Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle: All 44 Card Meanings Explained

Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle: All 44 Card Meanings Explained

The Seasons of the Witch: Mabon Oracle is a 44-card deck that honors the autumn equinox — the moment when light and darkness are perfectly balanced before the world tips toward winter. Created by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz with illustrations by Tijana Lukovic, this deck channels Mabon’s profound wisdom: gratitude for what’s been harvested, honest reckoning with what needs releasing, and the ancestral knowledge that carries us through seasons of change.

Mabon falls around September 22nd, when the harvest is at its second fullness and the first chill of autumn arrives with it. It’s a sabbat of balance and depth — not the exuberance of summer, but the rich, amber wisdom of what comes when things begin to wind down. The deck reflects this beautifully: Falling Leaves and Pomegranate, Coven and Kitchen Witchery, Grieving and Harvest Moon. It asks what you’ve been holding, what it’s time to release, and what deep magic is available in the transition.

This guide walks through every one of the 44 cards so you can deepen your readings and connect with the soulful, balanced energy of the autumn equinox.

How the Deck Is Organized

The 44 cards weave together five thematic threads reflecting the many faces of Mabon:

  • The Harvest & Abundance — Receiving the season’s gifts: Apple of my Eye, Corn Maze, Cranberries, Elderberries, Harvest Moon, Kitchen Witchery, Maple Tree, Mead and Wine, Molasses, Pomegranate, Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cider
  • Autumn’s Gifts — The season’s particular nourishment: Cacao, Campfire, Fire Cider, Foraging, Root Vegetables, Straw Bale, Tea Magick, Tobacco, Whiskey, Wool
  • Ancestors & Spirit — Connection with what lies beyond: Apothecary Cabinet, Crow, Ghost Whisperer, Harvest Witch, Haunted House, Queen of the Dead, Witch’s Rosary
  • Shadow & Release — The honest work of autumn: Coming of Darkness, Darkness Falls, Falling Leaves, Grieving, Peppers, Reaper, Scarecrow, Shapeshifting
  • Balance & Transformation — The equinox’s core gift: Autumn Equinox, Breathwork, Coven, Fawn, Mountain Cabin, St John’s Wort and Marigold, Witches’ Gathering

All 44 Card Meanings

Apothecary Cabinet

Apothecary Cabinet — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Apothecary Cabinet card suggests that your journey is at its early stages, indicating the need for skills, resources, and tools to manifest big dreams. It emphasizes inner work to address personal blocks such as limited financial beliefs, self-love issues, or toxic relationships. By being honest about your starting point and required changes, transformation becomes possible. Pulling the Falling Leaves card signifies the presence of spiritual blocks that need to be addressed. A ritual to connect with your tools can set intentions and foster respect for the instruments in your spiritual practice.

Apple of my Eye

Apple of my Eye — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

This card emphasizes mindfulness and awareness, urging one to see beyond illusions. Transformation is a process often sparked by a dramatic event, but it requires nurturing to flourish. Mindfulness helps in forming habits essential for change, whether in personal life or career. Being aware of the areas needing improvement enables mindful choices that lead to positive transformation.

Autumn Equinox

Autumn Equinox — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Autumn Equinox oracle card encourages reflection on balance and temperance in life. It prompts you to identify areas of imbalance and reminds you of the importance of rest and renewal. The card warns against living in extremes and emphasizes the need for balanced physical and mental states. It inspires self-awareness and the pursuit of a more harmonious and joyful life perspective.

Breathwork

Breathwork — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Breathwork card signifies the need for more space and freedom in one's life, highlighting the unbounded nature of the spirit. It encourages following intuitive urges and exploring new possibilities to find joy and fulfillment. The practice of breathwork involves using deep breathing techniques to transform energy and amplify intentions.

Cacao

Cacao — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Cacao card conveys a message of love and reassurance, reminding you that you are held and complete as you are. It encourages you to heal from past emotional hurts and to keep your heart open to future love. Emphasizing the importance of self-love, it asks you to visualize a life of unconditional acceptance and nourishment. Ultimately, it reassures you of your worthiness and significance in the world, regardless of past experiences.

Campfire

Campfire — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Campfire card suggests it's time to seek the wisdom and support of others, particularly those with more experience and stories to share. It highlights the importance of learning from both the successes and failures of others to overcome your obstacles. An older mentor may enter your life, offering valuable advice if approached with humility. Alternatively, you might become a mentor yourself, sharing your knowledge generously to inspire others.

Coming of Darkness

Coming of Darkness — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Coming of Darkness' card serves as a warning to prepare for challenging times that lie ahead. It emphasizes the inevitability of life's cycles, reminding us that just as good times come to an end, so too do difficult times. Preparation and foresight are crucial to mitigating the impact of these darker periods. It encourages reflection on which areas of life need preemptive steps to ensure stability and resilience.

