MABON
SECOND HARVEST & THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX
Mabon is the celebration of the autumn equinox, when the hours of day and night are of equal length. From now on, the sun’s strength diminishes until the winter solstice in December.
It is also known as the Second Harvest (after the first grain and fruit harvest at Lughnasadh) or Harvest Home, when much of the remaining crops are collected and stored before the long winter.
The term Mabon was coined by Aidan Kelly, who chose the name based on the Welsh god/hero Mabon ap Modron, the “divine son”, King of the Otherworld and the God of Darkness. However, other names have been suggested, such as Herfest and Halig, which coincide with the more Anglo-Saxon naming conventions of the other equinoxes and solstices on the Wheel of the Year.
Various mythos surround this holiday. In Wicca, the God is thought to decline at this time, which is represented by the decline of the earth’s bounty. The Goddess ages and passes into the Dark Goddess or Crone phase. We await the rebirth of the God at Yule, the longest night, when the sun is ‘reborn’.
Mabon is a time of mysteries, especially the legend of Demeter, Persephone and Hades. In this myth, Persephone, daughter of the grain and harvest goddess Demeter, was abducted by Hades, God of the Underworld. However, while in the underworld, Persephone was tricked into consuming some pomegranate seeds. This act prevented her from returning to the land of the living, and as a concession, she was forced to spend part of the year in the underworld. It is thought that during this time, her mother Demeter mourns for the loss of her daughter and the earth dies as a result, thus representing the changing seasons.
Symbols of Mabon include apples, grapes, wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, wheat, dried leaves, corn, sun wheels, and pomegranates. Mabon can be thought of as a time of thanksgiving and balance, where we stop to recognize all of our personal harvests and are grateful for what we have been blessed with.
DANCE OF MABON: 9/21 6pm pst
The dance I have written to honor the Equinox & Mabon enters with gentle authority, and requires a stern check in with self, before surrendering to the tides of transformation. Harvesting and grounding, clearing away dead wood and embracing the serpentine path to find inner equilibrium in preparation for the darkening of days ahead.
THE QUINTESSENCE OF SPIRIT: 9/7 6pm pst
The journey through the path of the pentacle seeks completion through the mysteries of quintessence, the essence of Spirit.
Along the pentacle path of Elemental Magick and Embodiment, the final stroke is one of completion within the topmost point of the star. This top point represents the wholeness of divinity both within matter and transcendent as Spirit or God/dess.
It is within the element of Spirit that all elements find unity through the liberation of the soul.
ASTROLOGY FOR SEPTEMBER 2023
As we begin September 2023, the cosmic skies align to deliver a rare and magical alignment known as a Grand Trine. Occurring in Earth signs, between the planets Mercury, Uranus, and Pluto, the energy of the Grand Earth Trine will be felt on and off throughout the month and will offer a stabilizing force.
This stabilizing, grounding force will be welcomed due to the challenging energies of August. In fact, it seems the Universe is giving us a chance to catch our breath and create some security and structure around whatever has manifested for us. The supportive energies around the Grand Trine will help this to be achieved with a certain level of ease.
In September, Venus also stations direct, putting an end to an incredibly awakening and difficult karmic cycle around relationships in our lives. The Equinox also arrives, helping to shift the wheel and push us into a new season.
As the month comes to an end, we have a bright Aries Full Moon, which could see a big project come into full bloom. It is a powerful Full Moon that is also directly tied to March-April of this year.
Venus began her retrograde journey back in July 2023. During this time, issues around our relationships may have surfaced, or we may have found ourselves dealing with issues around money or our self-worth. Since this time, it is likely we have been on a journey of exploration. We may have had to journey deep into our hearts and into our truth to figure out if we are on the right path or perhaps needing to make a change. Often, the changes we feel instigated to make under a Venus Retrograde involve a relationship in our lives. We may find ourselves needing to cut ties with someone, or work through why certain themes or insecurities come up in our relationships. Venus Retrograde gets us working on matters of the heart and connection. It helps us reevaluate what is important and no longer aligned with our values. As our heart opens, certain relationships may flow deeper, and certain relationships will need to be cut. Venus stationing direct will be a clarifying point on this journey. On this day, our hearts will open to a new level of love and truth, helping to light the way forward.
