Alignment in Motion: New Moon, Eclipse, and Equinox Reflections

Beloved,

As I write this under our Creator's misty sky here in Sonoma, I feel the divine braid of energy formed by three sacred threads weaving together right now: the New Moon, the Partial Solar Eclipse, and the Autumnal Equinox. Each one brings its own invitation, its own medicine... and together they form a tapestry urging us toward balance, renewal, and clarity. I want to share what I’m hearing, what I’m feeling, and invite you to honor this moment alongside me, as you wish, in whatever way calls you home.

Let me share a bit about each event...

This New Moon's energy is earthy, precise, devoted... and invites us to tend to what is unseen: our routines, our inner criteria for worth, our relationship to service and healing. It whispers... this is a time to get honest with yourself about what you really need, what you keep doing out of habit rather than heart, and what subtle refinements would bring more ease, more sanctity, more sovereignty. It asks for discernment, sacred dedication, and aligned integrity... and reminds you that perfection is not the goal.

Now, for the Partial Solar Eclipse... An eclipse magnifies shadows, bringing old patterns to light. With this partial Solar Eclipse, there is potent power in release, particularly of perfectionism, unworthiness, and the old stories that say you are only enough when you are flawless. It’s a portal, a time when what you’re ready to leave behind can drop away more easily. Use its strength. It also asks for patience, because transformations begun under eclipse energy ripple forward in time.

And finally, our beloved Autumnal Equinox. Here comes balance, light and dark in equilibrium, the shift from summer’s abundance to autumn’s harvest, and the slow shift inward. The Equinox asks us to pause, to gather, to reflect on what has ripened, what has fallen, what needs gathering in, and what needs letting go. It reminds us of cycles: growth, bloom, decay, rest. It is a threshold itself, the pivot from outward light toward shadows, a gentle reminder that the harvest is not only in the fields but in the soul.

As I reflect on the common threads of these events and the message they bring, here is what is coming to me:

• Balance between light & shadow: The Equinox and the eclipse both heighten this tension. The New Moon helps us see what we’ve been hiding or ignoring.

• Harvest & release: This is the season of harvesting. We are now harvesting what has been sown... habits, beliefs, relationships. The Equinox underscores release. The eclipse amplifies letting go.

• Integrity over perfection: The New Moon reminds us that our desire for perfection, when held lightly, becomes a guide rather than a shackle. The eclipse shakes up rigidity. The Equinox reminds us that what matters most is truth, not polish.

• Thresholds & new beginnings: The New Moon and Eclipse open doorways. The Equinox signals a turning, a shifting of seasons, of perspective, of pace.

• Refinement & inner work: All three call us deeply inward. To sift, sort, prioritize, and align with what is soulful. A collective reminder to breathe.

Three women who represent different aspects of this seasonal shift are on my mind right now...

1. Demeter: Goddess of harvest, of cycles, of life’s rhythms. As Virgo connects to harvest and purification, Demeter’s story reminds us to honor cycles of loss and return, of letting go and then finding strength again.

2. Persephone: Queen of the Underworld and springtime’s return. She straddles worlds... light and dark, life and death, descent and rebirth. Her journey mirrors the eclipse’s descent into shadow, and the Equinox’s equal day and night before the tilt into darker months. Persephone is Demeter's daughter... and their story holds every emotion.

3. Hypatia: Mathematician, philosopher, teacher. A symbol of intellect and devotion to clarity, truth, and wisdom, even when the world pushed against her. Her essence reflects what these energies call forth... refinement, truth, and fierce grace.

A mantra to hold close:

“In perfect imperfection, I stand in my truth, rooted in balance, open to transformation.”

Here are a couple of rituals to choose from...

1: Harvest & Release Lanterns

Create a simple space to reflect. Gather a candle or two, some fallen leaves (or paper), and any crystals you’re drawn to. Take a few quiet moments to breathe, ground, and reflect. With paper and pen, write down what you’re ready to release, old habits, inner criticisms, outdated stories, as well as what you feel deep gratitude for in this season of harvest. When you're ready, tear or burn the leaves/paper safely and place the remnants into a bowl of water, letting them dissolve. Light a lantern or candle as a symbol of what you now choose to call in, and speak your new intentions aloud. Close your ritual with a word of thanks to the moon, the season, the Divine, or your own sacred self.

2: Equinox-Minute Meditation + Body Alignment

Find a comfortable seat, ideally facing East. Imagine golden light above you and the grounding earth below. Begin a breath rhythm, inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, and repeat until you feel centered. Let your body move in whatever gentle ways it needs, stretch, sway, twist, or rest. Use an essential oil like cedar or frankincense to anoint your pulse points, letting the scent guide you inward. Hold your chosen crystals and whisper the mantra, allowing it to settle into your body and spirit.

Crystals, Herbs & Essential Oils that I am exploring...

• Crystals: Moss Agate, Moonstone, Smoky Quartz, Citrine

• Herbs: Rosemary, Sage, Mugwort, Lavender

• Essential Oils: Frankincense, Cedar, Sandalwood, Vetiver

  
  

Here are a few reflective journal prompts...

• What have I harvested this season (within, around me, in my work, relationships, spirit) that I want to deeply acknowledge and give thanks for?

• What stories or beliefs have I carried that now feel heavy, unnecessary, or misaligned with who I am becoming... and what would it look like to release them?

• As I move into balance between the light and the dark, what strengths can I bring forward that may have been hidden, undervalued, or even shamed... with gentleness and courage?

Tonight, I plan to light a candle by my window, hold my Moss Agate in hand, and make space to write what this cycle has taught me... especially about where I am still chasing perfection or allowing hustle to lead and how I can instead step into flow and trust. I’ll breathe in the Equinox’s balance, feeling dusk and dawn poised, imagining my heart held between them. And even though I won't be able to see the eclipse’s shadow here in Sonoma, I’ll offer gentle release to old self-judgments.

I’d love for you to join me in whatever way feels sacred, whether you light a candle for yourself, take a moment under the divine sky, journal by lantern light, or simply whisper the mantra into a mirror. You and I both deserve the medicine available in this powerful alignment.

With love and starlight...