Corn maze

Corn maze — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Corn Maze card portrays life as a journey akin to navigating a corn maze, filled with choices that lead you towards or away from joy, success, and fulfillment. It serves as a reminder to trust your inner guidance system, urging you to reassess your values and core beliefs. If facing a decision, this card signals that your current path may be off course and encourages you to return to the beginning, aligning your actions with your true self. It emphasizes that multiple paths can lead to achieving your goals, advocating introspection to discover the most suitable route.

Coven

Coven — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Coven card encourages collaboration and the pooling of collective skills and resources to achieve shared goals. It indicates that working together with others can amplify success and overcome individual limitations. In a romantic context, it suggests engaging in mutual activities to foster deeper connections and understanding within a family or partnership.

Cranberries

Cranberries — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Cranberries card emphasizes the significance of ancestral connections and the power that comes from reclaiming one's roots. It highlights the intuitive wisdom passed down through generations and the support available from ancestors, even those unknown. This card encourages establishing a spiritual link with ancestors to remove obstacles and invite prosperity. The process involves reaching out with intention and openness to connect with benevolent ancestors.

Crow

Crow — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Crow card signifies an incoming message, urging attentiveness to subtle signs and intuition. It's a reminder to trust your feelings and instincts, which connect you to the spirit realm. This card advises acknowledging sensations and cues as guides for decision-making while intuitively recognizing paths to safety and success. Further insights can be gained by considering additional cards in your reading.

Darkness falls

Darkness falls — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Darkness falls' card urges you to confront your inner demons and acknowledge your faults with self-compassion. It highlights the importance of observing your situation neutrally and determining your share of blame in any situation. The aim is to step away from defensive reactions and gain clarity for a positive resolution. It reminds you that while the past cannot be changed, you can influence your future actions and outcomes.

Elderberries

Elderberries — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Elderberries card signifies wisdom and learning from experience. It encourages you to seek guidance from those more experienced, but also to learn by doing, to move beyond planning into action. Mistakes are steps in learning, and trust in your unique path irrespective of others for success.

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Falling Leaves card signifies a time of release and transformation, where unnecessary burdens and obstacles in your life are being shed. This period of change, though challenging, is a necessary step towards personal growth and future expansion. By embracing these endings, you can find new beginnings and clarity on what you need to manifest the life you desire. The process encourages lifestyle changes and decision-making from an authentic place, signaling renewal and liberation.

Fawn

Fawn — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Fawn card signifies innocence and the willingness to learn and explore. It invites you to embrace new adventures and experiences with a sense of curiosity. This card encourages taking steps to express yourself in new ways, refining self-awareness, and drawing upon the strength and grace inherent in every endeavor.

Fire Cider

Fire Cider — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Fire Cider card emphasizes preparation and building spiritual strength as essential to manifesting desires, rather than relying on magical thinking. The universe provides opportunities, but readiness and planning are crucial to make use of them. Manifestation requires facing fears and thought distortions. The universe will support you better when you're prepared to act. Challenges are meant to strengthen spiritual resilience, creating a deliberate life path instead of one led by cosmic randomness.

Foraging

Foraging — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Foraging card encourages you to embrace your uniqueness and act upon your hidden talents. In a world of conformity, taking the road less traveled can lead to discovering hidden greatness and authenticity. Just like truffles, what makes you unique may require effort to uncover, but the rewards will be valuable. This card urges you to step out, explore, and find what sets you apart.

Ghost Whisperer

Ghost Whisperer — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Ghost Whisperer' card symbolizes the receipt of messages, often from someone in the past. It represents a chance for closure or reconnection with someone significant from your past, potentially leading to an important conversation or resolution of an ongoing issue. If the card appears in reverse, it serves as a warning about someone from the past who may intend harm, indicating the need for self-defense. Depending on the cards it appears with, the significance and actions required change, highlighting either potential reconnection or necessary defensive strategies.

Grieving

Grieving — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Grieving card invites the acknowledgment of sorrow and loss, not limited to just death but to any significant change or ending. It emphasizes the importance of grieving to move forward, rather than suppressing emotions. Recognizing these feelings as part of your life story allows you to release emotions and move on. The card also acknowledges sorrow's complexity—it's okay to reminisce on both the good and bad from the past. Grief is a personal journey, one that doesn't need external validation or understanding.

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Harvest Moon card signifies a time to realign with the soul and adopt a slower pace, focusing on self-care and spiritual nourishment. It encourages prioritizing rest and self-support while reflecting on how personal care has been neglected. The card suggests gentle awareness and self-compassion as necessary tools for making new, fulfilling choices. The inclusion of a herb bundle ritual offers a tangible method to connect with one's self-care intentions.

