The autumnal equinox - get ‘match-fit’ for winter.
“I love borders. August is the border between summer and autumn; it is the most beautiful month I know. Twilight is the border between day and night, and the shore is the border between sea and land. The border is longing: when both have fallen in love but still haven’t said anything. The border is to be on the way. It is the way that is the most important thing.”
As I sit here writing this blog in the hot mid-September sunshine, it seems hard to believe that next Tuesday - the 22nd September - it will be the autumn equinox. The word equinox comes from the Latin ‘equal night’, referring to the fact that night and day are almost exactly the same length all over the world (12 hours). There are two equinoxes each year – in spring and in autumn - and the autumnal equinox is an astronomical reminder that we have just one more week to embrace the daylight before the nights start drawing in and getting longer once again.
The early morning chill of late August has always evoked a sense of excitement and anticipation for me. After the frivolity of summer, it marked new beginnings; a new academic year, new timetables, and new goals. A feeling that has never really left me in adulthood.
For 2020, however, any feeling of excitement has been superseded by so much uncertainty for so many of us. This year’s autumn equinox is more of a painful reminder that we’ve spent so much of our ‘best’ months in the northern hemisphere locked away in our homes and back gardens. Separated from family and friends. Parties postponed, anniversaries unmarked and adventures unfulfilled.
And, for so many of us, this has taken a toll on our physical and mental wellbeing.
As the days get shorter, the nights longer, and the weather colder we need to refocus back on our health and ensure we give ourselves the best chances of staying well through this winter.
"life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall" F. Scott Fitzgerald
Celebrating the autumnal equinox
Preparing for winter is not new. Through the ages, cultures around the world have marked this transition by celebrating the autumn equinox in different ways.
The Pagan ritual of Mabon was celebrated by the slaughtering of livestock that they would then preserve to provide enough food for the winter. In Medieval times, the Christian Church replaced the Pagan autumn equinox celebration with Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael. In Piedmont, Italy, the autumn equinox is celebrated with the International Alba White Truffle Festival. And, in Japan, it is marked by Higan - a 7-day festival that commemorates deceased relatives as well as the transition of seasons.
As the leaves turn colour and fall, as the plants begin to die or go dormant and animals begin to hibernate, it makes sense to take some time to think through and plan out what we all need to do to keep ourselves physically and mentally fit and healthy through winter.
In my blog next week to mark the autumn equinox, I’ll be sharing some thoughts and tips, as well as linking to other resources for ideas and inspiration.
As Tove Jansson remarked: ‘The border is to be on the way. It is the way that is the most important thing.’