The time of year has come around again when the seasons are changing from Summer to Autumn. I have to admit, like a father with his children I try not to have favourites when it comes to the times of the year because I strive for a balanced approach, but I do like the winds, the colours, the power and the beauty of the Autumn season. I think I have had some of my most profound experiences and fondest memories in the Autumn months.
In this post I want to report some of the ways in which other druids mark this time of the year, the associations they make, the rituals they do, but most importantly I want to report on how I have found that I can mark this passing from one season to the next. It was something that I learned very recently, the smallest merest thing, but it was so profound that I think it will probably become my way of noting this change every year from now on. Before I come to that, though, here are some ideas on what Autumn Equinox means.
What is Autumn Equinox?
These lovely people from all sorts of different areas of the druid craft have got their own ideas about what makes Autumn special. Here are some of the ideas I collected from a quick search on the subject:
“The turning point in this Lughnasadh season of the harvest, the autumn equinox is again a time when the day and night are of equal length. Occurring at some point between 20 – 23 September, it is known commonly by the Welsh/Brythonic Alban Elfed, pronounced elved, meaning ‘light of autumn’. Celebrating the end of the grain harvest, it is the festival of Harvest Home.” (Excerpt from Ritual by Emma Restall Orr)
“There is a distinct relationship between the Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael. This Archangel is the sword or spear wielding dragon slayer and his day is held on the 29th of September each year, this is one week after the Sidereal Equinox actually occurs. The new religion of the Catholic Church absorbed the existing traditions and their symbols. Archangel Michael replaced the Pagan God of Wotan in upper Europe, the temples of Wotan were on hilltops and there are churches on many of these hilltops today. There is a major earth energy line across northern France, southern England and the southwest of Ireland that is known today as the Michael and Mary Line and in Ireland off the coast of Kerry is the island hilltop temple called Skellig Michael or the Rock of Michael. The dragon being pinned by the spear / sword is the Earth Energy currents. ” (source: Celtic Druid’s School)
“To honour the dead, it was also traditional at Mabon to place apples on burial cairns, as symbolism of rebirth and thanks. This also symbolizes the wish for the living to one day be reunited with their loved ones. Mabon is also known as the Feast of Avalon, deriving from the meaning of Avalon being, ‘the land of the apples’. (source: New Age)
(all my emphasis)
Welcome in the Autumn
I have some suggestions as to what hedge druids might do in relation to the Autumn Equinox. The idea was given to me, quite literally dropped in my lap, so to speak, when I was meditating in Alderley Edge forest recently. I had in mind the question about what I should do to mark the changeover of seasons at Autumn. As I sat there a brown oak leaf fell onto the back of my hand and balanced there. No other leaf fell during the whole of my visit, but this one did. It was a sign. I interpreted the sign like this: to celebrate autumn, enact autumnal processes. I took the leaf with me and later stood on a cliff and dropped the leaf off it, expecting it to float serenely down to the floor. Actually, it floated some ten feet or more then landed on another oak leaf, just as it had done on my own hand an hour earlier. Again, I felt this was significant.
So, you want to celebrate autumn? Do something autumnal- drop leaves like a tree would, make cider from fallen apples, pick brambles and other fruits that only come to fruition at this time of year – I’m sure there are many things in your area that can only be done at this time of year. Find one. Do something with it in the name of welcoming in the new season. From my example you can see how simple that can be – I dropped a leaf. That’s it! Whilst doing it, though, I welcomed in the new season.
Looking back in anger
I am certainly better prepared for Autumn Equinox this year than I was last year. Last year I was angry to have been called away by work to have to be away from home and down in the south of England. However, it turned out alright. I drove for a couple of hours to reach Silbury Hill and, again angry at having to sneak around the hill because it is officially sealed off from the public, I did a little meditation on the top and was blown away by its powerful effects. No wonder it’s sealed off! Looking back at my summary of the year on the blog I noticed that I had reported being at Uffington for the 19th/20th August. True, but clearly that wasn’t the Autumn Equinox! How odd. Little mistakes. I do aim to rectify anything I find that’s reported incorrectly, and it’s why I like to write things up as quickly as possible to avoid such problems.
Looking forward in hope
For me, this year, the Autumn Equinox also means a change of “task”. You may remember that every eighth part of the year so far I have been assigned some directive or tasks to perform which will guide me further along my spiritual path. Some have been onerous, some physically challenging, some embarrassing, some were things I never anticipated ever doing. All have been hugely beneficial to me, and I thank whoever is directing this course of study, because I have come on faster this year than all previous years combined having this structure to work within.
In the next few weeks I will be able to reveal my next task or direction, and I am looking forward to that. Bring on the Autumn!
