The Autumn Equinox 2022

 

The  Autumn Equinox is on 22 September. Where I live in the wooded hills of north Mississippi, it arrives at 8:30 AM.  On the equinox, day and night are of equal length. This even is the start of Autumn. The days begin to grow shorter than the night. It has been noted and celebrated by our ancestors for millenniums. The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest to the Autumn Equinox. This full moon allowed farmers to use its light to assist in the long hours of harvest. In the Northern Hemisphere our Harvest Moon came on 10 September this year. 

In Gaelic the Autumn Equinox called Cónocht an Fhómhair. This equinox has been celebrated since ancient times. There is a Carn on Loughcrew in County Meath, with a passage grave that has an opening that is aligned with the Autumn Equinox. This structure dates to 3000 BC, some 5000 years plus old. The Carn is called Sliabh na Cailleach and on the morning of the Autumn Equinox a shaft of light enters this ancient tomb. The Autumn Equinox is a day of celebration and ritual. 

Sliabh na Cailleach

View from road going toward Sliabh na Cailleach

The Autumn Equinox is a time to reflect upon our ancestors, to light a fire, and to enjoy a libation as an offering to the old ones. And.. it begins my favourite time of the year. BTW, it was on Sliabh na Cailleach that I had an incident with the Bean Sí Beara.   

© Barry R McCain 2022