Fall Equinox Mysteries - Find Your Inner Inspiration Now

Fall Equinox is a traditional time of thanksgivingrest periods, that allow you to assimilate, review, and
celebrations around the world. Fall is the time ofincorporate your experiences of the past. The Corn
harvesting, and also the time to take stock of whatMaiden (Changing Woman) is a Native American story
you harvest personally. If your returns this seasonof changing life cycles. These are insights into the
are not what you hoped, now is the time to reflect,power and wisdom of this time.
find your balance and look for what within you mustWorldwide Fall Equinox Traditions
change to assure greater success in the coming year.The Fall Equinox is also known as the first day of
Join in the flow of the times and add yourautumn: Harvest Home, Harvest Tide, Mabon, Alban
appreciation for all you've experienced and receivedElfed, Autumn Equinox, Autumnal Equinox,
this past year - and your Joyful expectations for theCornucopia, Feast of Avilon, Festival of Dionysus,
coming year. You are setting your own future inNight of the Hunter, Second Harvest Festival, Wine
motion now with a potent surge of energy duringHarvest, and Witch's Thanksgiving.
the transition point. Don't miss it. Very soonThe first cusp of Libra was the Fall Equinox term
everything changes.used by navigators and astrologers. It is the turning
From the Equinox forward, the night's lengthen andpoint, astrologically, from Virgo to Libra, symbolized
the days shorten. All of life turns within. You areby the scales, for balance.
moving from your more "Yang" masculine, action"It was Indian summer,a bluebird sort of day aswe
oriented self, into the realms of the inner-world, thecall it in the north,warm and sunny, withouta breath
"Yin" and your feminine, intuitive, receptive, creativeof wind;the water was sky-blue,the shores a bankof
self.solid gold."
Fall Equinox: Science FactsSigurd F. Olson
"Autumn" is a derivative of the Latin "autumnus."Native American's honor this time of harvest with
Equinox literally means "equal night." Day and night arefeasting, bonfires, as well as drumming, dancing,
each 12 hours, and the sun rises in true east and setsstory-telling and various traditions from different
in true west. The Sun appears to "stand still" andtribes. The Chumash month of Hutash is a Fall
finds balance before continuing. After the EquinoxEquinox Sun ceremony celebrated during September.
you view the most rapid change in the Sun'sHarvest Home
apparent motion.European harvest rites revolved around the end of
"Everyone must taketime to sit and watchthe leavesthe grain harvest. In rural England, the Harvest Home
turn."was celebrated on the last day of bringing in the
Elizabeth Lawrenceharvest. The "Harvest Queen" was a doll made of
As the nights lengthen and cool, the trees changethe last sheaf of the harvest, tied with ribbons, and
into their Fall colors. The time of harvest is the timecarried home to save for the following Spring planting.
of gathering in fruits, vegetables and grains forShe was believed to hold the "life force" for
Winter. The abundant harvest is symbolized by theabundance in the next crops.
horn of plenty or the cornucopia overflowing with FallA harvest supper was a dinner of thanksgiving and
bounty and huge feasts, music and dancing.celebration. The home was decorated with wheat
The Fall Equinox, in the Northern Hemisphere, is thesheaths bundled together or corn stalks, wicker
point at which the Sun appears to cross the celestialcornucopias filled with fruits and nuts, gourds,
equator from north to south. In the Southernpumpkins, acorns and grapes.
Hemisphere, the opposite is seen, and there it is theThe Druids celebrate Mea'n Fo'mhair
time of Spring Equinox.The Fall Equinox is a time to give thanks to The
The equinoxes are points moving in a westwardGreen Man or the God of the Forest. Offerings from
direction known as the "precession of the equinoxes."the harvest of herbs, ciders, and wines were given
It takes 25,800 years for the equinoxes to passto the trees, his consorts, and in his honor. The tree
through all the constellations of the zodiac. That timeis a symbol for the divine feminine and as the tree
period is noted historically in the Vedic and Mayansheds it's leaves - it turns inward, into the realm of
texts as prophesizing great worldwide changes...Likethe Goddess.
the Age of Aquarius.The Celtic Festival of Samhain
Fall Equinox in story and myth.The ancient Celtic peoples occupied much of
Stories and myth are the histories of a culture -Northern Europe including parts of France, Wales,
some from religious texts and some from verbalScotland, Ireland and England, as well as many
traditions. The truths, wisdom and teachings of theoutposts in adjoining regions. The fire festival of
time are embedded within parables, songs andSamhain was the origin of many modern day
dances. The Wheel of the Solar Seasons has turned,Halloween customs and marked the end of autumn
cycling through another year once again. Your time isand the beginning of winter.
circular not linear, there is no end without new"Listen!
beginnings, and no new beginnings that will not end. ItThe wind is rising,and the air is wildwith leaves,we
is the Flow of Good Fortune to an ever-expandinghave had oursummer evenings,now for October
future, and the flow of life eternal.eves!"
