A Simple Mabon Gratitude Ritual You Can Do in Under 20 Minutes

Mabon, the pagan holiday that falls on the Autumn Equinox, is all about balance, gratitude, and celebrating the harvest season. But if you’re short on time, you don’t need a three-hour ceremony with 47 candles and a sabbat feast after to honor it.

All you really need to honor the Mabon holiday is some time where you can feel grounded, tap into the energy of the season, and set some intentions.

Here’s a simple, 15-minute Mabon ritual you can do even if you’re a busy witch or pagan or you’re just not feeling up for a whole to-do. (Here are a dozen more Mabon rituals if you want other ideas.)

What You’ll Need

• A small chime candle (choose from gold, brown, yellow, orange, maroon, or violet)
• A seasonal fruit or snack (apple slice, piece of bread, handful of nuts)
• Paper and pen

Step 1: Get Grounded

Find a quiet spot. Your kitchen table, balcony, altar, or even a corner of your bedroom will do. Light your candle to mark this as intentional time. Then sit down if you can. Do the four-fold breath to drop into the stillness. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four, and breathe out for four. Focus on your breath as you do this. (If holding for four feels too hard, simply breathe in for four, pause for a moment, then breathe out for four.)

Now, as a new mom, I get finding quiet time can be challenging. If you’ve got kids and are on childcare duty, ask your partner or a family member or friend if they can watch them for a little while so you can take a little time for yourself. If that’s not an option, wait until they go to bed or try and wake up before them to do your ritual.

Step 2: Tap Into Your Energy

After doing that breathwork, your mind should be calmer and it’ll be easier to drop into your energy and the energy of the season. Close your eyes and imagine roots growing from your body into the earth. Feel the steady support beneath you.

Take this time to contemplate that this is the time when the balance of light and dark are equal and that after this, the nights will get longer than the days. Think about what you are grateful for. What this year has brought you and what you have learned from it.

Step 3: Write a Gratitude List

Using your paper and pen, write down three of those things you’re grateful for. These could be big or small and could be material, spiritual, or personal. Perhaps you’re grateful for the sunlight. Or your morning coffee ritual. Or the fact that you get to see the leaves turning colors this year. Or that you’ve replaced an unhealthy habit or pattern with one that serves you better.

If you have many things you want to write about that you’re grateful for, do so. There’s no limit.

Step 4: Honor the Holiday and Season

Hold your fruit or snack. Say out loud or think quietly to yourself “I am grateful for the abundance and richness in my life. Thank you. I enjoy this as a symbol of that abundance and as a reminder to be thankful for what I have.” Then, enjoy your snack to honor what’s already present and invite even more blessings to come.

Step 5: Close Your Ritual

If your candle is still burning, you can sit with it until it is out or you may snuff it out and say “As the days grow shorter, I carry this gratitude into the months ahead.“

And, that’s it. I hope you have a lovely Mabon and I wish you a wonderful Fall season. For more Mabon content, recipes, and rituals, check out our Wheel of the Year guide and dedicated posts to Mabon.