The English word "equinox" derives from the from Old French equinoxe or Latin aequinoctium (aequi- ‘equal’ + nox, noct-‘night’). There are two equinoxes each year, and they denote those days in which day and night are of equal length. Together with the solstices, they mark the seasons of the year. The Autumnal equinox, which we are celebrating today in the northern hemisphere, marks the transition from summer to fall. Because of the balancing of so many cosmic energies—dark and light, moon and sun, etc.—the equinoxes are auspicious times for creating harmony and balance in ourselves. Try to sense where you are out of balance, and make the necessary adjustments, whether you are needing to hunker down and work harder, or whether you are needing more rest and relaxation, etc. Ask yourself what you are craving right now—this is usually a window into where we are out of balance.

Try to align your efforts with the earth's energies. If you are in the lower hemisphere, you can invite balance in ways that plant the seeds for prosperity. You might start by making a "bucket list" of the things you would like to harvest at the next equinox. If you are in the upper hemisphere, you invite balance by "harvesting" all of the things you are grateful for. You can begin with a gratitude list!

One simple and fun exercise that I created for today is the following:

Get a nice piece of paper and draw a circle with two lines dividing it into four equal pieces (like a pizza or pie divided by 4).
Inside each quadrant, write the four things you are most grateful for in your life.
Assign a season (summer, fall, winter and spring) to each quadrant.
Color the quadrants with your favorite colors of each season (glue pictures if you prefer).
Place your circle somewhere visible so that others can see what you are grateful for and enjoy the positive energy and balance that comes with it! You will experience great surprises in those areas ... I guarantee it!