The Autumnal Equinox – also called the September or Fall Equinox – is the astronomical start of autumn/fall in the Northern Hemisphere. This year the equinox falls on September 23, 2019 and also marks the Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
The word ‘equinox’ derives from the Latin aequus, meaning “equal” and nox, meaning “night”.
During the Equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres receive the sun’s rays equally. The sun is overhead at noon as seen from the equator, so at this point, the amount of nightlight and daylight are roughly equal to each other.
The Autumn Equinox time is an invitation to balance light and darkness within us. In reflecting on autumn, Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: “Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.”
Autumn is the season of thanksgiving for the abundance of the fruits of the earth that sustain us and all creatures. It is also a time of letting go and releasing things that have become a burden.
The Spring Equinox experienced in the Southern Hemisphere in September is a time of lengthening days and warmer sunshine. It brings many signs of the promise of new life bursting forth from the cold, dark soil in garden and parklands and the bare branches of trees.
The Brigidine and the Solas Bhride community at Solas Bhride Spirituality Centre, Tully Rd., Kildare invite all to celebrate the autumn equinox at the Centre, 10.30 – 12.00 on September 21. This will be an opportunity to give thanks for the harvest of the fields and hedgerows and the harvest in our own lives.
For more details go to: http://solasbhride.ie/
In what ways will you and your family, community or workplace mark the 2019 Equinox Day?
What ‘gifts of the harvest in your own life’ are you most aware of at Equinox time this particular year?
Where do you see signs of the promise of new life during this week?
