Mabon: Embrace Yourself for Darker Days Ahead

If you are reading this then you are probably familiar with the festival of Mabon. As a historian by education, I am fascinated by the origins of ‘new age’ spiritual festivals and I could write reams about the history of Mabon. However, I thought I’d take this down a more spiritual path, if you have the patience to read it. After all, celebrations and rituals evolve as we do to suit our needs and bring fresh meanings where we require them. Our spiritual practices are here to support us and offer gentle guidance as we navigate our lives for the first and last time in this body. So, I think it is natural to interpret long held traditions in the light of personal realisations and modern day contexts.

The passing of time is a constant theme when I think of the Wheel of the Year. I began my life believing time moved forwards in a linear fashion. Many cultures around the world and across history have believed otherwise – that time is cyclical. The wheel is there to remind us of this, too. Winter is the death, the resting, of the natural world and Spring is the growth and rebirth. The moon’s patterns repeat this message every 28 days, the tides roll up and down, always growing and shrinking. We follow these very same cycles in our moods, our successes and failures, our mistakes and recoveries, our confidence that waxes and wanes, our desires for both radical change and reliable stability. Our identities, desires and needs are ever changing and flowing in response to the world around us. 

Sometimes, the world feels too bright, or most recently, it might feel too dark. It is important to make an effort to balance what we consume depending on how we are reacting. This is the spirit of the Equinox: Balance. For example, if you notice yourself feeling bogged down by too much bad news, spend some time chasing glimmers and small accessible joys to lift your spirits back up again. Equally, if you have been overly indulgent or hedonistic to your detriment, spend some time decompressing by simplifying your routine and setting aside some quiet, reflective time to return to a more comfortable equilibrium. 

Mabon is chiefly a time of equilibrium. It is the equinox – the day and night are of equal length. We must hold all that we are in one breath. Our shadows, our virtues, our guilt and pride. Mabon, to me, symbolises a time for acceptance. Accepting who we are as nuanced beings. The world is not black and white and neither are we. We are not heroes or villains, we are human which means in our hearts we hold both of these archetypes together. We must recognise that while we may strive to be more one thing than another, we will always be both. This is the beauty and complexity of being human. 

We might not always like the parts of us that face the darkness, but this is where Mabon sits – equally day and night, yet facing the direction of the darker days. As it is a state reflected in nature, so too can we come to view the parts within us that face the darkness as natural parts of who we are supposed to be. Instead of punishing yourself for not meeting the standards you set for yourself, now is a great time to begin working on self-compassion. Forgive yourself for your perceived flaws for they are not negative traits in a moral sense but natural parts of us.

If you have been energetic this summer, come now to rest. If you have been busy caring for others and prioritising the needs of others, allow yourself to prioritise your own needs to protect your energy and conserve some to last you through the winter. If you have been overworking, take a step back and focus on your life outside of work just as the animals are preparing their habitats for harsher weather. Slow down, breathe deeply and don’t be afraid of the darkness that lies ahead. Time will keep marching us through Autumn and Winter into Spring, so enjoy the journey and watch the leaves set alight as you do.