A cool breeze brushes past your ear, whispering a promise of cool nights and explosions of orange, yellow, and red. You feel the hair lift off your neck as the winds invite you to join them in their spiraling dance to unwind Summer and weave the Autumn tapestry. The Sun and Moon, ever battling for dominance in the sky, or perhaps just two star crossed lovers always destined to be just outside each others reach, reach out with palms open: the Day and Night shall balance as equals in the sky.

On September 21st we celebrate the Autumn Equinox, also known as Mabon, the 2nd Harvest Festival of the year. Astrologically, the day and night are equal in the sky, and from here on out, the dark will continue to reign until the Spring Equinox on March 21st when day and night will be balanced once more, then giving way to longer days and shorter nights.

We celebrate this time by enjoying a Harvest Feast, also known as “Witches Thanksgiving”, and decorating Altars. Some items and colors popular for this time are:

  • Red, Orange, Yellow, and Brown

  • Pomegranates, Wine, Vines, and Grapes

  • Squash, Gourds, and Pumpkins

  • Corn Husk Dolls

  • Baskets to celebrate the harvest

  • Apples and Ciders

  • Nuts and Seeds

  • Statues of Deities / the God-Goddess

Good Crystals for Mabon / Autumn Equinox :

  • Citrine, symbolizes warmth, positivity, and abundance

  • Imperial Topaz for manifestation and strong mood boosting

  • Carnelian for passion

  • Amber for appreciation and staying in the present

You may have heard of The Wheel of the Year. Before the modern calendar, people believed that the stories and lives of different deities controlled the changing of the seasons and celebrate accordingly.

Perhaps one of the most popular stories surrounding this change from Summer to Fall is from the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter is the Goddess of the Grain and Harvest, her daughter Persephone representing Spring and Youth. There are a number of interpretations as to exactly what happened… but here’s the gist:

Perhaps one of the most popular stories surrounding this change from Summer to Fall is from the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter is the Goddess of the Grain and Harvest, her daughter Persephone representing Spring and Youth. There are a number of interpretations as to exactly what happened… but here’s the gist:

Hades, the God of the Underworld and the Dead, stole Persephone to be his Queen. Demeter obviously wasn’t a fan of this and when the other Gods refused to do anything about it, said, “Fine! No Harvest for you then!” and blighted the earth so that neither grain nor crop would grow. Which… sure punish humanity for the Gods negligence, whatever, moving on!

So! The Gods, realizing their mistake, decided to intervene and demand that Hades return Persephone to the realm of the living.

Here’s a fun fact: when in the realm of the Dead (and apparently Fae too), DO NOT eat or drink anything there, for if you do you shall never be able to leave.

So, whether Hades was a cheeky, sneaky, boy, or maybe Persephone just didn’t know any better * insert skeptical  noises *, she ate 6 pomegranate seeds. When the Gods demanded she be returned, they discovered she could only live in the realm of the living for half of the year and must spend the other half ruling and caring for the Underworld.  In turn, Demeter blesses the land with growth and life for the months while her daughter is beside her, and the land mourns with her when her daughter returns to the Underworld. Thus, we see the changing of the seasons…

But Persephone’s story, much like the Goddess herself, is full duality. She is both the Goddess of Spring and Queen of The Underworld. She teaches us about the balance of life and life cycles. She shows us not to fear the natural changes but to allow ourselves to grow and transform. She offers us abundance and the joy of living in the moment and not fearing the future.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, now is a time to stop and enjoy the moment, celebrate your victories and fond summer memories. Take deep breaths and allow yourself to fully be present. Now is a wonderful time for watching the sunset and enjoying a nice warm mug of your favorite beverage.

Harvest Blessings,

~Bijan