The Fall Equinox Pagan Name The Fall Equinox, also known as Mabon in Pagan traditions, is a time of balance and harvest celebration. It occurs around September 21st or 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere and marks the astronomical shift from summer to autumn. During this time, pagans honor the turning of the seasons and give thanks for the abundance of the harvest. Mabon is named after the Welsh god Mabon ap Modron, who represents the youthful energy and the divine child. It is a time to reflect on the cycles of life and death and the balance between light and darkness. In Paganism, Mabon is often associated with the harvest deities and the symbolism of gratitude and abundance.
If the Old Norse knew about Mabon, they were probably too busy tending their crops and animals to celebrate. In modern times we have comforts that allow us to enjoy more conveniences.
According to Mike Nichols, the autumn equinox is the day when, in the Mabonogion, the character of Goronwy, symbolizing the darkness, defeats the hero Llew, symbolizing the light, signaling the beginning of winter and the shortening of days. Second, the story of abduction of Mabon in the Mabinogion is a relatively obscure tale, not at all central to the Neo-Pagan mythos compare the Descent of Ishtar or the myth of Demeter and Persephone for example , and only tangentially related to the Neo-Pagan celebration it so names.
In Paganism, Mabon is often associated with the harvest deities and the symbolism of gratitude and abundance. It is a time to express gratitude for the blessings and abundance in one's life and to share that abundance with others. Many Pagans celebrate Mabon by creating altars or offering rituals to honor the spirits of the land and the harvest deities.
The Worst Named Pagan Holiday
Aside from the fact that no one seems certain how to pronounce it, the name “Mabon” is a poor choice for the holy day. As with “Lughnasadh”, the “Mabon” is only tenuously related to the season or the Neo-Pagan mythos relating to the season. Of all eight holidays, Mabon has the worst name of all of them.
The name originates with a Pagan-Craft Calendar which was published in 1970 by Aidan Kelly. It was picked up by the Green Egg newsletter and, consequently, became the Paganstandard. I have always found it curious that Kelly’s own tradition, NROOGD, did not adopt this name and instead called the fall equinox the “Rites of Eleusis”. Kelly as earned his place as an elder in the Pagan community, so I mean no disrespect to him. Nor do I mean in any way to diminish the significance of his contribution to the development of Neo-Paganism. However, Kelly himself was never one to favor adherence to tradition over religious innovation. So I think we honor him by questioning this choice of name for the fall equinox.
“Mabon” is a poor choice for a number of reasons. First, it is a Welsh name, in contrast to the other equinox and the two solstices, which have Anglo-Saxon names. Part of the challenge in naming the equinoxes is that there is little to no evidence that the Anglo-Saxons (or the Welsh for that matter) celebrated the equinoxes.
Second, the story of abduction of Mabon in the Mabinogion is a relatively obscure tale, not at all central to the Neo-Pagan mythos (compare the Descent of Ishtar or the myth of Demeter and Persephone for example), and only tangentially related to the Neo-Pagan celebration it so names. The autumn equinox has no real historical connection to the mythical Welsh figure, Mabon, son of Modron. Some Pagans have suggested that the name is appropriate due to the grieving of Modron for her lost son. But there are many more myths involving grief and lamentation which would be more familiar to Neopagans: Demeter, Isis, and Ishtar are examples of deities who are associated with lamentation motifs.
In my previous discussion on Lughnasadh, I suggested 3 steps for choosing an appropriate name for a Neopagan celebration: (1) Look to the season; (2) work out what the day means mythologically in relation to the season; and (3) choose a name for the day that fits the season and the myth.
Let’s start with the season: It’s the equinox, so (in the northern hemisphere) the days will just start becoming shorter than the nights. It’s the official beginning of fall in the U.S. Actual harvesting is going on here in the MIdwest (unlike 6 weeks earlier during Lughnasadh, the so-called “first harvest”). All those harvest associations we drew on precipitously in August now make sense. Here in the Midwest, we’re just starting to notice cooler weather. Canadian geese will be flying south soon, and the first dabs of color will soon appear on the leaves of the trees.
Mythologically, the Sun King/Oak King is dismembered, eaten, and/or interred, following his sacrifice at First Fruits/Mid-Summer. The Goddess laments the loss of her Consort and descends to the Underworld in search of him. The death, eating, and lamentation motifs correspond to the harvest time, as well as the triumph of darkness over light manifest in the equinox.
