Autumnal Equinox September 22, 2016

The September Fall/Autumnal equinox occurs the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator – from north to south. This happens on September 22 – 24 and will mark the Autumnal Equinox which signals the beginning of Fall in the northern hemisphere (our friends in the southern hemisphere are celebrating the Spring Equinox). There will be an equal amount of light and darkness during this time, and afterwards the nights grow longer and we head towards winter.

Twice a year, during the earth’s orbit around the sun, we experience equal amounts of daylight and nighttime as the sun crosses over the equator. In the Spring, we call it Vernal Equinox, and every Fall in September it goes by the name of Autumnal Equinox.

But Autumnal Equinox is much more than marking the season before the nights get longer and the leaves change color, soon to parachute from branches to the ground below.

For us in the Northern Hemisphere, people are enjoying the cooler days of autumn even as preparations for winter are underway.

In the rhythm of the year, Harvest Home marks a time of rest after hard work. The crops are gathered in, and winter is still a month and a half away! Although the nights are getting cooler, the days are still warm, and there is something magical in the sunlight, for it seems silvery and indirect.

This is a time of a powerful 3 Day Galactic Portal time and the Birthing of The Shift: whereby there is a wonderful Opportunity to set the pattern/s of your Life to exactly how YOU want it to look, like or be. A beginning of a true quickening of “Realty” shifts based on your “output” of energies of your thoughts, words, intentions, and deeds. A great time for creating with an open -heart based Consciousness. Positive, loving, benevolent, life affirming, compassionate energies bring quick” like” experiences.. On the other hand, Negative, harmful energies No longer have the use or support of Universal Life Force and so will falter…So.. May All Blessings and Good be Yours! Create Wonderfully and Joyfully!

Equinox, meaning “equal night”, has its share of folklore and tradition as well. Some are rooted in Mythology; others are more grounded and carry their tradition to this day.

Those surrounding Autumnal Equinox included the following:

In Greek mythology, Persephone (formerly named Kore) returns to the Underworld on Autumnal Equinox to live with her husband, Hades, for half a year after living on Earth with her mother, Demeter, starting at Vernal Equinox.

Higan (meaning “the other shore”—nirvana), a Buddhist memorial service, occurs around the time of Autumnal Equinox (as well as Vernal Equinox), for seven days and serves to comfort ancestral spirits with loved ones visiting family graves.

Michaelmas, the Christian holiday honoring the Archangel Michael, has pagan roots in Autumnal Equinox—end of harvest time, the marking of shorter days and longer nights, as well as the expulsion of Lucifer from Heaven by Archangel Michael.

One of eight Wiccan festivals that honor nature, Called Sabbats, falls near this date in September.

Mabon, the Witch’s Thanksgiving, was a Welsh god and the male “counterpart” to the Persephone myth. Taken from his mother while only days old, Mabon gestates in the womb of Modron (the Great Mother) waiting to be reborn.

Clearly, this time of year has a variety of cultural observances spread around the world, diverse in custom, yet united in season. This September, when experiencing one of the biannual “Balancing of Nature”, remember the multitude of celebrations that share the advent of Autumn.

The sun is rising later now and nightfall comes sooner. This is our autumn equinox, when the days are getting shorter in the Northern Hemisphere. At this equinox, day and night are approximately equal in length. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, people are enjoying the cooler days of autumn even as preparations for winter are underway

To welcome in this beautiful and magical season use some of the following to embrace all that is good:

Incense or scents to use: Pine, sage, sweetgrass or myrrh.

Seasonal Herbs: Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut leaves and husks, mistletoe, saffron, oat leaves, apple.

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Autumn blessings,
Cherokee Billie

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How to Find Your Animal Totem

Native American Totem

I felt that this would be a good addition for those who have not found their animal totem. An Animal Totem is an important symbolic object used by a person to get in touch with specific qualities found within an animal which the person needs, connects with, or feels a deep affinity toward. In the Native American culture this is the reason people wear fur, feathers or heads of animals on their body, because they were taking on the energy of the animal.

You can have several animal guides through out your life. Sometimes an animal guide will come into your life for a short period of time, and then be replaced by another depending on the journey or direction you are headed toward. Your guide will instruct and protect you as you learn how to navigate through your spiritual and physical life. When you find an animal that speaks strongly to you or feel you must draw more deeply into your life, you might fill your environment with images of the animal to let the animal know its welcome in your space. Animal guides can help you get back to your Earthly roots, and reconnect with nature by reminding you that we are all interconnected. To first do this you need to know what your Animal Totem is.

If You Don’t Know

If you don’t know what your Animal Totem is there are several questions you can ask yourself. All of the questions below are designed to get you thinking about a prominent animal in your life. There is no right or wrong answers. Only you can truly know which Animal Totem(s) are right for your journey.

Since we are drawn to that which resonates with us, what animal, bird, or insect are you drawn to?

When you go to the park, forest, or zoo what animal are you most interested in seeing?

What animal do you most frequently see when you’re out in nature or in the city?

What animals are you currently interested in learning about?

Which animal do you find most frightening or intriguing?

Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal?

Is there a recurring animal in your dreams or do you have one you have never forgotten? Still

Uncertain?

If you are still uncertain which animal is your totem, here a few exercises you can do to come closer to the answer. You must not try to force the animal to come, it can pick up on that energy and be put off. Being patient and doing the following exercises will draw your animal totem to you.

Ask yourself what animal has played a meaningful part in your world? If you’re unsure, make a list of animals that have drawn your interest or have left a deep impression on you from paintings, photographs, stories, movies, carvings, etc.

Which animal shows up in your life most frequently? Keep a journal of the animals present in your dreams or that you encounter through the day for the next month. How did the animal behave? Did you interact with the animal?

Find a place where you can be alone to meditate. Sit quietly and ask your animal to make its nature known to you. Feel free to use tools such as incense, smudge, and candles to help you.

Don’t give up; sometimes your animal totem is nearby watching to see if you’re serious about connecting with it. Keep doing the above exercises until your animal totem makes itself known to you.

To read more about what your Animal totem means CLICK HERE

I highly recommend the book: Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals by Jamie Sams, David Carson. This will enlighten you can show you how a different animal can resonate with you every day.