Mabon Challenge Day 7: Clearing Out and Calling In

Your final task of this Mabon portal: Make your final preparations and set intentions for the season to come.

Dear reader, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for participating in the inaugural Mabon Creativity + Ritual Challenge. I truly hope it has inspired you to approach this seasonal shift in a way that feels a bit more aligned with both the land and your deepest, wildest, truest self.

This was my first seasonal challenge on Substack, and I cannot wait to create future challenges like it that are even more interactive and beneficial for all readers. I am very excited about continuing to create community on here, and plan on offering live events, bespoke challenges, and one-on-one support for future members.

If you want to have full access to these posts forever as well as access to future seasonal challenges, starting with an upcoming 3-day Samhain Challenge (TBA!), I’d ask that you consider upgrading to paid for less than the price of a New York latte each month at the link below. I will also always offer complimentary subscriptions if finances are a hardship, no questions asked.

*

A little Mabon Clearing moodboard — all (+ more) images viewable on the Ink Roads Pinterest.

*

Hello lovely readers!

We’re now nearing October. The days are getting shorter. But the last of summer’s warmth is still kissing our cheeks. Shadows are growing longer. It’s still a transitional, liminal time. The earth is undergoing a seismic shift. So are we.

And these times call for preparation. We owe it to ourselves.

Traditionally, Mabon was a time for harvesting the last of the grain and taking stock of everything that had been reaped during the summer. Animals were also slaughtered during this time to prepare for the leaner winter.

Today, we can learn from these ancient rituals by focusing on making space and clearing out what we don’t need, and getting our affairs in order in preparation for the coming season.

In that spirit, here is your final challenge:

Challenge 1: Take some time this weekend to attend to the practicalities of your life.

Here are some things you might want to do over the next few days.

Have you been putting off something? Like paying a bill, submitting a form, cleaning or repairing something, going for a hike in the woods near your home, signing up for a class, or something like that? It’s only human to procrastinate on something that would take five minutes to complete. But if you’ve been waiting to settle a debt or send a certain message or schedule an appointment, this is your sign to free yourself and just do it!

That doesn’t mean push yourself into something you’re not ready to do or overloading your day with productivity-related tasks, but I promise you’ll feel better when you get that little extra thing off your chest. It can be an act of kindness and care to give yourself the space to look over and organize yourself, even for just ten minutes.

Can you stop now, click out of the internet vortex, and do something you’ve been putting off? Whether it’s your daily meditation, or sending that email to that person you want to talk to about your writing, or calling your mom? (Hi Mom!)

Mabon was traditionally a time when Celtic farmers settled debts with landowners, and the tail end of this equinox is a good time to ride out the last of summer’s intensity before curling up for the winter.

Of course, we’re all on our own seasonal calendars and this may not resonate with you. Maybe you’re moving into a period of greater energy, or maybe you really do need rest. Either way, take a little time to evaluate where you are and get organized for the season to come.

For my artists: Try to do something tangible to support your creative practice today. How can you help your work reach more of the people who need it? Do something small today to support your practice, and see how it blossoms out from there.

Challenge 2: Clear out some of what you don’t need.

Mabon is also a great time to do some light autumnal cleaning in order to create space for the new season. Here are some other ways to practice this:

• Make a list of things you want to get rid of in your life, and establish a clear action plan to getting there.

• Actually get rid of some things you don’t need. Take out the trash, declutter, throw out the ripped sweater or chipped cup. Give yourself the gift of more space.

• Try a clearing ritual of some kind, either with salt, essential oils, fresh air, or a smudging tool of your choice (though do your research on the cultural and ecological implications of these rituals). Here’s a video with some suggestions:

Challenge 3: Try a creative summoning ritual.