Rituals For the Autumn Equinox
Did you know that the Autumn Equinox happened over the weekend? (Saturday, September 23 at 12:50am mountain) Happy Fall! If you’re anything like me, the cooler mornings, changing leaves, and pumpkin spice flavors are bringing you some great joy! (If you missed it, you can read my article on the importance of joy here.)
One of the frameworks I like to share with the women I work with is the concept of ‘living in sync with the rhythms of nature.’ Since it’s now officially fall, I wanted to share some ways that I like to celebrate the season with joy, while also aligning myself with the season from a well-being perspective.
What Is The Autumn Equinox?
Autumn Equinox is a time of year where day and night are exactly equal. It marks the beginning of fall, which lasts until the Winter Solstice (December 21st). Many cultures and religions celebrate holidays around the Autumn Equinox.
In America, we celebrate Thanksgiving and Halloween during the Fall season, holidays with roots from various culturally and religiously significant rituals.
In Japanese buddhism, the spring and autumnal equinoxes are marked by a holiday called Higan, which includes the equinox as well as three days before and after the equinox. This is a time known for reflection and remembering the dead.
The pagan holiday Mabon is a mid-harvest festival celebrated in community with feasts, dancing, and rituals to channel the new energy of the changing seasons.
Here are some themes and rituals that can help you celebrate and sync yourself up with the energy of the season:
Harvest & Abundance
Theme: Fall is a time of harvest - reaping the rewards of the seeds that were planted in the Spring, and the hard work and energy of the Summer. It is a great time to celebrate the abundance in your life, reflect on the seeds you planted in the Spring (new endeavors, hobbies, jobs, projects) and celebrate the hard work you put into producing the fruit of your labor. Thanksgiving takes place in the Fall for this very reason - it is a ritual for us to celebrate abundance, feel gratitude, and enjoy the fruits of our labor together.
Ritual: Spend 3 minutes writing down all the “seeds” that you planted in the Spring. Do not stop writing for 3 minutes. Next, spend 3 minutes writing down all the things that you did to help those seeds grow in the summer. Do not stop writing for 3 minutes. Finally, spend 3 minutes writing down what you’re celebrating, how you’re reaping the rewards, and what you’re grateful to yourself for. Do not stop writing for 3 minutes. BONUS: Host a fall dinner or afternoon tea to celebrate together in community and take others through this journaling exercise.
Cooler Weather, Warmer Foods
Theme: The weather is beginning to cool, and our bodies are craving more warming foods and spices. The iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte is such a phenomenon because it goes along with this natural rhythm.
Ritual: Enjoy warming drinks such as bone broth, spicy teas or golden milk. Spend some time cooking soups, stews, and roasts. I’ve included a paleo-friendly pumpkin spice latte recipe for those who are craving a PSL but don’t feel good with the full-dairy and sugar version from certain coffee companies.
Paleo-Friendly PSL Recipe:
8oz hot coffee
4oz coconut milk
1 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp maple syrup or 1 scoop stevia
1/4 tsp vanilla
Whisk together the ingredients in a small pot on the stovetop until well-combined and heated through. Add a dollop of whipped coconut milk/cream or frothed non-dairy creamer with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to garnish.
Slowing Down
Theme: The pace of life naturally feels slower as Summer plans come to an end, the days are shorter, and the weather is cooler. You are no longer as busy as you were in the Spring and Summer, so you have more space to feel things and reflect - so be gentle with yourself.
Ritual: Reflect on one thing in your life that you use to keep yourself busy, avoid feeling things, escape, etc. Once you have identified it, commit to removing it from your life for at least 1 week. During that week, be mindful of what comes up for you, and sit with the emotions. Breathe into them, give them space. You can use the David R. Hawkins technique for letting go. This 4 minute video has a great explanation of the technique. Continue to practice slowing down, planning less, and creating more space for leisurely activities during this time of year.
Death & Decay
Theme: It is a time of death - we celebrate All Hallow’s Eve and Dia De Los Muertos during this season because the Earth is going through a decaying process before Winter. Leaves are falling off trees and preparing the earth for the creation of the spring. The changing season is a good time to cleanse the body and mind of the clutter from the past few seasons and restore yourself to balance to prepare your “soil” for winter and spring.
Ritual: Take some time for a spiritual and physical cleanse of toxic substances, ideas, and emotions by participating in an Ayurvedic cleanse. One of my favorite Ayurvedic practitioners is Kael Balizer. She runs Spring & Fall Ayurvedic cleanses and is a very nurturing resource - I will be doing her Fall cleanse this year and I look forward to the 15-day reset.
Whether you take on some of these rituals or create some of your own, the point is to start aligning your body, mind and soul with the rhythms of the Earth. It takes courage and tenacity to build a life that takes cues from Mother Nature instead of what’s “normal” in our society. You can trust Mother Nature - she won’t lead you astray.
