Equinox: A Sacred Threshold of Balance and Renewal
The Meaning of the Equinox
Twice a year, the Earth experiences a moment of perfect balance—when day and night are equal in length, and the Sun crosses the celestial equator. These moments are known as the Equinoxes. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Autumn Equinox (around March 20–23) signifies the transition from the light half of the year into the darker, more introspective half. It is a sacred threshold where we are invited to pause, recalibrate, and align ourselves with nature’s innate rhythm of change.
A Natural Invitation for Reflection
As the days grow shorter and the light wanes, the Autumn Equinox calls us to look inward. It is a time of harvest, not just agriculturally, but emotionally and spiritually. We are asked to consider:
What have I cultivated this past season?
What am I ready to release?
What seeds of intention do I want to carry with me into the darker months?
This seasonal turning point holds space for both gratitude and letting go. It reminds us that in order to grow, we must clear what no longer serves—just as trees shed their leaves to make way for stillness, rest, and eventual regeneration.
Symbolism of Balance
Energetically and symbolically, the Equinox represents the dynamic tension between opposites: light and dark, masculine and feminine, action and rest, giving and receiving. Unlike the extremes of the Solstices, which celebrate peak light or deep darkness, the Equinox honors the moment in between—a rare state of harmony and stillness before movement resumes.
It is in this delicate moment that we are offered the opportunity to explore:
Where am I out of balance in my life?
Am I giving more than I’m receiving?
Am I holding on to roles, relationships, or routines that need to be released?
Working with the Equinox from a spiritual or therapeutic lens allows us to reclaim personal alignment—to gently return to our own center and recognize the areas in our life that need care, clarity, or a reset.
Astrological Significance
Astrologically, the Autumn Equinox also coincides with the Sun entering Aries, marking the beginning of the astrological new year. Aries is the sign of new beginnings, courage, and self-assertion. This alignment amplifies the call for initiating fresh energy, while doing so with the wisdom of balance—not from impulse, but from intention.
Therapeutic Perspective: Integration Over Extremes
In a world that often pulls us toward extremes—constant productivity, emotional suppression, or disconnection from our bodies—the Equinox offers a gentle reminder that healing often lies in integration. It’s not about choosing between light or dark, but about learning how to hold both with awareness and compassion.
In somatic and expressive therapies, we view the Equinox as a powerful time to:
Explore emotional patterns that need balancing
Activate both brain hemispheres to support flow and creativity
Use ritual and embodiment to deepen self-awareness and regulation
Whether celebrated through art, breath, movement, or silence, the Equinox offers us a mirror—one that reflects the truth of our internal landscape and gives us the space to honor both our light and our shadow.
On Saturday, March 23, 2025, I had the honor of facilitating Autumn Equinox: Divine Balance Within—a deeply reflective and expressive art therapy workshop held at Centre of You, Melbourne.
Holding the Container
We began the evening with intention setting, inviting each participant to share a word or phrase that encapsulated what they were seeking. This opened a heartfelt and grounded space, allowing vulnerability and presence to enter the room early on.
From there, we transitioned into parasympathetic breathwork to settle the nervous system, before moving into a standing bilateral drawing activity—a powerful somatic practice that activates both hemispheres of the brain and encourages embodied emotional expression. The response was remarkable: the group took to the movement with ease, flowing with color and music in ways that were intuitive and self-guided.
Emotional Unfoldings & Group Awareness
As often happens in therapeutic creative spaces, the art itself became a mirror. The Autumn Equinox gifted us a sacred pause, and within that pause, we found space to explore what balance truly means—not as a fixed state, but as a dynamic and evolving relationship with life.
Following the bilateral drawing, we moved into a guided visualization meditation using the imagery of two ponds—one representing giving, the other receiving. Though the outside street noise made this part of the journey shorter than intended, it still planted powerful seeds for reflection.
Collage & Creative Integration
Participants then each received their own National Geographic magazine to explore as a symbolic tool, seeking insight from the covers before creating personal collages. Remarkably, most found what they needed from just one issue—a testament to their internal clarity and intuitive process.
They were then invited to move beyond the frame, combining collage with paint, pastels, and air-dry clay to expand their self-expression. The group responded with curiosity and creativity, diving into textures and layers of meaning.
Insights from the Circle
Each reflection was received with deep listening and gentle containment. As a facilitator, I remained mindful of not opening trauma narratives too deeply, honoring the group context while allowing participants to feel seen and safe.
We closed with a grounding somatic ritual—heart tapping and foot stomping to bring everyone back into their body. Afterward, the group shared tea, organic food, and informal conversations, rounding out the evening with warmth and ease.
From stories of long-held anger being acknowledged… to deep ancestral memories rising… to quiet moments of “I’ve never done this before but it feels like it has opened a new way of seeing myself”.
It reminded me why I do this work.
Why I trust in non-verbal, expressive practices.
Why balance is not a concept, but a felt experience.
As a therapist, witnessing the shifts, realisations, and genuine connection amongst the participants was incredibly rewarding. It affirmed for me how powerful and necessary it is to create these spaces for grounding, reflection, and rebalancing—especially in our fast-paced, often overwhelming world.
To each participant who showed up with openness, curiosity, and courage—thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was an honour to hold space for you.
