Blessed Fall Equinox to you!
As the earth begins to move more inward as we approach the colder months, many of us may be hearing a call to do the same. Spring and Summer are such a time of growth, light, abundance and energy. As we move into Fall however we may notice less energy and a call to return home.
Fall is a time of stillness, metamorphosis and decay. Celebrating the Fall Equinox keeps these energies in mind.
Taking time to evaluate the last few months or year is vital when moving into the Fall months. So here are our favorite ways to celebrate and tune into the Fall Equinox.
1. Take inventory over the last few months
Traditionally, Mabon, or the Fall Equinox, was a time to feast on the harvests and look back on the year. Was it abundant and full of ease? Or was it difficult and a bit sparse? Applying this to all areas of your life - your relationships, career, hobbies, purpose etc. will help you identify what parts of your life are not working. The Fall Equinox can represent death, but in the extent of what could be allowed to die, or removed, from our lives.
A few years ago, I had created a successful photography business in Utah. I made a great career from it, but when I later moved to Michigan, I found that it no longer thrived. The work was no longer easy and it no longer brought me joy. I was stepping into this realm leading sacred women's retreats and circles and so I decided that something needed to die.
Like Dr. Pinkola Estes says in Women Who Runs With the Wolves, there is a life, death, life cycle. Things are alive and abundant, but then they may need to die in order for something else to bloom. Then we see life again.
So I decided to allow my photography career to die and I did it in a graceful way, simply no longer accepting clients and shutting down my website and Facebook page. And it felt so good. I now had time to focus on this realm, something that truly fills me with happiness.
Very often we have these careers or relationships that are just like this. We feel obligated to keep them because we've worked hard at it, but there comes a point where it no longer seems to work.
2. Feast!
Mabon is all about a time to celebrate the harvest and all of the blessings we have! So cook up some delicious food with a group of empowering women and enjoy this wonderful time. Focus on cooking with foods like apples, pomegranates, squash, turkey and pumpkin.
3. Create a Mabon Altar
Focusing on colors like red, orange and gold, create a sacred altar celebrating the Fall Equinox. Lay down an orange piece of fabric, gather a few yellow candles and place items like apples, leaves, feathers, crystals like red jasper and carnelian or whatever else inspires the Fall Equinox. Think colorful!
4. Invite in the Crone Energy
The Crone, or the Wise Old Woman, represents a time of coming inward and allowing what no longer serves us to die. The Crone represents the New Moon time and also the time from the Fall Equinox to Yule, or the Winter Solstice. This time of coming inward encourages lots of self care (time alone, massages, time with empowering women, hot baths etc.) and releasing of whatever is holding you back in life.
5. Release What Binds You
As you identify what is binding you in life or perhaps identifying what energetically needs to die or fall away from your life, you can hold a ceremony around that. Hold a fire ceremony outside where you write out what you are releasing and then throwing it into the fire or simply write out affirmations for what energy you are inviting in instead.
Joining together with a group of empowering women is a great way to celebrate this time and all of the wonders that Mabon holds. Take a couple hours in the next few days to tune into this energy. We bid farewell to Summer but look forward to all of the transformation and beauty of the Fall.
Blessed BE!
Photo by GoddessCeremony.com