The Fall Equinox begins the season of autumn in the northern hemisphere. Its one of two times a year when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, and the day and night of are approximately equal length. The days from now until the Winter Solstice will slowly get shorter and shorter in their daylight hours and the nights will get longer and longer. For measuring the length of a day, sunrise is the moment when the sun is half above the horizon and sunset is the moment when the sun is half under the horizon. But day and night are not always of equal length. During the equinoxes,the Earth’s auric or magnetic field is affected by the Sun’s alignment with the Earth’s equator. Twice each year, at the equinoxes (Spring & Fall), the Sun rises and sets exactly over the equator remaining closely aligned there for approximately 48 hours.
Autumn is upon us. The evidence is noticeable. The air is crisp and the nights are cooler. Leaves are beginning to turn colors and fall to the ground below. The hot summer days are behind us. As we turn to Fall preparations begin to go underway for the long winter months ahead.
Agriculturally, Fall is a time of harvest. Crops are reaped and stored. Summer’s fruit, grains, herbs and vegetables are gathered and preserved for later use during the winter months. Hunting season also begins at this time. Hunters track and slay wild animals to preserve meat for the coming months as well.
The Fall Equinox is celebrated in various faiths, traditions, and in countries all around the world.
- In Ancient Britain Stonehenge and other stone structures were aligned so that the solstices and equinoxes could be determined.
- The ancient Mayans constructed a pyramid which displayed different patterns of triangles of light at the time of the solstices and equinoxes. The dates signaled the start of a harvest, planting or religious ceremony. On the fall equinox, seven triangles become visible on the pyramid’s staircase.
- In astrology, on the day of the Fall equinox, the sun enters the sign of Libra, the constellation of balance or scales.
- Pagans honor the Equinox in a celebration called Mabon. Mabon is a time for thanksgiving, a day to appreciate bounty and celebrate the gifts of the earth and the continuous abundance of God and nature.
- The Christian Church replaced earlier Pagan solstices and equinox celebrations during Medieval times, with Christianized observances. Replacing the fall equinox is Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael. Ireland, France, the ancient Druids, as well as Native American Spirituality have also celebrated the equinox as a holy day.
No matter what spiritual path or religion you follow, there are ways that we can all acknowledge and appreciate the significance of the Fall Equinox and celebrate the changing of the season.
Find some balance – Fall is a time of preparation. For some people it is a time of high energy. There can sometimes be a feeling of restlessness and anxiety with everything there is to do. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, do a simple meditation to restore a little balance and harmony into your life.
Stock up - Now is a time to harvest the crops that
have grown over the summer. Gather your own herbs and vegetables from your
garden or visit the local farmers market to stock up on herbs, spices, fruits
and vegetables to preserve for the winter.
Count your blessings – Sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and
make a gratitude list. Write down things you are thankful for. An attitude of
gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way!
Celebrate with color – Decorate your home or wear the colors red, orange,
yellow, gold, maroon, or brown.
Go back to nature – Fall means that the weather outside is bearable once more.
The nights are crisp and cool. Take your family on a nature walk. Enjoy the
changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Collect colorful autumn leaves,
fallen twigs and acorns.
Hearth & home – As winter is coming, we know we’ll be spending more time
indoors. Take some time to do some fall cleaning. Do a ritual smudging or
blessing. Decorate with symbols of the harvest season. Place the items you
collected on your nature walk in decorative baskets around your house. If you
have any repairs to be done, do them now so you don’t have to worry about them
over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that’s no longer of use.
Fall Feast – The best part about Fall is the food! Spend some time in your kitchen giving thanks by preparing delicious recipes with food from the season. Apples are the perfect symbol of the season. Make some homemade appleasuace, apple pie, cinnamon apples, or apple bread.
Other foods for the season are corn (make some cornbread), sweet potatoes, squash, and beans (make some chili).
Give thanks by giving – The Autumn Equinox is a time of thanks and blessings –
and because of that it’s a good time to give to those less fortunate than
ourselves. Donate to the local food bank or homeless shelter.
When the Fall equinox occurs, the life-force or universal energy on our planet changes. The balance and alignment of energies coming with the Fall equinox make it a great time to manifest, meditate, pray. We can reflect on whether we have actually planted the seeds we intended and have nurtured them to fruition. We can refocus our attention on what we truly want to manifest and then create the right atmosphere or attitude to bring it about.
The Fall Equinox is a time for balance. There is an interesting folk legend
involving eggs and the equinoxes. It was believed that since the hours of light and dark were equal, it would be possible to balance an egg on end during these magickal times. Sometimes the rumor specified that the balancing would only occur during the few hours that most closely fell before and after the actual time of the equinox.
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