A Mabon Spell for Balance

Mabon, sometimes referred to as the Witch's Thanksgiving, is a celebration of the harvest and a time to express gratitude and thanks for the boundless blessings in our lives. For our ancestors, this was not only the time to celebrate the fruits of their hard labor but also a time to put away excessive stores in preparation for winter. While there is yet another harvest on the horizon, many of the most bountiful crops have slowed production, many of which will be turned into sauces, soups, and other canned goods. While it doesn't feel particularly autumn-ish here in Georgia, there is a noticeable change in the air. My flowers have begun to die back, the Sun spends a little less time on the horizon, and the nightly temperatures are ever so slowly dropping.

Not only is Mabon a time to give thanks, but it's also a time of balance as it is the Autumn Equinox. Night and day are equal during this time, after which our days will quickly shorten until the Winter Solstice. As such, this is a great time to find balance in your own life and realign, which is where this simple spell comes in.

What You'll Need

• Two candles, one to represent the light and harvest, the other to represent the dark and winter, such as white and black or yellow and blue.
• Matches or lighter
• Small piece of paper or bay leaf
• Writing utensil
• Tongs or tweezers
• Fire-safe dish
  
  

What to Do

During Mabon, or the days surrounding the Autumn Equinox, begin by cleansing and consecrating your space using your preferred method. If you wish, cast a circle and invite any spirits or deities associated with balance.

After your space has been cleansed and consecrated, place the candle representing light/harvest to your left and the candle representing dark/winter to your right, but close enough together that your piece of paper can reach both flames. Light the harvest candle and say, "I light this candle to represent the abundance and light in my life." Stare into the candle flame, contemplating on the areas in your life where you have abundance and blessings abounding. Feel your heart rate slow as your body relaxes.

Next, light the winter candle and say, "I light this candle to represent the darkness and introspection in my life." Again, star into the candle flame, contemplating on the areas in your life where you seek balance, the areas for growth. It could be work-life balance, emotional balance, or any other aspect that resonates with you. Visualize these areas of growth and how you would like to change them for better balance in your life.

With this visualization firmly in your mind, write down your intentions for achieving balance in the areas you've identified. Be specific and positive in your wording. For example, "I achieve a healthy work-life balance with ease and grace." Hold the piece of paper between your hands and visualize the energy of balance infusing your intentions. See yourself in a state of perfect equilibrium. You may wish to recite your intention over and over until you feel the energy shift around you.

Using your tongs or tweezers, hold the paper over the light/harvest candle, being careful not to burn it. Allow the energy of the flame to infuse your intentions with the light and abundance of the season. Finally, light both ends of the paper on fire, using the harvest candle to burn the left end and the winter candle to burn the right end. Drop the paper into the fire-safe dish while saying, "As day and night find balance, so too shall my life be in perfect equilibrium." As the paper burns, imagine your intentions being released into the universe, ready to manifest.

Allow the candles to burn for a while as you continue to visualize your intentions. When you are ready, or the candles have completely burned down, draw Gebo rune on your forehead or over your heart depending on your desired outcome using the ashes of your intention as you say, "I am balanced in all that I do." Release any lingering energies from the spell into the Universe and store the ashes in a safe, yet prominent place to remind you of your intention.

Whenever you feel you need an extra push to achieve your goal, use the ashes to draw another Gebo rune on your forehead or across your heart as needed. When your goal has been achieved, or you feel the spell is complete, dispose of the ashes in running water or bury them close to your home.

Why You Did It

Understanding the whys of a spell is just as important as performing it. It helps you understand the process so you can modify the spell or ritual to suit your needs and helps guide you to write your own. It's my intention that by providing these explanations, you can build a better understanding of how spells are written and executed so you can modify and build your own spells (the goal of my Spellcrafting Series). 

First, this spell is conducted during the Autumn Equinox, which is a time of balance between night and day. This makes it the perfect time to cast spells related to balance, equilibrium, or past versus future. The spell is best performed the night of the Autumn Equinox, but it can be performed around the holiday as the balancing energies peak a few days before and a few days after the equinox. Like many spells, this one requires maintenance, hence the use of the ashes for multiple days after the initial casting of the spell.

Next, a candle was chosen to represent light and one for dark, which is perfectly balanced during this time. The colors you chose are completely dependent on your personal correspondences, I went with a golden candle to represent the harvest and light and a dark blue candle to represent darkness and winter because those are the colors I associate with those particular energies. The harvest candle is placed on your left and the winter candle on your right to show the flow of time from present to future, as well as the progression of your intention over the course of the coming seasons.

After lighting each candle and visualizing your intention, it was written on a piece of paper to allow you to infuse and then release the energy into the Universe. Holding the paper in your hand and then over the harvest candle helped infuse it with the positive energy required for long-lasting change. Burning, and the smoke produced from the act are associated with releasing and sending messages to the Universe, so by burning the message you release the energy you put into the visualization and send your message out to any forces that can help you with your spell.

The Gebo rune written using the ashes of your intention represents balance and allows part of the spell's energy to remain with you to encourage you to put in the work required. The rune was drawn over your forehead for matters associated with the mind, work, or communication, while a rune was drawn over your heart for matters associated with relationships, love, and emotions. This is repeated as needed to further inspire you.

Finally, the ashes were buried close to home to bring things to you or placed in a running river to let things go depending on your particular needs.

Wish to break this spell? If you no longer seek balance, dispose of the remains down the toilet or in the trash can and promptly remove them from your property while stating, "The spell is done. I no longer need assistance in achieving balance in my life. I release you."

Remember to record this ritual on your ritual/spell worksheet or in your Book of Shadows for reference later.

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I hope you each have a blessed Mabon full of good food, good friends, and good fortune.

Interested in learning more about Mabon? Below are some resources to get you started.

Mabon History and Lore

Mabon Correspondences

5 Things to Do This Mabon

Spirit Work for Mabon

Dutch Apple Pie Recipe

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

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