Autumnal Equinox September 25, 2025; What can we Learn from the Ancient Beliefs and Practices Surrounding Samhain?

Threshold of Balance and Descent

At the Autumnal Equinox on September 22, 2025, day and night stand in equal measure. This is the cosmic hinge that tilts us toward the dark. In the ancient world, this balance was honored as a sacred pause — a reminder that life requires both harvest and surrender, light and shadow.

Now, as Samhain approaches, the veil thins. Ancestors stir, fire burns on the hills, and we are asked to face endings not with fear, but with reverence. The cosmos itself gathers as guide and teacher, showing us how to walk wisely through retreat and renewal.

The Astrological Weather of the Season

The chart of the Autumnal Equinox sets the tone for this Samhain season. Its planetary archetypes act as living guides:

• Sun at 0° Libra – Justitia’s Scales
  The Sun shines as the Judge, weighing our harvest of choices. What can endure the dark? What must be released?

• Moon at 14° Libra – The Peacemaker
  The Moon softens the balance, reminding us that peace begins within the heart and extends outward into community.

• Neptune in Pisces – The Mystic Veil (Chart Ruler)
  Neptune dissolves boundaries like Manannán mac Lir’s mists, opening vision and compassion to guide us through uncertainty.

• Pluto in Aquarius – The Shadow-Bearer
  Pluto strips away false balance, demanding truth. Like the Dagda’s cauldron, he teaches that endings nourish transformation.

• Mars in Scorpio – The Sacred Warrior (unique to this year)
  Mars rises with the Morrígan’s edge. He is the blade of courage, asking us to face shadow directly. Retreat is not escape but sacred strength.

• Grand Air Trine – The Storytellers’ Chorus
  Jupiter in Gemini, Saturn in Aquarius, and the Sun in Libra form a chorus of wisdom. They remind us that survival depends not only on food and fire but on the stories that weave meaning and memory.

The Ancient Practices of Samhain

The Celtic people knew that survival required both preparation and spirit. Their rituals reveal timeless truths:

• Sacred Bonfires lit the hills as offerings and protection. Passing through fire cleansed and blessed.

• Household Hearths were rekindled from the communal blaze, symbolizing unity.

• Offerings of food and drink were shared with both living and dead, strengthening bonds across the veil.

• Divination with apples, stones, and fire opened glimpses into the future.

• Storytelling carried myths of the Morrígan, Cailleach, and Dagda, teaching that death was part of the spiral of life.

From these practices we inherit the wisdom: prepare, honor, release, and remember.

Living the Season Now

The planets and ancient traditions together offer guidance for both outer survival and inner wellbeing:

• Balance and Release (Sun & Moon in Libra): Journal about what feels unbalanced. Light two candles to represent what to keep and what to let go.

• Mystical Trust (Neptune in Pisces): Practice dreamwork or meditation. Keep a bowl of water near your altar as a symbol of the veil’s thinness.

• Facing Shadow (Pluto in Aquarius): Write down one illusion or mask you are ready to shed. Burn it safely in a candle flame.

• Sacred Courage (Mars in Scorpio): Carry obsidian, garnet, or red jasper. Use rosemary or patchouli oil for grounding and strength.

• Storytelling (Grand Air Trine): Share one ancestral story or memory with loved ones. Retell a myth that has shaped your life.

Sacred Insight

The Celts lit bonfires to guard against the dark. Today, the Autumnal Equinox and Samhain chart lights an inner fire. The planets act as teachers: balance what you hold, trust the unseen, face shadow with courage, and weave new stories of meaning.

✨ Samhain reminds us: retreat is not an ending but preparation; descent is sacred ground for renewal.

Closing Invitation

As you walk through this season, notice which planetary guide calls to you most. Do you need Libra’s balance, Neptune’s vision, Pluto’s honesty, or Mars’s courage?

Astrology offers not only timing but tools for navigating the thresholds of life. If you’d like to explore your personal chart in this season of retreat and renewal, I invite you to schedule a personalized astrology session — a way to honor your own cycles as the ancients once did around the fire.