The autumnal equinox is the day when the length of day and night are the same. In 2016, the autumn equinox falls on September 22 and takes place at 14:22 UTC or 17:22 Moscow time.
The autumnal equinox occurs once a year when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, moving south. On this day, it shines equally in the northern and southern hemispheres.
This is a special magical day in terms of astrology and magic. On this day, the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Libra. The symbolism of Libra is balance, harmony, balance. This sign is ruled by Venus and Saturn.
In ancient times, people solemnly celebrated the autumn equinox, knowing that changes in nature correspond to internal changes. The holiday symbolized the harvest and the harmony of nature. This magical time happens only once a year. These days, most of us do not harvest to prepare our food for the winter months, but we must prepare ourselves for the winter days when the sun is getting less and less.
To celebrate the autumnal equinox, focus your energies on preparing for the coming winter and creating internal balance. Prepare for the dark winter days to come by holding the light within. This is a good time to use magic for protection, wealth and prosperity, self-confidence, balance and harmony. The day of the autumnal equinox is suitable for making for yourself or charging a talisman Venus for love or talisman Saturn for career success and financial growth.
Wherever you are today, take some time to magical ritual autumn equinox to reflect on the grace of nature, say thanks for what you have and prepare for the coming winter months.
Autumn Equinox Affirmations
Autumn Equinox Stones Find a comfortable and peaceful place where you feel good and where you won't be disturbed. Relax and repeat magical affirmations. Well if you have magic stones corresponding to the autumnal equinox. Below are affirmations corresponding to the day of the autumn equinox and magic stones.
Topaz. I have the strength to act, and through that, abundance comes to me.
Tourmaline. I find balance and protection.
Aventurine, moonstone. My days are joyful, as are my nights.
Sapphire. I am open to understanding the inner knowledge that God gives me.
Eye of the Tiger. My emotions and intellect are balanced. I see clearly what is for me the best choice on the path of life.
Agate. I welcome change and understand that all things are impermanent.
Hematite. I see light and joy around me.
Rauchtopaz (smoky quartz). I deserve a good life and prosperity.
Put magic stones in your bag when not in use. Return to them from time to time and repeat the affirmations of the day of the autumn equinox. When favorable events occur in your life that correspond to affirmations, give the person who is dear to you a white topaz. Topaz increases awareness of actions and understanding of their karmic consequences.
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The period of the festival of the autumn equinox begins at the moment when the night is equal in duration to the day, moreover, this phenomenon can be observed simultaneously on the entire planet. For Europeans, this is rather a sad event than a joyful one, as it portends the rapid onset of autumn. However, for the southern hemisphere of the planet, from the moment of this holiday, a period of astronomical spring begins.
History of the equinoxes
The question of the alternation of the seasons, including the days of the spring, as well as the autumn equinox, has puzzled mankind since ancient times. In the northern hemisphere, the onset of this unusual day says that the baton of the change of seasons has been handed over to the queen of autumn. This means that there will be less and less hot sunshine every day, and the nights will be longer.
The date of the official onset of winter falls on December 21 or 22 (in the northern hemisphere), the time when the day is the shortest and the night is the longest in the entire calendar year. Interestingly, winter in the northern part of the planet is a whole week shorter than in the southern part. The reason is that the gap period between the spring and autumn equinoxes is 186 days, while the next gap between the autumn and spring equinoxes is 179 days. That is North hemisphere revolves around the Sun at a slightly higher speed than the southern one.
As in Rus' celebrated the day of the autumn equinox
IN Ancient Rus' This holiday has become quite popular. On this day, the hostesses prepared all kinds of dishes, baked pies, and the festival itself was accompanied by dancing, singing and festivities. The children decorated their houses with rowan twigs. Our ancestors believed in the protective properties of this tree. According to legend, the fruits of mountain ash protect from troubles, misfortunes and evil spirits, save a person from insomnia sent by dark forces.
according to the weather popular belief, during the period of the autumn equinox, we can talk about the whole autumn as a whole. If the weather is warm and dry, winter will come late this year.
