Autumn Equinox – Learn rituals and give thanks for the abundance in your life

O autumn equinox it is a phenomenon where nights and days are exactly the same. It also marks the change of season. The day of the Equinox is exactly the first day of Autumn.

Technically speaking, the equinox occurs when the sun is directly aligned with the equator.

It always occurs in March in the Southern Hemisphere and in September in the Northern Hemisphere, but the date varies from year to year.

Understand this phenomenon better, see what to expect from it and how it is celebrated by different peoples and religions.

What is Autumnal Equinox?

Equinox is a combination of the Latin word “aequus”which means “equal”and the word “nox” that means “night”. So Equinox means “Equal Nights”.

It marks the time when day and night are of equal length, each 12 hours long.

We have two equinoxes during the year: the Autumnal Equinox, which marks the transition from summer to autumn, and the Spring Equinox, which occurs when winter ends and spring arrives.

The date of the Autumnal Equinox changes from year to year, as the year does not have exactly 365 days. This causes the equinox time to have an 18-hour shift, causing this date shift.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the Autumnal Equinox occurs in March 20th or 21st of each year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it takes place on the 22nd or 23rd of September of each year.

Only on the dates of the equinoxes does the Sun rise exactly in the East and set in the West. On the other days of the year, it rises and sets a little further south and north.

Autumn Equinox in Astrology

For Astrology, both the equinoxes and the solstices speak of the Earth’s relationship with the Sun.

Each of the equinoxes and solstices correspond to one of the four cardinal signs of the zodiac. These cardinal axes are very important in Astrology.

They have powerful angles that are points of energy manifestation. In the Astral Map, these points trigger the main events of our life.

The Autumnal Equinox specifically begins between the 20th and 21st of March and marks the beginning of a new astrological year. On that day, the Sun enters the first degrees of Aries, the first sign of the zodiac.

Thus, we associate the Autumnal Equinox with a new beginning. It marks the death of the old and the rebirth of the new. Close to this date, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter, is also celebrated.

Autumn Equinox – Spiritual Meaning

Nature lives in cycles: to be born, to grow, to germinate, to die. And the changes of seasons are key points in these cycles. Ancient cultures saw in these moments of sudden change a more powerful and profound message for humanity.

So, in these cultures, each change of season marked by the Autumn Equinox, Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice brings a new spiritual journey for each of us.

Following this line of reasoning, autumn represents the harvest time of year. It’s time to recognize all the abundance that life has brought us.

To give thanks for all these blessings, you can perform rituals or just light a candle. Spend a few days in silence and rest and then begin your new spiritual cycle.

Autumn Equinox in Shamanism

In shamanism, the Autumnal Equinox is a time of transformation. Shamans perform rituals to help people reach the divine.

Shamanic healing groups are usually held with a focus on awakening one’s highest purpose.

In these rituals, participants are supported in their process of releasing whatever is blocking their path to achieving a greater goal in any area of ​​life, be it financial, emotional or physical.

Wiccan Autumn Equinox

In Wiccan traditions, the Autumnal Equinox is a time to give thanks for the graces received, for the bountiful harvests of our lives.

At this time of year, Wiccans perform the mabon, mid-harvest festival. The festivity is a way of honoring the change of season and celebrating the harvest.

The gifts of the earth are celebrated and there is also the acceptance that the soil will begin to die until the planting season arrives again.

Therefore, the Autumnal Equinox is a period of balance and reflection. Therefore, we have brought below some rituals that you can perform to commemorate the day and give thanks for the blessings received.

Autumn Equinox Rituals

Some ancient peoples performed rituals at the Autumnal Equinox to celebrate and thank the harvest.

Mabon Ritual

The name Mabon comes from a Celtic god, the God of Love. It is the Thanksgiving day of the pagan people. See some celebrations held at Mabon.

food donation

As a time of thanksgiving, Wiccans believe that Mabon is a good time to help those less fortunate.

Thus, they usually hold a dinner for family and friends to celebrate the abundance and ask that each guest bring a non-perishable food. The food collected is donated to some institution or shelter.

Typically, for these Ritual of Mabon meetings, Wiccans make an altar consisting of a ten-foot-diameter circle on the floor. To decorate, balls, pine cones, white roses, marigold, thistle, cereal grains, fruits, vegetables and bell are used.

Flowers are arranged in bouquets or garlands for the altar and in wreaths to be placed on the head. Salt is sprinkled inside the circle and, with a holy ceremonial sword or stick, the circle is drawn.

This is how gratitude begins for the bountiful harvest and protection is asked for loved ones, in addition to the old and sick.

Ritual of the apples

Apples are one of the symbols of the Mabon season. This fruit is often related to wisdom and magic. So many people spend the day of the Autumnal Equinox in an apple orchard with their family.

With each apple picked from the tree, family members thank Pamona, goddess of fruit trees. Many pick extra fruit to take home and save for the next few months.

thanking the blessings

On the day of the Autumnal Equinox, another Mabon Ritual is to make a list of things for which we are grateful. According to Wicca, gratitude brings abundance into our lives.

Autumn Equinox Purification Ritual

Another powerful ritual to do at the Autumn Equinox is the Ritual of Purification.

Step 1

Before starting the ritual, reflect on what you need to cleanse in your life or what you need to free yourself from. Determine a purpose for the ritual.

step 2

Take a bell and chime 11 in each corner of your house. As you chime in, invoke positive energies into your home.

The corners of the house are the places where energies tend to stagnant, as well as negative thoughts and illnesses.

step 3

After ringing every corner of every room in your house, shake your body energetically for a while. Stir the whole body.

As you do this, take a deep breath and slowly slow down your movements until you stop.

step 4

At the end of step 3, take deep breaths and feel all the energy circulating through your body.

step 5

To keep all this positive and protective energy inside your home, decorate your home with sacred objects, crystals, incense, baguas and plants.

Want to create your own ritual to do on the Autumnal Equinox? take the course “Creating your ritual”. In it, you will learn:

• Basic concepts of magic;
• Magic energy sources;
• Ethics in the practice of magic;
• Magical correspondences;
• How to structure rituals;
• baths;
• Tips;
• spells.

Plus, when you buy the course, you get:

• E-books “The meaning of dreams” and “Moon magic”;
• Discount of R$ 20.00 when making an appointment with an psychic;
• Complete Astral Map, in PDF format;
• Various PDF materials with explanations and tables of magical correspondences.

In the video below, specialist Brendan explains better how the course works.