Celebrating Autumn Equinox and the second harvest
Autumn Equinox and Mabon: balance and the shift towards darkness.
When? 20th - 23rd September
Direction/Element: West and the element of Water: emotion, intuition, healing, and the subconscious
Themes: balance, gratitude, resourcing for winter
At the Autumn Equinox, known to some pagans as Mabon, day and night are briefly equal again. I love Autumn so I’m always happy about its arrival. It brings cooler evenings, leaves change to fiery reds, oranges and golds and soft golden sunsets that illuminate the landscape (when it’s not raining, of course…)
This point on the Wheel of The Year is all about starting to look inwards and beginning to gather in what the year has taught, or offered to us so far. Just like the Spring Equinox, this is a liminal time and a threshold moment where we can pause and reflect before we start to prepare for descent into winter.
If you’re new here I’m Laura, a counsellor, nature therapist, somatic therapist, meditation teacher and space holder. My work is centered around guiding people back into relationship with themselves, with their bodies, and with the wider natural world.
In this post you’ll find an overview of this celebration and it’s themes, reflections. I’m also sharing a somatic journey that you might want to explore, and some journal prompts for reflection.
Autumn Equinox: the balance of opposites and the dance of equilibrium
The Autumn Equinox, which is also referred to by some pagans as Mabon, happens on the 21st September. The name Mabon, in the context of this celebration day, was adopted in the 1970s and is named after the Welsh deity Mabon ap Modron. In Welsh mythology, Mabon ap Modron has no historical or contextual connection to this celebration or point in the year. Because of this, I don’t personally use the term Mabon when talking about the Equinox.
As I mention in my post about The Wheel of the Year, many of the English neo-pagan celebrations draw upon the spirituality and culture of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The colonisation of those countries by the English meant that they weren’t legally able to speak their own languages or take part in their own spiritual traditions.
This season is all about balance and the meeting of opposites. We can honour the convergence of light and dark, God and Goddess, Shakti and Shiva, masculine and feminine, yin and yang. As always, it’s important to remember that these archetypes need aren’t confined to gender binaries. Each of us carries both masculine and feminine energy, that’s constantly shifting and flowing, in the same way the cycles of nature are never static. Observing seasonal shifts reminds us that change is the only constant.
The Foundations of the Autumn Equinox
The Wheel of the Year honours the changing seasons and also the four sacred directions and their elements. The Equinox sits in the West, aligned with the element of Water, which connects to emotion, intuition and reflection.
Water teaches us how to move with change, to flow with what is, and to soften into the cycles of release and renewal. At this point in the year, the fiery drive of summer starts to cool, and we are invited into rest and integration.
Archetypes this festival aligns with include The Guardian, The Healer and The Elder. The Guardian watches over what has been cultivated, ensuring that resources are shared wisely. The Healer brings compassion and care, helping us to tend to what has been wounded or overextended during the growing season. The Elder offers perspective, guiding us to integrate the lessons of the past and prepare for the descent into darkness.
These archetypes embody the wisdom of Water; deep feeling, reflection and emotional truth. They invite us to slow down and listen to what might have been obscured in the heat and energy of summer.
Finding balance and the second harvest
As we gather in our resources, this is a moment to pause, to give thanks for the Earth’s generosity and to reflect on our relationship with the natural world. How can we live in reciprocity with nature, honouring the cycles that sustain life, while taking only what we need? This season is a reminder that mindful harvesting, in all areas of life, creates harmony and balance.
Equinoxes are moments of equilibrium, a pause where day and night are equal. While the Spring Equinox brings dynamic energy to support new growth, this Equinox encourages us to slow down and reflect. Summer’s energy drives us forward, pushing us into action, adventure and expansion but we can’t ride that wave forever. How can we move into the gentler, more introspective energies of autumn and winter, honouring our need for rest, before we replenish and recalibrate?
Gratitude and integration
If Lughnasadh is the celebration of effort and reward, the second harvest is about is about gathering the physical fruits of our labour and any insights that have ripened within us over the year. Giving thanks at the Equinox doesn’t mean ignoring the losses or challenges we’ve faced, but recognising that they’ve also been a part of our journey,
Equinox Journal Prompts
Where could you cultivate more balance? Reflect on areas of your life that feel unbalanced. Is it in your work-life balance, relationships, or self-care routines? Consider what steps you could take to create space.
Where can you surrender as we move into the energy of Autumn? Is there something you're holding onto that no longer serves you?
What is something you’ve gained by letting go? When we release, we create space for new opportunities and growth.
What have you unexpectedly harvested this year? Life often surprises us with unexpected gifts or lessons Reflect on your experiences and the growth that you’ve experienced this year.
Embracing Autumn by releasing old stories and leaning into darkness
Ritual and ceremony offers a powerful way to connect with the turning of the seasons and our shifting selves. Autumn, as a season of thresholds and transformation, is a lovely opportunity to slow down, reflect, and release what has fulfilled its purpose.
I’m sharing some practices below from my Somatic Journeys series. These are all audio guided somatic meditation and ritual practices that are perfect for exploring Autumn’s themes of release, descent and starting to look inwards as we move towards witner.
In Old Stories to Ash we explore the question: who are you when your story begins to change? We often hold onto fixed ideas about who we are; versions of ourselves that no longer reflect our present truth. Out of habit we repeat old narratives because they’re known. In this somatic ritual, we’ll give the body permission to let go of what no longer resonates, creating space for something new to take shape.
Leaning Into Darkness invites you to embrace the mystery of the night. Designed to meet the deepening darkness of autumn, the practice explores themes of boundaries, rest, and transformation, helping you to see the fertile potential in stillness.
Who are you when your story begins to change?
We often hold onto fixed ideas about who we are; versions of ourselves that no longer reflect our present truth. Out of habit we repeat old narratives because they’re known. In psychology, this is called the narrative self: the way we craft our identity like a story, complete with beginnings, turning points, villains and wounds.
In this intentional, somatic ritual, we’ll soften our attachment to those outdated narratives. Through embodied practice, we give the body permission to let go of what no longer resonates, creating space for something new to take shape. We’ll call in and connect with the elements, open a sacred space and identify the stories that are ready for release, offering them to the fire, where they can transform into ash and open the way for a new story to emerge.
Duration: 60-minute guided audio. Your practice includes: an MP3 audio of the guided journey + PDF companion with the full script, reflection prompts, and guidance.
This journey is ideal for anyone looking for somatic meditation and embodiment practices that invite you to connect with and release the old stories that are no longer part of your present.
Leaning Into Darkness invites you to embrace the power and mystery of the night. In this 60-minute guided somatic journey, you’ll be led into gentle, embodied presence through breath, sensation, and intuitive awareness. Designed to meet the deepening darkness of autumn, the practice explores themes of boundaries, rest, and transformation, helping you to see the fertile potential in stillness.
Your collection includes:
An MP3 audio of the guided journey
A PDF companion with the full script, reflection prompts, and guidance
Ideal for anyone seeking somatic mindfulness, seasonal ritual, and a grounded way to connect with the unseen.
Thanks for being here. I wish you a gentle Autumn Equinox that brings balance and stillness, as we cross over this threshold towards the darker months.