How do the Japanese celebrate the autumn equinox?
Many pagan tribes celebrated the autumnal equinox. Today, only in Japan this holiday has the status of a state holiday, since the 19th century. On this day, the Japanese bring cleanliness and order in their homes, commemorate their ancestors, set the table. Vegetable food predominates on the table, preference is given to vegetables, beans, mushrooms, all kinds of broths without animal fats. On this day, according to tradition, they visit cemeteries, conduct appropriate rituals at the graves of relatives.
As the Mexicans say
The Mexican holiday of the autumnal equinox is inextricably linked with such a historical place as Kukulcana.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan is one of the most famous Mayan pyramids, located in the ancient city of Chichen Itza. During the construction of this pyramid, strict geometric proportions were observed. It so happened that during this festival, when the sun's rays hit the huge platforms, an alternation of solar and shadow figures of a triangular shape is obtained. Falling lower, the play of shadows and sunlight forms a bizarre figure of a snake. At the base of the platform you can see the head, and at the very top - the tail.
It is here, on the day of the autumn equinox, that the inhabitants of Mexico gather to see this miracle, which lasts about 3 hours and 22 minutes. Mexicans believe that if at this very moment you are at the very top of Kukulkan, then your most cherished wish will certainly come true!
All Vedic holidays are mystical, special days. The Earth, Moon, Sun are at this time in special positions relative to each other, the center of the Galaxy and other celestial objects. The sky is opening, the Gates are opening and the Earth is coming huge stream energy.
Holidays, depending on the time when they come, have different meaning, but all these days are mystical, they are intended for spiritual work. These are the best days for spiritual practices, meditation, prayer. They are not meant for worldly affairs. It is no coincidence that the ancient sages prescribed certain rituals on these days.
The sages divide the year into two halves - the divine day and the divine night. The period from the winter solstice (December 21-22) to the summer solstice (June 21-22) is day, and the period from summer solstice to winter is night. The beginning of each of these periods is marked by a holiday, calendar ritual actions.
The sun is revered, deified by all peoples. The solstices were used to improve the quality of life, it was the starting point of a new life. Also important are the days of the equinoxes - these are the most important astronomical events, a special energy time, these are the central points connecting the earth's seasons.
Winter solstice, solstice.
2016: Winter Solstice begins December 21, 2016 at 10:45 UTC or 13:45 Moscow time when the Sun enters 0° zodiac sign Capricorn
Winter solstice, solstice, one of the most important, special days of the year. Starting from this day, daylight increases and night decreases. On this day, the height of the sun rises in the sky is the lowest. From that day on, the Sun begins its northern path of growth. At this time, the Earth is at the smallest distance from the Sun. Life on Earth largely depends on the Sun, so the approach of the Earth to the Sun and the distance are the most important astronomical events.
The moment of the solstice is the critical moment of transition. About 3 days before and after the solstice, the Earth receives a huge flow of creative energy, this is a magical, sacred time of transition. Like any transitional time, it is for spiritual practices. It is believed that this time is not for material affairs. It greatly contributes to God-centeredness, not ego-centeredness. The winter solstice is the beginning of the astronomical new year. This is a holiday of rebirth, the birth of a new sun.
From this moment a new cycle of time begins. The moment of the solstice, the end of long nights - this is the mystery of the birth of the new, renewal, rebirth, the transition from the old life to the new. This is the mystery of renewal, the day of laying hopes, a solid foundation for a bright future.
This is both death and resurrection, the mystery of the rebirth of old age into youth.
In this energetically special, charged time, you can burn your sins, change your destiny, be reborn, just like a renewed Sun is born again.
In the coming days before the solstice, it is favorable to get rid of everything obsolete, interfering, superfluous (both in the house and in terms of personality, habits, relationships, etc.). It would be good to let go of grievances, leave quarrels, resolve conflicts, favorably make donations, repay debts. IN new life better to go light.
