Hello First name / folks,,

 

Are you all in for autumn or lingering in the last of the summer sun that this week has delivered? I'm happily sat in both camps, seeking out every patch of sunshine, while drinking coffee from my pumpkin-shaped mug. 

 

This is the weekend of the autumn equinox after all - we can give ourselves permission to stand still at the crossroads for a minute, no need to charge forwards at full speed. 

September's back to school energy seems to have reignited my spark to create and post on Instagram - so if we've not met over there yet and you'd like a little more seasonal joy in your feed - hit the link below and come say hey. 

 

Social media is a complicated space to navigate and I don't always have the consistent energy required for it…but on the plus side, it can be a fun virtual playground to create and share and I've met so many incredible people through the app, so I'm approaching it with that mood in mind. 

For this month's snippet of seasonal folklore, we are delving into Mabon - the pagan festival that marks and celebrates the autumnal equinox…

 

As the russet hues of autumn begin to spread across the landscape, we walk through the threshold of Mabon. Falling sometime between September 20-23rd, this enchanting sabbat marks the perfect balance between the vibrant energy of summer and the introspective stillness of winter. 

 

It is a time of reflection, gratitude, and preparation for the journey into the darker half of the year.

 

Woven into the fabric of Mabon are tales of the Welsh god Mabon ap Modron, whose liberation from the underworld mirrors the earth's own descent into the embrace of darkness. In Celtic lore, Mabon embodies the delicate equilibrium between light and shadow, summer's warmth and winter's chill, inviting us to honour the ever-turning wheel of the seasons.

 

Traditionally, offerings of nature's bounty—fruits, vegetables, and grains—adorn altars as tokens of gratitude and prayers for continued prosperity. Bonfires crackle and dance, their flames a comforting beacon against the encroaching darkness and a symbol of the sun's waning strength.

 

Mabon invites us to gather in celebration, to savour the sweetness of the harvest, and to ready ourselves for the journey through autumn and winter. 

Ready for a tea break? Grab a mug of something hot and enjoy a warming, seasonal read, guaranteed to get you in the mood for those crisp autumn days…

 

As the leaves slowly begin their vibrant transformation and the rain hits hard, there's nothing quite like curling up with a book. 

 

I'll take any excuse to read more and this season is my dispensation to be bookish. Find my cosy autumn picks for your TBR pile in this month's new blog post. 

The amazing capacity we have for aromas to trigger memory is incredibly powerful and can be utilised for our own wellbeing each season. 

 

If we look at ways to harness our natural, emotional attachments to scents, we can use them to create positive feelings of warmth and ambience in our own homes. 

 

For tips on finding natural autumn scents which feel like home to you - read this post from the blog archives.