Fall Into The Autumnal Equinox

The equinox of autumn arrives. It’s a time when most places on Earth will see approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. For a brief moment, light and dark hang in equal balance.

But, nature never stands still, and in the next breath, we begin the shift to shorter days and longer nights. The dark night reigns supreme until the winter solstice occurs when the light of day will assert its dominance once again.

We stand witness to a perpetual dance between light and dark, ceaselessly turning in a slow-motion tango, never letting go of one another.

Fall equinox, when light and dark hang in equal balance.

When Is The Fall Equinox

The fall equinox marks the symmetry between light and darkness. It’s a recognition of the day the sun crosses the celestial equator, signifying the transition from summer to fall.

“Because it takes the Earth about 365.25 days to orbit the Sun – (it’s why we have a leap year every 4 years) – the precise time of the equinoxes varies from year to year, usually happening around six hours later on successive years. On leap years, the date jumps back an entire day.”

— Melissa Breyer, Tree Hugger

In the Northern Hemisphere, the fall equinox occurs each year between September 21 to 23. Occasionally, it can fall on September 24. In 2019, we will mark the equinox on September 23.

“FALL WEATHER
It is the summer’s great last heat,
It is the fall’s first chill: They meet.”

— Sarah Morgan Bryan Platt

Falling Bits Of Color

Right on cue, with cooler temperatures and shortening days, the leaves begin to turn colors. They tumble to the earth and we tumble with them into our sweaters, boots and steaming mugs of coffee.

Just as the trees can’t hold on to their leaves, we, too, can’t hold on to summer. The brilliant colors of orange, red and gold carpet the earth and serve as a reminder to celebrate the changes.

Buried deep within the sap of the trees, the life flame remains. It curls up, sleeping, waiting until it is called forth by lengthening days and the warmth of spring.

Fall Meditations

Fall is a time to meet up with your inner self, a time for self-dialogue. As we shift into autumn, we set our intentions and open ourselves to receive the darkening days and falling leaves. Cooler weather encourages moments of contemplation with expanding awareness the balance of dark and light in the equinox. Our meditation supports the light within us that is always there even in the darkest of times.

The Autumnal Equinox

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to welcome the fall equinox. We bid adieu to our summer harvest with its abundance of fruits and vegetables. Hot, lazy days become a thing of the past.

It's time to wave goodbye to our early morning light and long evenings of daylight. We prepare ourselves to wake up in the dark for work. Somehow it seems terribly uncivilized to have to get up before even the sun has agreed to do so.

Sweaters And Falling Leaves

While we miss the longer days and abundance of the farmers market, the cooler weather is welcomed as we snuggle into chunky sweaters. It's time to tuck into a big chair with a steaming cup of cinnamon-flavored tea. Time to enjoy the nip in the air as we warm our fingers on hot cups of coffee.

Activities take on a slow, bossa nova rhythm – a softer, more contemplative beat. Now we linger as we stroll on a path of falling leaves. Armed with a good book, we tuck ourselves into a corner of the couch. No need to feel guilty about it.

Hearts in the Wind