Mabon Ritual:
Honor the Shadows
Mabon is often referred to as the Witches’ Thanksgiving. It is a harvest festival where we reap the rewards of our labor. To some, this might mean having a great feast with the crops collected from the fields or a table full of favorite dishes that are prepared with love. However, Mabon also has strong ties to the Underworld. It is the first day of autumn and, until the wheel turns at Yule, the nights will be getting longer and the air will be getting colder as the earth descends into darkness.
Instead of being afraid of all that darkness means, I invite you to take time to reflect on the obstacles and struggles you have faced in the past and give thanks for where you are today.
One does not truly have to be out of the dark to be thankful for the light in their life. Simply acknowledge that every step you take is guiding you to a better place. Also remember that there is no such thing as perfection. There is only progress. There is only love.
You are not defined by your past, but you would not be who you are or where you are now without it. This ritual is meant to honor those dark times. It can be a very emotional ritual, but the intention is to cleanse yourself of the pain, so you are only left with the lessons learned. The goal is to love where you have come from, so you can truly appreciate how far you have come on your path.
Now, it’s almost time for tea!
Preparing the Ritual
As children, we see tea parties as a beautiful event where we don tiaras and pretty feather boas. Sometimes we would be hosting our teddy bears, or perhaps some friends would come over and we’d play pretend.
As adults, tea has become a source of ultimate comfort. It is often served to offer people a distraction during awkward social situations since it’s nice to have something to hold and stir when times get tough. There is something truly wonderful about having a warm mug in your hands as you curl up and read a good book. There are thousands of teas dedicated to helping people relax, soothe their worries, and help them sleep.
This ritual is designed to be private and quiet. It is very personal and can lead to a very emotional response as we are diving into the past. It can of course be modified for a group, if desired. It can be an intimate ritual that you do on your own (perhaps you dust off those teddy bears and invite them into your circle), or it can be done with your coven (with tiaras and feather boas).
Notes: It’s best to do this ritual at dawn at the first light of the new day or at dusk at the last light of the day.
Wear black, brown, burgundy, deep orange, or purple to honor the darkness. You can dress in formal wear or pajamas—whatever you are most comfortable in!
I recommend reading through the entire ritual before starting. This will help the ritual go smoothly.
Items Needed
Sage smudge stick
Matches
Freshly boiled water
Your favorite tea (like an herbal tea—chamomile or lavender)
Three teacups or mugs: one for you, one for the Goddess, and one for the God
Table for altar
Candles for the quarters: red, blue, green, yellow, and white
Salt water mixture
Optional: teddy bears, plastic tiaras, and feather boas to bring some fun into the circle (You can also use a journal for notes during your ritual reflection)
Before you begin, light the sage and let the smoke cleanse as you enter your sacred space. This will clear you of all stagnant energies and give you the opportunity to start the ritual with a clear mind and open heart.
Now prepare your altar and your tea, and sit somewhere where you are comfortable. This can be on your meditation pillow, at your kitchen table, or outside. Be sure that you will be able to sit up straight, with a tall spine and open chest.
The Reflection Ritual
Cast the circle by walking the perimeter of your sacred space clockwise while using a sacred tool to draw it in the air. This tool can either be an athame, sword, or your fingertip. In my instructions, I’ll be using a fingertip, but please use any tool you feel comfortable with.
On the first rotation, keep your fingertip pointed at the ground while saying:
By the power of my hand, I cast this mighty circle round. From earth to sky and sky to ground.
On the second rotation, keep your fingertip pointed out at the height of your shoulder while saying:
It shall stand strong and sound, a protection shield for those that it does surround.
On the third and final rotation, keep your fingertip pointed up at the sky, solidifying your cone of power while imagining a white glow encompassing your sacred space.
Once you have completed the circle, stomp the ground and declare:
In perfect love and perfect trust, this circle is sealed.
Invoke the Quarters
Sometimes covens create altars for each quarter, but you can just have a candle for each one. Start in the east. Light each candle while you summon the quarter’s energy.
