September’s Full Harvest Moon reaches its peak on Monday, September 20, 2021. But before that, a New Moon in Virgo arrives on September 6. New Moons always carry the energy of new beginnings, novel ways of perspective taking, and allurement into new adventures. Admittedly, Summer’s festive energy can hard to say goodbye to. Like any change in seasons, transitions are not always easy to navigate. Fall is a good time to balance getting back to school, back to business, and manage busy schedules. Squirrels seem to embody Virgo energy in the way they anxiously and intensely sniff out disorder, but not without balancing doings with fun through imitation and play.

September is a unique month because it is commonly referred to as either a Harvest Moon or Corn Moon. Because this Full Moon is nearest to the Autumn Equinox on September 22, it is called the Harvest Moon. In Ojibwe, it is called the Falling Leaves Moon. Our ancestors noticed that the moonrise would come soon after sunset, so the abundance of natural bright moonlight allowed for plentiful harvesting of summer crops.

The Fall Equinox is Nature’s way of reflecting equality between the energies of masculine/feminine, light/dark, yin/yang. After that, our clocks turn yin-ward as our days begin to get darker till we hit the Winter Solstice, the darkest day in the Northern Hemisphere on Tuesday, December 21. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the Spring Equinox in September, and then Summer Solstice in December. Energetically, Equinoxes and Solstices are good times to entertain opposites, meditate on wholeness and relax on polarities in your consciousness.

Artwork by Barbara Merlotti

A Full Harvest Moon yields wisdom that it is nuts to keep doing the same thing over and over . . .

And expect different results.

Now is the time to get back to school, back to business, get organized and prepare for a rainy day fund.

Autumn Equinox is Nature’s way of showing us equality between masculine and feminine energies,

both within our beings and in the world around us.

After that, dark yin forces wax on until they climax on the Winter Solstice in December.

When you think you’re out of supplies, losing your acorns and

feeling like your being driven nuts;

Picture a Squirrel to help you

prepare for back to school assignments projects, tasks

and other responsibilities.

What are you doing to get ready for going back to school?

Are you working with your parents, grandparents,

guardians, coaches, teachers, family members
or other caregivers to help make

a successful change in your daily schedule?

Squirrel guides us into the realm of getting back to school and down to business . . .

While looking at the weather forecast ahead, 

we are preparing for a winter storage or a time when resources are less plentiful.

Picture sobering up, getting organized and cross-referencing your planner

so that busy fall schedules will not drive you mad!

Squirrels are a good reminder that solid mental health looks like

the realization that doing the same thing over and expecting different results –

is likely to drive you nuts!

Autumn Equinox reminds us of the transitory balance of light and dark energies . . .

Yin (Feminine) and Yang (Masculine)

Are dancing together in equal dance-step.

In the Northern Hemisphere, we are moving further into the dark nights of our souls

to reach its zenith on the Winter Solstice in later December.

On the opposite side of the same coin –

Our friends in the Southern hemisphere know a similar energetic balance by

awakening to a Vernal Equinox in their Spring.

They will see the sunlight expands as darkness contracts

Reaching its climax on the Summer Solstice.

At this time, Nature reflects a most sweet and satisfying sensual equanimity . . .

If only fleetingly and transient

Commentary:

Fall and Spring Equinoxes are similar in the sense that masculine and feminine energies are in balance and reflected that way in Nature. Given that we are part of Nature, these are good times of year to meditate on these energies fluctuating together in natural equality both intrinsically and outwardly. This is an especially good time of year to marvel at the co-creative universal impetus for an egalitarian New World. Of course the building blocks of this new way of living on this Earth starts with you! The light of masculine-yang is the opposite side of the same coin as the dark of feminine-yin. We cannot get to the light unless we traverse the dark. Conversely, we cannot know the dark unless we walk in the light. Yang is expressive and outward in its movement. Yin, on the other hand is receptive and inward in its expression. Those of us in the Northern hemisphere can stand to realize that our friends in the South are experiencing energetic alignment in much the same way we are, absent they will be moving in a masculine-yang-light direction, whereas those of us in the North are moving in a feminine-yin-dark direction. If you prefer the dark and it is the opposite time of year where you live – the good news is that you have something to look forward to. In the meantime, we might as well find a way to accept, appreciate and even embrace the opposite of our energetic preference.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari