This week we are heading towards September 22, when the sun leaves Virgo and moves to Libra, and we celebrate the fall equinox.

Here in Asheville NC, there are clear signs of the beginning of fall. The trees are already shedding golden leaves to the ground. The temperatures cool down at night.

Fall is characterized by strong winds and fallen leaves, which give an airy feeling of change. We move from strong earth (Virgo) to strong air (Libra).

First, in Virgo we need to clean, organize, take care of ourselves, our bodies, our health. Then, we can move to Libra, where we celebrate life with the people we love and express our creativity.

The question to ask yourself on this fall equinox is what do I need to shed? What do I need to let go of? Which leaves on my tree branches need to make room for new rejuvenation in the coming spring?

None of us had a perfect life. Most of us were brought up by parents who did not know or could not to love us in the way we wanted to be loved. Most of us had some social or academic challenges in our school years. Most of us had our hearts broken to pieces at least once, maybe much more than that. Most of us fell into addictions and unhealthy habits or relationships at some point in our lives.

We all have suffered in different ways. Our conditions created behavioral patterns that helped us under the circumstances. The problem is that even when the hard circumstances are long gone, we are stuck with the psychological patterns that were imprinted on us back then, and don’t always serve us well today.

My parents loved me the way they knew to love, but it was not the way I needed to be loved. During my entire childhood I felt unloved and misunderstood. I later looked for relationships that preserved this comfortable feeling of not being loved. That’s all I knew. Even today, eight years into a marriage with a man who truly loves me, I sometimes have a hard time accepting his love, just because I am not used to being loved.

It is hard to release ourselves from early childhood conditioning.

But every fall equinox we have a window of opportunities to let go of limiting believes, hurtful relationships, and other psychological patterns that stand in our way and keep us stuck.

This week ask yourself:

• What it is that I want and don’t have?
• How do I contribute to not having what I want?
• Do I truly believe that I deserve to get what I want?
• Which beliefs and/or relationships keep me away from fulfilling my dream?

Then you can make yourself a little fall equinox ceremony.

Write down all the things you need to let go of and burn the paper. Doing it this way makes it so much more powerful than just thinking about it.

As we are entering Libra, relationships are an important key. If you have friendships with people who make you feel like there is something wrong with you, you feel there is something wrong with you. If you have love affairs with people who make you feel like you are too much, or too less, you feel like you are too much or too less.

Our relationships are mirrors to how we perceive ourselves. We attract the people who reflect to us what we think of ourselves.

Make it a rule to give your heart only to those who give their heart back to you. Give yourself to people who nourish you and make you feel loved, talented, smart, beautiful, capable, powerful.

It does not mean that the people in your life need to always agree with you or change themselves to accommodate your needs. Not at all. But you should have a strong feeling of being supported and loved as you are.

As Mercury keeps retrograding back to Virgo, keep things slow and relaxed as much as you can. Don’t take too much on yourself.

This entire week there is a beautiful kite in the sky which will support you on your earthy endeavors. Be productive but don’t overwork. Mark your goals, make a task list, perform your tasks, but know when to stop and have some rest.

Happy fall equinox,

Happy week,

With love,

Yael