Fall Equinox

Fall is Arriving at Last

It is indeed lovely to see the whisper thin winter grasses and tiny seedlings emerging. The leaves are thinning, and soon they will begin to change. A welcome Fall is upon us and these days seem pleasant and restful after the hurried pace of summer. Monday the Fall Equinox quietly arrived. It is one of the four great solar festivals of the year and for a few moments in time, the Earth was balanced equally with both day and night. As the clock tick-tocked the change ensued, and from now until spring each day will bring less light and the darkness will deepen.

For our ancestors who depended upon daylight or candlelight to perform each everyday task, this seasonal change was notable. In days past, when any excuse for a celebration was in order, there were great festivities surrounding this Equinox. In Great Britain the time of the Autumn Equinox was the time of the Feast of Michaelmas, a day to honor the Archangel Michael, the most favored warrior of God. This was a day of feasting, hospitality, forgiveness, and a day for the settling rents and accounts.

In both Greek and Roman mythology the beautiful young daughter of a goddess must reside with the King of the Underworld for this half the year. Her Mother is bereft and the world becomes barren as she mourns her child… when her daughter returns in Spring the land once again comes to verdant life. At this time the ancient Greeks had a Festival dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, who had gifted mankind with the art of winemaking. In his honor men of Athens carried vines heavy with grapes as an offering while a Priestess mixed sacred wine with water to be given to the masses from a single cup.

In China Fall Equinox is known as the Moon Festival and celebrates the abundance of the Summer's harvest with moon cake which is filled with lotus, sesame seeds, and dried fruit. In Japan a week of Buddhist services is observed during both the September and March equinoxes. Called Higan, which means ‘other shore’, the September equinox is the time spirits of the dead reach Nirvana and the living visit, clean and decorate their graves in remembrance of them. *Both Fall and Spring Equinox  have been Japanese National Holidays since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

As Fall darkness begins to deepen, our days become cool, and our evenings become sweater-worthy, enjoy these fabulous Fall days… they will pass in but an instant.

*Photo: The change!