The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating Compassion

The wheel of the year turns again as we meet the Autumn Equinox. Like the Spring Equinox, this day brings equal day and equal night. In the spring we planted the seeds of our hopes and longings for the year ahead. At the Autumn Equinox we continue to harvest and be thankful for what we have gained and accomplished. 

Many celebrate the Autumn Equinox much like Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States. It is a time to share time with loved ones, enjoy the foods of the harvest, and express what we are thankful for. 

The Autumn Equinox is also around the point of transition between Virgo and Libra seasons. When researching more about Virgo, I found the image of the virgin holding the sheaf of wheat resonating with how I understand the Autumn Equinox as a harvest celebration. Libra, represented by the scales, represents balance much like the balance of day and night on this day. 

Both of these ideas are further found in the cycle of the harvest. Plants are grown and at some point they need to be harvested because they will wither and die if not. There is much bounty to be shared and this is balanced by the harvest and the nourishment we receive from it. 

We could say we were very compassionate in helping the Earth maintain cycles while the Earth shows compassion in sharing its nature and food with us. 

I feel that the Wiccan virtue of compassion is deeply felt this time of year. Compassion is defined as:

“a strong feeling of sympathy with another person’s feelings of sorrow or distress, usually involving a desire to help or comfort that person”

This is very closely related to empathy and obviously rooted in love. You can find it in the example I just mentioned above. Often we are grateful for the people in our lives that have shown compassion to us and the Autumn Equinox is a great time to express it. We can also be compassionate by sharing what we have harvested -physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually- with those around us who need a bit of extra support. This time of year can get very busy with the start of school and planning for the rest of the year. 

In the midst of the stress, it is important to be compassionate with ourselves. We might be looking at the past couple months and realizing what we haven’t quite accomplished yet. I know for me that can sometimes cause feelings of inadequacy and worry. During this time, we can support ourselves by taking time to plan ahead and create goals for this last part of the year. Do what you need to do to be successful. 

However, sometimes we need to face some of our inner “shadows” before we can get on track. Shadow work is the process of identifying, processing, and working through parts of ourselves we don’t like, hide, and/or typically refuse to engage with. This can be very deep and meaningful work, often best done with a compassionate friend, partner, or therapist! As we get deeper into this part of the year, I plan to share more reflections and strategies for shadow work. 

Many people focus on shadow work at this time of year because the Autumn Equinox begins the darker half of the year since the days will become shorter and night will become longer. I will share more about Samhain in October and how working with ancestors can be involved in shadow work and sending compassion throughout lineage. 

This year, I completed an Autumn Equinox ritual with a coven mate and will be attending a retreat with other witches around the time of the Autumn Equinox. I am thankful for the communities I belong to and the friends I have made along the way. I am thankful for all my readers and supporters. 

What are you thankful for this season?