Our ancestors celebrated 8 points in the year using them as a framework for their lives. The "Wheel of the Year" combines the astronomical cycle of the solstices and equinoxes, with the turning points of each season, marked by the Celts with the 4 Cross Quarter festivals, formerly known as the 4 Great Fire Festivals; Imbolc, Beltain, Lammas and Samhain. In the past huge community bonfires were lit on hilltops, uniting communities in common focus and celebration of their lives and the earth.

The Autumn Equinox [10:04 BST] is the 2nd balance point of the year when day and night are of equal length. This is a good time to release the past and move forward with clarity as we begin to prepare for the coming Winter.

This is a time of ripening fruits, nuts, berries, mushrooms and seeds. Trees and plants are letting their energy fall back down into their roots. Leaves are dropping to the Earth to make compost, rich in nutrition and goodness, providing the best conditions for future new growth. This is a time for long-term planning and nurturing as the seeds we plant now will re-emerge in the Spring.