Honouring the Autumn Equinox
Twice a year, the Earth pauses in perfect balance. The autumn equinox is one of those moments when day and night stand equal, light and dark share the sky in harmony. It’s a rare point in the yearly cycle, a brief pause before the scales tip and the nights begin to grow longer than the days.
The autumn equinox this year falls on Monday, September 22 at 20:19 CEST.
This natural balance has always carried a deep symbolism: a reminder that life moves in cycles, that light and dark coexist and that every season has its own wisdom. For many, this change can bring unease. The thought of longer nights and less sunlight often stirs up feelings of heaviness, fatigue, or even seasonal depression. I know it does for me. Ancient cultures understood this shift deeply, which is why equinox rituals were so meaningful. They honoured the turning of the season, gave thanks for the harvest and welcomed the inward season with intention rather than fear.
The Dark Half of the Year
I can’t possibly think about honouring the autumn equinox today without first looking at the wisdom of the ancient people. Across cultures, this moment was held as sacred and not just a date on the calendar, but a turning point in the year. For agrarian societies such as the Celts, Druids and Greeks, the equinox marked a turn inward. Instead of fearing the darkness, they ritualized it.
Harvest festivals weren’t just celebrations, they were also practical, giving thanks for abundance and preparing food stores for winter. But this cultural practice extended beyond food: people conserved personal energy, slowed down, rested more and worked less during the darker months.
Darkness wasn’t seen as “bad”, just as seeds require dark soil to grow, humans were encouraged to use the season for rest, dreaming, creativity and inner growth. Shamanic traditions and many Indigenous teachings today, view winter as a time for storytelling, wisdom-sharing, healing practices and tending to the spirit rather than the outer world.
Ancient cultures embraced a cyclical worldview. They didn’t resist the darkness or cling to endless summer as we often do today. They trusted in the balance: light always returns. The equinox served as a reminder of this cycle.
Honouring the Equinox in Daily Life
As the days grow shorter and cooler, our nervous systems naturally craves rhythm, warmth and restoration. This season asks us to slow down, nourish ourselves more deeply and turn inward. Below, I’m going to be sharing the best simple practices that can help you move through the darker months feeling grounded and connected, just as our ancestors once did.
Seasonal Eating Wisdom
Since ancient times, cultures all over the world have adjusted their diets to match the changing seasons. Systems like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine understood that our bodies need different kinds of foods depending on the climate and the natural cycle we’re in. Summer calls for cooling, light foods to balance the heat - think more fruits, raw vegetables and fresh salads. But as autumn arrives and the air cools, our bodies benefit more from warming soups, stews, teas…
Healthy fats (olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, grass-fed butter or ghee, beef fat…) also play a big role in hormone balance, brain health, and nervous system regulation. In fact, your nervous system is largely made of fat, so giving it good quality fuel supports resilience during the darker season.
A few simple shifts can help you align your eating with the season:
Swap smoothies for warm teas, goat milk or bone broth - yes you can just drink it in the morning like tea.
Add spices like cinnamon, ginger, oregano to meals or drinks — they’re naturally warming and support immunity.
Eat dinner earlier so your body has time to digest before sleep.
Focus on seasonal produce (pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, pears).
By eating in rhythm with the season, you’re not just nourishing your body, you’re reminding your nervous system that it is supported and in tune with nature.
Turning Inward
Now that the chaos of summer has passed, autumn invites us to slow down and turn inward. The shorter days and longer nights create the perfect time for practices that nurture us on the inside. Meditation, prayer, journaling and breathwork can become powerful allies in this season, helping us ground, release what no longer serves us, and reconnect with ourselves on a deeper level. Just as nature draws its energy back into the roots, we too can use this time to recharge and tend to our inner landscape.
Support Your Body with Warmth
As the days grow cooler and darker, one of the simplest ways to honour the season is by surrounding yourself with warmth. In many ancient traditions, heat was seen as deeply restorative, whether through baths, saunas, or simply wrapping yourself in a blanket with a nourishing cup of tea. Warmth not only soothes the nervous system but also signals to the body that it is safe to rest and repair.
You can enhance this ritual with spices and herbs known for their antimicrobial and immune-supporting qualities. A cup of Greek oregano tea or warming infusions of cloves and cinnamon, can be both comforting and protective as we move into colder months.
Respect the Need for Longer Sleep
As the days grow shorter and nights stretch longer, our bodies naturally crave more rest. Ancient people moved with this rhythm, often sleeping more in the darker months to conserve energy and support the immune system. Today, many of us resist that urge, pushing through with artificial light and caffeine. But giving yourself permission to extend your sleep, even just 30-60 minutes more, can make a huge difference in how resilient you feel. Think of it as aligning with nature’s rhythm: the longer nights are an invitation to restore more deeply.
As the world cools and the days shorten, let your plate become part of the ritual of slowing down. Tonight, make a simple warming meal, sit with intention, and notice how a small seasonal practice can steady your day and your nervous system across the months ahead.
With light and love,
Ema