The Psychospiritual Work of Mabon: Finishing Strong (the Great Wheel of the Year)
- Juliette Valentina
- Mar 20
- 11 min read
Beautiful people, 21 March is the day we traditionally celebrate the High Holy Day of Mabon in the Southern Hemisphere. But in 2025, we're celebrating the Autumnal Equinox, today—20 March.
Brightest Blessings and welcome to Mabon's harvest season, the final Sabbat on the Great Wheel of the Year!
We're officially in the home stretch of the Great Wheel!
"Hang on a minute . . . Mabon?? Isn't it Easter, now? I'm seeing Easter bunnies and chocolate eggs everywhere. Don't we celebrate Mabon at the end of September?" 🤔
Great question. Those living in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate Mabon at the end of September, yes . . . because that's when they celebrate their Autumnal Equinox. But for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, the Autumnal Equinox is tonight at 7:01 pm (Sydney/Melbourne time).
The days and nights are again equal. But at this Equinox, we have just entered the dark half of the year. We are now heading towards the Winter Solstice. With each new day, the light will steadily give way to the mysteries of the darkness.
Mabon season stretches from March 20 to May 4 this year. We'll then celebrate Samhain—the Witch's New Year—on May 5, and the Great Wheel will renew its journey for yet another cycle. (Remember, each Sabbat isn't merely a single-day celebration but an entire season lasting approximately six to seven weeks.)
If you pause and think about the energy and psychospiritual focus of Mabon, can you see why it is aligned with the Autumnal Equinox? It celebrates the final harvest at the end of a long year of hard work. Mabon is steeped in imagery of falling leaves, pumpkins, and workers with scythes in the golden wheat fields, gathering in the harvest. It's aligned with the notion of offering our thanks and gratitude for all the year has brought us. It is absolutely NOT aligned with images of bunnies and eggs and new life springing forth. That's Ostara, Mabon's Sister Sabbat on the other side of the Great Wheel.
As we explored in my earlier article on Samhain, the eight Sabbats are not celebrated on specific dates on the calendar. They're not like a birthday that is recognised on the same day every year, no matter where you happen to be on the planet. Instead, they each celebrate one of the eight major astronomical or seasonal events that we experience each year: the March and September Equinoxes, the June and December Solstices, and the four cross-quarter days in between them.
The dates we celebrate the Sabbats will vary slightly each year (by up to three days, dependent on the dates of the astronomical events) . . . but, more significantly, they will change depending on the hemisphere we're living in. 'Cause, as we all know, when it's Autumn here in Australia, it's Spring in France, or Japan or Canada.
Let's energetically align with the magic and energetic cycles of Life where we actually live, rather than unquestioningly adhering to a calendar that is created for the Northern Hemisphere.
Infographic: The Eightfold Cycles
I created the infographic, below, to show how the eight Sabbats, the eight lunar phases, and the eight seasonal events of the year align with the astrological wheel.
I hope it's helpful. Let me know if you have any questions or lightbulb moments. I'd appreciate your feedback on it! 🙏
Whatever you do, keep going
How are you feeling about the harvest you're beginning to gather in? Excited and grateful for all you've accomplished this past year? Or are you feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that still needs to be done? Or defeated, even? Is it beginning to feel impossible?
This can be really demanding, exhausting work—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Picture the field workers toiling in the hot sun with their scythes, doing the hard yakka of harvesting the wheat.
You may feel like stopping . . . but don't. You're so close to the finish line! You don't want to leave your harvest rotting in the field, so to speak. So, head down, tail up, for a bit longer. Stay focused and committed to the projects that you've been pouring your heart, soul, and energy into since Yule (Winter Solstice) last year. This is it!
And by the end of this Sabbat, it'll be time to celebrate your wins! 🎉
Examples of Mabon Harvests
All around me, I'm witnessing people putting the finishing touches on their projects; and others doing those critical final steps to get their project across the line. Let me share a few examples of harvests I've witnessed over recent years as examples of what this Sabbat can bring.
One of my soulpreneur clients announced the rebranding of her Subscription Box business. After spending the year trying to find her footing with the look and feel of her business, she was excited to reveal the new look mid-Mabon, last year. Such a huge and thrilling moment for her!
Another year, one of my students entered Mabon in the final stages of an accreditation process to become a meditation teacher. She needed to submit recordings and case studies from a few practical sessions in order to finalise her training. So, she put the call out for volunteers to join her for sessions that she recorded and submitted—perfectly in alignment with the harvest energy of Mabon. And yes, she was formally accredited during this Sabbat.
And one of my older clients had been steadily typing up her journals over the past few years (to give to her children after she dies). One year, her stated goal was to type up her journals from 1969-1971, her European Travels. And she did it! She finally finished typing them up just as we entered Mabon. An absolutely mammoth effort, considering she journals every single day . . . that was a* lot* of journals she had to transcribe for that three-year period!
