Autumn Equinox/Alban Elfed
At the Equinoxes (Welsh: cyhydnos), of which this is one of the four astronomical solar festivals, day and night are balanced, although day and night are of equal duration, the power of the sun is on the wane, and we give thanks for the gifts of the harvest and prepare for the darkness of Winter
The falling leaves, the shorter days are the signs that we are coming into the turning point of the year that prepares us for Winter and the dark season, another time of balance. Alban is the Welsh for Zenith or the Top of, even though in many writings it is described as Light, not so for Welsh Druids, and Elfed (the ‘f’ is pronounced like a ‘v’) means ripe and fruity, so the Alban Elfed translates to The Zenith of all things ripe and fruity, rather than the common term of Light of the Autumn. The Welsh secular statement used around this time of year is Cyhydnos Yr Hydref, a period of 3 months when day and night are equal, in the 3rd quarter of the year, time of harvest.
Celebrating the final gathering and harvesting of foods (and drinks made from the foods), especially the berries deep rich reds, blue and black of the berries, orange and rusts from the leaves which begin to fall, and we watch as the animals that hibernate are now actively storing their food supplies, so there is a hive of activity all around. The circa dates are 23rd September in the Northern Hemisphere and 21st March in the Southern Hemisphere.
A time of abundance and a time where we feast on all that we have reaped, we pay reverence to the land for what is has supplied as the days begin to wane. An important aspect of this equinox is the time of reckoning, the summing up, a time of reflection let’s say, also a time of wonder and gratitude.
Strength and endurance at this time of year is a reminder and reflective thought as we embrace the mellowness almost a laziness that the day brings, what did we enjoy through the summer, what did we prepare or not for this year, what would we ponder on for the focus in the coming of Winter?
