The Fall Equinox is on September 22, about 7:30 p.m. The equinox (equal night) is when the days and nights are of the same length and we are halfway between summer (longest day in the northern hemisphere) and winter solstice (the shortest day). The two equinoxes and two solstices are four transitions in the year that have been marked by civilizations since recorded time.
Besides the fall equinox being a time of harvest and thanksgiving it is also known to be a special opportunity for focusing on things spiritual. Spring, summer, fall and winter each have their beginning and end, and each of these yearly cycles correspond to times in the day, early morning, noon, evening and mid-night. Sensitive yogis noticed that these times of the day and times of the year present an opening into higher consciousness for the meditator.
Therefore Sri Yukteswar kept these times for coming together in song, food and a particular focus on spiritual upliftment. In the Autobiography of a Yogi Master writes:
Sri Yukteswar sponsored four yearly festivals, at the equinoxes and solstices, when his students gathered from far and near. The winter solstice celebration was held in Serampore; the first one I attended left me with a permanent blessing.
The festivities started in the morning with a barefoot procession along the streets. The voices of a hundred students rang out with sweet religious songs; a few musicians played the flute and khol kartal (drums and cymbals). Enthusiastic townspeople strewed the path with flowers, glad to be summoned from prosaic tasks by our resounding praise of the Lord’s blessed name. The long tour ended in the courtyard of the hermitage. There we encircled our guru, while students on upper balconies showered us with marigold blossoms.
Many guests went upstairs to receive a pudding of channa and oranges. I made my way to a group of brother disciples who were serving today as cooks. Food for such large gatherings had to be cooked outdoors in huge cauldrons. The improvised wood-burning brick stoves were smoky and tear-provoking, but we laughed merrily at our work. Religious festivals in India are never considered troublesome; each one does his part, supplying money, rice, vegetables, or his personal services.
…By sunset we had served our hundreds of visitors with khichuri (rice and lentils), vegetable curry, and rice pudding. We laid cotton blankets over the courtyard; soon the assemblage was squatting under the starry vault, quietly attentive to the wisdom pouring from Sri Yukteswar’s lips. His public speeches emphasized the value of Kriya Yoga, and a life of self-respect, calmness, determination, simple diet, and regular exercise.
Today, we may mark this day individually, keeping our appointment with God and opening ourselves to the upliftment available on this special date.
Jai Gurus, Victory to those great spiritual masters who have blazed the sadhana trail ahead of us, and even now bless us with their spiritual power of realization.