It took all of her focus, and necessitated very strong boundaries to ensure her time wasn't usurped by others' demands. She was beyond thrilled to send her work off to the printers to be published during Mabon! Another huge goal realised.
How wonderful to see people following through on their dreams and aspirations!
And such beautiful, meaningful harvests! 🌾
Having said that, it's quite common to feel weary or disheartened by this time of the cycle. And while some of us are out there kicking goals, some of us may be questioning whether or not all our hard work has been worth it? We could even be feeling totally defeated . . . resigned to the "fact" that it's just not going to work out for us. It may not feel like it's worth putting any more effort into our projects.
Please don't give up. Please don't put your tools down just yet. The game ain't over until the final whistle blows. And there's still time for a powerful comeback. 💪 So, bring it!! Finish strong! Maintain your dedication and perseverance for a little bit longer. And realise that you could be on the verge of a major breakthrough or victory.
As Steven Forrest has said of this phase, if we succumb to these feelings of defeat and resignation, we could "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!"
Seeking: Beta Testers for my own Mabon Harvest
Speaking of Mabon harvests, I've been quietly, steadily creating a self-paced offering called the Numerology Starter Kit—a project close to my heart. This is why I've been a little quiet lately.
The Starter Kit is a deep and sacred introduction to numerology—one that reflects the reverence, structure, and initiatory nature of this esoteric path. It will be released during Mabon this year! In publicly announcing this, I am holding my own foot to the flame and ensuring I don't stop before I finalise it. I'll share more details with you in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, I'm looking for two more beta testers to help me refine it before its official launch. If that calls to you, please hit Reply and let me know. I'll send through some more details. I'd love to hear from you.
Mabon's Crisis of Consciousness
Do you remember Ostara, the fourth Sabbat on the Great Wheel of the Year? In my earlier article, we explored how Ostara is the first Crisis Point on the Wheel. It's known as the Crisis of Action. Well, Mabon is Ostara's Sister Sabbat, falling on the opposite side of the Wheel. And Mabon is our other Crisis Point during the year - the Crisis of Consciousness.
This term was originally coined by astrologer Dane Rudhyar, and it refers to the challenges we're likely to face in the final quarter of any cycle. In fact, during this phase, intense crises may arise in order to liberate our hearts and minds from old beliefs and old patterns of behaviour . . . serving as a catalyst for our evolutionary journey. Embracing these challenges can lead to transformative growth, above and beyond achieving our goals.
There are a number of different possibilities for why we may experience this Crisis of Consciousness. Let's explore a couple of them, together.
1. Harvest Size: Acceptance and Growth
We may find ourselves feeling disheartened about the size of our "crop." Perhaps we didn't harvest as much as we had envisioned? Our harvest will often depend on the amount of love, care, and dedication we've poured into it our project through the year.
The resolute wisdom of Number 4 reminds us, "Don't be upset by the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do." Oof. (And it also reminds us to finish what we start. Again, the Wheel of the Year hasn't finished yet. Keep grinding, beautiful people!)
To be clear, though, any shortfall may not be due to laziness or procrastination. Instead, it could be because we didn't fully address the emotional challenges that emerged during Ostara (Mabon's Sister-Sabbat). Without allowing the necessary time and space for self-reflection and our deep inner work, we may have found ourselves hindered by subconscious beliefs, fears, and old patterns.
Experiencing a smaller harvest than expected could be a compassionate nudge from the universe to embark on a more meaningful inner journey.
2. Releasing Inner Obstacles
Mabon encourages us to bring things to a close.
Naturally, we immediately assume this refers to finishing our projects. And while that's definitely true, Mabon is also encouraging us to address anything or anyone hindering our progress. In fact, this seeming "side work" could actually be the greater purpose of the goals that we've set for ourselves.
For as the old saying goes, "Whatever blocks your work, is your work."
Or as Marcus Aurelius (Stoic Philosopher and Roman Emperor) originally said, "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."
(And now I'm thinking of the Mandalorian . . . This is the Way. 😁 )
In other words, your project is not merely about the end goal, but about the personal growth and inner work necessary to achieve it, as well. Our goals challenge, inspire, and support our deeper soul-work.
Let's look at this through the lens of your numerology chart.
Let's imagine that the Number 2 is prominently placed in your numerology chart (e.g. in your Birth Path Number/Life Path Number; on your Planes of Expression; or as a Karmic Lesson).
As you may be aware, one aspect of the Number 2's evolutionary work involves learning:
to assert appropriate boundaries;
to not prioritise others' desires at the expense of your own needs;
to recognise when you're being taken advantage of; and
to realise when you're falling into the trap of people-pleasing.
