Blessed Autumnal Equinox

 

Day 1:  Offerings to the Fro Ing and Frea, and the corn dolly from my garden.   You can't see it, but the green and yellow candles ARE lit, just super small flames (wick problems).I got Yarrow as an omen. The crystal grid is basically a calendar, with the stone for Haelig (Mabon) on the top (and for the first quarter moon on the inner circle).  The new corn dolly is under the black tulle, kind of.

Yay, it's here! As of Saturday (9/23) at 2:50 in the morning Even though my favorite 'slice' of the pie that makes up the Wheel of the Year is now over, officially, I don't dislike autumn.  There's all sorts of secular things I love about this time of year: football, pumpkin spice lattes (don't hate), finishing up the harvest of my garden and cleaning it up for the winter, watching the leaves change color... I swear it's like Mother Earth is putting on her own chunky cardigan. Also I love chunky cardigans.

I also love that it's still warm enough to be outside.  I've dubbed this "car heater on sandaled feet" season, so I keep going mostly barefoot when I can.  We have the windows open most of the time we're home.

In addition to getting the yard and garden ready for a long winter's sleep, there's plenty to do inside as well.  I empt (note the word attempt) Autumn Cleaning along the lines of Spring Cleaning, and really because the house is going to be shut up VERY soon, it's a great idea to do some deep cleaning. AND a good reminder of time to change smoke alarm batteries, clean dryer vents, change HVAC filters, and all that other stuff we tend to not think about.

Day 2: Offerings given to Thunor, for protection during this liminal time, and red candle lit for him.

I got Crane as the omen.

Of course, spiritually, it's the time to start turning inward.  My own "keyword" system says this is the time of "fulfillment."  In our distant past, this would have been the most food our ancestors would have seen at once.  Harvest meals like Thanksgiving celebrate the abundance, the fulfillment of hard work.  They would have also been hard at work making sure to save enough throughout the winter, and I think of that when I can my tomatoes, and do other such activity. 

WAY back at last Samhain, I pulled Bó, Cow.   An auspicious pull for this time, as she symbolizes nourishment, motherhood, and the Goddess.   A good harvest, whatever that means to you.  Whatever you planted in early summer has come to fruition, all that is needed is to accept and appreciate it.  There will be time for integrating what you have learned from this later, but for now, simply enjoy.

I have been remiss in updating other omens.  The rune I pulled for September was Feoh, the Anglo-Saxon version of Fehu or.... COWS :) Doubling down on that abundance. Modern interpretations usually interpret Feoh/Fehu as money (movable wealth) but I think in this case it can be more generalized and symbolic.  Again, what got planted and is coming into fruition?

It's been an active Hælig season, with grove, shop, and home rituals (and I successfully hit them all, for a change!). I feel very blessed to have the places and people to share the season with. I bid farewell to Aine, sit in balance with Fenne, and welcome Grainne.  I honor Fro Ing and Frea, call to Thunor for protection from winters' storms, and welcome Wodan and Frige. Sort of a Celtic/Anglo-Saxon mishmash.

The light turns to darkness, but for one day (actually September 26 at this lat/long), light and dark are in balance.

Summer candles extinguished and that side of the altar covered. Winter candles lit and offerings given to Wodan and Frige.  Heather was the omen.