Blessed Mabon: Libra New Moon
At the Autumn Equinox we celebrate the Wiccan holiday of Mabon when the Sun enters Libra at 9:04PM ET on Thursday, September 22. Called the Witches Thanksgiving, also known as the Second Harvest or Apple Harvest, Mabon is a time of abundance when the fall fruits pour forth. The balancing point of the Equinox invites us into pause. The seasonal change that happens every 3 months is accompanied by an even bigger shift into the lunar time of the year. The Sun and Moon share the 24 hour cycle, and, within the wheel of the year, they each get 6 months. It is only on the Equinox when they hand over the reins that the give and take is perfectly equal. The lunar time of year ushers us into a contemplation of all we accomplished during the active and outwardly seasons of spring and summer. We’re invited to rest and give thanks for all that has manifested in our lives. We’re also invited to consider the prudent use of our resources as the productive daylight hours shorten.
The apple is sacred to the planet Venus. The inside of which contains a 5 pointed star. The 8 year cycle of Venus, with its retrograde periods, creates the pattern of a beautiful star in the sky known as Venus’ rose. At Mabon we remember that life’s shifts and changes are part of a larger cosmic dance. The beauty of which can only be glimpsed at a distance over a period of time.
In astrology, your natal chart is divided into two sections, the upper and lower hemisphere. The zodiac degree coming over the horizon line (ASC) when you were born determines the upper half, which is the public and solar sphere. The highest point, Medium Coli (MC), is where the planets culminate overhead and the most visible point in your chart. The lower half is the private and lunar sphere demarcated below the descendent line (DSC), and the bottom is the anti-culmination point, Imum Coli (IC). The location of planets in our chart is an indication of whether we’ll live more visibly, on a grand scale, or more locally, with a focus on personal concerns.
For example, some people work on a national level and become well known by many people. Whereas, most people’s professions are based out of their regional communities, and are familiar to far less folks. Neither life is inherently more valuable, and whatever we’re destined for, we all play an important role. However, the solar consciousness of our patriarchal society glorifies living large. While the majority of people are not going to become world players, being globally recognized is considered one of the measures of true success.
Yet Gaia does not produce for more than a quarter of the year. Humans are made of earth and our internal rhythms are mirrored by her cycle. In the Spring we plant, in the Summer to produce, in the Autumn we reap, and in Winter we rest. However our life unfolds, whether we’re existing more in the upper or lower hemispheres, the solar half of the year is a busier, more outwardly productive time. In the pagan Wheel of Life, the Vernal Equinox is correlated to the ASC, the Summer Solstice to the MC, the Autumn Equinox to the DSC, and the Winter Solstice to the IC. These quarter days marked time for ancient people and their power resonantes just as strongly today. Time reminds us that we are never stuck. There is always a larger process unfolding. Mabon is the mid-way point to the Winter Solstice. And when we arrive there in December we’re halfway to Spring.
Mabon marks the start of the turn inwards, towards ourselves, and the emotional, private, and hidden realms. The weather gets cooler, we spend more time indoors with those we cohabitate with, and we begin to prepare for Winter. Virgo season encourages us to get everything in order to make this transition as smoothly as possible. At Mabon we give thanks for the bounty we have received, and share with friends and neighbors. We appreciate our efforts and allow ourselves a moment of rest.
We seek to enter the passageway of the Equinox from a place of internal alignment. If we are wishing things had been otherwise this Summer, we try to let those things go, so we do not want to begin Fall unhappy. It is ideal to start this sensitive season with gratitude in the heart and let what has unfolded be enough. Libra is interested in things not just looking nice but feeling good too. However, the retrograde influence that defined Virgo season is highly activated at this moment and will carry through to the new year.
