with other family members and friends.

Another Mabon activity is to offer thanks as you face the four different directions -- you would face north when giving thanks for your home, finances and your physical health, then turn towards the East and give thanks for gifts of knowledge. You give thanks for all of your accomplishments by facing South, and give thanks for your relationships by facing West.

Spells that work best when conducted around Mabon are spells for prosperity, security, protection and self-confidence.

The Goddesses associated with Mabon are Morgan, Modron, Persephone, Pamona and Epona. Some of the Gods are Thoth, Hermes and Thor.

Sources: www.religioustolerance.org/fall_equinox.htm, www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/mabon.htm, www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/FallEquinox.html