Today marks the Fall Equinox; one of two days in the year when night and day are equal in length. In Irish, this is known as Lá Leathach, which translates as Equal Halves Day. Today is one of the Quarter Days, which marks the beginning of our journey into Winter. Marking and celebrating the movement of light and darkness pre-dated the arrival of the Celts to Ireland, circa 500BCE. Significant solar moments have been marked at several Neolithic structures. The Fall Equinox is marked in Cairn T at Loughcrew in Co. Meath. On the day of the Equinox, both Spring and Fall, Cairn T is in perfect alignment with the rising sun. The Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery was built in roughly 3500 to 3400 BCE, with Cairn T being the largest and most spectacular, filled with engraved symbols and what has come to be called the Equinox Stone, which researchers have determined were part of observational astronomy and a means by which they tracked the cycles of the sun and moon. For thousands of years, people have gathered on Sliabh na Caillí, the Hill of the Crone, to watch the rising of the sun.
The Fall Equinox was an important step between light (solas) and dark (dorchadas). The long summer nights are now over and the days will grow continually shorter with the approach of winter. But at this point in the solar cycle, the festival when light and dark are in balance, attention turned to preparing for winter. People would build altars with fruits and vegetables. They would pray, gather, and feast; counting their blessings and presenting offerings to the gods. Mea’n Fo’mhair is September in Irish, which roughly translates to mean “Middle – Harvest.” The work was not yet done, but the end was coming. Energies shifted from the outdoor work of maintaining fields to preparing homes for the cold season. It was a time to take stock, literally, of what was on hand and of what needed yet to be done.
Ancient rituals are difficult to discern from the millennia of layers and intermixing that has happened. This is somewhat complicated by the urbanisation of people and the separation many have from the cycles of rural life, which by their nature are defined by the cycle of the sun.
I would encourage you to mark the Equinox reflectively. Take a moment to count the good things in your life. This can include the people, places, and things that bring goodness into your life. For me this includes a home large enough to accommodate our household, but also to house the studio. Our yard is good, providing a place for beautiful things to grow. The dancers who come here bring so much good to my life. If you need another alternative to “good things”, use “extras,” “conveniences,” “gains,” “gifts,” or “bonuses.” The point is to be grateful and offer thanks.
As we all move towards the cold and dark of winter, let’s be mindful together and appreciate what is good around us.