The Autumn Equinox is infused with the sacred moment of cazimi, that only happens three times a year, when Mercury merges with the heart of the Sun, to relieve a blessing of wisdom from the divine mind. Venus is in Virgo, ruling Libra from a distinctly disempowered but devotedly creative place. Our retrograde Mercury meets with the Sun at the superior conjunction 00°14′Libra at 2:50AM ET, and then returns to Virgo at 8:04AM on September 23, as the waning Moon enters Virgo on the other side.
Mercury immediately moves into a conjunction with Venus who is opposing Neptune at 23°49′ Pisces on Saturday, September 24. This is a heart-opening mind-expanding energy that can create ease in social situations and amplify romantic inclinations. Neptune dissolves the boundaries of reality, and has a porous effect on our energetic edges. The Moon in Virgo passing between all three, could have you believe that all you need is love or leave you in a puddle of longing on the floor.
The lunar time of year brings us closer to our ancestors, and that connection to the other stride is heightened during Mercury retrograde. Mercury journeys through the underworld during its retrograde cycle when it's easy for people to slip behind the veil. It's not uncommon to lose people during this time. Venus in Virgo is willing to show up for those in need, whether to nurse the sick or simply provide a loving witness. It might be hard to stay on schedule this weekend, no matter how good your intentions. If at all possible see where life wants to flow. It could be a wonderfully strange and deeply meaningful adventure.
The Moon slips into Libra to renew itself and we have the first lunation of fall. The New Moon at 02°49′ Libra at 5:54PM ET on Sunday, September 25, is about letting go of perfectionism in love. Venus in Virgo can be extremely critical of itself and others. Happiness is postponed to a future time when everyone’s done a better job. Support and praise is reserved for when people have finally earned it. Libra surely knows that we grow our self-esteem when we act in accordance with our values. But Mercury’s retrograde perspective reminds us that life is short. If we don’t decide we’re worthy today, the future when we suddenly decide to talk kindly to ourselves probably won’t come. The shift into Autumn offers an opportunity to consider how you treat you.
The opposition with Jupiter in Aries is giving us permission to focus on how to become our most self-actualized over the next six months. We can strike the best stance in relationships when we feel inspired as an autonomous individual. The more creative, dynamic, and inspired we are, the more of that good stuff we bring to our partnerships. We don’t need to sacrifice, we need to learn when and where to compromise. We can’t do that in integrity if we’re not being honest with ourselves about what we really care about. There’s a lot of change coming in 2023, and Jupiter is here to help us show up for it. But before then, it has some unfinished business to attend to in its watery domicile.
Retrograde Jupiter returns to Pisces at 1:10AM on October 29, and will remain there till nearly the end of the year. Jupiter stations direct within the first five minutes of Sagittarius season on November 23, and re-enters to Aries on December 20, for nearly the first five months of 2023. The Libra Full Moon on April 6, with the Sun conjunct Jupiter in Aries, will bring the fulfillment of promises you make to yourself now.
Use this Mabon New Moon to create a self care plan to carry you through the colder months. Acknowledge what you’re afraid of losing as the light slowly slips from the sky. It's common for folks to fear winter isolation, and worry in advance about getting depressed. But Jupiter in Aries would not have us robbed of the present moment and the glory of fall. Making an action plan when we’re well resourced can give us peace of mind and something to look forward to–like knitting, baking, winter sports, and games around the fire. The lunar time of year gives us the opportunity to catch up on different kinds of projects. Everything you haven’t had time for or didn’t feel like prioritizing: art, handicrafts, home improvement, journaling, genealogy, reading, and shadow work. All of it contributes to a sense of balance. We don’t need to live our lives out loud all the time. The rest of retreat is incredibly nourishing to our soul.
The bottom half of your chart doesn’t just contain your roots, it is your root. What would it be like to attribute as much importance to your neighborhood, children, letter carrier, cousins, hobbies, and dream life as you do your profession? We can explore overlooked parts of ourselves and connect with loved ones in different ways over the next six months. We can do things for pleasure and leave them when we’re finished. Let life be simple in the lunar time of year, and you’ll find yourself deeply satisfied at the start of Spring.