September 22 — the day of the autumnal equinox: what to do, magic and omens
The autumnal equinox is a special day of the year that marks the boundary between summer and autumn. It is from this time that astronomical autumn begins in the Northern Hemisphere. There are many traditions and beliefs associated with the equinox among the people. At the same time, our ancestors performed various rituals and fortune-telling to look into the future. Izvestia tells about the most popular traditions of this day.
What does the day of the autumnal equinox mean?
The autumnal equinox is an astronomical phenomenon when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, turning perpendicular to the equator of the Earth. During this period, sunlight evenly hits both hemispheres of the planet. As a result, the length of day and night becomes almost equal. Hence the term "equinox".
A similar phenomenon occurs twice a year — in spring and autumn. The autumnal equinox marks the beginning of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. From that day on, daylight begins to gradually decrease until the winter solstice (December 21), when the shortest day of the year begins.
The astronomical equinox is an extremely powerful energetic phenomenon. During the passage of the Sun through the equator, its radiation strongly interferes with the operation of communication satellites. In remote areas of the globe, for example, in the Atlantic and Alaska, the Internet even stops working. Also, in some latitudes, a brighter aurora borealis can be observed at the equinox.
Why is the day of the autumnal equinox on different days when in 2025
The day of the autumnal equinox has no fixed date. This is because our usual calendar year (365 days) differs from the astronomical one (365.25 days). Because of this, the time of the equinox shifts every year, which leads to a date change.
The phenomenon usually occurs on September 22 or 23, extremely rarely on the 21st of the same month. In 2025, the autumnal equinox falls on Monday, September 22. The exact time is 21:20 Moscow time.
How was the day of the autumnal equinox among the Slavs?
The Slavs celebrated the day of the autumnal equinox as a harvest festival. It marked the completion of field work, the meeting of autumn and preparations for winter. On this occasion, noisy folk festivals were held in the villages, which were accompanied by special autumn rituals. Most often, they used fire, water and mountain ash branches, which were endowed with magical properties.
In the morning, our ancestors washed their faces with spring water, believing that it improves health and brings beauty and youth to women. The dwelling was decorated with mountain ash branches as a talisman. According to beliefs, on the holiday, the grapes were filled with great energy and protected the house from all evil.
Bonfires were lit in the courtyards to get rid of diseases and accumulated negativity. Old and unnecessary things were burned in the fire. With the help of this rite, they were cleansed of the past and made room for positive changes in the future.
To attract good luck and happiness, pies with cabbage and apples were baked in a round shape, symbolizing the sun. If the dough rose quickly during cooking, it promised prosperity and well-being for the whole year.
With the end of field work in Russia, the wedding season traditionally began. The day of the autumnal equinox was considered an auspicious time for wedding ceremonies. According to popular beliefs, a marriage concluded on this day will be long and happy.
What to do on the day of the autumnal equinox
Following folk traditions, on the day of the autumnal equinox, one should get rid of all unnecessary things that hinder and pull back, and start a new life as if from a new year. Indeed, for many ancient peoples, the holiday meant the beginning of a new annual cycle and renewal in all spheres of life.
What needs to be done on September 22:
- wash your face with spring water;
- to thank others for their kind deeds;
- to forgive mistakes to yourself and other people;
- if possible, help others;
- avoid excessive loads;
- outline the prospects for the future;
- make a wish at sunrise.
Popular prohibitions: what not to do on the day of the autumnal equinox
The day of the autumnal equinox is considered energetically strong and intense. Therefore, conflicts, quarrels, arguments and empty conversations should be avoided, trying to maintain inner balance and calmness. People believed that all the negativity that a person would exude on this day would return to him in even greater volume.
What else can not be done:
- to start new things without completing the old ones;
- engage in heavy physical labor;
- Going on a long journey;
- leave your home unmade;
- to commit bad deeds;
- go outside at night.
Magic on the day of the autumnal equinox: spells and desires
The most popular rituals of our ancestors at the autumnal equinox were associated with cleansing the home, attracting happiness and well-being into their lives. Some of them can be done at home these days.
To get rid of negative energy, you need to walk through the house with lit sage twigs, moving clockwise in each room. You can also perform a ritual sweeping. To do this, take a large broom and go around the rooms, starting from the window to the door, mentally imagining how all the bad things leave the house with the garbage.
Fortune-telling on mountain ash is also popular on this day. You need to pick a bunch of mountain ash, separate the berries from it and put them in a bowl. Then make a wish, without looking, to scoop up a handful of berries and count their number. If the number is even, the wish will come true. In the same way, you can ask a question with an unequivocal answer of "yes" or "no." If you have to put the last berry with the word "yes", the answer is yes.
Anyone who wants to find out how his personal life will develop can perform a simple ceremony on maple leaves. You will need leaves of green, red and yellow flowers, three of each color. The leaves must be mixed and put in a large box or bag, and then pull out three leaves at random. Red symbolizes love, yellow — separation, and green — moving.
Special folk signs on September 22, the day of the autumnal equinox
At this time, our ancestors said goodbye to the warm season and prepared for the cold weather. Therefore, most of the signs at the autumnal equinox were related to weather predictions. For example, a sunny day foreshadowed that frosts would not come soon. And the abundance of acorns promised a snowy Christmas.
Other signs of the day:
- there are a lot of cobwebs in the corners — autumn will be warm;
- lots of berries on mountain ash — for rainy autumn;
- The needles haven't fallen off the larch tree yet — it's going to be a snowy winter.;
- yellowed birch leaves are harbingers of early frosts;
- falling willow leaves are a sign of imminent cold weather;
- migratory birds are flying south — the winter will be frosty;
- a thunderstorm at the autumnal equinox is a harbinger of warm weather;
- if snow fell on that day, they were afraid of a bad harvest next year.
Earlier, Izvestia told about omens and fortune-telling on the Day of the vernal Equinox.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
