The Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas

“We live in a time when the greatest form of courage is to act as if our lives made a difference.” William Sullivan

Tuesday September 22 at 9:31 AMĀ  EDT is the Autumn Equinox which marks the time when all the inhabitants of our small planet experience an equal amount of day and night. The Equinox also marks the time of the Sun’s ingress into Libra – the sign of equilibrium and duality.

The time around the Equinox bodes well for looking back at events of the last season and charting your course for the upcoming one.

Following soon after the Equinox comes the Feast of Michelmas – an ancient Celtic festival – which celebrates one of the quarter days of the year. These festivals in general are meant to bring us more closely in touch with the magic of the seasons, the rhythms of the earth and the earth’s connection to the cosmos.

Michelmas celebrates the passage of the earth through the late summer meteor showers and the time when the northern hemisphere begins to tilt away from the sun.

In many Michelmas celebrations a play is performed about how the lowly peasant George slays a dragon. George was able to face great odds and persevere with great courage due to the help and guidance of the Archangel, Michael.

The celebration of Michaelmas is a reminder to cultivate courage for the sometimes daunting tasks we all face. And to rekindle the inner fire as we move towards the darkness of the season.

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