Equinox and Mabon
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Equinox and Mabon
Gratitude for self and others // 9.18.23
Monday Mettā
Mettā: Loving friendliness, goodwill, and kindness directed both inward and outward.
I have gratitude for myself. I have gratitude for all beings.
You are your most important person.
So often, we share our thanks for others, or for things that “happen to us,” without giving ourself the enormous appreciation we absolutely need to acknowledge. Today, practice saying that you’re thankful for yourself.
And since this is loving-friendliness, we also send our love out to all beings.
I have gratitude for myself, I have gratitude for all beings.
✨
So glad you’re here.
Intuitive Tarot Card Reading
Use your intuition to guide you to a specific card below. Choose the card with the crystal on it that calls to you. At the end of this newsletter, you’ll see the cards flipped over, with a reading for each one. The card that you choose here will have your reading for the week.
Card 1: Amethyst Choose this card if you’re thinking about your wellbeing.
Card 2: Citrine Choose this card if you’re thinking about wealth.
Card 3: Obsidian Choose this card if you’re feeling lots of changes.
Wait to scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter until you’ve chosen your card!
Autumn
A few years ago, I began the practice of slowing down every quarter, during the equinoxes and solstices. I take time off, connect with nature, and try to gauge what my body and mind need for the upcoming season. Seed to Dust by Marc Hamer, Wintering by Katherine May, and A Year in the Woods by Torbjørn Ekelund also inspired me to connect more with nature’s seasons.
This year, the autumn equinox occurs at exactly 2:50am eastern time on September 23rd (so for some, on the 22nd). Mabon, a modern name for the Celtic thanksgiving celebration of harvest, also takes place around this time, on Sept. 20-23.
I am cultivating a deliberate seasonal practice based on what my ancestors did instinctively (allowing the natural world to help them usher in a new season), ushering in the autumn by experiencing the interconnectedness of my body with this Earth, and welcoming in some solo quiet time to tune in to what my needs may be for the next 90 days. Though it looks different every year as I celebrate the autumn in different spaces, the intent is the same.
Last year, I welcomed in the harvest season by exploring tiny islands in Finland, jumping into the Baltic Sea and warming myself in saunas. This year I will also be far north, settling into the cold. Wherever you are as the seasons change, take a pause and welcome in your time to harvest.
With Gratitude,
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Thank you thank you!
Much love and gratitude,
Rachel xo
PS- I love hearing about the cards you pick and your related experiences. Please email me or comment below to share what came up from your card reading this week🔮
(No Monday Mettā next week! It’s Yom Kippur. See you in two—Rachel)
Your Tarot Reading, Revealed!
Card 1: Amethyst // Justice
This card is reminding you to pay attention to your inner balance. Life is all about balance—we’re constantly weighing situations, making decisions based on those discernments, and balancing out the outcomes. We also need balance in terms of energy: rest and relaxation must balance out energy, drive, and passion. How can you even out the scales right now? What parts of your wellbeing (emotional, physical, and spiritual health) need more or less tending to?
Card 2: Citrine // Princess of Pentacles
Pentacles are the suit of wealth, so this is a great card for you! It’s one of many blessings, abundance, and appreciation. And that’s really the message: this week, take a look around you and find wealth, value, and abundance. Then, appreciate it. That might mean showing gratitude (saying “thank-you” to your checking account), taking better care of something you value (your investments, perhaps, or your home), and/or communing with the natural world to find joy in what it has to offer you.
Card 3: Obsidian // 10 of Pentacles
Of course you are feeling changes! The 10 represents the end of a phase and the beginning of another. You have shifted out of something big and are ready for your next step, even if you don’t know what that step will be. This card is such a loving, welcoming, comforting card, and should give you a sense of both accomplishment and of confidence as you move forward. Congratulations on receiving one of the happiest, abundant cards in the deck. Take it with you :)
✨I use House of Intuition’s Crystal Encyclopedia and Judy Hall’s Crystal Bible to interpret the crystal meanings. Intuitive tarot inspired by Sarah Greenman, who was in turn inspired by Chris Corsini, because inspiration is contagious✨