top of page
Search

The Spiritual Meaning of AUTUMN EQUINOX | Mini Rituals + BONUS - 12 Journal Prompts!

Writer's picture: Lianne Crawford Lianne Crawford

Updated: Sep 21, 2024


Autumn Equinox begins when the sun moves into the astrological sign of Libra around 22/23 Sept.


In many ancient religions and hidden within more recents ones the sun has been honoured and venerated a source of light and life on this planet.


The journey of the sun through the zodiac gives us our seasons, and as it meets the solstices and equinoxes we are given an external illustration of our internal souls’ growth in spirituality and its journey towards enlightenment.

The word 'equinox' comes the Latin word aequinoctium; aequi meaning ‘equal’ and nox or noct meaning ‘night’. So equinox literally means equal days and equal nights. Autumn & Spring mark the equinoxes, where on this day both day and night, light and dark are equal in length.


"Autumn equinox marks the time where sun positions itself lower in the sky each day, hugging that little bit closer to the horizon, leaving us with shorter days and of course longer nights. Winter solstice marks the climax of this descent where the sun is seen at its very lowest point and appears to stay there for approximately three days. After this the days begin to lengthen".


Astrologically, the sun is representative of our core self and divine spark, and its journey through the zodiac, and seasons is an external replication of our own inner souls growth.




As above so below!
As Within So Without
As the Universe, So the Soul!



When the sun reaches the autumn equinox we begin to move into a time of harvest. Where we take stock of all we have reaped from what has been sown previously. We begin to prepare for winter with gratitude for what have and what have learnt.


At the equinox we sit at a point of equal measures of light and dark, feminine and masculine energy. Libra is the perfect sign to represent this, being the sign of balance and harmony.


Autumn is the time we gather all we need and prepare for inward journey, we start to see nature change, begin to wither away in a beautiful array of colours and then go cold for winter. The Great Descent!

This has been represented across so any different mythologies. Persephone & Demeter, Isis & Nephtys, Inanna & Ereshkigal are great ancient myths of the decent of the soul into the underworld and darker sides of our self. There can be no coming into enlightenment without acknowledgement of our nature it's totality and to that we must accept its current duality and find balance.


We watch the leaves change colour and fall down reminding us of the importance of letting go and release to wind and earth what no longer serves us. Animals begin to gather and store food for the winter in preparation of the cold barrenness of the land. Many will go into hibernation, their own internal seasonal slumber and meditation!


Abundance then is another theme of autumn, as we are reminded of all that we are provider with from Mother Earth herself. All the crops planted previous will be being reaped at this time will show us how successful or not we have been at achieving our intentions. We can reflect on where we are abundant and where we may need to release or nurture for the future.


What can you do to Honour the Autumn Season?




Go for Autumn Walks

This is a lovely time to go for walks alone or with loved ones and take the in changing of the seasons. You could gather gifts from natures, symbols that represent this season such a fallen leaves, pine cones, autumn flowers. Berry picking is another idea for your autumn walk. Be mindful of the colours, the falling leaves and the shading and letting-go.


Create an Autumn Equinox Altar...

Creating an altar to represent the season is a powerful way to bring in the energy into your home and consciousness. You could use some of the item collected on your autumn walk, or choose a day to go and gather items specifically for your Altar.

Some ideas for your Altar:
Themes: Balance, Light & dark, Feminine & Masculine, Change, Transformation, Going inward, Harvest, Bounty, Abundance
Food items: Fruits, Nuts, Grains, Breads, Vegtables
Crystals; Labradorite, Carnelian, Obsidian, Citrine, Pyrite
Deities: Persephone, Isis, Nephtys, Inanna, Ereshkigal,Pachamama, Osiris, Odin, Hades
Colours: Deep rich colours, orange, brown, red, green, black
Incense/Oils/Herbs: Sandalwood, Dragons Blood, Black Sage, Eucalyptus, Rose, Dahlia, Rosemary, Frankincense

Really the most important thing is that you create an Altar that aligned with your intentions, your altar should serve as a sacred space to connect with the divinity within you. Each item holds a symbolic meaning that will be help you to embody the qualities you desire and release any that do not serve you. Your altar is also a focal reminder of returning to centre & self as Source & Sovereign being.