Venus returns from her retrograde journey only for Jupiter to enter his! Jupiter Retrograde is not as rare as a Venus Retrograde, so its energy is not as powerful, but with Jupiter in retrograde, it can expand things that we have been ignoring. Jupiter is known as the planet of expansion, and when in retrograde, it can expand things from our subconscious and the hidden realms. We can use the energy of Jupiter Retrograde to face up to problems, see the finer details in things, and gain more clarity on the bigger picture. Jupiter Retrograde can sometimes make us feel a little overwhelmed or stuck on one particular problem. It may be hard for us to break out of the cycle of thinking or to see beyond the issue that is in front of us. If you notice this energy manifesting during Jupiter Retrograde, a good antidote is to bring your awareness back to gratitude. Focusing on all you feel grateful for is a good way to help ease any difficult Jupiter retrograde energies. Jupiter will remain in retrograde until December 30.
The Mercury Star Point occurs when Mercury aligns with the Sun. This is also sometimes referred to as Mercury Cazimi. Mercury is currently in retrograde, so its alignment with the Sun will help to bring clarity to whatever the retrograde energies have stirred. If we have been dealing with miscommunications, contract disputes, travel issues, or cluttered thinking, it is at this time that we may get some relief. Answers are likely to reveal themselves, so stay open to any messages you may receive at this time.
A magical day when the Sun and Jupiter are in harmonious alignment. Jupiter is the planet of expansion and abundance. While it is retrograde under this alignment, this is a powerful day to seek the silver lining and to keep your spirits lifted. Remain optimistic about any outcomes, as they may just lead you down a brighter and more abundant path.
It’s the 9th day of the 9th month, unlocking the number code 99. 9 is the number of graduation, so on this day, it may be worthwhile to reflect on what you have graduated from in your life. 9 is also the number of spiritual enlightenment, which is something we can obtain at each graduation point on our journey. The path is a spiral, which means we are always learning, but make it a point to celebrate all of your graduation points since the start of this year.
Mercury finally stations direct after being retrograde since August. Mercury stationing direct means we have no more inner planets in retrograde. This will bring a huge shift to the accumulation of retrograde energy we have been feeling. Retrograde energy can create a slow-down effect, making us feel sluggish, uncertain, and that we are moving in circles. This can be particularly enhanced when the inner planets are in retrograde. Mercury and Venus, both of which are inner planets, have been in retrograde since August 23, so we are likely to have been really feeling this energy. Even though Mercury will take some time to leave its post-retrograde shadow, we should begin feeling some relief from any sluggish stagnancy. When Mercury stations direct, we are often gifted with the information we need to begin moving forward.
The Sun trine Uranus is a positive alignment that can help us to be innovative, to think outside of the box, and to find a greater sense of freedom. We may be feeling more confident to do things our own way or to challenge the status quo. We may feel a call rising in our belly, urging us to follow a different path or to trust our inner guidance system. Uranus is the planet of change, so while this alignment can bring changes, expect them to be beneficial ones! Uranus is currently in Taurus and active throughout the month as it operates in this Earth Grand Trine configuration. Grand Trines are highly protective, so we may feel some of that protective energy manifesting on this day. In fact, Sun trine Uranus can sometimes be the signature of miracles.
The Equinox is here! The Equinox is considered one of the great turning points of the year. Energetically, we are moving in a new direction, and the seasons around us may mirror that change. In the Northern Hemisphere, we are moving into the season of death. In the Southern Hemisphere, we are moving into the season of rebirth. Around and around that cycle we flow. The Equinox also represents a time when the veil between dimensions is thin, and the energy grid of the planet moves into higher harmony. The healing powers of mother nature can be felt with more ease at this time, so be sure to spend time in nature on this day. The September Equinox also coincides with the Sun’s move into the sign of Libra. Libra is represented by the scales and is a season to create balance in our lives. Libra is also associated with things like beauty, so it is also a time when we may feel drawn to beautify our lives in some way.
The Aries Full Moon is powerful and punchy and wraps up the end of the month. This Full Moon is connected to the Aries New Moon and the Aries Solar Eclipse that we had earlier this year. If you think back to the manifestations and intentions you set in March and April, you may begin to see those manifestations in full bloom now. As mentioned, this is the last lunar cycle before Eclipses begin, so we may begin feeling the rumbling of transformation starting to flow in. This is a little bit of a volatile Full Moon in that it carries some fiery energy. We may feel a little headstrong, or our egos may be easily triggered under this Full Moon. It will be important to take a few steps back and assess the situation from a distance before rushing ahead. Chiron, the asteroid known as the wounded healer, is also very active under this Full Moon, shining a light on any healing that is needed in our lives. It seems we are being called to stop playing the victim, to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and to rise up into our inner warrior.