How To Be An Autumn Goddess

By Anita Revel



Following the harvest of summer's production, grains, corn and fruit are made into soul-nourishing food to prepare us for the barrenness of winter. We celebrate the abundance of summer and turn our thoughts to self-care to sustain us through the cold, dark months.



This is especially evident by the Autumn Equinox between March 20 - 23, when we are surrounded by an ambient sense of withdrawal - birds have flown to warmer climates, vineyards are barren of greenery and beaches are deserted. This inevitable retreat of nature gives us a chance to honor the crucial cycle of life and death.



Autumn represents a polarity between celebration of harvest and mourning of lush plant life; a journey from light to dark. It is the season of shadows, and thus the perfect time for examining the shadows within ourselves.



Call on goddesses of Autumn at this time of health, harvest, new habits and Halloween to fortify your journey within.



Ceres

Earth Mother, Ceres, is the Roman goddess of agriculture. She represents the cycles we experience as women, and allows us to accept the ebbs and flows graciously. Work with Ceres' energy to feel more centered, calm and connected with the earth.



If you are feeling that your energy is ebbing somewhat, don't worry - your body is simply internalizing to nurture your inner self, to help cope with the pull of the moon and planets and ubiquitous cyclical change.



Do this: Take time out and look after yourself for a change. "Go with the flow" and indulge in what you want to do today. Oh, and eat a hearty meal with lots of vegetables and crusty bread. Make the effort to really taste your food, and notice how much more satisfied you are after the meal.



Hestia

Greek goddess Hestia represents purity, sincerity, sanctity and safety. Hestia-inspired women love the uncomplicated, enriching and contented life she brings. It's a life that beckons you to simply "be".



In Greek art, she was depicted in a pose of immobility. This is relevant to modern women who are striving for goals and become "stuck in a rut" in the process. If you are so focused on a situation it devours your every waking moment, you are in danger of becoming paralyzed by your obsession and fear to move on.



You may be feeling so absorbed in your work you can't imagine living any other way. But if you can voice your need for a break from the situation, ask for Hestia's assistance to act on your wish.



Do this: If the thought of a quiet, uncomplicated life is very attractive to you, now is the time to break your obsessive patterns. Establish new, healthy ones that nurture your mind, body and spirit. You'll be surprised at how quickly you can adapt to a more inspirational life.



Medusa

Medusa was a beautiful African queen, an archetypal Amazon warrior. She was fierce in her defense of freedom and independence, providing lessons in courage, strength and awareness.



Her frozen face of rage is a manifestation of her tirade against injustice. Her energy resonates in you at times when you feel angst churning away at your insides that you keep there rather than unleash onto others 'in case the wind changes'.



Don't be afraid to articulate your feelings and needs. It's not as though you'll literally end up with snakes for hair, after all - it will only seem that way to the perpetrators of wrong against you. That's not a bad thing, though. It might do them good to see your inner power expressed as rage when the occasion permits.



Do this: Carry a lapis lazuli to lubricate your throat chakra. Make a conscious effort to find your voice and speak your truth with tact and integrity.



Baba Yaga

The ancient Slavic goddess Baba Yaga is the wild old crone guardian of the Water of Life and Death, the mentor of old age, and of the life cycle of birth, death and rebirth. She sings while sprinkling corpses with the Water of Life to let them be reborn. Although she is fearsome to look upon, like all forces of nature that are often wild and untamed, she can also be kind.



Baba Yaga's desolate energy may be making you feel aimless and empty in spirit and emotion during this season, but remember you're not alone. As long as you realize depression is not to be feared, you'll be all right. The process and emotion needs to be honored before it can move on.



Do this: Examine your dark side to empower yourself spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, and physically. Wear black (breakdown of the personality), red (vital life force) and white (purification) scarves. When you're ready, say good-bye to destructive influences and tie the scarves around a tree, where the wind will carry your depression away.



Hecate

The Greek goddess Hecate is a popular goddess to invoke at Samhain (also known as Halloween), the day when souls in the Underworld visit the living. By day she ensured abundant crops; by night, she was the goddess of magic, ghosts and tombs, walking between the seen and unseen worlds. She carries a flaming torch so she can see where others can't - into the human psyche.



She is the crone witch goddess that shapes her subjects' lives in ways not obvious from a conscious perspective. Her mysterious magic steers you in the right direction at a time when you may feel you are at a crossroad.



You know that sense of foreboding sitting in your solar plexus? It is a sign you are standing at a crossroad, and are unsure about where you need to go next.



Do this: Cultivate your intuition. To help you tap into your inner intuition (and Hecate's mysterious magic), choose a divination tool you are comfortable with. Whatever tool you use to channel the divine power, whether it be crystals, cards, runes pendulums, tea leaves, psychometry (to name a few), have faith that the impressions presented to you are sourced directly from your intuition, and represent your choices.