Gathering in the Harvests and Welcoming Yin Energy
As the yang heat and summer fullness slowly subside, we begin a descent into the yin energy of fall with the Autumn Equinox. It’s the time to gather in the the bounty of summer and welcome the fall apples, squash and pumpkins that are usually part of the harvest feast and celebration of Thanksgiving in North America.
Although we don’t have the colorful hardwood trees with fall foliage here in southern California and the days remain very warm until Halloween, evening does arrive sooner and slowly grows cooler. Nature’s energy turns inward and if we are following Her flow, we’re invited to also slow down, go inward and reflect on what we might need to release in our lives, just as deciduous trees let go of their leaves.
The Equinox is the balance point of day and night, or of lunar feminine and solar masculine energies, so we might consider what needs balancing in our lives. For many of us this might mean increasing times of rest and relaxation to counter excessive ‘busyness.’Symbolically then, fall is a season of finding balance, accepting change, releasing the old and opening to reflection, all of which prepares us for the dark, cold hibernation time of winter.