Autumn equinox: rituals and spiritual significance

Here it is, the end of summer (types while crying). The autumnal equinox takes place on September 22 this year and marks the beginning of fall. Shorter days, longer nights, a changing of colours. Besides a change in season, the Autumn equinox has a deep spiritual significance.

The start of each season is marked by either a solstice (for winter and summer) or an equinox (for spring and autumn). A solstice is when the Sun reaches the most southerly or northerly point in the sky, while an equinox is when the Sun passes over Earth’s equator.

Time to reap your harvest

Traditionally, the Autumn equinox was the time to honor the harvest. Metaphorically, it refers to the harvest of goals and intentions you set or planted when the year started and how those have been evolving or growing. It is a good time to consider what no longer serves you, what you need to let go of and needs to wither.



“Now more than ever, due to the global pandemic situation, I think we have lost the sense of time and seasons, as our lives became more mundane than ever. That’s why Equinoxes become so relevant, (they help us) be aware that the year is coming to its end”, explains Charas Vega, the woman behind @charcastrology, the trendiest Instagram account on Astrology.

Following this idea, the Autumn equinox becomes the perfect time of the year to reconnect with your true self and deepen the spiritual connection with nature and life. Spiritually, this seasonal change is related to growth and expansion. Gratitude, prosperity and cleanse are the main drivers for small rituals or ceremonies to fill and prepare your mind for good energies.

Cleansing our minds, homes and bodies.

How can we get in touch with our spiritual side in the modern age? Meditation is one of the best tools to connect with the present moment. A 15 minute meditation can be enough to calm the mind and tap into your senses. Just sit upright or in a comfortable position, relax your body and turn your attention to your chosen purpose. As the Autumn equinox is related to balance and change, aim your meditation towards finding your personal balance and your goals for the new season.



And as our energy is drawn inward as the weather gets colder and we will be spending more time indoors, cleaning rituals are also a great way to prepare the energy in our homes.“I have my moon in Virgo, so my ritual is to clean and tidy my apartment, and winterize my closet. Basically, prepare myself (and the environment) mentally and physically for the new season,” shares Charas.

We have “cleaned” our minds and our homes, but how about our bodies? September is the ideal month to help our body get rid of toxins, especially after the summer months. So it is the perfect time to consider a detox or rethink our diet. There is no need to be radical, we can incorporate healthier habits such as drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables or we can also follow a detox plan (plenty of them online) to cleanse our body.



As we have seen, the Autumn equinox is the time to embrace change and all the new things the new season will bring. Let’s make space in our minds, homes and bodies for all the good things to come, for there is nothing more rewarding than reaping the harvest that you sowed.