AUTUMN’S DOUBLE ‘TWEEN TIMES’           

Revisiting April’s Door Between the Worlds

September 2025

copyright © 2025 by Judith Hill

Over the years, I’ve made it my business to introduce my astrological students and readership to the ancient Celtic knowledge of the “tween times”, those cracks in time between the worlds.

As an Astrologer, these fascinate me!

This April and May 2025 I devoted two articles specific to this alluring topic in my “Cosmic Currents” column published by Anima Mundi Herbals. Here, I expounded upon the existing “doors between the worlds”, existing at the time boundaries of both equinoxes, both solstices, May Day, and Halloween.

Although the tradition of these “cracks between worlds” is well known to Celtic mythologists, it has rarely (ever?) been discussed in purely astrological literature.  Even so, I was surprised at the notice these articles received. Astrologers took note! So much that Astrology school mogul and my former personal student, Tony Howard, has recently begun assisting us in promulgating this neolithic time door tradition into the awareness of modern-day astrology practitioners with some of his recent offerings. I’m honored that these teachings are being integrated and disseminated into the broader world of modern astrology and to be referenced by Tony! The flurry of interest in porous time windows, boundaries, cracks and doors between worlds necessitates a second article. It is exciting that this Fall sports not one, but TWO doors between the worlds!

Indeed, these world boundary-straddling traditions appear to harken back to the ancient Druids of the British Isles and may have been old news by neolithic times.

Before venturing into Autumn’s two “tween times”, let’s first revisit the doorway concept from my April’s article Anima Mundi article: The Druid’s Doorway, April 2025.

Regarding Equinoxes:

“This boundary signifies a ‘crack between the worlds’, recalled in druidic tales of prophets who stand on one leg at twilight or dawn, while peering with one eye through a hole in a “hag stone” in hopes of viewing into the world of faery, or perhaps the distant future, and so forth. Celtic lore instructs that fairies are easiest seen at the “tween times” of dawn, dusk, equinox and solstice! The idea that one can peer between two worlds while standing at their specified time borders is very real indeed.

However, something “supernatural” is afoot this equinox season!

 The idea that one can peer between two worlds while standing at their specified time borders is very real indeed. Psychically sensitive, or depressed individuals may require extra support through the deeply spiritual final two-three days on either side of the tween times.”

Eight Doorways

What do we mean by a “time boundary” or “crack between the worlds” … the druid’s doorway? If we adopt the posture that neolithic minds discovered these doorways in time through centuries of empirical experience, then we remain open and curious even if we do not understand how this works.

Metaphysicians have long taught about a world that exists right next to ours, in a level of fine matter too rarified for us to access yet. They call this the ‘astral world”. Denizens of many kinds are said to inhabit the astral world. Sometimes a clairvoyant individual can peer into this world. Perhaps they see a ghost, plant spirit or a leprechaun! This astral world is said to interpenetrate our dense chemical world more, or less, depending on locus, time of year, and precise time of day. The ancient ones discovered that certain hills, mountains, caves, stones. or vortexes were locations where the worlds strongly interpenetrated. Elves could be heard singing, people vanished, apparitions occurred, stones rotated, and so forth.

Eight dates each year were discovered through experience to be highly porous. Veritably, these dates comprise the noted “tween times”. These are: the Spring and Autumn solstices; the Summer and Winter solstice; plus May Day and Halloween.  We also have two more obvious dates: Mid-Summer, and Mid-Winter. These were not as strongly represented in the old tales and literature but certainly were ceremonially potent. In this article, my focus will temporarily neglect them.

May Day and Halloween are oppositely placed dates that were particularly associated with fairies, elves and spirits.  One who fell asleep under a Hawthorne tree on May Day (the original Beltane, or mid-spring day), was in danger of being taken by the fairies. The famous Catskill’s tale of time traveling Rip Van Winkle is based on this idea. Traditions once abounded regarding the danger of sitting or sleeping on certain mounds, trees or stones on a specifically assigned ‘tween times’.  One would emerge either as a genius, a poet, or an idiot.  Would anyone take the risk? 

Halloween was probably fashioned after mid-Autumn Day, or the 15th degree of Scorpio. This spooky date is of specific interest to ghosts, elves and dead relatives.  It is easier for the spirits of the dead to “come through” on this date. The door between the earth plane and the astral world was observed to be thrown wide open at this time. In fact, this unsettling honor is reserved for the entire sign of Scorpio!

Halloween was taken seriously in postmodern Europe, and in some regions, still is. In some British villages, arrangements were made on ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ to allow the more mischievous spirits to pass unhindered.  Conversely, Hispanic tradition celebrates November’s Dia de Los Muertos by regaling the dead relatives in the graveyards with delicious treats. Aztec and European traditions independently identified Scorpio’s unique doorway between our world and the invisible spirit world!

‘Tween times’ have many fascinating useful purposes but hold their dangers too. Positive uses include prophecy, time travel, healing, inauguration, marriage, oaths, initiation, astral world vision, and clairvoyance. Misused - well, we don’t wish to talk about that! Each of the six doorways behaves uniquely and is likewise associated with best times for use (sunrise, sunset, high noon, or midnight). Astrologers should take special note of persons born on ‘tween’ dates, or have natal planets situated on equinoctial, solstice, and last but not least, the four mid-season degrees (where the elemental energies are the most concentrated in the year).

THE TWO TIME DOORS OF AUTUMN

The Vernal Equinox occurs on September 22nd, 2:19 pm Eastern time.

This day sits exactly on a “crack between the worlds”.

As the Sun reaches 0˚ Libra, it achieves 180˚ of zodiacal longitude, halfway through the year, and opposite 0˚ Aries, the Spring Equinox, our starting degree of the solar cycle in Tropical astrology. Both equinoxes represent dates where the day and night are equal.

To use these dates at dawn or dusk for all manner of healing, prophetic and magical purposes was obviously tempting to ancient peoples!  The Vernal Equinox represents the pause point of a pendulum’s swing cycle. Here, the pendulum stops and looks back at the point where its swing began (0˚ Aries).  Similarly, 0˚ Libra is the grand “Pause Point” of the solar cycle, aptly represented by a set of scales! This is the ideal day for rest and contemplation. Strive to find your peace.

Halloween:  The true time door is not October 31st, the date now assigned to Halloween.

The 15th degree of Scorpio is what we are after! This is one of the mid-season points. The date this year is approximately November 7th (spanning 6th-8th). However, judging from the character and interests of the many Scorpio friends I’ve known so well, it’s plausible that the entire Scorpio season, (commencing upon October 22nd) shares the attribute of a veil that is uniquely porous to the ‘other side’!

Astrologers are recommended to be aware of all eight of the most notable time doors, feel and enjoy them!

A highly recommended book is Janet and Colin Bard’s ‘The Secret Country, More Mysterious Britain’.

ASTROLOGICAL TUTORING SERVICES

Our esteemed Academy Tutor, Marcus Romano, can be reached at: https://www.hillromanoastrology.com