September 21, 2005

The autumnal equinox (also known as Mabon to those who follow the Olde Way) occured today marking the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere as the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward. After a day and night of equal length, our nights will begin to grow longer than our days and will continue to do so until the winter solstice in December. It is the time when day and night are equal. Here the land is full of the gifts of nature and the effort of humankind! The night air has a tang about it, the darkness of winter is coming and it's time for the earth to sleep until the sun is again brought forth from the dark.

The Second Harvest
In the ancient cycle of the year, this was actually the second harvest; the first harvest festival occurs on August 1st and is known as Lammas. As methods of agriculture The Harvest and Autumnal Equinoxbecame more uniform and sophisticated, the autumn harvest was moved back until the last possible growing time was completed to maximize its size. As such, the Autumnal Equinox became synonymous with not only the completion of the harvest, but also the end of summer.

Relationship to Thanksgiving
This final gathering of the crops and the beginning of preparations for the long winter that lay ahead marked a time of thanksgiving for all that Nature had given her children and for the completion of another turn of the Great Wheel.