With gratitude to God, with pure thoughts, pure intentions and wishes of happiness.
And in a clean place (you first need to clean the territory, get rid of rubbish, garbage and dust on the physical plane as well). It is very favorable to light lamps, incense.
The night before this day is the longest of the year. This is a dark, feminine, magical time. This night opens the door to a new life. It is good to sum up the results of the past year, to thank God for everything that He gives. It is important to get rid of worries, anxieties and enter a new life in a harmonious state.
At this time, together with the sun, all living things begin their path of growth, ascent. It is very important to be God-centered, to move away from the hustle and bustle, to turn inward.
Prayer, meditation at this time will have great power, as well as your good intentions, goals for the future. The rhythms of the Universe at this time are very conducive to this. The power of the resurgent Sun, the powerful energy of creation will fill them.
It is favorable to meet the sunrise, to express our respect to him, to congratulate him on his birth, to thank him for his gifts. It is important to feel this transitional sacred period, the turn from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge, from death to immortality. If this is done consciously (to discard the negative, the obsolete and create the intention to acquire the bright), then ahead - indeed - the bright path of rebirth, growth.
At this time, the sky opens, strong flows of energy go to the Earth. This is a time of Hope and Opportunity. It is very important to use it for your growth, improvement. This is a time of meditation, prayer, a time of good intentions. Should I miss this chance?
This is a great time to improve, change what needs to be changed; get rid of what gets in the way; lay a solid foundation for growth.
This day is celebrated in the culture of every nation. An indispensable attribute of the holiday is fire - these are candles, lamps, bonfires.
IN Slavic tradition celebrated Christmas.
Like the ancient Slavs, the inhabitants of central and northern Europe during the winter solstice performed symbolic actions with fire, celebrating Yule.
In Zoroastrian tradition, these days celebrate the Feast of Mithra. Mitra - God of justice, the all-seeing eye of Asha (Truth). Mitra is associated with the Sun, monitors the observance of dharma, order. On this day, 21 candles are lit.
Holland celebrates Saint Thomas Day. This is the last day of classes before the Christmas holidays. On this day, it is very important not to be the last to come to school, otherwise they will tease “sleepy Thomas”. On this special day, even children cannot sleep for a long time
The solstice is one of the two days of the year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is at its minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in a year - winter and summer.
On the winter solstice, the sun rises to its lowest point on the horizon.
In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, which is when the shortest day and longest night occur. The moment of the solstice shifts every year, as the duration solar year does not match calendar time.
In 2016, the winter solstice begins on December 21st. The sun, moving along the ecliptic, at this moment will reach the most distant position from the celestial equator towards the South Pole of the world. Astronomical winter will come in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, and summer will come in the Southern Hemisphere.
On this day, at the latitude of Moscow, the Sun rises above the horizon to a height of less than 11 degrees.
In these December days, beyond the Arctic Circle (66.5 degrees north latitude), the polar night sets in, which does not necessarily mean complete darkness throughout the day. Its main feature is that the Sun does not rise above the horizon.
At the North Pole of the Earth, not only the Sun is not visible, but also twilight, and the location of the luminary can only be recognized by the constellations. A completely different picture in the region of the South Pole of the Earth - in Antarctica at this time the day lasts around the clock.
On December 21, the Sun crosses the 18 hour meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic, beginning its journey to the vernal equinox when it crosses the celestial equator.
For thousands of years, the winter solstice has been of great importance for all the peoples of our planet, who lived in harmony with natural cycles and organized their lives in accordance with them. Since ancient times, people have revered the Sun, realizing that their life on earth depends on its light and heat. For them, the winter solstice represented the victory of light over darkness.