If you find your personal projects flailing or stagnating, it may be helpful to ponder where you are allowing others too much leeway and influence? Or where you haven't set clear boundaries around others' involvement in your projects?
If you're working with 2 energy, it is highly likely that boundary issues are going to show up in nearly everything you do until you figure this out. And this includes how you work towards achieving your personal dreams and goals.
Remember, your projects (and, ultimately, your Great Work) are not just about reaching the end goal, but also about the personal growth and inner work necessary to achieve them.
I'm offering an example here of how the Number 2 could play out, but each archetype (each Number) has its own way of impacting your path, and encouraging you to step into your inner soul-work. The more familiar you are with your numerology chart, and the significations and meanings of the different archetypes, the more numerology can serve you by making your evolutionary work crystal clear.
Let's consider a real life example of someone with the Number 2 on the Physical Plane of Expression in their numerology chart.
One of my clients is a project manager with a huge firm in Sydney. A couple of years ago, they'd been working on an enormous project for the whole year. Unfortunately, the primary engineer that had been contracted to the project by the CEO (i.e. not by my client) had been repeatedly ignoring and disrespecting most of the agreements, boundaries, and project timelines regarding product delivery.
As you can imagine, my client had been feeling intensely frustrated and stressed by the whole ordeal, especially as they'd felt powerless to directly address the situation in the face of pressure by the CEO to "stay the course" with this particular engineer.
By the time we'd reached Mabon, they felt utterly defeated and like giving up . . . like so many of us can feel at this time of year.
But . . .
Blessed Mabon energetically brought the whole matter to a head.
As we entered Mabon, the final testing process (that was meant to have been organised months earlier) slipped onto the critical path. And at this crucial juncture in the project timeline, the engineer-in-question incredulously announced that he was taking his annual leave. Without any notice at all. And without making any arrangements for the critical testing to be undertaken by someone else . . . He simply didn't care about the project, the team, nor the implications of his sudden decision to go on holiday.
This was the absolute final straw for my client. They felt so exasperated by the whole situation, and their Number 2 erupted—in true 2 fashion! (It's kinda like that line from the 1976 movie Network, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this any more!!!" Have you been there, too??)
Importantly, remember, this all happened within this first week of Mabon!
My client was finally compelled to face their inner challenges around setting clear boundaries in the workplace (2 on the Physical Plane). And in that moment, they reclaimed their sense of agency. My client severed ties with the problematic engineer, and then brought a recently-identified alternate engineer onto the project. Hallelujah!
The new engineer is quickly proved to be a tremendous asset to the team, and brought a far greater level of respect and professionalism to the project. So much so, the project steamed ahead. The whole project team experienced a renewed momentum and enthusiasm to keep pushing through! 👏
Again - all within the first week of Mabon.
My client shared with me how tremendously grateful they were for this newfound understanding of Mabon . . . and their gratitude to Mabon, itself, for energetically bringing this situation to a breaking point; whilst simultaneously presenting the new engineer, thus providing the essential pathway forward.
In my client's own words, this whole experience brought to light their reflexive tendency to simply keep the peace; and to cater to other people's preferences. The very thought of landing in this kind of situation, ever again, was deeply distressing to my client. And as a result, they committed to addressing and amending their relationship with the Number 2 archetype and its signification of clear, firm boundaries . . . which, in turn, impacts their approach to leadership, project management, and to Life, in general.
Certainly, they're now far more assertive from the outset of any project or collaboration they head up—particularly around team composition, let alone all other project management matters.
Such a beautiful example of how working in alignment with the wisdom of the Sabbats supports both our Soul Work, and our Great Work.
To let you know, with the partnership with the new engineer that was brought on, the team ultimately went on to win a Good Design award for their product.
In Summary
Thank you for taking the time to find out more about Mabon and the Great Wheel of the Year. I hope you've enjoyed this deeper level of insight of what Life is currently asking of you.
If you have any questions or stories you'd love to share, I'd love to hear from you! And if this has been helpful, please feel free to share it with your circle. Engagement supports my li'l business to grow, and it helps to increase the general archetypal literacy in our shared community.
As always, thank you so much for journeying with me on this Path.
May your harvest be abundant, this Mabon.
May your hearth be warm, and filled with with love and gratitude.
Thank you all for contributing to my own personal Harvest this year. I have had some amazing growth as a person, as a teacher, and as a soulpreneur. Not one Like, Comment, or Follow goes unnoticed. Every laugh, conversation, and beautiful interaction has been cherished.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. 🙏
I feel so grateful for you!
Radiant blessings for this Mabon season. 🍂🍁🍂
And remember . . . You've got this!
Peace Juliette xo
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