What do you call the Autumn Equinox?

It is known in Irish as Fómhar or Cónocht an Fhómhair, as Alban Elfed (“Light of the Water”) by the Druids, and very recently (1970s) as Mabon in other traditions. Some call it Harvest or Harvest Home. For me, it is also the beginning of gratitude season, as we harvest both the foods from the fields and the wisdom from our experiences since the Spring Equinox.

No matter what we choose to name this time, at the Equinox the days and nights are roughly equal length around the globe, as the combination of energies then shift to more waning (or waxing) until the Solstice roughly three months later. In the Northern Hemisphere, this Equinox marks the astronomical beginning of Autumn and in the Southern Hemisphere the beginning of Spring.

We who align with the energies of Father Sun, Mama Earth and Grandmother Moon can use this time as an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with those allies by tuning in and aligning even more with their energies.

At this time, raise your awareness to your external world — all that is manifesting in your locale now and in the next few weeks — and to your internal world of feelings, senses, intuition, consciousness and deep inner wisdom.

As you drop deep into your heart, into your deep inner wisdom, and connect with the world around you and its shifting energies, what do you feel? What do you sense? What do you hear? What do you know?

I share with you now a blessing for the Autumn Equinox.

At this time, we are (re)turning to our deep inner Wisdom, the energies of Autumn, reconnecting to our emotions, looking for balance after the Fire-y Summer season and welcoming the cool, refreshing  cleansing and flowing Water energy of Autumn. 

We are harvesting the wisdom from our own growing season, and we are coming closer and closer to Home, Earth, as we approach Samhain and the new turn of the Wheel of the Year.

We are (re)turning to our Self, bringing the wisdom from the journey thus far.

Blessings on the Autumn Equinox!