Wheel of the Year
Autumn Equinox – a Time of Balance
The Autumn Equinox is the time of the year when the day and night are of equal length. This balance marks the official start of Autumn (Fall).
Cornucopia
(horn of plenty)
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a time to prepare for the colder, darker months, while everyone living in the Southern Hemisphere is looking forward to the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and the coming summer.
The equinox is a celebration of feasting and gratitude to the Divine for a good harvest.
It is a time to pause and reflect on the past year.
The equinox also symbolises a state of balance and harmony. This is both:
- literal as the days and nights are of equal length
- energetically it is a time of equal yang (masculine, firey, summer energy) and yin (feminine, watery, cool winter energy).
Balance
summer and winter
Balance
Yin and Yang
All around the world, people continue to celebrate the equinox with festivals and customs:
Chichen Itza
Mayans
The Mayans constructed a temple pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico at a precise angle so that on the equinox, a ‘snake’ of sunlight would wind its way down the stairs of the temple.
Ancient Greeks
The Greeks told the myth of Persephone, a goddess who was abducted by Hades, the god of the Underworld. Persephone’s mother, Demeter, eventually found her daughter but was forced to accept that every Autumn Persephone would return to the Underworld and her husband for 3 months. During this time Demeter refused to make the plants grow.
Japanese
The Japanese celebrate Shubun-no-hi, a celebration rooted in both Shinto and Buddhist traditions. It is a time to give thanks for the harvest, honour the ancestors, and remember those who have passed, by cleaning and visiting their graves.
Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indians
The Chinese and Vietnamese celebrate the harvest and Hindus celebrate Navratri to honour Durga (the divine feminine Devi).
Pagans
The Druids call this ceremony Alban Elfed (Light of the Water) and celebrate the fruit harvest. They thank the Earth, in her full abundance as Mother and Giver, for the great harvest, as Autumn begins. (Taken from the OBOD website)
This celebration harked back to a time when villagers collected the harvest and slaughtered animals to preserve meat for the winter.
It marked a moment of both outer preparation for the coming cold, dark months, and also reflected inner preparation where pagans are invited to reflect on and express their gratitude for the past summer months.
The Cornucopia (horn of plenty) is one of the traditional symbols of Mabon – a symbol of the wealth of the harvest.
Christians
Many Christian religious days replaced the old pagan festivals and on the 29th of September, the Catholic Church celebrates Michaelmas, The Feast of St Michael, and all the Angels. On this day, servants were paid their wages from the harvest for that year.
Regardless of our culture or religion, celebrating the Equinox can be a way for us to connect to the earth and practise gratitude and thankfulness for all we have.
Some ideas might be:
- Make a gratitude list
- Clean and tidy your home – remove, give away, or sell clutter. As we make space in our homes and clear stale energy, it symbolises making space in our minds and hearts for new things.
- Eat a special meal. In the Northern Hemisphere, this could be a ‘Harvest Meal’ with seasonal fruits and harvest produce. In the Southern Hemisphere, a Spring table could be decorated with seasonal flowers.
- Spend time practising mindfulness, meditation, or being quiet.
- Take a nature walk regardless of the weather. Connect with Mother Earth and be thankful for the abundance all around you.
- Light a candle or a fire and make an intention to live in line with the seasons.
The Apple
A symbol of harvest
Wishing you a wonderful and balanced season.
With blessings x
Lee-Anne x 
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