Loughcrew Cairn (Ireland, June 2004)

Ireland– At the 5000 year old Loughcrew megalithic cairn in Ireland, the rising sun on the mornings around the equinoxes illuminate the passage and chamber. The east-west orientation of the passages at the Knowth monument at the Brú na Bóinne complex suggests astronomical alignment with the equinoxes.

England– the Mayburgh Henge and Long Meg stone circle align with the equinox sun.

Malta– During the equinox in the southern L-Imnajdra temple, the rays of the rising sun pass straight through the principal doorway to reach the innermost central niche.

Portugal– The Cromlech of the Almendres megalithic complex is oriented to different directions associated with the Equinox.

Cromlech of the Almendres, Portugal Ken & Nyetta

Festival Traditions

Europe– in some areas farmers believed that a spirit resided in the last sheaf of corn (grain) to be harvested. To chase out the spirit, they beat the grain to the ground. Elsewhere they wove some blades of the cereal into a “corn dolly” that they kept safe until seed-sowing the following year. Then they plowed the ears of grain back into the soil in hopes that this would bless the new crop. A harvest supper, also known as a harvest home, a dinner of thanksgiving and celebration, is also traditional (Harvest Festival).

United States–  the feasting, hospitality, and harvest holiday of Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on October 3rd, closer to the fall equinox. (This was changed to late November starting in the late 1800’s.)

Asia– Chuseok is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea held around the Autumn Equinox. As a celebration of the good harvest, Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of Korean traditional food, including with their ancestors (similar to feasts often held at the later pagan harvest festival of Samhain). The Autumn Moon Festival is held throughout China, and also in San Francisco, California, US.

Slavic-the Dozhinki Slavic harvest festivals ((Polish: Dożynki, Russian: Obzhink,  Belarusian: Prachystaya, and Czech: Dožínky) are held around the time of the fall equinox. The Dožínky Festival in New Prague, Minnessota is a Czech Harvest Festival patterned after the “Old Country” original, and is held on the third Saturday of September each year.

Ogam for September

Gort (Ivy)

In the version of the Ogam tree alphabet calendar popularized by Liz & Colin Murray (1988), the eleventh lunar ‘month’ of the year is in September.  This month has the fall equinox, when daylight is again in equal balance with the dark. The Ogam tree associated with this month is ivy, or as the Ogam letter Gort. It represents the spiral of the self, tenacity, and indirect progress.

Ogam for October

Ngethal (broom, reed, or fern)

In this same version of the Ogam tree alphabet calendar, the 12th and final lunar ‘month’ of the year is in October.  This month ends the Celtic year, and leads up to Samhain and 6 months of winter that follow. The Ogam tree associated with this month is broom (or reed, and/or fern)  or as the Ogam letter Ngethal. It can represent cleansing, healing, and the restoration of harmony.