Ritual
The Fall Equinox is a turning point. On this day, light and dark share the sky equally, day and night in perfect balance. It happens only twice a year, in spring and in fall, and it reminds us of the rhythm we are a part of. As summer’s fullness fades into autumn’s harvest, the equinox offers us a chance to pause, reflect, and realign.
Join me at Sellwood Yoga for our Fall Equinox Yoga Celebration on Sunday, September 21 at 4:30pm. We will gather in community for 90 minutes to honor this seasonal shift through movement, breath, and intention.
Save your spot here: Register for the Fall Equinox Yoga Celebration
What the Fall Equinox Means
The word equinox comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night). It marks the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, creating nearly equal hours of daylight and darkness all over the earth. Symbolically, it is an invitation to:
Find balance in your own life
Reflect on what you have harvested from the past season
Release what no longer serves you
Set clear, grounded intentions for the months ahead
As the days gradually shorten, we are guided inward toward rest, routine, and inner steadiness.
Traditions Around the World
Across cultures, the equinox has long been honored as a sacred moment of balance and transition:
Ancient Britain and Ireland: At sites like Stonehenge and Newgrange, stones are aligned with the sun’s equinox rise and set, suggesting seasonal ceremonies tied to farming and harvest cycles.
Mayan Culture: At Chichén Itzá in Mexico, the equinox sun creates a shadow of a serpent moving down the pyramid steps, an event celebrated as a symbol of fertility, renewal, and cosmic balance.
Japan: The Buddhist tradition of Higan takes place during the equinox week, a time for visiting graves, honoring ancestors, and seeking balance between this world and the next.
China and East Asia: The Mid-Autumn Festival, close to the fall equinox, celebrates the harvest with mooncakes and lanterns, symbolizing family unity and gratitude.
Native American Traditions: Many tribes hold ceremonies around the equinox that honor the harvest, give thanks to the earth, and recognize the balance between the physical and spiritual worlds.
Scandinavia: Rooted in ancient Norse and agrarian practices, the equinox marked the time to gather the final harvest and prepare for the long winter. Communities held feasts, lit bonfires, and honored deities of fertility, the earth, and the harvest.
Each culture highlights the same universal truth: balance is fleeting, but worth celebrating.
A Simple Home Ritual
Try this short equinox practice at home before or after joining us in the studio:
Create a Harvest Altar. Place seasonal items such as apples, squash, autumn leaves, or a candle on a small table.
Breathe. Take six deep breaths, feeling the balance of inhale and exhale.
Reflect. Write down three things you are grateful for, three things you are ready to let go of, and one intention for the season ahead.
Seal. Light your candle, hold your list to your heart, and breathe in the feeling of balance.
Celebrate with Us
Our studio celebration will bring this spirit of balance into the body through movement, reflection, and community.
Reserve your spot now: Register for the Fall Equinox Yoga Celebration
When: Sunday, September 21, 4:30-6:00pm
Where: Sellwood Yoga, In Studio and Outdoor Deck
Who: Open to all levels
Come as you are. Leave feeling balanced, renewed, and connected to the season’s rhythm.