Today is the Autumn Equinox. This is considered by many to be the first day of Autumn, and is one of only two moments in the year when the sun is exactly above the Equator, and thus day and night are of equal length. Like Halloween is a time when the veil between the land of the living and the realm of the dead is thin, this holiday (as well as its cross-point in the spring) are times when the veil between our world and that of the Fae is at is thinnest… and it is when I personally experience more interactions with them than any other time of year.
In my path, the Autumn Equinox is also known as the Second Harvest (also called Mabon), and is a day that marks the transition of the growing season into full harvest. After this day, the darkness of night begins to overtake the sun’s reign in the sky as the days continue to grow shorter and shorter, and the nights longer and longer. The earth is winding down its abundant generosity and beginning to close up shop for the year.
Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are sure to be some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of the upcoming third and Last Harvest of the year (aka. Samhain, Halloween) at the end of October.
Theme of the Season – Mabon/Abundance, New Moon, Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Mabon is a holiday filled with abundance. As the Second Harvest begins, we reap the rewards of all our hard work, stockpiling a cushion of abundance for the months ahead when scarcity will have the opportunity to step in and influence our lives. Remember that celebrating your hard work is important. The work done during this season builds up for us the strength needed to get through the sparse cold of the winter to come.
The New Moon is a time of beginnings, when we take the ideas we have been fostering in the back of our mind and bring them forward to prioritize and begin to encourage to grow. Planning is the first step to acting on one’s dreams, and the new moon encourages us to plot and plan to our heart’s content concerning those things most important to us, and that we want to accomplish or achieve.
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is truly a jack-of-all trades kind of herb. Oh, did I say herb? Are you aware it’s actually considered a weed? Regardless, it’s not just delicious, but also possesses a swath of medical benefits and magical uses.
As a medicinal herb, dill is a spectacular choice for treatment of a variety of stomach ailments, bad breath, gas, and even hemorrhoids. It is also been shown to help lower blood sugar levels, is full of antioxidants, and high in flavonoids which are known to help in protecting the heart due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may help lower cholesterol. It’s essential oil is also antibacterial.
Metaphysically speaking, dill is an herb with many various uses from love and abundance to luck, protection, fostering adaptability, attracting money, and even hex removal and binding magic. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, for you can find a myriad of spells for all sorts of purposes that use dill as an essential ingredient.
When looking at these three cards together, what I see here is an encouragement to focus on the things that you -can- do and be grateful for all you’ve accomplished. Even if in life you are struggling right now, work on staying calm and use this time to appreciate all that you have instead of focusing on what you don’t have or can’t do. Calm and ground yourself as best you can, and focus on taking care of yourself and your health right now.
Earth – Page of Pentacles – Be open to learning new things, but at a slow pace. Don’t push, but instead contemplate and savor. Roll new methods and skills needed around in your head and practice at them. You’re gonna feel like a novice for a good while longer, so be sure to use your spiritual practice to help bolster your confidence and foster patience as you move forward.
Air – Ace of Swords – Communication is key right now, as is information gathering. New ideas are coming, and you’re not going to want to just listen to them, but share them with others as well. This open communication will encourage new ideas and creative thinking.
Water – Eight of Swords Rx – It’s really difficult right now for you not to bury your head in the sand and hide, but a part of the communication mentioned above is also about listening. Make sure that you are keeping your eyes, ears, and mind open. What you glean from doing so will help remove barriers that are currently in your way.
Fire – Five of Swords – The mentality of defeat is just that… a mentality. A choice. You can stand strong to weather the storm and come out on top, or you can lay things down and walk away defeated with your tail tucked between your legs. Choose to fight, and you choose to win.
Waning – The Healer and Sickle – You cannot heal or adequately attend to others when you yourself are unwell. Step back from investing so much of yourself in others well-being on your path and practice right now. You need to be focusing this energy on yourself instead, at least for the time being.
Waxing – The Unbound and Roots – Reconnect with your roots by getting out in nature and doing those things that help you to feel that you are thriving. Connect with the wild, and let it lift you up into a better and healthier mindset as it fosters within you the grounding that you need right now.
Take Away – This season is all about taking care of yourself and your own needs. Make sure that you are getting the outside time that you’re craving. Even if it feels inconvenient; you still need it.
Don’t allow yourself to fall into the pit of despair, or hold yourself apart and hide away. You need to be open and aware and thinking clearly, so that when opportunity to begin learning anew arises, you’re able to step in and start right away. The learning curve on what’s coming is going to be a steep one, and you need to be ready to start as soon as possible, communicate openly with others as you go, and listen with an open mind to their feedback and ideas.
Twisting the Leaf 