5 Autumn Rituals To Get In Tune With The Season

In our calendar, autumn begins on the day of the autumnal equinox, which usually falls on September 22 or 23. From an astronomical point of view, this day is when the length of the day is equal to that of the night, which only happens twice a year. Here are 5 ideas for autumn rituals to celebrate the transition to a new season and align oneself with nature.

Saying goodbye to summer

For Wiccans, the autumn equinox corresponds to a celebration called Mabon. This pagan festival or Sabbat can be celebrated between September 21st and 23rd through various rituals marking the end of a cycle, introspection, and preparation for a period of hibernation and rest.

But even without practicing Wicca, you too can adopt some autumn rituals to bid farewell to summer and welcome this new season.

At this time of year when the days shorten and the temperatures cool, you can symbolically say goodbye to the sunny days by organizing your wardrobe. It's time to put away summer clothes and accessories and bring out jackets and clothing more suitable for autumn weather.

You can also take advantage of this change of season to organize your summer vacation photos. As you put these photos away in a box or a memory album, focus on a feeling of gratitude for all the good moments you've had in the past months.

2- Take a walk in nature.

This time of year is one of those when nature undergoes the most spectacular transformation. The leaves of the trees change color and begin to fall as the plant kingdom prepares for winter.

To get in tune with this change of season, there's nothing like taking a walk in nature! The second of our 5 autumn rituals simply involves strolling through the forest to observe the changing landscape.

You can also take the opportunity to gather edible mushrooms or leaves with beautiful autumn colors to decorate your Altar or your home.

3- Harvesting the riches of the season

In the Wheel of the Year that symbolizes the cycle of seasons for Wiccans, the festival of Mabon is a celebration of abundance and harvest. Autumn is the season when we physically or symbolically harvest what we have sown in the previous months.

Another of the 5 autumn rituals is therefore to pick fruits in nature or as part of a farm picking. Many farms offer individuals the opportunity to pick apples and take home their harvest at an unbeatable price. This allows you to prepare pies and compotes that you can enhance with spices such as cinnamon, ginger, or cardamom for their invigorating effect.

You can also plan outings in nature to gather chestnuts, blackberries, or grapes with which you can make jams or jellies in preparation for winter.

4- Taking care of oneself

Period conducive to introspection and self-reflection, autumn also encourages taking care of one's body to help it smoothly transition through this season change. Maybe you are used to doing a grape or vitamin cleanse...

But have you thought about incorporating beauty routines into your autumn rituals, such as facial steams or massages? For body massage, we recommend using a warming oil (for example, a special muscle relaxation oil with arnica and essential oils).

Another very pleasant and simple treatment is a relaxing foot bath, enhanced with Epsom salt and lavender and sweet orange essential oils to promote relaxation.

5- Save your strength for the winter.

Just as trees shed their leaves after storing reserves to survive the winter, you too must conserve your energy in preparation for the coldest months of the year.

Therefore, don't forget to incorporate into your autumn rituals anything that allows you to recharge your batteries. Slow down and savor the simple pleasures of the season. This time of year is conducive to rest and the practice of various relaxation methods such as sophrology or yoga.

In Celtic tradition, the peak of the season occurs on October 31st, during the celebration of Samhain, now known as Halloween... On this day, it is said that a veil lifts between the world of the living and the world of spirits, bringing about a particular clarity. But don't wait for this date to start listening to yourself and your needs!