Happy Autumn Equinox!
As I make it a point to celebrate each equinox and solstice of the year, I feel more in tune with the seasons and cycles of change.
Life is not linear; cycles help make sense of the darkness. Just like plants and trees, as humans, we also have dormant periods.
The culture of achievement does not always allow space for rest and reflection. By carving out time at each solstice and equinox, you can see how far you’ve come in the past 3 months. Tuning into the themes of each season allows permission to pause and reflect.
This Autumn Equinox falls on September 22. Equinoxes are a time of balance, when day and night are nearly equal. Autumn is a time of harvest from summer’s fruits, reflection, and preparation for the cold darkness of winter.
This year in particular when every day feels the same, when our nervous systems are deeply impacted by the events around us, I invite you to remember balance.
Below is a practice you might follow to celebrate the Autumn Equinox.
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First, set the mood. Dim the lights, spritz some warm scents into the air, put on soothing music, and sit in reflection with your journal.
Think about what autumn represents to you. What are you most excited about this season? Pumpkin spice chai? Fresh apples? Baking? Reading time? Cozy sweaters?
Think about what summer has given you. What represents your harvest from this year? Choose a few items that make you happy, symbolic to autumn and your personal harvest. Set them in front of you.
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Then, use these prompts to ease your transition from summer to fall:
1. Honor where you’ve been, and how far you’ve come. What can you celebrate about summer? What have you learned?
2. Let go of what no longer serves. What can you release to make room?
3. Find balance. Where has your energy been going? Where can you find balance between your heart’s desires and what is true now?
4. Offer gratitude. What are you grateful for?
5. Set intentions for the autumn season. (The next 3 months, until the winter solstice on December 21.) What do you call in, both for yourself, and the world, this autumn?
Happy equinox. May you have an abundant harvest. May you find balance. May you be in comfort and peace.