On a physical level, the fall equinox is a reminder to celebrate the harvest, to tend to our crops, and to prepare for the darker days of winter soon to be upon us.

After the fall equinox, when the light and dark share equal space in the heavens, the days grow short in the northern hemisphere, and the darkness lingers.

An equinox occurs twice during each calendar year—once in spring and once in fall.

From a spiritual perspective, it is the time to reap what you have sown. But what does that mean?

As you awaken and align to your magnetic north, you may notice that you are organically responding to the subtle changes in the air.

You may find yourself naturally cleaning house—throwing away things that no longer serve you—and dreaming of old relationships and situations. This time of harvesting our crops and moving into darkness provides a chance to look at the dual nature of our own lives.

The following are six ways that we can celebrate this fall equinox:

1. Reap what you have sown.

Some years, you will harvest a bountiful crop. Perhaps children will be born, a book you’ve been writing for years will be published, you will enjoy a fulfilling career, or you will bask in the safety and joy of a new home.

Other years, during a cleansing cycle, you may be harvesting a fallow field. What you reap is a field ready to plant.

2. Store seeds for the next planting season.

My grandfather would pull all his flower bulbs in the fall and store them in a brown paper bag in the garage during the winter. What are you tending to that you will put into storage for safekeeping this season?

Yesterday, I found myself looking at a small RV, and dreaming of new ideas for my spring book launch. While I am not ready to buy, I am ready to set my seeds into the creative incubator.

3. Balance the light and dark.

Are you afraid of the dark? This is a good time to start taking vitamin D. As the days grow short, some people find their moods heading south.

Fear not. Consciously decide what you would like to spiritually transform in the coming days ahead. Look within yourself to discover how you will move into your taproot (a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally) and make significant space for healing.

4. Focus intention for inner work.

Rituals are important, as they are rooted in your DNA and personal history. Create a ceremony that works for you. Call to the darkness and embrace its wisdom. When we do this while we are awake, spiritual knowledge is always forthcoming.

5. Accept death, for it leads to rebirth. 

In many indigenous cultures, the people understand that we die many times in our lives. Cycles come to natural closes, relationships end, and jobs are complete. The spiritual warrior faces death squarely in the jaw. With this death, the final breath is no longer stalking you, and you are free to live.

6. Find the unity of community.

The ancient ones understood the difficulty of surviving the harsh winter, and believed that celebrating the fall harvest unified the group into one heart and mind. During these times when destructive forces of nature pounded villages, the inhabitants stayed strong once awakened to the power of prayer that is available when we come together as a community.

How are you celebrating this fall equinox?

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Author: Renee Baribeau
Image: Artur Rutkowski/Unsplash
Editor: Leah Sugerman
Copy Editor: Nicole Cameron
Social Editor: Khara-Jade Warren