Vernal Equinox: The Rite of Spring

People have been marking and celebrating the Vernal Equinox for thousands of years. The Great Sphinx which was constructed over 4500 years ago on the Giza Plateau in Egypt, faces due east on the Vernal Equinox. The monoliths located at Stonehenge, which are estimated to be over 3000 years old, mark the position of the rising sun on the Vernal Equinox. In Central America the Ancient Mayan Caracol Tower and Temples of the Sun and Moon also have alignments that coincide with the sun’s position on the Vernal Equinox.

Most historians believe that this knowledge was important to ancient cultures in choosing a time to plant their crops. In Iran they celebrate Norouz (which roughly translates to "new day") on the Vernal Equinox. In China they celebrate Chunfen on the Vernal Equinox. In ancient Europe they celebrated the arrival of the goddess of spring Ostara on this day. Ostara was also known as Ostera and Eostre in different parts of Europe. Many historians believe the Christian holiday Easter gets its name from Eostre, as she had an enchanted rabbit that could lay eggs.

We find ourselves now at the time of the Vernal Equinox and the exuberance of the Maiden takes hold. This is the pause of respite when there is equal balance of day and night. This is the point of integration and synthesis of the work and effort offered beginning at the Winter Solstice. The Vernal Equinox holds the product of renewal and the stirrings of the increasing state of awareness illuminated by the potential that is held within the fertile space of manifest form. We find the space of balance within ourselves and seek out the opportunity to shine that light more brightly as it has strengthened and we open to taking in more of the light that surrounds us. We begin the dance of enlivened exchange shifting eagerly between what has been and what will be in anticipation of the lover’s embrace and the sacred union to occur at Beltane.

The earth responds in kind and maintains its own balance of the light and dark needed for the greening of the earth. Too much sun will dry out what is clamoring to quench the thirst of becoming. Too little light will over saturate and stagnate in break down of surrender to non-viability. The un-tempered light of the Maiden’s form awakens and stimulates in reaching upwards what lay beneath the enlivening of graceful step and quickening breath. The darkness of the womb in which it lay also strives towards balance of what will survive the next stages of germination as Gaia’s wisdom and ebb and flow of force and form brings forth the verdant world from her womb of life and death.