Secular Celebrations - Autumnal Equinox

Secular Celebrations - Autumnal Equinox

From there, we move into the fall and come to the Autumnal Equinox and my favorite time of year. September brings the second harvest - more fruit, lots of gourds, and the rest of those autumn vegetables. Of course, there are some plants that will continue on well into the winter, but this is when most of the produce comes off the vine, and we begin storing them up for the colder months. The year begins to slide more noticeably toward winter, the leaves start to turn, and when the equinox comes, the day and night are equal once again.

This is a time for restoring balance. If things are feeling off in your home or in your life, take steps to restore that equilibrium and re-establish your routines. Cleanse your home of any lingering “summer grump” and make sure you air the place out once the weather isn’t so blazingly hot. I mean, who doesn’t love a bit of fresh autumn air in the house, especially when it has that little tinge of burning leaves to it? Mm, chef kiss, perfection. I mean, in 2020, we’re all sick of that because of the wildfires, but STILL. Do that end-of-summer cleanout, get ready for back-to-school if you have little ones, and start changing out your wardrobe.

There’s still time for a bit of last-blast outdoor fun, if you’re so inclined. Provided that the weather cooperates, you might plan one more beach day or camping trip or afternoon at the lake. Visit a farmer’s market or a harvest festival and have some fun. Visit that pick-your-own-produce farm again and bring from some seasonal fruits and veggies. I love apple-picking at this time of year, and it’s probably the thing I miss most about living in Pennsylvania. (Also, Stayman Winesaps are the tastiest apples on earth, and nothing you can say will change my mind.)

Go on a walk or a drive to view the changing leaves. Oh, and mark the day you first see leaves starting to turn. That’s a fun thing I do every year, I call it Turning Day. If there are maple trees in your area, those will probably be the ones that change first, so look for those. You can use fall foliage, acorns, and gourds to start decorating your home - real or silk, whatever works best for you.

This is another big holiday for bonfires as well - honestly, bonfires are pretty much part of ALL the holidays, they’re just fun - so if you can attend one or have one safely, that’s something to consider. Or maybe just have one more picnic or cookout before the weather turns too chilly for it to be feasible. Have a fall feast for your near-and-dear with lots of lovely seasonal produce and pies, maybe a roast fowl or brisket or fish, whatever you like best.

Speaking of food, this is my baking season. It’s finally cool enough to have the oven going without suffocating myself in the heat or running up a four-figure energy bill trying to keep the indoor temperature manageable. So if you’re a fan of baking, why not give that a try? There are plenty of recipes to choose from, like soda bread, pumpkin bread, spice cake, maple cookies, and so on.

Keep that sense of community going by making a little bit extra and sharing it with friends and neighbors. Some people do their autumn feasting around the equinox instead of in November, when Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. There is a holiday in September called Harvest Home that directly corresponds to this, so if you’d rather skip Thanksgiving but you still want to feast, that’s something to look into.

Start stocking your shelves for the winter too. Put up pickles and preserves. Refresh your canned goods and non-perishables, maybe save a few bottles of whatever libations you made earlier in the year. If you have kids, celebrate the idea of this gathering-in with a scavenger hunt. Have them help you find signs of autumn or needful items for the pantry.

As the year turns and the harvest comes in, meditate upon your own personal harvest. This might be a journaling activity. You’ve sown, you’ve tended, you’ve reaped. Now what is your harvest? What have you learned from the year? What abundance has entered your life? What have you lost? What surprised you? What didn’t go quite as you planned? What are you thankful for? What do you regret?

Meditate also upon the balance in your life. Do things FEEL balanced? Or are they out of whack? If so, how can you address this? Do you feel you need to change things, or is it more prudent to let them reach equilibrium on their own? What outside factors are affecting that balance, and what can you reasonably affect on your own?

- Hex Positive, Ep. 011 - Secular Celebrations (November 01, 2020)

Other Posts In This Series:

Imbolc

Spring Equinox

Beltane

Midsummer

Lughnasadh

Autumn Equinox

Samhain

Yule

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Actual everyday "witchy" habits

I've seen some lists around the website, but they're too fancy for me. Here are things I actually do everyday.

🌱First thing, open all the blinds for the plants.

☕Put cinnamon in my coffee filter (not in the cup itself, it blends better this way).

📿Wear 2 charms currently. One for general soothing & protection, the second to find a new job.

🃏Bring some magical item with me, like cards, potion, crystals, herbs, book. Even if I don't use it, it keeps my mind at a better place.

🌳Take the path with the most trees. I try to take the path that will provide me with more nature & sunshine, to & from work.

📜Try to learn one thing. Either I scroll witchy media or read a page or two. It's usually one small new fact.

📔Easy journaling. Journal entries of only a few lines, multiple times a day. One thought, one entry.

No pressure. Also drink water 🥤

tip jar

⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚

Altar Ideas for Jesus ♡

~Crosses

~Bloodstone

~Bible

~Dove imagery

~Selenite

~Rosary

~Candles (I'd say white or gold would maybe be best suited but any are fine!)

~Art (bought or made, I'm sure he'd absolutely love your own personal crafts!)

~Holy water

~Wine

~Chalice

⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚ ౨ৎ⊹ ‧₊˚

Ways to Celebrate Pretty Much Every Pagan Holiday

(And most of these work no matter how discreet you have to be!)

Food- No holiday is complete without a feast! Have a potluck, try a new recipe in the kitchen, or just contemplate your usual dinner and be thankful that you have food. Lots of sabbats have popular recipes or ingredients that you could try making, or incorporate those types of foods into your meals.

Spend Time Outdoors- Have a picnic, go on a walk, or just sit on a chair and observe nature for a little while. Feel the air and observe how the seasons have changed.

Pay it Forward- Celebrate family, do something nice for your friends, or volunteer in your community.  Go out and help people. ‘Tis the season!

Clean and Cleanse- A lot of holidays focus on some type of new beginnings. Clean your space and cleanse yourself of any residual energies you may be holding onto. Getting everything tidy and organized is a great way to give yourself a foundation for the coming year, no matter when that year begins!

Self Reflect- Think about where you were 365 days ago. How much you’ve grown, what you’ve gained and lost, what lessons you have been taught. What are your goals for the future? What is your next step?

Regular Worship- If you have any deities that you regularly interact with, consider giving them an offering and thanking them for just being a part of your life.

Emoji spell for a healthy, safe, and happy home

🌸🏠🏡🏘🌆🌃💵💎🔨🧱🧻🛁🧼🚪🪑🛌🛋🌼🕊🧶 🧘🏼‍♀️🎮📿🧿💎🔮🙏🏿🌈✨🌤🕯🧯

🧿Like to charge, reblog to cast🧿

[image description: the bugs bunny in a tuxedo "I wish all (blank) a very pleasant (blank)" meme edited to say "I wish all of my Jewish followers a very pleasant rosh hashanah". In front of Bugs there is a jar of honey, a stack of apples and pomegranates. In front of bug's mouth there is a shofar.]