Autumn Equinox 2022 🍂- Pagan Pride Day + Rediscovering Balance

I’ve always gone all out for the equinoxes. We can debate all we want about when Persephone *officially* begins her descent, but Mabon is the most logical time for me. Although I love historically accurate Hellenic festivals, the Pan-Pagan Wheel of the Year is perfect for my community and climate.

Most years, I perform an autumn equinox ritual with prayers, poems, harvest offerings, A LOT of baked goods, and more candles than I can handle. But this glorious September kicked my butt. Between the Eleusinian Mysteries and Pagan Pride Day, I’m too exhausted to plan another major celebration. I think the Two Goddesses understand.

A brief update- my first Pagan Pride Day was AMAZING. Pride has been canceled twice because of the pandemic, so everyone at CUUPS was thrilled to see each other. We had a great, active group at the closing ritual and I could feel the circle vibrating with power when Suz and I called down Athena, Artemis, Demeter, and Ares.

What an experience. I spoke my memorized invocation too early so I had to improvise half the ritual- with a lot of help from my Gods. And surprisingly? The improvised portion was even better than the scripted part. Ares made His presence known by setting this stuffed dragon on fire. 

(My squad of kickass queer teens helped me set this up- I love you folks).

The best part of Pride was stepping back and watching participants share a private moment with the Theoi. The job of the priestess is to facilitate spiritual experiences for others. Watching people kneel in the sacred space that we created, I felt my true calling. 

So after all that potent energy, I simply don’t have the bandwidth for another major celebration. This call to simplicity actually feels like a blessing. In an age of social media spirituality, it’s easy to forget that your practice doesn’t always have to be elaborate, powerful, or aesthetically pleasing. 

Just listen to the voices you hold sacred. 

Equinox is a time of balance, so I’m taking this day to refind my footing after a hectic season. This evening, I’ll go for a walk and sprinkle poppy seeds in the forest.  My gift to the Goddesses is a small poetry collection and a few hours of contemplation. 

For a simple autumn equinox celebration, prepare a pomegranate and spend some time outside. Pour a libation to Persephone and meditate on the coming darkness.

There’s a lot of power in lighting one candle. 

      Autumn blessings,

      Rose Eleusis 🥀