Preparing for September

“There comes a day each September when you wake up and know the summer is over and fall has arrived. The slant of the sun looks different and something is in the air–a coolness, a hint of frosty mornings to follow.” ― Ann Rinaldi

New months mean new beginnings, and I like to go into new beginnings with intention. September is one of the loveliest months; it feels like a subtle breath of fresh air after the intense symphony of summer. Writer Terri Guillemets puts it perfectly: "Autumn is the antidote to stifling summer." We often associate September with the season of fall and the start of school (maybe the start of football season, too), but there are many historical, agricultural, and spiritual connotations of this month. To prepare for a meaningful, intentional September, here is what you need to know.

Basic Information

Although the ninth month in our calendar year, September was the seventh month in the Roman calendar, which is where it gets its name; "septem" is Latin for seven. This is also why the study of numerology associates September with the numbers seven and nine.

The aster is the official flower of September, and sapphire the official gemstone. Holidays of the month include Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5,); the Autumnal Equinox, also the celebration of Mabon in Pagan/Wiccan practice (Thursday, Sept. 22); and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (Sunday, Sept. 25).

The Natural World

When I think of September, I think of warm, sunny days with a crispness to the air. The flowers you'll notice blooming this month are asters, chrysanthemums, dahlias, and sunflowers. This is the prime time for harvesting (and therefore eating) apples, carrots, corn, pears, and potatoes.

The September sky is associated with the constellations Virgo and Libra, which are the two astrological seasons of the month. The full moon, which takes place on Saturday, September 10, is known as the corn moon, because this is when corn is ready to harvest, but it is also the harvest moon, which is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox (which means sometimes it is in October). Because it is the brightest moon of the month, it is when farmers would harvest their crops, so they could rely on the light to work late into the night. At the opposite end of the moon cycle, the new moon (when the moon is completely dark) takes place Sunday, September 25.

Spirituality and Ritual

As this is historically the month of harvest, there are a lot of myths and rituals from across the globe surrounding preparation for winter. Since this is when a lot of the earth seems to die, death and protection are prevalent themes among old folklore. Saxon farmers created dolls out of corn husks to ward off negative energy; Scottish farmers wove a protective design out of corn sheaths to do the same. Tsukimi is the traditional harvest moon festival of Japan. While you may not be harvesting crops for the winter, this is a good time to pull from the ancients and reflect on how you can prepare your own home and self for winter. As the start of a new season, it is a great time spiritually to begin focusing on your inner energy and create new visions for the future.

Maybe this odd conglomeration of information doesn't seem important going into the month of September, and that's okay. But I find that when I have knowledge surrounding the historical, cultural, and biological practices and phases that occur, I have a greater appreciation for the time and place I am in, and I go forward with more intention and awareness, creating more wonderful, meaningful moments in my life. And September seems like a great time to renew that intention.

As F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."

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