Fall Equinox Ritual: Harvest, Gratitude and Balance
The fall equinox is September 23, 2027, when day and night are equal and autumn begins in the north. Many call it Mabon, the witches' harvest festival. A fall equinox ritual: gather what you harvested this year on a page, give thanks for each thing, then write what you are ready to let fall like the leaves.
Key takeaways
The 2027 fall equinox is Thursday, September 23, at 06:02 UTC: 2:02 am Eastern, and 11:02 pm Pacific on September 22.
Day and night are equal again, and from here the nights grow longer.
Mabon is the harvest festival of the Wheel of the Year: thanks, balance and sharing.
The ritual has two halves: gratitude for your harvest, then release, like the trees.
When is the fall equinox in 2027?
The fall equinox is Thursday, September 23, 2027, at 06:02 UTC. That is 2:02 am in New York and 7:02 am in London. On the West Coast it falls late on Wednesday, September 22. Any time around those two days works.
In the southern hemisphere, the September equinox starts spring. There, the autumn equinox came in March: March 20, 2027.
What does the fall equinox mean spiritually?
The fall equinox is balance again, but turning toward the dark. Day and night are equal, then the nights win. It is harvest time: the season to gather what grew, give thanks for it, and get ready to rest.
You are always sending a signal, and the universe sends back what you send. At the fall equinox, the strongest signal is gratitude. You count your harvest, even the small things, and thank the year for it. The sun also moves into Libra, the sign of balance.
How to do a fall equinox ritual, step by step
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Set a small harvest
On the equinox, put an apple, a candle and something from nature, like a leaf or an acorn, on your table.
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Light a warm candle
Orange, gold or brown, the colors of autumn. Breathe slowly and feel the season turn.
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Count your harvest
Write everything that grew in your life this year. Read each line and say thank you.
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Let something fall
On a second paper or a leaf, write what you are ready to release. Let the wind take it, or tear it up.
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Write one wish for winter
Write one gentle wish for the dark half of the year, as if it is already true. Keep it until the winter solstice.
Fall equinox ritual ideas
Pick one or two. Cozy and simple.
**Make a harvest list.** Write everything you gathered this year: things you learned, people you met, wins big and small.
**Set a harvest table.** Apples, squash, nuts, bread and candles. Share a meal and go around the table saying one thank-you each.
**Cut an apple across.** Cut an apple in half across the middle and you will find a five-pointed star. Eat one half as you make a wish for the season.
**Gather fallen leaves.** Write one thing you let go on each leaf and let the wind take it, or put it in the compost.
**Start a gratitude jar.** Drop in one thank-you a day until the winter solstice.
What is Mabon?
Mabon is the name many witches and pagans give to the fall equinox festival, the second harvest of the Wheel of the Year. It comes after the summer solstice and Lammas, and before Samhain, the witches' new year. Its colors are deep orange, red, brown and gold. Its symbols are apples, grapes, squash, corn, acorns and fallen leaves. It is often called the witches' Thanksgiving.
Fall equinox intentions
Write them as if they are already true.
I am thankful for everything I have grown.
I let go with grace, like the trees.
My life is in sweet balance.
I rest, and my harvest keeps me.
What is meant for me finds me in every season.
If letting go is the hard part, these affirmations for letting go help. For thanks, here are some lines of gratitude for every day.
Tips for your fall equinox ritual
Read your summer wish
If you wrote a wish at the summer solstice, read it today and thank it for what it brought.
Share the harvest
Mabon is about sharing. Cook for someone, give away what you don't need, or donate food.
Balance your space
Clear one cluttered corner. The equinox loves balance, inside and out.
Go for a walk
Collect a few leaves and acorns on an autumn walk for your table.
Watch the Harvest Moon
The full moon nearest the equinox is the Harvest Moon. Read your harvest list again under it.
Fall equinox: frequently asked questions
Thursday, September 23, 2027, at 06:02 UTC: 2:02 am Eastern, and 11:02 pm Pacific on September 22. In the southern hemisphere, autumn began with the March 20, 2027 equinox.
