Creating an Autumnal Equinox Altar
When the seasons shift, it’s more than just a change in the weather. There’s also an energetic shift.
As we now prepare to shift from Summer to Autumn, this change in energy can be observed in all of Nature around us. Days growing shorter and nights longer, trees and shrubs revealing brilliant, exuberant colors (especially in the North) and then shedding their leaves, birds and butterflies embarking upon their migratory journey South, animals intensifying their foraging and fortifying their dens & burrows for colder weather, and us Humans adding layers to our clothing and preparing the home and the pantry for more time soon to be spent indoors.
The Autumnal Equinox marks that shift as the fulcrum point between Summer and Fall in the Northern Hemisphere where day and night are once again equal, highlighting the energies of Harmony, Balance, and Union. And on the Equinox, also known as Mabon, it’s a time to celebrate! To gather in community to share the gifts of the harvest, to break bread together, to do arts and crafts, to assemble around the bonfire, and to give thanks for the physical and spiritual abundance granted to us over the Summer while also clearing the way for the new harvests of the future - the new beginnings, new possibilities, and new bounties still unmanifest. Which, to me, is a delightful paradox. Celebrating the fertile productivity of the Summer while simultaneously acknowledging the imminent dying back of the crops in Fall. Celebrating the power and goodness of the Sun while simultaneously acknowledging that the Sun will begin waning and becoming less and less present in our lives the following day.
As we stand at the in-between of the Equinox, we have the opportunity to tap into that paradox for ourselves and align with the flow of Nature and the Universe. To be grateful and reverent to the myriad blessings of Life while also expressing humility at the impermanence of everything and non-attachment within the cycles of ending and beginning, life and death, inspiration and expiration.
One way to mark this shift is to create an altar devoted especially to the Autumnal Equinox, and what I may even refer to as an outlet for you to “plug in” to the spiritual energies of the Equinox to flow more freely and abundantly into your life. From my own experience, I find that when I don’t “plug in” and don’t “download the new software” of the season, I can often feel agitated, anxious, overwhelmed, sluggish, and glitchy. So I’ve learned that creating an altar and finding ways to connect with the energetic shift, whether in community, on my own, or ideally both, is always a good idea.
To serve you in plugging into the energies of this shift for yourself, I present to you some simple tips and ideas on items you can place on your own altar to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox and align yourself with Harmony, Balance, Union, and the flow and rhythm of the turning of the wheel.
Fallen Leaves, Sticks, and Pinecones:
These are gifts of Nature. Harvesting leaves already shed from the trees, branches, and pinecones make wonderful adornments for your altar and echo the theme of letting go in order to clear the way for new growth. FYI: If you do choose to take leaves, branches, or pinecones still attached to the tree, I’d advise you to ask the tree first. And then if it’s okay, to leave an offering as an exchange.
Fall & Late Summer Fruits:
Apples, Pears, Pomegranates, Blackberries, Currants, Elderberries, Persimmons, Figs, Melons. Note that after using them on your altar you can eat them out of hand, bake them into a recipe, or offer them back to the Earth. If I’m hosting a ceremony or meditation in person, I often have a basket of fruit charging on the altar and will offer them to my guests as gifts. So make sure they’re fruits of a quality that you and those you love will enjoy.
Squashes & Gourds:
Pumpkins, Butternut, Acorn, Kabocha, Hubbard, etc. I love the fantasy gourds of all different colors and shapes. If you have a smaller surface to work with for your altar, the small, decorative gourds and squashes will also do nicely.
Ears of Corn:
You can use fresh or dried ears of corn. Using both would actually be very appropriate to the Autumnal Equinox. I personally prefer the multicolored heirloom varieties like the ones pictured here.
Herbs & Spices:
Rosemary, Lavender, Marigold, Sage, Rosehips, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mace. Depending on the herb or spice, you can use either fresh, dried, or both. Just make sure they’re still fragrant.
Flowers:
Sunflowers are a wonderful centerpiece, celebrating the beauty of the Sun. Other seasonal flowers gathered from your garden or local nursery will also work well. I plan on using flowers from my garden and lawn that dry well, like Yarrow, Hyssop, and Gomphrena.
Seeds to Plant:
It’s great if the seeds, or nuts, can still be in their husk or shell, like acorns or sunflower seeds. Even better if the seeds are ones you’ve harvested yourself from this past season’s crops. I plan on placing seeds that I hope to fare well next season, charging them with the energies of the Autumnal Equinox to ensure an abundant harvest next year.
Baked Goods:
Breads, Muffins, Pies, Cookies. Best if they incorporate the fall or late summer fruits. Make or buy them for your celebration and save a serving or two to place on the altar as an offering.
Incense:
Cinnamon, Patchouli, Frankincense, Myrrh, Palo Santo, Amber, Sandalwood. Think cozy, warming scents that pair well with the crispness of Autumn air.
Gratitude List:
What inspires the warmth of gratitude in your life? What lessons, blessings, opportunities, and breakthroughs did you experience this past Summer? Make time to make a list of all these things, thoughtfully and honestly, on a nice sheet of paper and place your gratitude list in a prominent place on the altar.
Chalice or Cup:
Choose an appropriate vessel for the altar - if it’s Fall festive, so much the better. Fill it with a celebratory drink, whether it be wine, brandy, kombucha, or something sparkling as an offering.
Candles:
You can use tea lights, pillar candles, or candles poured into a jar. Candles are the last thing you light once everything has been placed on the altar. Not only is this for safety, but it also activates the altar and really brings it to life! If you have fall-colored candles and/or candleholders, that’s great. But if not, white or offwhite will certainly do.
I hope that these tips and ideas can be helpful in the creation of your Autumnal Equinox Altar. And if you have friends, family, or children with you, feel free to involve them! Remember that the Autumnal Equinox is about community and giving thanks for the gifts of life - which include those around us. So know it can be a group activity and a way to bring a lot of joy and creative energy to your celebration. You may be inspired to create just one main altar or perhaps several, some small, some big, some ornate, some austere, some indoors and some outdoors (especially if your festivities will take place outside). So go with the flow and allow the inspiration to guide you!
And above all, remember to have FUN. As the Elves say, when you have fun, you learn and receive so much more. So enjoy the process, the gathering of the components, and the creative energy of weaving all of them together to manifest your very own Autumnal Equinox Altar. And may your altar serve as a touchpoint for you, your friends, your family, and your loved ones to remember and receive the energies of Balance, Harmony, Union, and Gratitude.
