Of equinox and changing seasons....

Today, Sept 23rd is the Autumn Equinox

Equinox is that time of the year, when the sun is exactly above the Earth’s equator and the length of day and night is the same

On this day, the celestial equator is in alignment with the sun

It is a day of balance and equilibrium

The word equinox has its origin in Latin, meaning equal night  - on this day, both the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive equal amount of sun’s light and energy

Equinox happens twice in a year – once during Spring (around March 21st) and once during Autumn (Around Sept 23rd)

All this is a part of Earth’s natural rotation on its axis and it’s exposure to the sun

When I was sailing on ships, this knowledge of Earth’s rotation and changing seasons was very important

As a ship sails and changes latitude, Earth’s rotation impacts day and night navigation and ship’s operations

From tomorrow onwards, the days will get shorter in the Northern hemisphere and longer in Southern hemisphere

In many cultures, this is a significant time of the year, celebrated with festivals and rituals, as it marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the autumn season

It is used to honor the harvest and express gratitude for what has been grown and received as a result of the harvest

This time of the year is also used to start preparing for onset of the winter season in the Northern hemisphere

Why am I talking about all this today?

Because the equinoxes and the changing seasons are a great reminder about few things in life:

Change - Change is part of nature and our lives as well, whether we like it or not

Balance - Despite the changes, there can be balance and equilibrium. Strive for it

Honor & Gratitude - Life continues to offer us opportunities to feel grateful for and honor what we have. Make most of it

Completeness & Preparation – As one season ends and another begins, you can say goodbye and welcome at the same time

As always, I have put my coach hat on and prepared a set of questions for you in line with the above themes

Since tomorrow is a weekend, I would invite you to take some time off, find some quiet space and reflect on the following:

Gratitude & Honor
a) What are you truly grateful for? 
b) Don’t make a general statement ("I am grateful for the air, water etc" are very generic statements I think)
c) Examine your current life, your current challenges, what you already have and then think deeply about it. The more specific your gratitude, the more you will realize that what you already have is truly remarkable
d) How do you honor yourself? You work hard to make things work for you and your loved ones. Take some time to acknowledge and appreciate your own contributions and the value you bring to the lives of people around yourself

Change & Preparation
a) Have you experienced any recent change in your personal or professional life?
b) If yes, how did you handle that change? Was there anything you could have done differently?
c) Do you anticipate any change in the next 3 months (personal or professional life)? How are you preparing yourself to handle it?
d) Do you want something to change in your life over the next 3 months? If yes, what are you doing about it?

Balance
I wrote about balance a few weeks back and this will only reinforce those thoughts
a) What does that balance mean to you?
b) Where in your life are you missing that balance today? What can you do to bring that balance back?

Completeness & Closure
a) What are some of the things which you have started recently but not completed? Maybe a training course, a gym membership, a book or dance lesson?
b) Pick up maybe 1 or 2 of them and see how you can bring them to closure. This could be something from work or from your personal life
c) Is there any conversation with a colleague or family member which is pending? Something you want closure with and move on? If yes, then what will you do about it?

I know that's a lot to reflect upon, so you can pick and choose your themes

Each of these questions will offer you more insights about yourself than anything else

Moreover, it will help you create specific action items to take things forward

Do let me know if something came up for you once you have had a change to think