Fall equinox witchcraft is a practice that embraces the natural rhythms and energies of the autumn season. Also known as Mabon, this is a time when day and night are equal in length, representing a balancing of light and darkness. It is a time to celebrate the bountiful harvest, honor the changing seasons, and connect with the spiritual significance of the equinox. During this time, witches and practitioners of witchcraft often engage in rituals and spells that align with the themes of the season. They may gather in nature or in sacred spaces to perform rituals that honor the Earth's abundance and give thanks for the harvest. This can involve offerings of fruits, vegetables, or other items representative of the season.
If it’s your first time celebrating Mabon, Gottesdiener recommends choosing rituals that feel sacred to you and that have intuitive resonance. “Like celebrating the phases of the moon, or the different seasons, make it personal, and make it about celebrating and honoring life in the present moment— that is ultimately, what all great magick does,” she said.
It is a day to give thanks and let whatever bad habits or troubles that have been accumulating in our psyche in an unhelpful way go, Sarah Faith Gottesdiener told Teen Vogue. Whether you re looking for a historic take on fall equinox rituals or more modern means for embracing the season, ahead, find six autumn equinox activities to make time for in the upcoming days and weeks.
This can involve offerings of fruits, vegetables, or other items representative of the season. Fall equinox witchcraft also focuses on the concept of balance and introspection. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, witches use this time to reflect on their own personal growth and transformation.
Autumnal Equinox: Witches Share How They Celebrate
September 23 marks the 2019 Autumnal Equinox — a day when the sky is equal parts dark and light. It’s also the date that witches celebrate Mabon, one of the pagan festivals in the Wheel of the Year. The Wheel of the Year is the cyclical calendar of festivals that modern pagans celebrate. The Wheel symbolizes the continuous turning of time and mirrors nature’s cycles of death and rebirth. Named for the God of Welsh mythology, the festival celebrates the harvest and the life and that summer created as we prepare for the long, cold nights of winter.
Most modern witches likely don’t have a literal harvest to feast on and honor like the original celebrants of Mabon did, so the day instead marks a time to reflect on and honor the things we’ve been working on this year and the work that we’ve brought to fruition. “Mabon is the day that corresponds to the last harvest: It is a day to call in, a day to appreciate our many, many blessings and spread those around. It is a day to give thanks and let whatever bad habits or troubles that have been accumulating in our psyche in an unhelpful way go,” Sarah Faith Gottesdiener told Teen Vogue.
Gottesdiener is an artist, designer, tarot reader and witch — you may know her from her popular and often sold-out Many Moons workbooks or from her shop, Modern Women. For Gottesdiener, the season’s magic is especially potent because it combines with her celebration of the Jewish High Holy Days. While she says that the Celtic mythology attached to the Wheel of the year doesn’t resonate with her, its connection to nature and the season’s effects on us personally and collectively makes following it important to her. This includes embracing the return of the darkness that accompanies the Equinox. “The darkness is a beautiful thing, because it is where seeds germinate. The darkness is deeply potent: it is our subconscious and a source of our own power,” Gottesdiener said.
For writer and intuitive tarot reader Swati Khurana, the Autumnal Equinox is a profoundly personal holiday. After Khurana began shifting away from the label of “Hindu” 20 years ago to separate herself from what she called a "tradition that was connected to caste violence," she said she started questioning and opting out of holidays and traditions that felt like they no longer fit into her “post-colonial intersectional feminist perspective.”
“I loved the rituals of being among women in temple, applying mendhi on my hands, creating trays of offerings, and walking into the moonlight,” Khurana told Teen Vogue about her appreciation of certain aspects of some Hindu holidays. “As I started observing the Equinox, I used elements that I still find so beautiful, but recast them in a ritual that centered self-actualization and personal freedom. Observing the Equinox became a way for me to reclaim the season [that] includes my birthday and my two favorite holidays — Diwali and Halloween — from a feminist perspective.”