Honour Your Ancestors...


Autumn is a great time to honour our ancestors whom have come before and paved a path for where we are today. November 2nd marks All Souls Day where we honour the spirit and memory of our dearly departed. You can honour ancestors in any way that feels most comfortable for you. Many people set up altars for their ancestors, some visit the graveyards where they are buried to honour and tend to their graves. Equally connecting with nature is still a beautiful way to pay our respects.



Honour your Light & Dark

Take time to reflect on the duality of your nature, your light and dark, your masculine and feminine energies and what is lurking in your shadows! This is perfect time of year to really commit to shadow work as we move towards Winter Solstice and the gradual rebirth of Light.






Take Time To Mediate

As this is the season to begin the inward journey, setting up a regular meditation and mindfulness practice would be extremely benefit. You could do this at your altar, in nature or even for a min or two at work when you get a moment. I recommend having a regular practice dedicating a time and space where you will not be disturbed and can connect deeply with yourself and guides. As much as this season calls us to go within, unfortunately for most of the demands of daily life can make this challenging. Having a devoted time either in the morning or evening (better still both!) will help you to maintain consistency.


Gratitude Journal...


  • Harvest and abundance are two main themes of autumn so now would be a fantastic time to begin a gratitude journal. Writing down daily things which we are grateful for has proven to help improve mood, increase self-esteem, lower stress and increase feelings of joy & love. Gratitude journalling is a chance for us to open up our hearts and appreciate what we already have, also allowing for the flow of what we desire.


Journal Prompts
  • Each day write down 3-10 things that your are grateful for. This can include, items, places, people, experiences, new knowledge or realisations etc... don't limit yourself there is always something to be grateful for even if its just that the day is over and a new one will begin!

  • What have you learnt from the year so far?

  • How have you limited yourself this year? What do you need to do to resolve this so you be in you full authentic expression?

  • What are you reaping? Is your harvest bountiful or lacking?

  • How has your shadow manifested this year and what have you learnt from it.

  • Write a letter yourself about what your dreams and hopes are for the coming year?

  • Write a letter to a lost loved one thank them for their time, tell them what has been happening in your life, write about good times your remember or anything your feel to say.

  • Write a story about and important occasion or lesson you learnt from an ancestor whom has transitioned or an elder in your family.

  • Write a biography of the year so far

  • Script your day! Write about your perfect day as if you have already lived are or currently living it. Be creative and go wild, let our imagination and soul guide you, you might be surprised what you learn about your wants needs needs!

  • Write a list of your positive and negative qualities, the next day explore this list what does it say to you about your hidden parts?

  • Write a list of your fears, now are they holding you back?


Read Ancient Mythology / Learn about the God & Goddess Archetypes...

Myths are so intertwined with our collective unconscious and the symbols in them often transcend culture, time and space. Read some of the myths and learn about the Deities connected to this time of year and see if you notice any similar themes in your own life story!


Some to get started with:


Persephone & Demeter


Persephone & Hades


Inannah's Decent to The Underworld (I wrote a blog about this here)


Isis & Osiris Myth


Isis & Nephtys


Even though Autumn is a season marking the shortening of our days and less sunlight, there so so much wisdom to be drawn from this season. Embrace the change and allow yourself to delve deep within as we journey towards the winter solstice, take stock of all you have learnt, reaped and gathered at this time. The autumn shades of gold, orange, brown and green reminds of the richness life has to offer, but also the beauty of letting go.









240 views0 comments

Commenti


Bronze-level-badge.jpeg
Silver-level-badge.jpeg
Gold-level-badge.jpeg

RASA

Reiki & Seichem Association 

iphm-logo-horizontal-trainingprovider.jpg
iphm-logo-square-therapist.png
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe Form

©2023 by Lianne Crawford | NATURAL MYSTIC l All  Rights Reserved

South London,  England, UK

bottom of page