So, we need to find a name that corresponds to the season, the myth, or ideally both. If we’re going to use a Welsh name, then “Llew” would be a better choice than “Mabon”. According to Mike Nichols, the autumn equinox is the day when, in the Mabonogion, the character of Goronwy, symbolizing the darkness, defeats the hero Llew, symbolizing the light, signaling the beginning of winter and the shortening of days. (Nichols’ essay, “The Death of Llew: A Seasonal Interpretation”, is great and, if you haven’t read you should check it out.)
The only problem with “Llew” as a name for the season is that the myth is just as obscure as “Mabon”. If we are going to pick a dying god to name the day after, Osiris would be a choice that would be more familiar to Neo-Pagans. Even Baal, Adonis, and Tammuz would all probably be more familiar to Neo-Pagans than Llew or Mabon.
Or we could go with an Anglo-Saxon name, which would be consistent with the use of other Anglo-Saxon names for the other Quarter Days. In that case, an appropriate name for the day might be “Herfest”, which is the Anglo-Saxon name for “autumn” and a cognate with “harvest”. I’ve seen some Pagans using this name already. If we’re going with harvest themes, another good name is “Ingathering” or “Cornucopia”, both of which I have seen used by Pagans. Probably the most popular alternative for “Mabon” I have seen is “Harvest Home”. I like it best. The name has nice alliteration. Both “harvest” and “home-coming” are appropriate for the season. And it is an appropriate appellation for the NeoPagan version of Thanksgiving.
So, my vote is for “Herfest” or “Harvest Home”. What do you think? What other names do you like?
The name originates with a Pagan-Craft Calendar which was published in 1970 by Aidan Kelly. It was picked up by the Green Egg newsletter and, consequently, became the Paganstandard. I have always found it curious that Kelly’s own tradition, NROOGD, did not adopt this name and instead called the fall equinox the “Rites of Eleusis”. Kelly as earned his place as an elder in the Pagan community, so I mean no disrespect to him. Nor do I mean in any way to diminish the significance of his contribution to the development of Neo-Paganism. However, Kelly himself was never one to favor adherence to tradition over religious innovation. So I think we honor him by questioning this choice of name for the fall equinox.
The Fall Equinox is also a time to prepare for the coming darkness of winter. As the days shorten and the nights lengthen, it is a time to turn inward and reflect on personal introspection and self-care. It is a time to release that which no longer serves us and to set intentions for the coming months. In summary, the Fall Equinox, or Mabon, is a significant time in Pagan traditions. It is a time to celebrate the harvest, give thanks for abundance, and prepare for the turning of the seasons. It is a time of balance, reflection, and gratitude for the cycles of life and death..
Reviews for "Uncovering the Origins of Fall Equinox Pagan Names"
1. John - 1 star
I was really disappointed with "Fall eqjnox pagan name". The plot was confusing and the characters were underdeveloped. I had a hard time connecting with any of them and found myself losing interest as the story progressed. Additionally, the writing style was choppy and lacked flow. I struggled to understand what was happening and had to re-read several passages. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Fall eqjnox pagan name" but sadly, it fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow and it felt like nothing really happened until the last few chapters. The story lacked depth and substance, leaving me feeling unsatisfied. The dialogue between characters was awkward and unrealistic, making it difficult to believe in their relationships. I was left wanting more from the plot and characters, and unfortunately, this book did not deliver.
3. Michael - 2 stars
"Fall eqjnox pagan name" was quite disappointing. The writing style was overly descriptive and flowery, which made it hard to follow the plot. The author attempted to create an atmospheric setting, but it ended up being overwhelming and detracted from the overall story. The characters felt one-dimensional and their actions seemed illogical at times. I struggled to connect with any of them and found myself not caring about their fates. I was left feeling unsatisfied and would not recommend this book to others.
4. Emma - 3 stars
I had mixed feelings about "Fall eqjnox pagan name". While the concept was interesting, I found the execution to be lacking. The story had potential, but it felt rushed and underdeveloped. The characters were not well fleshed out and their motivations were unclear. The writing style was mediocre, with repetitive phrases and a lack of depth. Despite these flaws, there were moments of intrigue and suspense that kept me reading. However, overall, I felt let down by this book.