So, in Russian folklore, a proverb is dedicated to this day: the sun - for the summer, winter - for the frost. Now the day will gradually increase, and the night will decrease. The winter solstice was used to judge the future harvest. In the old days, on this day they noticed: frost on the trees - to a rich harvest of grain.
In the 16th century in Rus', an interesting ritual was associated with the winter solstice. The bell warden of the Moscow cathedral, who was responsible for the chiming of the clock, came to bow to the tsar. He reported that from now on the sun turned to summer, the day is added, and the night is reduced. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.
The ancient Slavs on the day of the winter solstice celebrated pagan New Year, he contacted the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, had to rise higher and higher. The ritual New Year's cake - a loaf - also resembled the sun in shape.
In Europe, these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivities dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and the renewal of nature.
On the day of the winter solstice in Scotland it was customary to launch the sun wheel - the "solstice". The barrel was smeared with burning tar and let down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of the wheel resembled rays, the rotation of the spokes during movement made the wheel alive and looked like a luminary.
The winter solstice was determined before all other seasons in China (there are 24 seasons in the Chinese calendar). IN ancient China it was believed that from that time the male force of nature rises and a new cycle begins. The winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration. On this day, everyone - from the emperor to the commoner - went on vacation. The army was brought into a state of waiting for orders, border fortresses and trading shops were closed, people went to visit each other, gave gifts. The Chinese made sacrifices to the god of Heaven and ancestors, and also ate porridge made from beans and sticky rice to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. Until now, the winter solstice is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.
Autumn, alas, comes into its own, the day is waning, the nights are getting colder. It's coming Autumn equinox day, at which day and night become equal in duration. In Japan, this day is a public holiday, but it is also honored in other countries, including Russia.
After this holiday in the northern hemisphere, the day will rapidly decrease until mid-December. And in the southern hemisphere - on the contrary - from this moment astronomical spring comes, and the day is added.
When is the autumnal equinox in 2016?
Since 2016 is a leap year, the Autumnal Equinox falls on September 22nd. In other years, the holiday is celebrated on September 23.
As in Rus' celebrated the Day of the autumn equinox
The day of the autumnal equinox among the Slavs approximately coincides with the holiday of "autumn" or "ospozhinka" and is celebrated as a harvest festival. On this day, the peasants honored Mother Earth. IN christian times pagan beliefs replaced the worship of the Mother of God, whose Nativity
The holiday of the autumnal equinox marked the end of the harvest, and since in ancient Rus' the New Year was celebrated in September, it was customary to light a new fire in the huts at that time. The old fire was extinguished and a new one was lit, which was mined in the old fashioned way - by rubbing stones, the spark from which set fire to the torch. With "autumn" began the collection of vegetables (primarily cabbage and onions). Usually, holidays in the villages were arranged for "autumn" holidays with refreshments for households, neighbors and relatives. They baked pies from the flour of the new crop and glorified the Mother of God.
According to the signs, what is the weather like on the Day of the autumnal equinox - this will last all autumn. If the weather on this day is warm and dry, it means that winter will not come soon and will not be too severe.
How the Autumn Equinox is celebrated in Japan
In Japan, the Autumn Equinox Day is a public holiday celebrated annually on September 22 or 23 in memory of the ancestors and the departed (in leap year 2016, the holiday falls on September 22).
The celebration of the autumnal equinox was approved in 1948 by the Japanese National Holidays Law. The holiday is associated with an ancient custom to visit Shinto shrines of local gods on this day and thank them for the harvest. According to the old legislation of the Japanese Empire, the holiday was nationwide and was called the "Autumn Festival of Commemoration of the Spirits of the Imperial Family", but now the celebration is not associated with the imperial family.
On this day, the Japanese - not only Shintoists, but also Buddhists and adherents of other religions - visit family graves, and then arrange joint meals with their relatives.
Congratulations on the day of the autumnal equinox
***
Autumn is in the yard
The leaves are golden with a brush,
And today is day and night
Exactly the same!
