Why celebrate autumnal equinox

But, what customs and celebrations comes with this changing of seasons? Lydia B. Don't let after-school be an afterthought - join Gooroo's online platform centred around hands-on project-based learning!

What is Autumn Equinox? Autumnal Associations Autumn also known as Fall holds a lot of cultural and spiritual significance. During this season: Harvest occurs. The transition from warm to cold weather marks the time of harvesting the crops planted in the spring and the summer. The Moon Festival, celebrated in China, corresponds with what is believe to be when the moon shines its brightest and is at its fullest.

Alongside this Autumn Equinox idea, it also coincides with celebration of harvest time. Melancholia is written about. Poetry often associated the greying skies and cooling weather with sadness.

While others find Autumn to be exciting, its rather interesting to delve into the thoughts of those who came before us. By Vigdis Hocken and Aparna Kher. The September equinox marks the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and has inspired ancient myths, religious festivals, and customs.

Every year there are two equinoxes and two solstices , which mark the start of a new astronomical season. For millennia, these four turning points have played important roles in human culture. The myths and traditions described below are rooted in cultures of the Northern Hemisphere, where the September equinox is the autumnal fall equinox.

Seasons are opposite on different sides of the equator, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the vernal spring equinox. Harvest Time As leaves turn yellow and fruits and vegetables ripen, most traditional celebrations of the autumnal equinox, when day and night are nearly equal , are associated with harvest. The Romans held a festival dedicated to Pomona, goddess of fruits and growing things.

However, the most famous ancient myth comes from Greece. In Ancient Greek mythology, the onset of fall is closely linked to the story of the abduction of Persephone, also called Kore or Cora.

She was a goddess who was abducted from her mother, harvest goddess Demeter, and taken to the underworld to become the wife of Hades, the god-king of the underworld. In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox is also known as the fall equinox and typically falls between September 21 — However, on rare occasions, the fall equinox can happen just outside of those date ranges.

If you are curious about when the fall equinox will be next year—find out HERE! Mabon is another name for the autumnal equinox.

On Mabon, rituals about the balance between light and dark; and prayers of thanks for a blessed harvest are shared. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Mabon is the second of 3 harvest festivals celebrated by pagans.

Often, traditional harvest foods are served, known as the mid-harvest festival. Early societies understood the importance of feasting with your neighbors to create a village. Without each other, they could not survive, so they dined together to celebrate, build community, and give thanks. On the equinox, day and night, dark and light, inner and outer, masculine and feminine, are all in balance before the night takes over—bringing darkness along with the death of winter.

All things must die before they can be reborn, and all spiritual ascent requires descent first. We are a reflection of the universe that surrounds us. What takes place outside of us also takes place within us.

And, those who long for the light must first face the darkness within themselves. Use this time of universal balance to hold gratitude in your heart for the life lessons that have helped you grow and let go of everything else. Celebrate the autumn equinox, or Mabon, by harvesting your inner fruits of awareness and finding gratitude for the seeds that you have both reaped and sown.

The good, the bad, and the ugly. All mistakes become beautiful lessons when we hold gratitude in our hearts. May your inner and outer harvest be bountiful! Below you will find a list of 11 ideas and rituals you can try to celebrate the autumn equinox and prepare for the waning of the light.

Related: Fun Autumn Activities. The autumnal equinox is a time of harvest. Make a list of everything you are thankful for as a way of reaping your inner harvest. Better yet, start a gratitude journal. Gratitude brings abundance. It will flow naturally from there. May your inner harvest be bountiful! Because night and day are approximately the same lengths, the equinox is a great day to create equilibrium in the home.

Restore balance by doing a deep fall cleaning. Get rid of anything that you no longer need to make space for inner abundance. Next, use the power of rhythm and routines to help you get organized and provide a framework for your day. A daily rhythm can also increase productivity and assist you with time management. We also like to establish seasonal routines that create a connection to the world we live in and add meaning to our family life.

Our need for a sense of rhythm is one of the many reasons that we like to celebrate the fall equinox. Children thrive on regular household rhythms and routines. Make a fall craft, or try a fall art project fun on the fall equinox, or any time this autumn, to celebrate the beautiful warm colors this magical season brings.