As the wheel of the year turns toward the Autumn Equinox, we’re invited to pause between the light and the dark. This sacred threshold—known as Mabon in many earth-based traditions—is a moment of perfect balance when day and night share the sky equally.
It is a time to reflect, to give thanks, and to prepare for the quieter inward journey of fall and winter.
At Alchemy Circle, we honor the equinox as a powerful invitation to align with the rhythms of nature. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or newly awakening to seasonal wisdom, this is a beautiful time to ground, gather, and give gratitude.
Rituals to Honor the Autumn Equinox
Create a Gratitude Altar
Build a sacred space in your home or outdoors where you can honor the turning of the season. Use natural items that represent the harvest: colorful leaves, acorns, corn husks, pumpkins, apples, and wheat. Add candles to represent the balance of light and shadow, and crystals like carnelian, smoky quartz, or citrine to anchor autumn energy. As you place each item, speak aloud a gratitude or intention. Return to this altar throughout the season as a space for reflection.
Reflect and Release Ceremony
Write down what you’re ready to release—old habits, stories, grief, or imbalance. Then, in a safe and sacred space, burn the paper as an offering to transformation. If fire doesn’t feel right, you can bury it, tear it into a stream, or scatter it into the wind. Before and after, spend time in stillness. Feel into what is leaving, and open your heart to the spaciousness it creates.
Prepare and Share a Sacred Meal
Harvest season invites us to gather, cook, and share food as a ritual of love. Choose seasonal ingredients—squash, root vegetables, wild rice, apples, or honey—and prepare them with mindfulness. As you cook, infuse your meal with blessings for balance, health, and connection. Eat slowly, savoring each bite as a prayer of gratitude. If sharing with others, invite them to speak about one thing they’re harvesting in their own lives. Recipes to Celebrate Mabon
Walk the Balance (Sunrise or Sunset Ritual)
Choose a liminal time—dawn or dusk—and take a mindful walk in nature. With each step, breathe in balance. Notice what is ending and what is beginning. If you feel called, bring two stones with you: one to represent what you’re releasing, and one to represent what you’re welcoming. Leave the first stone behind, and carry the second with you through the season.
Divination for Clarity and Centering
Use tarot, oracle cards, runes, or pendulum work to ask: “What truth wants to be revealed this season?” or “What area of my life is seeking balance?” Allow your tools to guide a deeper reflection. Journal what comes up and place your insights on your altar. Return to them as the season unfolds.
Reflections for Seekers and Practitioners
For those of us holding space for others—healers, readers, teachers—this equinox can also be a check-in with how we give and receive. Are we nourishing ourselves as much as we nourish others? Are our offerings aligned with our truth?
The call of this season is to recalibrate. To remember that balance is not perfection—it is presence.
Share Your Equinox Offerings
Practitioners – Are you holding a seasonal gathering, ritual, or workshop? Add your events to your calendar and share them through our Sun Tier Membership.
Melanie Ceraso
Founder & CEO of Alchemy Circle