The wheel turns. This Sunday is Mabon, the autumn equinox. Day and night will be equal—like the black swan and the white, frozen on stage with toes pointed, wings outstretched, smiling. Knowing. This time, the black swan will win, and the days will shorten until the winter solstice at Yule, when the white swan will prepare to claim her moment in the spotlight.
I love the equinoxes. They’re like the pause points in a breath, but how often do we slow down long enough to really breathe these days? I try to observe the seasons, but I don’t always manage it. My heart constantly urges me to slow down and truly notice. Feel. Be. Savor the moment, instead of rushing to the next task on the never-ending list, like a magic porridge pot that constantly refills.
I think I’m getting a bit better. Yesterday, I sat in the garden to eat my lunch and just enjoyed the feel of the sun on my face; the wind messing up hair I’ve decided can do what the hell it likes. Life’s too short for watching hair-taming videos, wouldn’t you agree?
This year, I’ll be celebrating Mabon at the Corn Exchange in Devizes, where I’ve got a table at their autumn fair (details on the events page). While there will be the usual scramble to get the car packed, a few choice words for the Sat Nav, and the inevitable wrestling match with the incongruently named pop-up stand, it will be nice to meet new people on the day. To take a day to simply be. To pause, wings out, toes pointed, and ready to dive into the next chapter of the year.
Happy Mabon, lovelies.