Paganism and the Autumn Equinox: A Guide to Celebrations and Rituals

The autumn equinox is a significant time for pagans, marking the transition from summer to fall. It is a time of balance and gratitude for the harvest season. Pagans engage in various rituals to honor this special time of year. **One common ritual is the offering of thanks to the Earth.** Pagans express their gratitude for the abundance of the harvest by making offerings of food, fruits, and vegetables to the Earth. This act symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and the importance of showing appreciation for the Earth's gifts.

This act symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and the importance of showing appreciation for the Earth's gifts. **Another ritual is the lighting of bonfires or candles.** Fire is seen as a sacred element in paganism, representing transformation and purification.

How to celebrate the fall equinox like a pagan

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Wednesday is the fall equinox. The hours of daylight and night will be completely even, and with that, the northern hemisphere will enter into autumn.

Lots of people will observe the change of seasons by jumping into leaf piles, sipping pumpkin spice lattes, and yelling at NFL teams.

But for the million-or-so pagans worldwide — an umbrella term for wiccans, druids, and followers of other pre-monotheistic European faith traditions — the change of seasons is observed in much older ways.

Sabina Magliocco, the author of "Witching Culture" and an anthropologist at California State University, Northridge, says that there isn't one particular set of practices for modern-day druids.

But there are several themes that will show up in pagan rituals around the world:

• Balance, because of the perfect balance between dark and light in the day. You might be asked to think about what in your life is out of balance and how you might act on it, and the same for society. "What can we do pragmatically to contribute to balance within ourselves and the outer world?" she asks.

• Gratitude, because of the harvest. The equinox is a time for giving thanks to the literal and metaphorical harvests of the summer season, Magliocco says, whether that's actual crops or completed projects. "People might decorate with symbols of the harvest: apples, gourds, pumpkins," she says, and if you're feasting to celebrate, you might bring a piece of writing or music that you completed over the summer. "This is extremely individual," she says, "but it might be a ritual of thanks for this wonderful bounty.

• Letting go, because winter is coming. The equinox marks the entry into a darker time of the year, so it's time to discard what will hold you back on that journey. Practitioners "will write on scraps of paper the things they want out of their lives — a bad habit, a way of thinking, baggage from an old relationship — and burn it as part of a ritual" Magliocco says. "Y ou want to give thanks for what you received and purify yourself, because we’re going into a darker time of year where you naturally turn inward."

Still, it's actually a relatively minor feast compared to others on the pagan calendar, like Samhain (know better as Halloween). Lots of pagans either already celebrated last Sunday or will celebrate over the weekend, since it can be hard to fit seasonal rites into busy schedules.

Sierra Fox, a 25-year-old Philadelphian who "quietly identifies" as a pagan, made the trip up to Syracuse, New York, to observe the change of seasons last weekend with members of Central New York Pagan Pride.

They shared apples cakes and apple cider to mark the day, and carried out group rituals.

In one memorable case, fifty or so celebrants gathered in a circle and took a handful of bird seed each. "We held it and focused our intent, what we were thankful for," she says. "We chanted 'thank you, thank you' louder and louder, and threw the birdseed into the air, yelling out what we were thankful for — throwing the gratitude out into the world, and feeding the birds, which is always nice."

Contrary to what you might have heard, the autumn equinox isn't about animal sacrifice or casting spells.

Fox, who grew up in a household that was "mildly pagan," says that the celebration is a way of recognizing the chapter of the year. "Pagans would argue that the seasons are magical, nature is magical," she says. "The things that inspire wonder and awe, they don't feel mundane. There is something magical and sacred about these natural events. They are natural in that they are part of nature, but not natural in a throwaway mundane term."

It's an "epic day of grace," according to Beth Ann Mastromarino, the president of New York Pagan Pride . Pagans, she maintains, try to look back at how their ancestors observed the world. And with a harvest holiday, it has lots to do with food.

Back in the day, you couldn't grab an apple at the supermarket, you had to pluck it from a tree. So the equinox is a moment for appreciating the struggles and fortune that produced the bounty that sustains everybody.

"This is the time to see what you’ve harvested and plan what you want for the next year," she says.

Even if you're not a pagan, if your family is setting out decorative gourds to welcome the autumn, it's acting from the same instinct.

"People do these things without realizing why or where these traditions come from," Mastromarino says. "All day I have seen wreaths and pumpkins and mums planted specifically for the season. people will welcome in the season in what we now consider mundane ways, but to decorate for a holiday is a way of celebrating it as well."

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By lighting bonfires or candles, pagans reaffirm their connection to the natural world and seek to harness the transformative energy of fire during this transitional time. **Pagans also engage in meditation and reflection during the autumn equinox.** This is a time for introspection and self-evaluation, as the change of seasons reminds pagans of the impermanence of life. Through meditation, pagans seek to find inner balance and align themselves with the shifting energy of the equinox. **Many pagans also participate in rituals that involve the gathering of herbs and plants.** This practice is connected to the concept of harvest and the importance of harnessing the healing and magical properties of nature. Gathering herbs and plants during the autumn equinox is believed to enhance their potency and provide protection for the coming winter months. **Lastly, pagans often engage in communal celebrations during the autumn equinox.** These celebrations may include feasts, music, dancing, and storytelling. Coming together as a community allows pagans to share their gratitude and to connect with one another in a meaningful way. In conclusion, pagans engage in a variety of rituals during the autumn equinox to honor the transition from summer to fall. These rituals often involve giving thanks to the Earth, lighting fires, engaging in meditation and reflection, gathering herbs and plants, and participating in communal celebrations. The autumn equinox serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and the importance of finding balance within ourselves and our connection to the natural world..

Reviews for "Food and Feasting: Pagan Practices for the Autumn Equinox"

1. Emma - 1-star rating - I was really disappointed with "What rituals do pagans engage in for the autumn equinox". The book claimed to provide insight into pagan rituals for this specific event, but it fell short. The information provided was extremely minimal and lacked depth. It felt like I was reading a poorly researched article from the internet rather than a comprehensive book on the subject. I was hoping to learn more about the significance of the autumn equinox in pagan traditions and details about different rituals practiced, but this book simply didn't deliver.

2. Mike - 2-star rating - I found "What rituals do pagans engage in for the autumn equinox" to be underwhelming. The content was quite limited, and the book didn't offer any new or unique insights into pagan rituals during this specific time of the year. It felt like a basic introduction to paganism, rather than a focused exploration of autumn equinox rituals. I was expecting more depth and detail, but this book failed to meet my expectations. I would recommend looking for more comprehensive and informative resources on the topic instead.

3. Sarah - 1-star rating - As someone interested in pagan rituals, I was excited to read "What rituals do pagans engage in for the autumn equinox". However, this book left a lot to be desired. The information provided was vague and lacked explanation. I was hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the symbolism and practices associated with the autumn equinox, but this book barely scratched the surface. Additionally, the writing style was dry and uninspiring, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I was quite disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others seeking in-depth knowledge about paganism during the autumn equinox.

Herbalism and Healing: Pagan Practices for the Autumn Equinox