AUTUMN EQUINOX RITUAL
The time of the Autumn Equinox, on September 22nd 2020, is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. And this means balance and change. Yes, change brings pain and pain brings change and because these truths are inevitable and unavoidable, let’s celebrate!
Equinox means that there is an equal balance of day and night. An equal balance of dark and light. Equinoxes happen just twice a year on the Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox. When it is Autumn Equinox in the northern hemisphere - it’s Spring Equinox in the Southern hemisphere. Spring Equinox celebrates the sowing of seeds, return of the sun and the nourishment he brings. Autumn Equinox celebrates the harvest of the bounty of the seeds that were sown and showing gratitude for what the earth has given as a way to make her and her gifts feel seen. This is full circle Medicine and it is important to acknowledge that this is how nature flows and WE ARE NATURE.
If we celebrate balance, balance in the earth and sky, balance in our bodies, homes and relationships, then I believe that we can be a part of reclaiming balance. Balance is healing.
If you live in a place where the seasons change, even ever so slightly, you will notice the sweet surrender that Autumn inspires. After late Summer’s harvest the trees turn the most brilliant colors before they release their leaves in cool soft winds, as if they have one final thing to say... one last flash of inspiration to grant us before returning to the earth and entering into winter’s deep quiet. Autumn is a time of embracing maturity, change, movement and release. Often around this time of year, we can find ourselves wildly inspired and activated wanting to learn, create, and move. If we are not careful our minds can run wild with us and get us caught in a trap of anxiety for all the change that is upon us. We need only understand to learn from our tree brothers and sisters who trust the constant truth of change.
My ancient Irish ancestors would celebrate the Autumn Equinox as a time of thanksgiving by gathering everyone together, having a big feast, and sharing and celebrating their hard won harvest. If you go back far enough into your own lineage, to when the feminine was revered and the earth’s rhythms were heeded, you will most likely find that your own ancestors created ceremony on days like this, when nature is most unabashedly spectacular and brilliant. And ceremony is something that still connects us all so let’s celebrate!
here are some ways to celebrate autumn equinox
Cleanse your home and as you do take a moment to appreciate everything you have in it, make it sparkle, when you are through cleaning open the windows and smudge your home with the protective smoke of a lit cinnamon stick and put flowers on the table as an offering to your home.
Have a few cherished ones over for a feast that you have prepared with local veggies and love.
Hold a glass of water in your hands and bless the water by repeating a song, prayer or simply an intention of gratitude, take a sip of that water and offer the rest to a tree.
Challenge yourself to call at least three people and tell them how grateful you are that they are in your life.