The Gathering Place ( Modalities of Divination )
Happy #Autumnal Equinox Eve!
The Autumn Equinox, the first day of Autumn arrives Sunday morning, September 22, 2024, at 8:44 AM EDT, coinciding with the Sun entering the Cardinal sign of Libra, who officially heralds the season of Autumn. This also considered the Pagan Thanksgiving called Mabon. I wrote about that yesterday and it can be accessed here: inspiritualservice.com/beliefs-1
While not a directly observable phenomenon, the second equinox of the year is characterized by equal amounts of day and night world.
During this time, the Sun shines directly over the equator, dousing both hemispheres with equal amounts of sunshine. The first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere, the September Equinox – called the “Autumnal ( or fall ) Equinox” in the northern hemisphere and the “Vernal Equinox” in the southern hemisphere – signals the point where earth experiences roughly equal lengths of day and night.
The Moon that occurs closest to this equinox is called "Harvest Moon", which burgeoned Tuesday and rose around sunset for several nights in a row this week. Traditionally, the Moon rises an hour later each night; however, around the time of the equinox, the angle of the Moon's orbit and tilt of the earth align, causing the Moon to arise earlier to provide extra light for farmers to harvest their crops.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the fall equinox has been a day of celebration for cultures since ancient days. People tracked the transitions of the Earth’s journeys around the Sun.
Here's a wonderful article about 6 Ancient Sites Aligned with the Solstice and Equinox:
https://www.almanac.com/content/ancient-sites-aligned-solstice-and-equinox
My ascendant ( rising sign ) is Libra, and I view this equinox as a precursor to the astrological sign of harmony and balance. This liminal gateway invites us to examine these aspects within ourselves as we prepare to submerge into our own shadows in hopes of healing old wounds.
"The shadow," is a term coined by Swiss Psychoanalyst Carl Jung as the wounded or rejected part of ourselves. This is where Chiron, the wounded healer comes into play, and why I post so much about it.
The shadow is a cellar for repressed memories and/or the emotions associated with those memories. It can also include behaviors that didn't highlight our finest moments. It's the side of us or the face we'd rather not show the world, especially when attempting to make a good impression.
This is nothing to be intimidated by. On the contrary, it's actually a blessing that enables us the downtime we need, i.e. - shorter days, to integrate this shadow until, like nature, we are a balance that can emerge into the light fully healed.
I know many of you have your own personal rituals to observe on this equinox; however, I thought I'd share mine in the equinox post on my site so this post doesn't get too long!
http://inspiritualservice.com/beliefs-1
Blessed & beautiful equinox ritual to you each. May you discover peace, balance, and comfort in the dark.
#art Shelley Garcia
#inspiritualservice #astrology #astrologer #inspiritualserviceastrology #equinox #autumn #autumnalequinox #fallequinox #vernalequinox
