Like many points in the wheel of the year, the sabbat of Mabon feels like a great time to take a moment to look at the year so far. What have we achieved and what comes next? How have we changed over the months and where do we see ourselves in the future?

Part of the reason I feel like this is the association I have with September being the beginning of the school year, a fresh start, a new leaf and a time to recommit ourselves to our intentions. The Mabon equinox (where the day and night are equal in length, half way between the solstices) is also the turning point of the seasons, in my life in the Northern Hemisphere that’s moving from Summer into Autumn.

Mabon is the second of the harvest festivals on the wheel of the year, falling between Lammas/Lughnassa and Samhain. This sabbat is sometimes referred to as “Witches’ Thanksgiving” and is primarily celebrated through feasting to appreciate the bounty of the earth and this year’s harvest.

Feasting as a form of celebration brings with it ideas of nourishment, gratitude and community. I like to use this time to reassert my intentions about how I use my energy as we move toward the winter. What nourishes me and how can I prioritise dedicating time to it? Where do I need to practice more gratitude? How can I share myself, my energy and my bounty with my wider community in a balanced and sustainable way? These are the questions I will hold in my mind as I draw cards for this autumnal Mabon spread.