Gathering Balance: Welcoming Fall and Celebrating Mabon
As summer’s warmth slowly fades and autumn begins to stir, we arrive at one of the most magical thresholds of the year. The days shorten, evenings cool, and the world invites us to pause. Mabon, the autumn equinox, is just around the corner. A moment when day and night stand equal, a natural reminder of balance and harmony.
This season is about more than harvest; it’s about asking ourselves: Where in my life do I feel balanced? Where could I welcome more harmony?
Celebrating Mabon: My Plans This Year
This year, I’m celebrating Mabon with a group of friends, which I really love. I asked everyone to suggest ideas for both dishes and activities. It’s not only more fun, but it also reflects the sense of balance that Mabon is all about. We’ll even dress in autumn colors to really feel connected to the season.
I like to celebrate this season in simple, grounded ways that connect me to nature, to others, and to myself.
In Nature
I’ll be definitely be going mushroom picking. The forest floor comes alive with chanterelles (my favorite!), porcini, and other treasures this time of year. There’s something magical about wandering among the trees, baskets in hand, gathering food offered by the season. We might also make an autumn mandala from leaves, berries, acorns, and petals. I love making a fleeting piece of (eco) art. It mirrors the beauty of change and impermanence.
Ritual
In the evening, we’ll gather in a darkened room with a single candle. Holding its flame, we’ll talk about balance: Do you feel balanced? Where could you invite more harmony? There will be a short meditation, a moment of stillness, and each person will write one thing they’re grateful for this past season and one wish for the season to come.
Later, we’ll step outside for a burning ritual. We’ll each write something we want to release or set out into the universe on a piece of paper, then burn it. A symbolic way to let go and invite change. Afterward, we’ll lie back and gaze at the stars, soaking in the quiet shift from long days to longer nights.
Food & Drink
The feast is just as special as the rituals. Thanks to everyone’s suggestions, our table will include a mushroom hotpot with pumpkin, a healthy apple crumble, and warming drinks like medicinal mushroom cinnamon latte or hot apple juice. Simple, nourishing, and perfect for sharing.
Story & Movement
Saga will perform a balance trick. A playful, creative reminder that Mabon isn’t just about reflection or food, but also about movement, expression, and connection.
Celebrating Mabon this way. Together, in nature, with food, ritual, movement, and a little bit of magic. It feels grounded and meaningful. Dressing in autumn colors, noticing the changing light, and sharing these moments with friends makes the turning of the season feel alive.
What’s in Season Now
Whether you are foraging, gardening, or shopping at your local market, September offers a rich variety:
Leafy greens: kale, chard, spinach, beet greens.
Wild greens: nettles, lamb’s quarters, chickweed, dandelion.
Mushrooms: chanterelles, porcini, puffballs (be mindful to forage safely).
Fruits: apples, pears, plums.
Roots & gourds: carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, pumpkins.
Herbs: parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage.
Edible flowers: nasturtium, calendula, borage, chive blossoms, and marigold petals
These are the ingredients that carry us gently from summer into autumn, nourishing both body and spirit.
Recipe: Savory Moon Slice scones
These scones are cheesy, herby, and studded with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts—perfect for dipping into your soup.
Ingredients (makes 8 scones):
75 g white flour (or more spelt flour)
200 g spelt flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt and pepper
40 g butter
50 g grated cheese or/and 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast (I did both)
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, finely chopped
A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
30 g pine nuts or sunflower seeds
150 ml plant milk + extra for brushing
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 220°C (upper and lower heat) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix flours, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Rub in butter with your fingers.
Add baking soda, then pour over the apple cider vinegar (Irish soda bread technique for fluffier scones).
Stir in cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts.
Add almond milk and mix until a sticky dough forms. Knead lightly into a firm ball.
Flatten into a 3 cm thick round, cut into 8 wedges, and place on the baking sheet. Brush with extra milk.
Bake 12–15 minutes until golden. Serve warm with soup.
Recipe: Spicy Harvest Greens Soup
A tasty tomato soup full of garden and wild greens, edible flowers, and hearty lima beans.
Ingredients (serves 4–6):
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 onion, sliced into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
400 ml tomato passata
1 can diced tomatoes (400 g)
500 ml vegetable broth
A pinch of cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
A splash of soy sauce
3 cups (or more) chopped garden /wild greens and edible flowers
1–1.5 cups cooked lima beans
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion rings and garlic until soft.
Add tomato passata and diced tomatoes.
Pour in vegetable broth, add cayenne pepper and soy sauce. Bring to a gentle boil.
Add greens, flowers, and lima beans when you turned of the heat.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.
Finding Balance at the Equinox
This time of year is an invitation to gather around food, ritual, and community. By picking mushrooms, cooking seasonal meals, sharing stories, and reflecting on balance, we step into autumn with intention.
Mabon doesn’t need to be complicated. A simple meal, a candlelit conversation, and a walk in the woods are enough to connect us to the rhythm of nature. May your table be abundant, your conversations nourishing, and your days balanced as we welcome the fall.