East (light yellow candle): I call the power of the East, the element of air, to enter this sacred space and open my mind with a gentle breeze. Bring communication, compassion, and understanding. Hail and welcome.
South (light red candle): I call the power of the South, the element of fire, to enter this sacred circle and fuel my inner fire. Bring passion, warmth, and creativity. Hail and welcome.
West (light blue candle): I call the power of the West, the element of water, to enter this sacred ring and cleanse my body and mind. Bring intention, healing, and clarity. Hail and welcome.
North (light green candle): I call the power of the North, the element of earth, to enter this sacred ground and protect us in this hour. Bring balance, stability, and strength. Hail and welcome.
Center (light white candle): In this hour, lost in time and space, it is our past we wish to face. Stand with us now, the force and the form, at this time when we are reborn. Demeter and Persephone, hail and welcome.
Note: You may, of course, use any god and goddess that you connect to in your personal practice.
Ritual
Pour the tea, and as the steam rises out of the cups and into the air, say:
It’s in the heat where passion burns,
It’s in the fire where emotion churns.
It’s in my heart where pain dwells,
It’s in my mind where anger swells.
It’s in my soul where light shines,
It’s in this hour where love and fate align.
At this time, allow your thoughts to wander. Think back to when you’ve been hurt or when you have done the hurting. Think back to when you’ve been lost or confused. Think back to when you’ve truly felt the darkness.
This can be a painful process at first, but allow the tears to come, for they are a true cleanse, straight from your soul. Let the salt water stream down your face and wash away the pain.
Keep your eyes closed and the work internal as you dip your fingertips into the salt water mixture and say:
By the water that is her blood and the earth that is her body, my spirit is now ready to come home.
Touch the salt water to your forehead, to your lips, to your throat, to your heart, and to your belly.
Sip your tea and visualize any negativity you’ve held on to about your past literally being cleansed. You can never lose your past, but you can try and see it with clearer eyes. You are here today because of the path you walked yesterday. Embrace what happened. Embrace who you are today.
When you’re ready, say:
Playing with fire, fighting with fate.
I cut the wire, I release the hate.
My past is over, but my future is clear.
I claim my power and disown my fear.
Thankful for freedom, grateful for love.
So mote it be, below and above.
From this moment on, stop concerning yourself with what was and instead focus on what is. Focus on what you can do at this moment to live a life that serves you and the greater good.
Close the spell with these lines:
By the magick that has been spun, in perfect love with harm to none, this Mabon spell is done.
Close the Quarters
Do not blow the candles out as you close the quarters. Walk the circle counterclockwise, dismissing the elements in the opposite order you called them.
Start at North: Mighty Earth, thank you for this transformation. Hail and farewell.
To the West: Gentle West, thank you for this healing. Hail and farewell.
To the South: Powerful South, thank you for this reawakening. Hail and farewell.
To the East: Truthful East, thank you for this inner knowing. Hail and farewell.
Then close your circle by walking counterclockwise and imagine that your hand or tool is sweeping up the wall of the light. Once you are back at North, say:
This circle is open, but never broken. Clear the air, as my words are spoken. Merry meet, merry part, and may we meet again.
Clap your hands to dispel the energy you’ve swept up and give yourself a few moments to ground and center. You can sit and meditate formally, or you can physically touch some earth, whether it’s salt, a plant, or the actual ground. Visualize yourself offering the excess energy to the Great Mother. Clear yourself of what was and embody the moment.
As you leave the circle, once again light the sage and let the smoke wash over you. This will cleanse you of the feelings and energies you felt within the ritual, and it will allow you to have a fresh start, leaving the past behind you.
Allow the candles to burn in a safe place until they go out on their own. When they are out, bury any remaining wax and take down the altar. Be sure to pour the tea from the God and the Goddess cups onto the earth for their pleasure.
You are a beautiful light in the darkness, and remember that the past is out, the present is clear, and the future is open.
Happy Mabon. Happy Witches’ Thanksgiving!