As the nights grow cooler and the winds begin to whisper of the winter to come, we arrive at the Autumn Equinox. For roughly 3 days, the day is equal to the night, the light and the dark in perfect balance. And then slowly, the scale tips and the darkness grows a little more each day. 

Mabon is a time to celebrate the second harvest, the time to reap the last of the ripening fruit before the third and final harvest, Samhain. In ancient times, Mabon was celebrated for 7 days, filled with feasts and bonfires from grateful hearts of the community. 

For me this year, this harvest feels particularly portent. What are the fruits of my labor in 2021? What has died on the vine? What needs more tending? If you've been following along with GARA, you'll know that I often speak in metaphor. I find this concept to be helpful for introspection and do firmly believe that as above, so below. What is happening out in the world, both cultural and natural, is also happening on some level in me.

In reflecting on past traditions, folklore and myth, I find a way forward. The laws of nature have taught us that, there is no going back. Rather than looking back to recreate these rituals and celebrations, I find it more interesting to see how we can apply them to the present. Not literally, but internally. What can we learn from the stag and the oak? And the story of Persephone? Does she represent some aspect of me here and now? 

These stories and myths have meaning far beyond the physical world. They contain knowledge, cultural commentary, lessons and often reflect some aspect of our reality at any given time. A story can be read multiple times, each bringing forth a new meaning, new perspective or insight. What changes each time is not the story, but the listener.

So the place to go today is inward, to weed out all of the dogma and old stories -- those which have become myths. The equinox is a powerful time to initiate the death of these myths, the old stories that are no longer true. As with all things on this planet, truth too, is always evolving. It is informed by experience and cannot remain stagnant. The most powerful thing we can do for ourselves is to use our imagination, to traverse the inner landscape at every opportunity. Walk through the portal.