If it’s your first time celebrating Mabon, Gottesdiener recommends choosing rituals that feel sacred to you and that have intuitive resonance. “Like celebrating the phases of the moon, or the different seasons, make it personal, and make it about celebrating and honoring life in the present moment— that is ultimately, what all great magick does,” she said.
Swati Khurana by Abeer HoqueGottesdiener will be celebrating by hosting a customary potluck feast for loved ones where they’ll eat, read poems, pull tarot cards, reflect, and burn that which they wish to release. She also plans to do some solo celebrating. “For the most part, I am a solitary practitioner, so I'll also be reflecting and working with the energies for myself personally as well. Because of the placement of the [waxing] moon, this year, I'll be focused on what I wish to harvest more of in my life,” told Teen Vogue.
Social justice educator Steph Guthrie offered a ritual facilitated for her birthday by friend Kritty Uranowski that felt particularly meaningful during a difficult year of her life. “We each wrote down on small pieces of paper one thing we were grateful for from the summer that we’d carry with us into the winter, one thing we were ready to leave behind, and one thing we hoped to manifest in the months ahead,” she told Teen Vogue. After a consensual and optional sharing of their reflections, participants burned the things they wanted to leave behind, planted in the ground the things they hoped to manifest, and held onto the things we were grateful for.
Even if you don’t identify as a witch or aren’t up for a planning big ritual, pausing to acknowledge the season’s changing is a valuable practice for reflection and gaining perspective.“Dedication to observing and respecting the natural world is something that anyone can do, whether they are witches or not,” said scientist and college instructor T. Kempton. “Seasonal holidays like Mabon encourage us to be active participants in the turning wheel of time, living intentionally and intensely, instead of just coasting through life. Mabon is a beautiful time, and we are beautiful within it.”
They may engage in divination or meditative practices to gain insight and guidance for the coming months. In addition to honoring the Earth and reflecting on personal growth, fall equinox witchcraft often involves connecting with ancestral energies and spirits. This is a time to remember and honor those who came before, acknowledging the wisdom and guidance they offer from the spirit realm. Witches may also incorporate the use of herbs, crystals, and other natural elements in their fall equinox practices. These tools can be used in various ways, such as creating potions or charms to harness the energies of the season or to enhance rituals and spells. Overall, fall equinox witchcraft is a time of celebration, reflection, and connection with the cycles of nature. It is a time to honor the Earth, give thanks for the abundance of the harvest, and prepare for the colder months ahead. Through rituals, spells, and other practices, witches embrace the energy of the equinox and align themselves with the rhythms of the autumn season..
Reviews for "Using the Elements in Fall Equinox Witchcraft"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I was really excited to learn about fall equinox witchcraft and how it can enhance my spiritual practices during this time of the year. However, I found this book to be quite disappointing. The author's explanations were confusing and unclear, making it difficult to understand and apply the concepts. Additionally, the book lacked practical tips and guidance, which is something I was hoping for. Overall, I did not find Fall Equinox Witchcraft to be a helpful resource for incorporating witchcraft into my fall rituals.
2. Mark - 1 star - Fall Equinox Witchcraft was a complete waste of my time and money. The author seemed more interested in showcasing their knowledge of obscure witchcraft terminology rather than providing practical information. The book was filled with unnecessary jargon that only served to confuse me further. There were no clear instructions or step-by-step guides, making it impossible to implement any of the suggested rituals. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking to explore fall equinox witchcraft.
3. Lisa - 2 stars - As someone who is relatively new to witchcraft, I was hoping that Fall Equinox Witchcraft would provide me with a beginner-friendly introduction to incorporating witchcraft into my fall celebrations. Unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations. The concepts were explained in a convoluted manner that made it difficult to grasp, especially for someone with limited knowledge on the topic. The lack of actionable advice and practical tips left me feeling lost and confused. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to beginners looking for guidance on fall equinox witchcraft.