Autumn Equinox 2013

Happy Equinox!

 

The seasons are changing and so are we! Today is the OFFICIAL first day of Fall and the energy is super high!

Just as Mother Nature sheds her leaves, changes colors, and bears new fruit, we too should initiate a similar change in order to release those things that no longer serve us. Clean the house, welcome new seasonal fruits and veggies, but most importantly take time to cleanse YOU!

 

Last week, we had a Clean-a-thon. I’m talking we emptied the corners, cracks, and crevices of EVERYTHING! Even donated a few bags of clothes to Humbly, Peax & Love's own- The People’s Thrift. Click the link if you have articles of clothing you’re anxious to do away with.

 

Since the big clean-up, more opportunities have already begun greeting us. Our creative space feels like new. The clarity and balance have not faded, but in fact been enhanced. So now that the outside is tidy, we must take action towards the internal clutter. We like to approach this seasonally with a full body detox. If you are local to the DMV, check out the ladies of RAW! Inc. They are running a 5 Day Seasonal Autumn Equinox Detox, plus they deliver!

 

Your form of cleansing may differ from ours. Juice cleanse, wash your hair, trim your ends, take a god/goddess bath full of herbs/aromatherapy/candles, dance, or whatever is your preferred form of release. Celebrate yourself!

So, what is an Equinox anyways?

There are 2 equinox's each year, the one marking the astrological beginning of spring and the other the ending of summer.

The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night" and is used to denote the time of year when the length of darkness is roughly the same as the length of daylight in a day. The equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator. 

Day and night were thought to be in balance hence the balancing scales in the astrological sign of Libra, observed from September 23 to October 23 each year. After the equinox, the length of each day will get shorter and shorter and night will get longer and longer until the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is thought to have been "born again".  From there, the days get longer and longer, while the cycle continues to repeat itself.

The earliest humans spent more time outside than we do today. They used the sky as both clock and calendar. They could easily see that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shift in a regular way throughout the year. 

 

  

FUN EQUINOX FACTS

1. This year, the Autumn Equinox Falls on September 22, 2013.

2. The autumnal equinox and vernal (spring) equinox are also the only days of the year when a person standing on the Equator can see the sun passing directly overhead.

3. On the Northern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

4. On the same day, a person at the South Pole would also see the sun skim the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight.

5. The term equinox comes from the Latin word equinoxium, meaning "equality between day and night."

6. Our ancestors built the first observatories to track the sun’s progress. One example is at Machu Picchu in Peru, where the Intihuatana stone has been shown to be a precise indicator of the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial periods. The word Intihuatana literally means ‘ for tying the sun .’

7. THERE ARE AN ABUNDANCE OF NEW FRUITS AND VEGGIES AVAILABLE!

 

 

Here's a some fun facts about one of our seasonal favorites - PUMPKIN.

• Technically a fruit, this seasonal and holiday treat is a super food!
• We only deal with heirloom varieties of pumpkin which are indigenous and a staple in Native American diet and culture.
• Pumpkin juice is beneficial to the bladder and kidneys and full of antioxidants, potassium, natural sodium, zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.
• Pumpkin increases the body’s natural insulin making it beneficial for diabetics.
• Pumpkin is an anti-inflammatory and shrinks the prostate making it a great addition for men.

 

There is an ABUNDANCE of other seasonal deliciousness, such as apples, pears, squash, beets, persimmon, collards, cabbage, green beans.... sheesh, the list goes ON!

 

Many medical experts and researchers are preparing you for Winter’s sadness and seasonal depressions due to the end of Summer’s brightness, warmth, and activities. Well, we are here to tell you otherwise. You are abundance! You are warmth and brightness! You light up every room you enter! You are a healthier you for this season and all to come!

You’ve planted many seeds - watered, pushed, pulled, and waited patiently - you will collect your harvest and all of its abundance. What you reap depends on what you’ve sewn - you all know that universal law.. The copiousness, richness and flow will come in various forms for all of us. There's is one thing though. As we collect we must let go of something (s).  Remain open to receiving, without being resistant to change.

Once again, Happy Autumn Equinox!