Harvest Witch

Harvest Witch — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Harvest Witch' card encourages evaluating the balance between effort and reward. It prompts introspection about whether you're genuinely committed to your goals or merely taking shortcuts. If current efforts yield little, it may be time to change strategies or even abandon unfruitful pursuits. This card calls for honesty and a grounded approach to your dreams, urging you to invest wholeheartedly or reconsider your path.

Haunted House

Haunted House — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Haunted House' card symbolizes unresolved issues and stagnation caused by clinging to past relationships or situations. It emphasizes the necessity of releasing these burdens to achieve personal freedom and bliss. By identifying and letting go of unfulfilling relationships and roles, one can foster self-care and personal healing. Establishing boundaries helps both personal growth and reveals the shadows in others, promoting healing for all involved.

Kitchen Witchery

Kitchen Witchery — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Kitchen Witchery' card symbolizes a time of abundance, manifestation, and opportunities in one's life. It marks the end of hardships, ushering in a period where desires manifest with ease and spiritual guidance becomes clearer. This card serves as a positive omen for career, financial, and love pursuits, indicating a favorable time to seek job opportunities, promotions, or new relationships. An attitude of gratitude will enhance the flow of abundance.

Maple tree

Maple tree — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Maple tree card heralds a period of dramatic change, good fortune, and positive resolutions. It signifies an unusual amount of good luck, suggesting the universe is in your favor. This period is ideal for taking action, manifesting dreams, and expects situations to resolve beneficially. Generosity during this time extends the positivity and attracts more goodness in return.

Mead and Wine

Mead and Wine — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Mead and Wine' card encourages indulgence and living in the moment. It reminds you of the necessity of play and indulgence amidst life's daily challenges. The card suggests that quality experiences, whether lavish or simple, with good company, can enrich life and relieve stress. It emphasizes the importance of making time for pleasure and joy to maintain overall health and happiness.

Molasses

Molasses — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Molasses card signals a period of uncertainty and stagnation, urging patience and reflection. It represents a time to pause, reassess, and gain a clear understanding of your path forward. While frustrating, this phase helps in avoiding hasty decisions and encourages finding peace and perspective through introspection or mundane tasks. Await the clarity and correct timing to move forward with renewed insight.

Mountain Cabin

Mountain Cabin — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Mountain Cabin card encourages seeking solitude to heal, reflect, and gain clarity amid external influences. It suggests disconnecting from others' opinions to find personal confidence and direction. Solitude can manifest in various ways like a vacation or quiet introspection, helping us realize our worth and capability to pursue paths unique to us, sometimes alone.

Peppers

Peppers — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Peppers card emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and protecting yourself. It suggests that those who cannot handle your assertiveness may leave, making room for more respectful allies. Establishing boundaries not only helps gain respect but also builds confidence. Like desensitizing to hot peppers, practicing saying 'No' and asserting boundaries becomes easier over time.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Pomegranate card encourages embracing desires and exploring the unknown, as it leads to personal fulfillment and self-discovery. This card suggests that our desires hold clues to achieving joy, love, and success. Denying these desires is denying one's true self, and by exploring them, one can break free from limitations and embrace their full potential.

Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cider

Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cider — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The card evokes nostalgia and joy by urging you to explore your past for answers to your current life questions. It encourages reconnecting with your inner child to overcome doubts and rediscover your passions and purpose. By recalling childhood dreams and fantasies, you open up to new possibilities, allowing your soul to uncover hidden potential. Trust the hints from your past to guide your future path.

Queen of the Dead

Queen of the Dead — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Queen of the Dead' card invites you to embrace and integrate your darker side, using it as a source of strength and growth. It teaches that fear of your shadow self should not hold you back, but rather be channeled for good. This involves recognizing powerful emotions like rage and ambition, not as negative forces, but as opportunities for personal evolution. Ultimately, it encourages you to work with these energies to guide them towards positivity and light.

Reaper

Reaper — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Reaper card signifies endings, sudden change, and the necessity of letting go of unhealthy attachments to make way for new beginnings. It challenges you to embrace change, suggesting that sometimes the universe intervenes to end situations that may have held you back. The card heralds a transformative period, requiring growth and the shedding of detrimental ties to fulfill your goals. It emphasizes that endings can lead to a better life and success.

Root Vegetables

Root Vegetables — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The 'Root Vegetables' card suggests seeking hidden resources and nourishment by venturing where others might not dare. It emphasizes digging deep for knowledge and guidance while exploring beneath the surface for true understanding. The card encourages examining one's desires, seeking education or mentorship, and being cautious in relationships and contracts. Look beyond immediate appearances, as the most valuable discoveries might stem from unexpected or unconventional places.

Scarecrow

Scarecrow — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Scarecrow card signifies that you are not alone and have support and guidance. It assures you of protection and urges you to move forward with confidence, knowing a favorable outcome is near. The card may also indicate that physical help or positive opportunities are on the way. Trust in the cosmic timing and allow your spiritual guardians to guide you.

