Persephone’s Descent and the Autumn Equinox:
An Invitation to Balance and Transformation
Persephone’s Descent, Autumn’s Gift
On September 22nd, the wheel of the year turns once more. The Autumnal Equinox arrives—a brief moment when day and night stand nearly in balance before tipping into the darker half of the year. This threshold is both pause and invitation: to notice where we seek balance and to honor what the season asks us to release.
Persephone’s Journey Reframed
The Greek myth of Persephone tells us she was pulled into the underworld, her mother grieving the loss so deeply that the earth grew barren. Yet another layer of the story invites us to see Persephone not only as a victim of abduction, but as a soul on an initiatory path. Her descent into the underworld becomes a metaphor for moving inward, for discovering hidden wisdom in the shadows, and for finding sovereignty in the unseen realms.
Autumn often brings us joy—the cool relief of crisp air, brilliant leaves, the anticipation of harvest festivals and holidays. Yet beneath that brightness stirs another truth: the equinox hints at colder, darker days that some meet with dread. Still, as nights lengthen and roots deepen, the earth prepares itself for rest—and we are reminded of the quiet wisdom found in descent, renewal, and return.
Autumn is not a retreat in defeat, but a deliberate turning inward. The shorter days are not meant to depress us, but to remind us that cycles of pause are just as vital as cycles of growth. Just as trees shed their leaves, we too are invited to release what has finished its season, making space for the new growth that will come in spring. The shedding is not loss—it is preparation.
Like Persephone, our time in the shadows is not punishment, but initiation. The thorn on the path may sting, yet it etches the lesson more deeply, shaping us in to beings of greater strength, compassion, and resilience. It is only through shadow that the gift of light reveals itself fully.
Seasonal & Celestial Highlights
This equinox coincides with powerful energies that support balance, courage, and growth:
🌙The Sun enters Libra, inviting reflection on harmony and relational balance.
🌙The Moon is waxing crescent in Libra, a gently reminding us that new beginnings and intentions are taking root even as light and dark stand equal.
🌙Mars in Scorpio alongside supportive Sun trines to Uranus and Pluto, encourages courage, inner exploration, and transformation.
These highlights mirror the seasonal invitation: pause, reflect, shed what no longer serves, and plant seeds for growth.
An Invitation for You
The lengthening nights invite us to slow down. To breathe into the pause. To notice what wisdom stirs in silence.
You might ask yourself:
🌗What in my life is ready to be shed, like the falling leaves?
🌗Where am I being asked to restore balance?
🌗Which shadows, though thorny, are also teachers guiding me toward deeper growth?
Mark this equinox with a simple ritual if you feel called: light a candle as the sun sets, gather autumn leaves as symbols of release, or journal about what you wish to carry with you into the darker months—and what you are ready to let go.
Closing Blessing
Like Persephone, we are not powerless in our descent. We are sovereign beings, capable of carrying lanterns into the underworld and returning renewed. The equinox is not an end but a beginning—a season to compost what has passed, allowing new to rise again in spring.
May this turning of the wheel bring you balance, courage, and the quiet wisdom of transformation.