The equinox has arrived
A star fell from the sky
Let her bring you
Happiness, joy for the whole year!
***
Today brother and sister - day and night,
The day will be fairly divided equally,
They wouldn't mind snuggle tight
After all, snow and blizzards are close.
We are not waiting for festivities now -
They are already out of fashion.
We celebrate the holiday only with a circle of friends:
Pie, sweet fruit drink, round dances!
Winter is not terrible for us - we know now
That the cold is not a heavy burden.
And on a warm spring March day
Let's say to brother's day - now it's your time.
***
September is flying time!
That's what our ancestors said
The birds are flying south
And our children go to school.
We meet in the yard -
golden autumn,
Only at the equinox
Day equals night.
Let's summarize
We for the past year
Let anxiety go away -
The people are celebrating.
In 2016, the winter solstice falls on December 21, 10:44 a.m. UT, informs http://pressa.today.
The winter solstice in the Slavic tradition is one of the main holidays, which is called the Solstice or Kolyada. Solstice is celebrated to this day from 21 to 25 December.
Astronomical Meaning of the Solstice
There are two equinoxes in a year - autumn and spring. There are also two Solstices - winter and summer. In our northern hemisphere, the winter solstice falls almost every time on December 21st, but due to the fact that the calendar has a leap year, this date is sometimes shifted by one day. In 2015, for example, the Solstice was exactly on December 22nd.
On December 21, 2016, the earth will pass a special point in the orbit, when the southern hemisphere will be substituted for the Sun, and the northern hemisphere will be increasingly deprived of solar "attention". This point is called the beginning of astronomical winter. In fact, winter on December 21 is coming to its climax, just the higher we are to the north pole, the more pronounced and protracted the winter is. In theory, from December 21 it should be warmer and warmer, but in reality it will be cold for at least another two or one and a half months.
The winter solstice is the beginning of astronomical winter. Many signs and beliefs are associated with the day of the winter solstice, this day is considered special in astrology and magic. In the cultures and traditions of many peoples of the world, rituals associated with the Sun were performed on the winter solstice.
The winter solstice in the Slavic tradition is one of the main holidays, which is called the Solstice or Kolyada. Solstice is celebrated to this day from 21 to 25 December.
The Slavs considered this holiday a time renewal and birth of the sun, and with it all living things, a time of spiritual transformation, a time conducive to both good material changes and spiritual ones. The night that precedes the day of the winter solstice is considered the patroness of all nights, because it is on this night that a young sunny baby is born to the Goddess - Dazhdbog, symbolizing the birth of life from death, order from chaos.
During the winter solstice, the Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year, which was personified with the deity Kolyada. The main subject of the festival was a large fire, calling and depicting the Sun, which, after one of the longest nights of the year, had to rise higher and higher into the heavenly heights. It was also obligatory to bake ritual New Year's pies of a rounded shape, reminiscent of a heavenly body.
On the day of the winter solstice, various magical rites, read conspiracies aimed at attracting love, wealth, health. To conduct magical rites for the winter solstice, the energies of the four main elements are used - Fire, Air, Water and Earth.
The winter solstice is a magical time to use to attract positive energies into your life.
To do this, it is enough to think about the good, dream, fantasize even about what, in your opinion, cannot be realized in reality - all thoughts materialize on the day of the winter solstice. However, on this day you should not think about the bad - in no case do not enter into an argument with anyone, do not conflict, and if this happened for any reason, ask for forgiveness right away. The fact is that on the winter solstice, which the ancient Slavs equated with our New Year, we lay the foundation for the entire next year; if on this day you rejoice, enjoy communicating with loved ones and loved ones, be sure that a year of joy and fun awaits you. However, if you harbor anger, resentment in your heart, think about unresolved problems, rush jobs at work, etc., then you risk spending the whole next year in a state of tension and stress.
On December 21, 2016, the Sun leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn. The Sun in Capricorn is a symbol of practicality, discipline, self-control and caution.
