A Ritual for Mabon: Sharing Abundance home clearing ritual

Mabon is a wonderful time to see the abundance that surrounds us and share that abundance with others. If you had a particularly abundant garden this year with tons of fruits and vegetables, consider sharing the excess with others. Make breads, canned relishes, jams, jellies, etc. to share with friends, friends, and neighbors.

Another way you can celebrate Mabon (and one of my favorites) is to do this Sharing Abundance Home Clearing Ritual. I love doing this ritual around the autumnal equinox because it allows me to practice three important aspects of Mabon: balance, thanks, and giving.

BALANCE: Mabon (the Autumn Equinox) sits opposite of Ostara (Spring Equinox) on the Wheel of the Year, which means that these are the two days of the year where the amount of light we experience is equal to the amount of dark. The night and the day are perfectly balanced, which makes either of these Sabbats a fantastic time to work on balance.

It is also a great time to work on the balance of your home as the coming months become busier with holidays, increased socializing, gift-giving, gift-receiving, and for some people (especially those in colder climates) increased time within the home. (Sidenote: It feels like it is the opposite for some of us U.S. Southerners—or, at least, this Southerner—as I spend much of the blazing summertime indoors and finally emerge from my hibernation around the autumn.)

This ritual allows us to reduce anxiety-provoking clutter by clearing out those items we no longer use regularly. We provide balance to our living space by getting rid of the excess so the things we do utilize can have enough room.

THANKS: Mabon is the 2^nd of the three harvest festivals (the other two being Lughnasadh and Samhain) and celebrates the fruit harvest. It is often referred to as the Witches Thanksgiving since Samhain (October 31^st) is considered the Witches New Year.

In the ritual, we get to recognize and appreciate the abundance that surrounds us. Perhaps even seeing old, forgotten items with new eyes and fresh gratitude.

GIVING: Many, but not all, harvest festivals typically entail a component of sacrifice. Sometimes a sacrifice is the offering of a portion of the crop to the gods in hopes of future abundance. Sometimes it is simply an acknowledgement of an impending loss, such as the waning sun or even the upcoming death or dormancy of our annual or perennial plants.

In this ritual, our sacrifices are those things that we see as being no longer needed. However, our sacrifice is also our gain. We sacrifice an item, but we gain space. We “lose” it, but we gain the knowledge that the item is given to one who is truly in need of it.

A FEW NOTES TO PREPARE FOR THE RITUAL

It is wonderful if you are able to perform this ritual in the heart of your home. The “heart” here means both the physical center as well as the emotional center (that is, where your household most often congregates.)

This ritual does not need to be completed all in one sitting. As long as you feel satisfied with your efforts, have a few things to donate, and have a new appreciation of the things you own than the ritual is a success!

If you would like to work with deities that are associated with Mabon you may wish to look up more information on the following gods and goddesses: Persephone, Demeter, Hades, Modron and Mabon, Cerridwen, Morning Star, Dagda, Hermes, Thoth, along with other Harvest gods and goddesses.

If you have little children, cats, or rambunctious little dogs (like mine) be careful if leaving your candles lit and unattended. Best to bring them with you to the space you wish to clear, put them on a higher counter, or perhaps extinguish them completely. Though, I have to say, a lit candle does wonders for setting a magical atmosphere for ritual. That being said, there are always battery-operated candles!

When we call in the elements and cast circle for a ritual like this, we want to envision the circle expanding around our entire property, so when we say “as above, so below, the circle is cast” we see (in our mind’s eye) an energetic sphere encompassing our house and any land we own that surrounds it.

In the ritual, there is a point where I ask you to consider the spaces that overwhelm you and then to determine which space holds the most items that would be of benefit to others. For myself on this particular Mabon, this would be the closet that has my clothes and quite a bit of other random things in it. However, it could also be a kitchen that is overstuffed with Tupperware and old pots, baskets above dog crates with half-chewed up chewies or old blankets and dog beds, a hallway closet with old electronics or games. There is almost always a charity, shelter, or donation center that these items can go to so that they can be of benefit to others.

THE SUPPLIES

Mabon-Corresponding Altar Decorations (Optional) For my more lavish altar I’ve used my larger glass pumpkin, cloth fall leaves, small effigies of my matron and patron, acorns, pecans still in the shell, a little fake pumpkin and squash, pinecone, carnelian crystal and smoky quartz crystal.

Black and White Candles or Holders (to symbolize the equality of light and dark)

An Apple or Other Seasonal Fruit

Trash Bags or Boxes (to put your donations in)

THE RITUAL

Set up your altar in the heart of your home. Light your candles. Set your trash bags or boxes to the side for now.

Call in the elements, pulling them in from the far corners of the edges of your property.

Call in any deities you work with.

Cast circle, remembering that our circle expands to encompass our entire property.

Sit in front of your altar for a few moments, perhaps gazing at the flames of your candles as they flicker about.

Allow yourself to breathe, center, and ground.

Stand upright and begin to meditatively walk around your home. Observe and appreciate the things you own. Continue to walk slowly around one room, then enter another room and walk slowly around it, and so on. Open closets and cabinets. Observe the feelings that come up for you. Note those areas of your home that you may feel overwhelmed by but continue your walk until you have journeyed throughout it.

Return to your altar and sit once more.

Consider those spaces of your home that caused a state of overwhelm for you. Think of the items that may clutter those spaces, and determine which space holds the most items that would be of the most benefit to others.

Determine the space you will tackle and say aloud:

“Great patron, mighty matron,

I am grateful for this abundance.

Though there is much that no longer serves

But rather weighs down.

I ask that you provide strength, sure-footedness, and perseverance

As I extract the excess

And give so that others may not want.

So mote it be.”

Arise, take up your trash bags or boxes, go to you chosen space, and begin to go through the items.

There will be some items that will be easy to determine whether to keep or not.

Others may prove more difficult. When items like these come up, ask yourself: “This item wants to be used. It was made to be utilized. Will it be best utilized by myself or another?”

Ideally you would work in your space until you no longer have feelings of overwhelm. However, I’ve had to deal with some super overwhelming spaces before and there was no way I was going to complete such a project in one day.

So, when you feel satisfied in your efforts, have some stuff to donate, and have a new appreciation of the things you own, go back to your altar.

Sit and pick up your piece of fruit and mindfully hold it. When we are mindful, we use all 5 senses (touch, sight, smell, hear, taste.) So feel the texture of the fruit, the sight of it, the smell of it, perhaps the sound that is made when you tap your fingers on it. Finally, taste the fruit by taking a bite and savoring the flavors.

Say aloud:

“I am filled with gratitude.

I have such abundance,

And am thankful to give that abundance

To others in need.”

Finish your fruit, perhaps leaving a little for an offering to the animals outside if it’s appropriate and safe for their diet.

Thank your deities.

Thank the elements.

And close circle.

After the ritual, be sure to take your bags and boxes out to your car to remember to take them to your chosen donation place. Or, at the very least, place them somewhere that ensures you will remember to take them in at your earliest convenience.

I hope you have a wonderful Mabon filled with balance and gratitude! Happy Witches Thanksgiving!!!

P.S. The photo below is the space that causes me the most overwhelm right now. I’ll hopefully have a much more balanced, less chaotic closet once I perform the ritual on Mabon. *Fingers-crossed* I’ll be sure to update you! Please feel free to share your results with the ritual in the comments too!!!