On September 22nd our night and daylight hours are nearly exactly the same length – 12 hours – all over the world. We know this as the equinox, which literally means 'equal night' in Latin (equi – equal, and nox – night). The Autumn Equinox (or Spring for the Southern Hemisphere), is an extremely powerful shifting point for our seasonal cycles and has been celebrated for thousand of years, as we honour the cycles of the Earth. Many know this celebration as Mabon, the mid-harvest festival, which is a time to celebrate what we have harvested, and also take stock of what we are ready to release.
"This energetic portal allows us access to a potent energy source, when harnessed correctly this source can really assist you in your energetic shift and allow you to focus your course for the timeline ahead."
How do we do this? You may ask, it is done with intention first and foremost, drawing focus to what we want to create, and learning to integrate that which has been holding us back so far. When you combine this intention and clarity of mind with a physical ritual you magnify the energies you are working with by including the physical realm, your body, and by embodying the shifts you want to create within your world.
Below is a beautiful ritual suggestion to celebrate the energies of Mabon (21st - 29th Sept), and the Autumn Equinox - 22nd Sept.
Mabon Ritual
You will need:
2 Rosy Apples
Himalayan Salt Crystals
Wheat/Pampus Grass
Warm coloured Crystals
Smudging Sticks
Soil & Plant pot
Pen & Paper
Candles
Instructions:
1) Light the candles and set up your space/altar. You may choose to cast a circle of protection around you with the salt and/or crystals, or simply create a beautiful shrine to your intentions that can stay in place over the next few days. The key is to allow your inner child to come out and play! This is not meant to be serious, the more joy you bring into it the better!
2) Place your ingredients in whichever way you feel they should be placed - trusting your intuition. We will be offering the wheat/grass and the apples as a representation of the positive energies and lessons we have mastered over the past few months.
3) Light the candles and smudge your space, clearing away any negative energies with intention and with the movement of the smoke (if inside, be sure to leave a window or door open).
4) Send your gratitude and blessings into the offerings in the centre of your ritual space, and really magnify the feelings of all that you have achieved and all that you are thankful for at this time. These can be big or small - but be sure to recognise as many as you can. You may choose to write these down in your journal and take some time to really ruminate and celebrate how far you have come.
5) Cut the apples in half and remove the seeds, these are an important part of the ritual, so make sure you don't damage them! Once removed, you may take a small, mindful bite of your apple, and if sharing this ritual with others, offer the apple to each one as a representation of being able to receive the fruits of your labour.
6) Now write down all that you wish to create in the next phase of the year, and your life going forward. Take the seeds and bless them by sending these intentions into them, then plant them knowing that you have planted the seeds of your future manifestations, and trusting that they will grow in the perfect way for you, in divine timing. Each time you water these seeds, focus on magnifying your intentions, and bringing light into them as they grow.
7) Infuse your crystals with that beautiful abundant energy that you have just called forth, and set the intention that they will carry this vibration for you over the coming months. Warm coloured crystals such as Citrine and Orange Calcite carry a beautiful, sensual frequency, connected to the Sacral chakra. They harness your inner creativity and allow you to express it to the world with vitality and passion. Allow yourself to dream with these crystals, without limitation, and trust that abundance will be born into your reality with their reassuring assistance.
8) If you wish to take your ritual deeper, it is now time to go within, to the breath, focusing on the body, and asking for any shadow that is holding you back to become visible to you. This may happen immediately through a knowing, words, or a vision, or it may be shown to you in the coming days. Have faith that whatever comes up to be seen, you are ready to deal with, and it is all serving your highest good.
Autumn is a time of letting go, releasing and preparing ourselves for the winter months where we go within, and hibernate (The Hermit) in order to really illuminate our inner world, and allow ourselves to come out the other end into far more light. Trust in the process, enjoy each step of the journey.
Let me know how you get on,
Autumn Equinox Blessings!