Stories and Myths of the inward journeyHumbert Wolfe
There are many wisdom teachings that tell of theOn the Eve of Samhain, October 31st, the separation
same inward journey, and all are around the Fallbetween this world and the "other realms" was
Equinox. They are from different cultures and timespenetrable. Witches flew on broomsticks, and fairies,
and yet speak of the same cycle. An example is theghosts, ghouls, and hobgoblins roamed the earth.
myth of Persephone.The hidden inner Wisdom
The Greek Goddess PersephoneSamhain is also known as the season of gateways.
In Greek mythology, Persephone (Kore or Cora) wasFor the initiate, the festivities also marks the 3 day
the embodiment of Mother Earth's fertility - and atportal to both the future and the past. Samhain is a
the same time - she was the Queen of themystical path to the inner mysteries of the god and
Underworld.goddess within each person. In addition, it is the
The story: Persephone, the daughter of Earth Mother"thinning of the veil" or a gateway between the
Demeter, is abducted and becomes the wife ofrealm of the living to that of the dead. The shaman
Hades who governs the underworld. In Demeter'sand medicine people of many native traditions share
anguished seeking her daughter, she withdrew fromthis wisdom and practice.
the earth (hence winter and the withering of theHalloween is a Samhain adaptation.
crops) until Zeus ordered Hades to returnToday Celtic celebrations are observed worldwide.
Persephone. Hades tricked her into eatingThe custom of trick-or-treating and the symbols,
pomegranate seeds, which compels her to return toparties, fires and celebrations retain their popularity.
the underworld for a season each year.Fall Equinox Season - Blending the old with the new
Her myth explains the natural processes, with theRoman Catholics in Europe still remember their dead
descent and return of the goddess bringing about theancestors on All Saints Day, the first of November.
change of seasons. But there's more to the story.Bonfires continue to celebrate the end of the Fall
Mystical meaningsSeason. The Celtic custom of lighting fires on the Isle
Persephone is a Greek life-death-rebirth deity orof Man on Halloween continues today.
"resurrection" deity. She is a God who is born, suffers"The winds will blowtheir own freshnessinto you, and
a death-like experience, passes a time in thethestorms their energy,while cares will dropaway
underworld, and is then reborn.from you like theleaves of Autumn."
The Winter months (soon to come) are a time ofJohn Muir
"going into the inner or underworld" and there reigningJoin the festivities.
as the all powerful ruler. The mystery schools usedVisit Mother Nature in her leafy robes of gold, red
the seasons as imputes for change and personaland orange. Feel the changes in the season and in life.
growth. Like a god, you set your life in motion fromHarvest Festivals are a universal expression of the
your inner world - and what you imagine, dream anddesire to celebrate and give thanks for Mother
speak - comes to pass.Nature's abundance.
When Demeter and her daughter were united in theNow is the time to discover your own mystery and
Spring the Earth flourished with vegetation and color,wisdom.
but for some months each year, when PersephoneTake a moment and give your Attention to your
returned as Queen of the Underworld, the earthLife's path and purpose. If you want changes, now is
once again became barren. Those that stay on thethe time to reflect on your past and commit to
surface of life at Fall time, find their future barrendiscover new approaches to your future. It is in the
too.quiet and inward-time of Winter that your Wisdom
Some of the other traditional Fall stories include thewill surface as your Inspiration. Your wisdom then
victory over ignorance by the Vedic or Hindubecomes a part of who you are. Gather together
Goddess Durga; the Celtic or Wiccan story of Mabonyour experiences and prepare to go on an inward
reflects another time of balancing between thespiraling journey. In this way, you become the seeds
worlds of life and death, and of outer consciousnessof your own Good Fortune.
and inner knowing. Mabon tells of the necessity of