Shapeshifting

Shapeshifting — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Shapeshifting card signifies adaptability, transformation, and personal evolution. It confirms that the challenges and hardships you have faced were crucial in shaping the powerful self you are evolving into. These experiences have increased your wisdom, practical abilities, and have expanded your potential to handle complex situations. Embrace this new reality and focus on celebrating your growth and the possibilities it brings.

St John's Wort and Marigold

St John's Wort and Marigold — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The St John's Wort and Marigold card represents protection against negative and unwanted energies. It indicates that negative energies may be impacting your spiritual well-being, manifesting as mood swings, nightmares, or a general feeling of heaviness. The card urges you to identify the source of these energies and protect yourself, especially in toxic relationships, while reminding you that low vibrations from others are not a reflection of you. In reversed position, it signifies intentional harm being directed your way, advising defense against malicious actions.

Straw Bale

Straw Bale — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Straw Bale card encourages you to step out of your comfort zone, maximize your talents, and approach life with confidence. It invites you to dream bigger, expand your gifts, and utilize your talents fully. Often, fear or self-doubt holds you back, but the card advises seizing opportunities and creating your own path. By being bold and claiming your space, you can lead a fulfilling life.

Tea Magick

Tea Magick — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

Tea Magick urges you to confront hard truths that you've been avoiding. The answers you seek have been in front of you, but you've been in denial, possibly to protect yourself emotionally. This card signifies the need to face reality head-on, as ignoring it may lead to significant consequences. Acknowledging the challenge is the first step to overcoming it.

Toad

Toad — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Toad card encourages you to take a passive, observant approach to achieving your goals, much like the toad waiting patiently for its prey. Forcing outcomes may backfire, leading to disappointment or missed opportunities. Trust in a higher power to guide you and wait for the right moment to act. Stay aware of your situation, as new information may emerge that could shift your perspective.

Tobacco

Tobacco — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Tobacco card embodies the themes of purification and connection, especially with spirits or ancestors. It emphasizes the importance of respect, humility, and openness in spiritual and personal interactions. Offering tobacco is a revered practice in many cultures, indicating a desire to communicate with and honor ancestors. The card also encourages listening and considering new perspectives from both spiritual guides and younger individuals in one's life.

Whiskey

Whiskey — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Whiskey card emphasizes patience and the importance of allowing things to develop over time, much like aging whiskey. It suggests that while your desires are on their way, they may not manifest immediately, encouraging perseverance even in the face of obstacles or delays. This card serves as a reminder that great rewards often require time and effort, and that sometimes, the best course is to pause and let your goals mature. In a love context, it may indicate temporary setbacks that are only resolved with patience and waiting.

Witches' Gathering

Witches' Gathering — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Witches' Gathering card signifies a good omen for friendship and renewed connections, both with old acquaintances and new individuals. It encourages reaching out and forging meaningful relationships that are loyal and long-lasting. The card underscores the importance of nurturing relationships, emphasizing the need for time, care, and attention. It is a call to embrace social interactions and be open to new connections, recognizing their potential to positively impact your life.

Witch's Rosary

Witch's Rosary — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Witch's Rosary card emphasizes focus, concentration, and the importance of developing habits with intention. It suggests that success is a long-term endeavor requiring patience, responsibility, and continued effort. The card reassures that while results may not be immediate, persistence and trust in your work will eventually lead to reward. This card encourages you to remain committed and intentional in your actions, reminding you that it's okay to start over and learn from mistakes.

Wool

Wool — Seasons of the Witch – Mabon Oracle

The Wool card emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding comfort in familiar things. It encourages you to create a sacred space, whether through small routines or significant changes like retreating to a cozy place. This card serves as a reminder to pause before embarking on new ventures and to reconnect with sources of peace and security. By feeling safe and centered, you can better assess your situation without fear or anxiety.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cards are in the Seasons of the Witch Mabon Oracle?

The Mabon Oracle contains 44 cards celebrating all aspects of the autumn equinox — from falling leaves and harvest moons to ancestral wisdom, kitchen witchery, shadow integration, and the sacred balance of light and dark.

What is Mabon and when is it celebrated?

Mabon is the pagan celebration of the autumn equinox, observed around September 22-23. It marks the moment when day and night are perfectly balanced, and the second harvest — a time for gratitude, reflection, and conscious release before the descent into winter.

Who created the Seasons of the Witch Mabon Oracle?

The Mabon Oracle was created by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz, with illustrations by Tijana Lukovic, published by Rockpool Publishing as part of the Seasons of the Witch series.

What is the Mabon Oracle best for?

The Mabon Oracle is particularly powerful for questions about balance, letting go, ancestral wisdom, gratitude for what you've built, and preparing for a season of inward reflection. It's an ideal deck for readings at the turning points of life.