Equinox Celebration

September 20, 2014 — celebrations, Equinox, moon

fall colors

pumpkins in the house

The Fall Equinox is a time to reflect, budget, delete, and take stock of what we have.  In modern times our personal harvest is less crucial to our survival than it was hundreds of years ago.  We import and ship what we want all over the world.  Because so much of our food costs are transportation related this might be a time to take stock of what we have in our local market or garden that can be a substitute for imported or processed foods. We like convenience, but may be able to find  better priced locally made foods, goods, and services of superior quality.  We like to be served, but can save money and enhance creativity by doing more of our own food preparation and preservation.  It is time to create, prosper and appreciate.  Do you have practices to note the day when the whole world has an equal amount of darkness and light?  Normally the moon rises about 50 minutes later than the previous night.  On the equinox it rises only about 10 minutes later, and the effect is that of almost standing still for a few days.

In ancient Greece this time of year was the time for grand rituals known as the Eleusian rites.  From the equinox until the end of the month processions and rites to the goddess Demeter were performed.  The elaborate rites involved bathing in the sea, building an altar around a tree, blessing the earth with wine and special potions, and a giant party to honor Demeter, goddess of the earth.  Holy Night, on September 28, when the goddess Koré would turn from maiden to krone, and then into the young queen of the underworld.  Some of the celebrants were granted the chance to see their own deaths on the Holy Night in order to free themselves from fear of the afterlife.  The following day was a sports and games day before the final eighth day of the festival returns to solemn ritual to signify spiritual rebirth.  This was very different from football season or American festivities for fall because everything was viewed as sacred.  The rituals were believed to be an important spiritual gift to mankind.  Can you find a way to honor that seasonal shift in your life this year?  I would love to hear any ideas you have, gentle readers.  I believe we have instinctive spiritual patterns that evolve, but are also part of historical beliefs and rites.  We are still connected to Demeter even if we don’t know who she is.