September Equinox
As the warmth of summer begins to wane, and the daylight
hours get shorter,we are reminded that the Equinox is not
far away. A day of equal day and equal night. Being
curious, I looked at how several traditions viewed this time
of year. Let me share some of these with you.
In the Greek tradition, this Equinox is the sign of Autumn.
It is when the Goddess Persephone leaves our world and her
mother Demeter, to return to the Underworld and her
husband, Hades. Persephone is both the Maiden and the
Queen, depending who she is with: her mother or
husband. Her lessons relate to personal power, birth, death
and rebirth. This is a good time to enact rituals for
protection and security. It is also a good time to reflect
upon successes and failures from the previous months.
The Buddhist celebration of Higan (or Higan-e) celebrates
the spiritual move from the world of suffering to the world
of enlightenment. The word "Higan" means "other shore"
and refers to spirits of the dead reaching Nirvana after
crossing the River of Existence. It is a time of year to
remember and honor the dead.
Pagans celebrate Mabon, one of eight Sabbats. It
celebrates the second harvest and beginning of winter
preparations. It is considered a time to respect the
impending dark while giving thanks to the sunlight.
Over time, Christians replaced the Pagan Equinox with
more Christianized observances. Michaelmas, which is the
Festival of Michael and All Angels, falls on September 29th.
This was thought close enough to the Equinox to be the
chosen celebration. Another name for this celebration is
"Festival of Strong Wills". It makes you wonder who or what
they really meant by this name!
Although not held on the Equinox, but rather on the Full
Moon, the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the
abundance of summer's harvest. The main food is called
Moon Cake, which is filled with lotus, sesame seeds, duck
egg or dried fruit. This food originated from the tradition of making offerings to the Sun in the Spring and the Moon in the
Autumn.
These are but a few of the ways the end of summer has been
celebrated. Create your own tradition to honor the changing
of the seasons.
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