Balance at the Autumn Equinox

The Autumn Equinox takes place on 23rd September 2022. Equinox means equal day, equal night. A time to find balance after the busy summer. An opportunity to stop and adjust. All our celtic festivals were a time to gather together and celebrate the season and the fruits of the earth at that time. I find it very grounding to connect to these gateways of the year, to pause and check in.

This year I’m celebrating with a gathering at my new home. Campfire, food, chats with friends and family. Nothing big or fancy, rustic as it were! I’m celebrating putting down roots, realising a big dream come true for me and being grateful to those who supported me along the way. I’m also celebrating a new season of Ebb & Flow, classes are busy, there’s great energy in them again and I’m excited for the new chapter of my business - sharing a new look Slow & Seasonal Community very soon and launching a new programme for self-employed women in the new year.

In classes there’s a real sense of relief that Autumn has arrived, that we can finally slow down, settle in and go back to the routines we enjoy. Many of the women I meet are shattered from social events, driving kids around and entertaining them over the holidays and trying to cram so much into the long summer days AND doing all this whilst juggling work. Autumn seems to equate to permission to slow down. It is welcomed now.

Here’s some ideas for how to honour the Equinox this month. These are my suggestions, I am sure you’ll have your own too - so feel free to let me know in the comments below how you’ll celebrate on the 23rd September.

1. Journal your thoughts and feelings about this time of the year. Perhaps you’d like to try these journaling prompts I shared in Slow & Seasonal this month:

   >As we moved into Autumn and say goodbye to Summer, what are you taking with you?

   >What are you leaving behind?

   >How would you like to celebrate the Equinox?

2. Forage the last of the blackberries and make a blackberry & apple crumble with my receipe below

3. Forage mushrooms (if you know about mushrooms of course) & hazelnuts too

4. Have a pot luck style gathering - everyone brings a dish to share together around the fire. Pass a talking stick around and speak only when you hold it, say what you are grateful for

5. Have a clear out, in autumn we start to spend more time indoors in our homes, make a cozy nest for you to rest in

6. Join in Culture Night taking place all around Ireland on the 23rd September this year, visit here for more info

7. Do something lovely every day just for you. I’ve been doing this through September, one thing each day that makes me feel nourished and cared for. You can start this any time! If you’d like some ideas check out my events page for suggestions (I have an Autumn Self-Care Workshop, a “Create the life you love” workshop AND some beach yoga coming up)

Wishing you a wonderful Autumn Equinox my friends. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my receipe.

le grá,

Maeve x