The air shifts, the veil thins. The sun lingers lower in the sky, bathing the earth in burnt honey and deep crimson before bowing out early. This is the Autumn Equinox—a moment of cosmic stillness where light and dark meet as equals before tipping into descent.

In Japan, Ohigan (お彼岸) marks this seasonal shift with quiet reverence—a ritual remembrance and time to honour ancestors, visit graves, and fold gratitude into the turning tides of life. In the Celtic world, Mabon calls for a feast, a final harvest celebration before land exhales into its long sleep.

But you don’t have to be an ancient farmer or temple priestess to feel this shift. Look around. The colours change, the air thickens, the animals move differently, the people do too. Mother Nature is telling us: it’s time. Time to gather, to release, to step forward carrying only what still serves.

The Equinox as a Portal of Change

Balance is a fleeting thing. One moment, the scales hover in perfect stillness—next, they tip, and the descent begins. The Autumn Equinox isn’t just a day on the calendar; it’s an invitation to step into the in-between, to stand in a moment of equilibrium and honour the pause before the darkness stretches its fingers across the land.

In Japan, balance isn’t just a concept—it’s a practice. The changing of the seasons isn’t just acknowledged; it’s embodied. The food shifts, the festivals align, the very rhythm of existence bends to meet the moment. Transformation is not forced—it is already ufolding.

Ask yourself:

• What harvest am I reaping from the past few months?
• What imbalances in my life need recalibrating?
• What inner resources do I want to nourish as the light fades?

Rituals for the Autumn Equinox

This is a time for rites, reckoning, and ritual. Consider these as a way to ground into the equinox’s energy:

What have you grown? What have you lost? What are you carrying that is no longer yours to hold? Write it down. Spell it out. Spill it onto the page like a libation for the version of you that no longer needs it.

Try these prompts:

• What can I shed as the trees shed their leaves?
• What fears have kept me from fully stepping into my power?
• How can I honour my past while embracing the unknown ahead?

Gather your talismans—grapes, persimmons, sweet potatoes, dried flowers, incense. Arrange them on your altar as offerings of balance, transition, and gratitude. In Japan, simple yet sacred offerings of mochi and seasonal fruits align with this theme— a ritual of reverence for the shifting cycles of nature.

Food is magic. Break bread with people you love, sip something warm, stir your intentions into your stews. Let the act of eating become a spell of nourishment, a celebration of survival. Take it further by weaving Oskaya’s Sea Moss Powder into your dishes, infusing them with minerals and vitality for the months ahead.

Got something to let go of? Write it down, fold it up, and burn it (safely of course). Watch the flames consume what no longer serves you. Whisper your goodbyes. Feel the weight lift.

“The equinox is a reminder that transformation is a process—one that asks us to honour both what we’ve grown and what we must release.”

The Autumn Equinox is more than a seasonal shift—it's an invitation. As the days shorten and the nights stretch long, embrace the quiet magic of this in-between space. Whether through ritual, reflection, or simply taking a breath under a crimson-hued sky, trust that nature is guiding you inward.