Mabon 2020

Mabon is the Wiccan and Pagan festival of the second harvest, which overlaps with the neodruid festival Alban Elfed, both celebrations for the Autumn Equinox. Mabon and the autumnal equinox seem to generally hold less weight for those who are Gaelic Polytheists. Personally, I really hold the Gaelic fire festivals of high importance: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. However, I still value the connection to nature, the divine, and community that I can gain through recognizing Mabon.

My craft and religion have been a long and slow development, but my spirituality is growing. I'm pretty new to celebrating Pagan festivals because of this. This fact, on top of Mabon already being a relatively casual Sabbat, makes celebrating this year more limited. But most of all-- Mabon is happening in the midst of a pandemic (Covid-19, Corona). This year, I have moved to the city to go to University and have been connecting with the local Pagan community however I can. Being able to celebrate amongst other Pagans is, in my eyes, very important to the festivals. Celebrating solitary and isolated just doesn't have the same feel as the traditional communal ways of celebrating holidays. Corona means that people have been isolating themselves, and despite being in the city with other Pagans, the celebrations have been restrained. So we celebrate how we can. (Mostly through Zoom, the pandemic video chat software of the year.)

I joined a Pagan organization at my University. The head of this organization has been through the degrees of Wicca, certified to be a High Priestess, and holds a respectable position in a popular magick institution. She described to us how there would typically be a feast between us with the 9 sacred foods from her tradition, and how this festival is more casual than others. We weren't able to have much of a feast together, but we did take some time to reflect on the balance of the equinox and the things we are reaping in our own lives. It wasn't much, but it was rewarding to share some words with other Pagans and to find satisfaction with the work I've done this year and where it has lead me. It honestly uplifted me from some of these pandemic-blues.

There's another event that I've scheduled to attend on the 29th. This is a harvest ritual performed through a druid group. In preparation, I am meant to have offerings and a beverage to hallow. We will be focusing and dedicating ourselves to our deities, giving prayers, and showing gratitude/thanks for the harvest. Knowing my roots, I will likely have a dairy beverage, although I quite favor Elderberry tea. Dairy is highly revered and often offered to the wee folk and Celtic deities. Otherwise, it would be appropriate to consecrate an alcoholic beverage, but I'm not at the age where I can purchase alcohol just yet. Before I can show my hospitality towards the spirits, I will decorate my dorm for the season, clean, and set up my altar.

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