On a physical level, the Autumn Equinox is a reminder to celebrate the Harvest, to tend to our crops and prepare for the dark days of winter ahead. After this day, when the light and dark share equal space in the heavens, in the northern hemisphere days grow short and the darkness lingers. This occurs twice during the calendar year, the spring, and fall.
From a spiritual perspective it is the time to Reap what you have sown, but what does that mean? As you awakening and align to your magnetic north, you may find yourself naturally responding to the subtle changes in the air.
You may find yourself naturally cleaning house – tending to your yard – throwing away things that no longer serve you – and dreaming of old relationships and situations. This time of harvesting our crops and moving into darkness provides a chance to look at the dual nature of our own lives.
1. Reap what you have Sown. Some years you will harvest a bountiful crop. Perhaps children will be born, a book you’ve been writing for years will be published, you will enjoy a fulfilling career, or bask in the safety and joy of a new home. During a cleansing cycle, you may be harvesting a fallow field. What you reap is a field ready to plant.
4. Focused Intention for Inner Work. Rituals are important, as they are rooted in your DNA and personal history. Create a ceremony that works for you. Call to the darkness and embrace its wisdom. When we do this while we are awake, spiritual knowledge is always forthcoming.5. Everything must Die before being reborn. In indigenous cultures, the people understood we die many times in our lives. Cycles come to natural closes, relationships end, and jobs are complete. The spiritual warrior faces death squarely in the jaw. With this death, the final breath is no longer stalking you, and you are free to live.
6. Unity of Community. The ancient ones understood the difficulty of surviving the harsh winter, and believed that celebrating the fall harvest unified the group into one heart and mind. During these times when destructive forces of nature pounded villages, the inhabitants stayed strong once awakened to the power of prayer that is available when coming together as a community.
Start with the knowledge that this Fall Equinox is the perfect time for you to start planning for the coming growing season. Do not waste your time with a new year’s resolution that you cannot possibly keep while hibernating. Begin now to take care of the seeds you have harvested this year. Put them into a safe place, away from the winds of change, and allow yourself time to prepare for the restful days ahead.
