Lifestyle

The Difference Between Harvest Moon & Autumn Equinox Is Clear, But The Power Is All The Same

by Roya Backlund

As you may have already heard, this week is filled to the brim with intense energy. Not only does it contain the last few days of summer, it also contains the first few days of fall. But, that's not all. Just two days after the autumn equinox takes place on September 22, 2018, a Harvest Moon will radiate its own brand of magic onto our world on September 24, 2018. The close proximity of these two major spiritual events makes this an incredibly powerful time, but understanding the difference between the harvest moon and the autumn equinox will explain just how this transformation will affect you.

It's undeniable that each of the four seasons are compromised with their own unique brand of energy. Affecting the universe as we know it, these changes influence every living thing we share this planet with. Don't you feel differently during summer than you do during winter? Doesn't spring elicit its own indescribable spark? Because every season is an important phase in nature's cycle of death and rebirth, the autumn equinox is bound to launch you into a new reality.

Even if you're skeptical about the moon's spiritual power, I bet it's hard to deny that a full moon somehow induces wildness in us all. Not everything is easily explained, but the cosmic conundrum taking place this week is sure to throw you for a loop.

The Autumn Equinox Affects You Externally

The solstices and equinoxes that announce the transition into the next season all have to do with the sun. During the summer solstice, we are gifted with the longest day of the year while we are faced with the longest night of the year during the solstice of winter. Between both of these dramatic events are the spring and autumn equinoxes. They are moments in which the sun and the night reach an agreement, and we are given a moment of balance where the day lasts just as long as the evening.

What's more: The sun enters Libra, the seventh sign in the zodiac wheel, when the autumn equinox takes place. In astrology, the sun rules over your character; the energy that shines through you and provides you with an overall identity. The sun is your fullest potential. It's what everyone who believes in you sees in you. However, the sun does not always reflect what you're truly feeling. The public perception of you does not always reflect the person that you truly are.

The Harvest Moon Affects You Internally

Occurring just two days after the autumn equinox is a full moon in Aries, Also known as a harvest moon, according to North American lore, this spiritual event is bound to transform you all the way down to your darkest depths. In astrology, a full moon always occurs in the opposite sign of whatever zodiac sign the sun currently happens to be in. Because of this, a full moon has the capacity to cause opposing and polarizing emotions to float to the surface, challenging your sense of self and forcing you to look at things from a different and deeper perspective. In essence, the moon does the opposite of what the sun does. While the sun shines its light on you so that others can see you, the moon is only concerned with your secrets and your private truth.

Because both of these spiritual events will nearly be concurrent, it goes to show that the beginning of autumn will be a time of fierce and unapologetic change. After all, summer put you through several planetary retrogrades as well as an electrifying eclipse season. Through pain inevitably comes growth, so allow this next season to prove to you just how much stronger you've become.