Source: .triplemoonpsychotherapy.com
The practice of expressing gratitude for the harvest season and preparing for the onset of winter is a widespread and ancient tradition observed by cultures across the globe.
Festivals are held to celebrate the abundance of crops, offer thanks to Mother Earth, and bid farewell to Summer. Historically, mythologies worldwide have honored and revered various deities associated with the harvest and the Autumn Equinox. Although not a comprehensive account, this article briefly acknowledges some of the most prominent harvest and equinox deities from various cultures, listed alphabetically.
Autumnus, the Roman goddess of the Harvest
Autumnus, the fall season’s deity, embodies nature’s overflowing abundance during harvest. In addition, Autumnus is gender fluid, appearing in both male and female forms, which speaks to the inclusive and diverse nature of this season’s divine patron.
Banbha, the Celtic goddess and Earth Mother
Amidst the fall equinox celebrations, the Irish deity Banbha reigns supreme. As an Earth Mother, she presides over the culmination of the bountiful harvest. Banbha, much like the revered Greek goddess Gaia, is the protector and nurturer of all living beings and the land that sustains them.
Ceres, the Roman goddess of the Harvest, grain, and fertility
Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, was revered for her abundant generosity and for imparting essential knowledge to humanity.
In Greek mythology, she was known as Demeter. She was hailed as the deity who taught people the art of cultivating, preserving, and preparing grains and maize. Her divine powers were closely linked to the land’s fertility, and she was regarded as one of the most prominent guardians of the harvest.
Ceres’ influence and guidance ensured the earth’s bounty was always plentiful. Her legacy lives on as a symbol of abundance and fertility.
Çhicomecoatl, the Aztec goddess of abundance and corn
Çhicomecoatl, the goddess of fire and fertility, embodies vitality, community, and plenty. She is revered in Mexico, particularly during the harvest season, as the guardian of corn and all fertile things. Her emblems are hot spices, maize, and fire, representing her power and providence over the land.
Corn Mother, the goddess of the Harvest of the Indigenous Peoples of North America
With her bountiful presence, the Corn Mother embodies the qualities of abundance, vitality, and strength. Her powers of fertility and harvest are celebrated as she blesses the land with the promise of plentiful crops.
In addition to her agricultural emblems of corn and corn sheaves, she also holds the healing attributes of the earth, nurturing all who seek her aid.
Demeter, the Greek goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture
At the center of one of the most famous myths about the seasons and the Harvest lies Demeter, the goddess of grain and fertility and mother of Persephone.
When Hades, the god of the Underworld, abducted Persephone, Demeter’s anguish for her daughter resulted in a severe drought that threatened all life on Earth. With the crops perishing and humankind facing doom, Demeter embarked on a quest to rescue her daughter.
However, despite eventually reuniting with Persephone, now the goddess of the Underworld, fate demanded a sacrifice. Having consumed six pomegranate seeds, Persephone was bound to spend six months of the year in the Underworld, which begins with the Autumn Equinox when Persephone descends again into the depths.
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