This Sunday the 23rd marks the Autumn Equinox, when the day and night are equally long. In pagan traditions, it is referred to as Mabon, a holiday recognizing the second harvest and the process of reaping the abundance of all the efforts made to grow food.
This time of year, for many people who live in areas like the Northeast that experience cold seasons, can trigger some melancholy as anticipation of dwindling daylight and cold temperatures begin. We are entering into a time of year that can cultivate deep sadness. But we also don’t necessarily live in a way that invites us to experience this season in a more productive way.
I think there is space to pull from ancient traditions and their rituals to help us make meaning in modern life as we pass through the seasons. In this space lies the opportunity to be connected to the gifts offered by the season transition, and focus less on the forthcoming losses which can fuel our sadness and disconnect.
This is your invitation to make some room in your life to connect more deeply with the gifts that nature brings us and the cyclical nature of life. I want to share some modern ways to intentionally welcome fall, rooted in the ancient traditions and rituals that were so deeply interwoven into our ancestors lives.
Honoring the Gifts of Mabon
The autumn equinox was always a time to honor the second harvest, to focus on gratitude for all that has been provided by the earth and to reap the rewards of hard work. It is also a time to reflect on the cyclical nature of life and our deep connection with nature.
Words like gratitude, gather, explore, reap, honor, and connection create a foundation for our mental and emotional focus.
JOURNALING PROMPTS
Changes in our lives often occur in sync with the cyclical changes of nature. Think of how things differ in our routines for the fall, how what we make time for may shift, and where we put our energy changes.
Grab a journal, a notebook or pull up a note in your phone and spend some time reflecting on these questions, designed to open the energy of the spirit of Mabon:
⁃ In this season of my life, what feels most abundant?
⁃ What am I most grateful for in my life right now?
⁃ What have I accomplished, changed or shifted this year that I am most proud of?
⁃ Where in my life do I feel most balanced? Where in my life would I like to cultivate better balance?
⁃ How can I be fully present for the gifts that this season brings?
ACTS OF PRESENCE
Engaging in activities or rituals that acknowledge the gifts of fall and allow us to be present with gratitude for them is a wonderful way to mark the autumn equinox. Here are some ideas for ways to make that happen that make sense in modern life.
⁃ make your favorite fall recipe using in season ingredients
⁃ Take a walk or hike and just notice the sights of nature shifting, the smells and temperature and feel of fall creeping in. Bring your kids! Ask them what they notice that is different?
⁃ Put away your summer clothes and get your favorite fall sweaters/hoodies out and accessible
⁃ Watch a favorite movie with fall vibes
⁃ Do some yard work to help you transition to the next season
⁃ Have dinner with family or friends and have everyone share what they are most grateful for
⁃ Add some fall decorations that bring you joy to your porch or house
⁃ Have a fire, invite some like minded friends and use the journaling questions above for some meaningful discussion
Every season, no matter the challenges also brings its gifts. Autumn offers us the opportunity to slow down, notice the beauty around us as the leaves change, and be grateful. Don’t under estimate the power of mindset to influence your moods and ability to cope in seasons that aren’t your favorite. Perspective is everything, and a tool we can cultivate so we can suffer less.
Cultivating a mindset that supports mental and emotional wellbeing around the challenges of season changes looks like:
⁃ finding the gifts that come with that season and noticing them rather than focusing on and complaining about the challenges it brings
⁃ attending events and creating rituals that allows us to delight in those changes
⁃ allowing our habits, activities, and hobbies change naturally
⁃ notice and interrupt complaining that serves to magnify challenges and ignore the gifts
Modern life does not naturally allow us the deep connection with nature and the gratitude and presence that comes with a life that does. We must find a way to intentionally cultivate it, if we want to live with more happiness and harmony and less suffering.
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