by Julisa Golden

The word equinox comes from the Latin for “equal night,” a marking of the moment when day and night are equal in length. The Autumn Equinox is also the moment when the sun enters Libra, the sign of the scales, inviting us to strive for balance as we shift from the light half of the year into the dark.

Normally at this time of year we’d be busying ourselves with the back to school energy, leaving behind the playfulness of summer to get organized and back to work. However, with the uncertainty of life in a pandemic, this year may look very different for many of us. And yet, we still have a need to plan and prepare for whatever the coming months may bring.

We can frame the change in seasons and what it represents for our lives in terms of celebration and shedding. Here are some reflections and tips for incorporating the lessons of the equinox into your fall:

This autumnal seasonal shift is a time of shedding: the sun is in its waning phase; similarly, our energy will continue to decrease along with the daylight hours. The trees let go of their leaves; correspondingly, we have an opportunity to let go of what we no longer need as we prepare for winter. It’s the perfect time to break limiting patterns and release what does not serve our highest good.

Two tips:

• We are all adapting to a new way of living; take time to recognize that some things are working while others are not.

• Let go of your ideas of how things are supposed to be, and surrender to the new current. So much tension can be released in this simple act of letting go.

The autumnal equinox is also celebrated as the Witch’s Thanksgiving. It’s the beginning of fall, the harvest season, and a time to give thanks for the bounty of summer. Right now, with the reality of COVID hitting hard, the world is focused on all we are losing and what to be afraid of; the harvest festival offers a reminder to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished and the abundance all around.

Several suggestions:

• It’s important to remember that there have still been moments of joy this summer; it is okay to be grateful and happy during hard times.

• By shifting your focus to all you have to celebrate, you can counterbalance the low grade anxiety we are all experiencing.

• Train your brain to notice the good things first.

As a kid, I used to dread the end of summer. So when I graduated college and my older friends welcomed me to what they called “endless summer,” it sounded like a dream come true. Without school to worry about, we now had all the time in the world to attend music festivals and hang out at the beach. Plus we lived in Southern California, where it really is endless summer! It was good, but eventually I began to miss the seasons.

As I get older, I find myself feeling exhausted by the end of summer - especially in the PNW where we cram so much activity into our few months of sunshine! We cannot have the high energy of summer all the time or we’d feel wired and burned out. The autumn season is a beautiful way to ease the transition to the restfulness of winter, where we can recharge, reflect, and renew. I wish you balance and bounty for the coming year!

Julisa Golden is a baker, life coach, and postpartum doula on the Bridgetown Baby team. If you’d like to know more about the seasons, cycles, and how to work with each phase, you can contact Julisa at www.vibrantvixen.com, or use discount code SOLSTICE for 25% off any coaching services.