5 Spiritual Meanings of the Fall Equinox
There are two points during the year where the sun illuminates the North and South Hemispheres equally. These are the equinoxes. Equinox technically stands for “equal night,” in Latin.
During the previous six months, from the time of the Spring Equinox until the Autumn Equinox, the Northern Hemisphere has been tilted toward the sun.
At the Autumn/Fall Equinox (used interchangeably below), the sun starts to shine on the Southern Hemisphere specifically due to the Earth’s rotation shifting.
Here in the North, this means the outward energy of the sun we experience significantly lessens.
For the next 3 months, it will get cooler, days will get shorter and nights will get longer.
Astronomically speaking, the Autumn Equinox marks the first day of fall and this year, the Autumn Equinox will be on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 2:19 P.M. EDT.
Most exciting of all, it’s paired with a New Moon Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo.
Optimistically speaking, eclipses are great windows to welcome in new beginnings and allow things no longer serving your highest good to eclipse out of your life.
Don’t fear eclipses. They can mean you are on the receiving end of the “eclipsing out” energy in someone else’s life, meaning something new enters into your life from elsewhere.
If you haven't, read my full post on eclipses, because it explains the significance in detail.
But let’s get back to the Autumn Equinox before we get too sidetracked.
As a fall lover, my personal opinion is the Autumn Equinox is one of the most magical times of year.
Below, are 5 symbolic messages of the Fall Equinox that represent the energy of this moment:
1 - Change is coming
At the start of the Autumn Equinox, everywhere you look, things start to change.
The colors of the foliage, birds begin migrating south, temperatures are getting cooler, there’s less daylight, animals start to thicken their coats, the list goes on.
This is an important period of the year for honoring changes. Use these intentions to embrace any shifts that arise:
"I release what no longer serves me and welcome change with grace."
"I honor endings in my life as necessary steps for new beginnings."
“I respect and trust the seasons of my life.”
2 - A call for balance and transition
The Fall Equinox represents a time when day and night are equal, so it’s an ideal time to recalibrate your life where it is needed.
Honor the dualities that exist all around you. Death and rebirth, light and darkness, growth and decline, outward activity and rest.
Use this period to take a breath, pause and reflect.
Is there anywhere in your life where you could restore balance?
Could you pivot your attention in one place in order to nurture another?
Use these intentions to honor the timing of your life:
"I intend to seek balance in my daily life, honoring both rest and productivity."
"I simplify my surroundings and my commitments to make room for what matters most."
3 - Acknowledging your inner growth and outward achievements
Now that the Earth has reached a time of equilibrium, it’s the perfect time to also take stock in how much you’ve achieved this year.
Tune in and think about your personal, inner harvest, the wisdom you’ve gained this year.
Also consider personal goals that you’ve met.
What lessons did I learn that contributed to my growth?
Which areas of my life flourished and where was there abundance?
What activities have been working for me to tune in more deeply to my path?
4 - Practice gratitude
This equinox represents a period of time where outward growth begins to slow down. As you prepare to settle down for winter, count your blessings and give thanks for everything you’ve received so far.
Assess and appreciate your abundance, rather than shortcomings.
You may not be where you want to be yet, but you are no longer where you were and that deserves some celebration, right?
A simple practice is to mentally walk yourself back through the year starting from today.
Think of people, things, situations and events you were grateful to have experienced and gotten to know. Internally, thank them and recount the positive thoughts you have about your experiences.
Also ask:
How can I cultivate more gratitude in my daily life?
What am I grateful for right now?
5 - Let go of stagnancy so you can embrace a new start
As nature prepares itself for rest, it’s time to let go of anything that’s not yielding the results you’d hoped for.
You don’t need to go on a warpath of burning things down but simply reflect on anywhere you’ve been grasping.
Sometimes, and I can be guilty as charged of this too, we hold onto things that are no longer helpful to us out of fear of the unknown or comfort.
Fall offers us an opportunity to take an inventory of whatever we are hanging onto so that we too can lose our dead leaves and begin anew.
Nature is readying us for a time of renewal, which means we have to be ready to embrace that which is renewing and let go of what isn’t.
What you may need to let go of aren’t areas where you fell short or didn’t try hard enough - instead they’re things that are no longer serving your highest good yet perhaps at one point, they did.
Think: toxic for you relationships, habits you want to quit, physical clutter, negative thought patterns or outdated beliefs.
Allow the Fall Equinox to be the nudge to shed what you need so you can embrace a new start.
Try out new routines, ideas and activities so you can discern what works for you and what doesn’t, allowing you to move forward with greater clarity towards your goals.
All in all, my favorite time in the forest is autumn. These spiritual meanings surrounding the Fall Equinox only make this period that much more enchanting.
As you move into this darker period of the year when things slow down, try out new routines to embrace changes, restore balance where needed, cultivate gratitude for your experiences, acknowledge your achievements and let go of stagnant energy.
Finally, another important date on the fall spiritual calendar we can look forward to is the Harvest Moon.
You often hear of the Harvest Moon in conjunction with the Autumn Equinox. The Harvest Moon is the name of the full moon closest to the equinox and this year it will be on October 6th in Aries.
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