Fall Equinox

Hoof and Horn, Hoof and Horn

All that dies must be reborn

Corn and Grain, Corn and Grain

all that falls will rise again

FALL EQUINOX or Alban Elued to the Druids, Sept. 21-23, is the exact opposite of Spring equinox. These are the time of equal night and day. The night will be growing longer and the days shorter until Yule, the shortest day and longest night of the year. This is an astronomical point in the cycle of the Earth and astrologers know this as the day that the Sun enters the sign of Libra, the Balance. This is the time of balanced forces, fulfillment and age, it is the West quarter of the circle in seasonal time.

This is again a time of equalness between the God and Goddess, the God represented by the Sun, the Goddess by the Moon. Each representing half of one whole that is fulfilled by their joining as one. The fruitfulness of the land being the end result of their of the joining, the bounty of the harvest will be brought in and stored against winter and the dark times. From here the next festival is Samhain and the start of a new year. So it is a time of getting your affairs in order and making sure you have all your debts (mundane and Karmic) paid, so you can start free and clear on a new cycle.

In many mythologies, this is one of days the Holly King and the Oak King fight for dominance. This is the time the Sun God - Light - is killed by his Tanist or rival, his dark twin, Darkness. At the Spring Equinox the Sun God kills his dark brother -- who was born at Midsummer, reached puberty at Lammas, and lives a mirror-image life of the Sun God.

From this day on till Yule the darkness will be greater than light, just as night becomes longer than day. So it is a festival of sacrifice, sorting needed from unneeded and giving up those things unneeded, so that the seeds stored at this time can bear full fruit next year. The start of the time of rest, planing for what is needed. For at Samhain We will burn away those unwanted things in the Great Mother's cauldron. The Harvest tradition was that everything that is to be used or put in storage has to be harvested before Samhain, after than it was not considered to be good to eat.

The symbols of the Equinoxes are the twin spirals, one clockwise - one counter clockwise. They stand for the 2 halfs of the year, reincarnation and all polarities - light-dark, ying-yang, ebb-flow of the tides, Life-death. This is a symbol to remind us that nothing is static, everything must cycle and change. When we accept this as a natural and necessary process withing ourselves and without in others, we then learn to chart our course through life, relationships and difficulties easier or at lest more acceptable. They is an prayer that reminds me of this -

Lord, grant me the strength to change the things I can,

accept the things I can't and the Wisdom to know the difference.

In many traditions the Spirit of the Vegetation or grain was believed to reside most especially in the last sheaf or shock harvested. This was bound together in a man shape and dressed in clothes sometimes, it was usually cut and carried from the field with great honor singing, rejoicing and ceremony. It was sacrificed by burning, If not now then at Samhain.

This mock annual sacrifice may have been the basis of the account of Druid human sacrifice. In all the Historical accounts, I have seen so far, there is no one who has stated that he has seen a person or knew a person who was sacrificed, it was always that someone has told them or it was never even mentioned. In fact, as far as I have found, there is not one single eyewitness account of a human sacrifice performed by Druids in all of recorded history! Nor does there seem to be any archaeological evidence to support the charge either. But the Celtic tradition is full of Mock sacrifices. If fact the Druid's reverence for life is so strict that they didn't even defend themselves when the last stronghold of the Druids on the Isle of Mona (Anglesey Island in Wales) were massacred by Roman soldiers.

This sabbat is still found today in Christian form as Michaelmas, Sept. 25.The celebration of the Archangel Michael.

Cast Circle as usual.

take eating corn and say: Great Mother and Father of us all, THe Harvest has been cut and stored. My heart, mind and soul sings to you of the joys and pleasure of my harvest. For my Father has shined his light and warmth upon me and my lands and it has been bountiful. But now is the time of rest and reflection, of the time of the seeds of wisdom to be sown. For as my Father starts his descent into the underworld for renewal, so it is time for reflection of the lessons of this harvest. A great mystery is reveled there, for in silence and reflection the seeds of wisdom are planted and gain.

Great Mother, As my Father's love awakened you and brought you to fullness and joy, planting the seeds of life within you, let this corn from your harvest plant the seeds of wisdom and growth within me, so I may nurture my body and soul and grow in your wisdom and love. For the promise you gave is to return, and meet and known again! For as the Father descends each year to be reborn, walking your sprial and cycles of life, let me walk your sprial of inward and outward growth and wisdom. For I am thy Child and walk your Path of growth and love.

( eat the corn in silence and reverence, reflection upon all that has been gained and lost and learned during the past growth cycle)

Now take the corn for storage and say: Harvest Lord, Father - As the Seeds of the Old Harvest are readied for storage for the new planting and as you begin your descent to the Great Wheel of Life & Death & Rebirth to become the Lord of the Underworld once more, I take this corn and ready it as a symbol of my Harvest, to keep the continuity between the old and the new. To remember that I also must leave the old and useless, nurture and store the Seed of Love and Wisdom within me, so I can replant it within others in the proper time and season. May I grow in Beauty and Love, gentleness and strength and Knowledge and Wisdom. So mote it be!

Hang the Corn for dying and then - or if already dried leave on your altar or you special place in you house until Halloween when you can store it in a jar or leave until spring Equinox.

May Your Harvest be full and the love of our Mother and Father keep you warm thru this season and be with you always! Blessed be!