“What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.”
~Mesiter Eckhart
We have returned to harmony; that point where light and dark meet to reflect each in their own way what has been integrated from their respective season. Here at the Quarter Point of the Autumn Equinox when the sun enters into Libra, that balance is restored just in time to usher in the transformation of Fall. This is an opportunity to assess and to act. To move forward into the dark months we must be clear about what we’re taking with us and what needs to be left behind. This space of harvest is both celebratory and contemplative. We’ve worked so hard and that work deserves to be honored and shared. We can lift each other up, while also holding space to shed and release what is not being carried forward. The sun shifted at the last Solstice and is now waning fast. This is a busy time of gathering and preparation. When we work together, the tasks of the harvest seem to pass effortlessly and we can joyously move onward into celebration.
The Equinox is a prime season to reunite or bring back together parts of ourselves that feel opposite, so we can once again see them as viable to the whole. It is a beautiful time to celebrate the ALL of us, offering gratitude to our many aspects, even the contradictory ones that make us up. In this gathering together (this re-membering), we carry the wisdom of the process inward towards the darkening months ahead. We do not fear the dark. We know it is a sacred place to touch into our strength and power and reconnect with our path. We know the darkness is a part of us.
The Equinoxes are liminal spaces and offer us an opportunity to prepare for change. Notice in the days to come the transitions occurring around you. The Autumn Equinox begins with movement. Everyone and everything seems to be going fast and busy is as busy does. Also, there is a downward motion. The fruit hangs heavy and low on the trees and wants to be gathered NOW. The leaves will begin to change and soon fall to the ground. The sap in the trees moves down. We know that we, too, are being called downward toward the womb of winter. If we touch in, we might even find that we are craving it. Rest, sleep and the chance to renew. The Equinox gives us time to visit with the experience of the outer journey and the inward one. Everything we have gained and reaped from this harvest time we will carry into this incubation period to gain strength and grow.
It is a time of deep gratitude, but isn’t every season an opportunity to be grateful? Give thanks for where and how you rest on the earth in this moment. Take stock of what is abundant and joyful in your life and share it lovingly and graciously. Clear space to rest deeply and focus inward. Invite in a realignment of your purpose.
Honor
•In these moments of deep appreciation, ask yourself what can be given back? How can a reciprocal relationship be created with the Earth?
•This is an excellent time for a feast and has actually been referred to as The Witches Thanksgiving! Host a gathering or plan a communal one in a local park or someone’s backyard and share the many things you are grateful for.
•Air out those linens! With the threshold of Fall we do know what follows close behind. Give your home and your space a breath of fresh air. Open up all the windows, purge out unnecessary belonging and deep clean before Winter settles in. Offer your space a house blessing for sheltering you during all this time.
•Meditate with the roots of trees and plants. The Earth’s energy is turning inward and the roots are drawing nourishment down. This allows them to grow stronger as they travel deeper. Feel this within yourself as you find the magic deep within your being.
•Finish up any outdoor projects and if you tend a garden, begin the process of putting it to bed. Gather seeds and share with friends at your Harvest celebration.
•Make jam and other preserves to keep the harvest through the winter. Farmer’s markets have plenty of produce this time of year. Host a party in your kitchens and share the wealth. Have everyone bring an ingredient, such as jars, sugar, pectic, etc. and create something beautiful and nourishing with community.
•Set an intention to deepen into your spiritual roots; that which is calling for your inward focus. If you have space, set up an altar dedicated to this process or even clear out a small space in your home that serves as an altar for your body, a space for you to come to and rest, reclaim and remember.
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Autumn Equinox
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