Ritual for Mabon

Ritual

Mabon celebrates the autumnal equinox when we have equal hours of light and dark, gratitude for the harvest, and preparation for the darker half of the year.  Mabon rituals focus on balance. This Mabon ritual post is concise and specific. 

I try not to make this blog prescriptive, but a few people have asked me for specific ritual plans. Here’s a plan for basic Mabon ritual you can adapt to your own interests and traditions. 

1. Preparation

• Choose the time: Around the autumn equinox, Sept. 22, 2025 at 1119 am PST in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Set up the space: Indoors or outdoors, ideally somewhere with seasonal symbols (leaves, apples, gourds, corn, acorns).
• Altar items might include candles (gold, orange, red, brown), harvest offerings (bread, wine/cider, nuts, fruits), seasonal decorations (autumn leaves, pumpkins, pinecones), and representations of balance (sun & moon symbols, scales, two candles of different colors).

2. Cast the Circle (Optional, if part of your practice)

• Cleanse the space with incense, sage, or simply clapping/chanting.
• Walk the circle’s perimeter, visualizing protective energy forming a sacred boundary.
• Call the elements/quarters (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) if this fits your tradition.

3. Invocation

• Call upon the God and Goddess (or seasonal deities like Demeter, Persephone, Mabon, or your chosen spirits).
• Acknowledge the balance of light and dark at the equinox.
• Example focus: “We honor the harvest, the gifts of Earth, and the turning of the wheel.”

4. Main Ritual Work

• This is the heart of the ritual. You might:
• Offer gratitude: Speak aloud what you are thankful for.
• Release & balance: Write down things you want to release with the waning year, then safely burn or bury the paper.
• Feast offering: Place bread, apples, or wine/cider on the altar as gifts to the Earth and spirits.
• Meditation: Reflect on balance—your inner light and shadow, giving and receiving.

5. Share Food & Drink

• Bless seasonal foods (like apples, corn, or pumpkin bread).
• Eat mindfully, acknowledging the Earth’s abundance.
• Share with others if you are in a group.

6. End the Ritual

• Thank the deities, spirits, and/or elements.
• Release the circle (walk counterclockwise, imagining the energy returning to the Earth).
• Extinguish candles, keeping one lit (if safe) as a reminder of balance.

7. After the Ritual

• Write journal reflections on gratitude and what you’re releasing.
• Keep a seasonal decoration or token from the altar in your home as a reminder of Mabon’s lessons.

 You can make the ritual longer with songs, drumming, or divination, or shorter with just gratitude + food sharing.