Gwas.
The Edge again! This is some kind of serendipity! I’m planning a ‘cell of song’ on wednesday this week to tie in with the equinox, your blog seems to also tie into this. On another note, I love your canal pic – exactly where is it?
Pegasus
xx
Our blog ties into a lot of things. I always mark the eight special daysof the year, so you’ll always find a tie-in there. I’m often at Alderley Edge too, so that’s another link. As a denizen of the great North West you’ll find pretty much every site in the area is covered on this blog (some powerful ones more often).
As for the canal, all I know is it’s Marple, but Marple has two canals – the Macclesfield Canal and the Peak Forest Canal. Could be either. Don’t know, I’m afraid. It’s on eof the rare occasions that I borrowed an image rather than took one myself.
Nevertheless, it’s a great photo. Wish I had taken it.
Gwas.
No Tornados,…. so far. But, the ring slid onto my middle finger like it was made for me, and it is simple, but Beautiful. I want to thank you for your thoughts on this. As I told you, I am not religious anymore. If anything, just the opposite. But I am empathetic, sometimes to my own detriment. I don’t know anything about Tarot, or other things. This Ring felt right, and I am gonna hope for the best. Heidi
I was born at exactly 1:00 PM, September the 23, The Equinox according to my Birth Certificate. My Husband asked me what I wanted for my Bday, and I wanted nothing. Here is where its a little weird .. (to me).For some reason, the antiquities site on ebay came up, and I didn’t even know there was such a place. I was looking for a Kindle. I Love History, and Roman and the British Isles are my particular favorites. They showed all kinds really amazing stuff, and then I saw a Druidic Oak Leaf ring from 300 BC. I felt like I had to have it. I was willing to pay alot more than I could really afford. But, everyone stopped bidding on it! I bought for what I could afford.
I felt a real affinity for this ring, but I don’t know why? Do you know what the symbolism of an oak leaf means? It is just a small oak leaf on a band. Simple, but in its own way, really beautiful.
Am I Crazy? I am a spiritual person, but not religious. But for some reason, this is important to me.
Thank you for reading this, and if you have any thoughts on this I would appreciate it.
Sincerely, Heidi
Hello Heidi,
Well, it seems you are quite special indeed, being born at such an auspicious time! They should call you Lady Autumn Equinox. Spare a thought for those poor people who are less fortunate, say, being born close to Yule and only getting one lot of presents in a year.
Is you oak-leaf ring meaningful? Well, it’s clearly meaningful to you, and that’s the important thing. You went through barriers to obtain it. What does the oak leaf signify? Well, I suppose it is symbolic of the oak tree, and the oak is supposedly one of the three grades of the druid class. In this respect you could suppose that to wear such a ring, in the past, one might have had to earn that privilege by going through the various druid stages and to then be gifted the ring in recognition of that achievement.
You have been fortunate enough to be able to purchase it. Do you feel worthy to wear it? Or is it merely a significant decoration for you? Does it symbolise something you might strive for, or is it in fact reward for something you have achieved. I believe that people invest more personal power into an object once they feel they have earned it.
Have you checked the previous history of the ring? Who owned it before you? Did they leave some of their energy in it? How old is it? These kinds of things you can begin to explore through dowsing, or through tarot, or if you are lucky enough to be gifted with sensitivity to energy you might meditate with the ring and see or feel something about its history. Having a sense of its past might lead you to understand how you can use it in the future.
Or else you may want to just admire it when you wear it, with no though to any significance or power invested in it. It would b interesting to monitor whether you begin to do different things when you wear it.
As for other symbolism related to the oak tree, there are many ideas about that. Some say the oak symbolises strength, durability, steadfastness. It has come to be associated with teaching, with wisdom, with justice. It has alliances with the forces of wind and storm, so you should pay attention to how you feel wearing it on a stormy day. Perhaps it may make you may feel empowered on such days?
Soon, by wearing it and paying attention to how it makes you feel, you will come to know it and know its associations for yourself. That is really important – that you make your own associations with it. Sure, listen to its past, explore its symbolism, but now that it is in your possession you have the option to seek to know it on your own terms.
I bought a pendent once. I knew something was wrong with it, but I liked the design. There was a rumbling in the sky the second I picked it up. At the moment I handed the money over for it and was handed the pendant back the roof of the seller’s tent got ripped off by a small tornado. This is in England remember! We don’t often have tornadoes! Needless to say, much as I liked it, I have never worn it since. Also of note, I have tried to give it away three times so far, and somehow people seem to know it is not good for them and have all refused.
Enjoy getting to know your jewelry!
Gwas.