The Vernal Equinox also called Spring Equinox is the first day of spring and it is here at last. It occurs between March 19th and March 21st when the sun passes the equator moving from the southern to the northern hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere where I live, this date marks the start of the spring season and many cultures around the globe have different traditions for welcoming the new season, from festivals to parades. After this date, the Northern Hemisphere begins to be tilted more toward the Sun, resulting in increasing daylight hours and warming temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, the March equinox marks the start of autumn.
All fields and parks around London and other cities around the North Hemisphere are covered with a velvet grass where you can lie down feeling the fresh wind blowing on your skin. A flower scent comes to you, full of aromatic fragrances. There are blue bells, lavender, camellias, daffodils, tulips, etc. It is so beautiful to feel the warm spring after a long hibernation period. People enjoy beautiful picnics in the green outdoors. Others organize barbecue parties in their gardens with music and friends.
Peculiarities of Spring Equinox:
-The word “equinox” comes from Latin words that mean “equal” and “night.” The sun crosses the equator (Earth’s midline point) when the hours of daylight and nighttime are very nearly equal. Day and night have approximately the same length. This is a time for new beginnings, birth, and fresh starts. While the summer and winter solstices mark the longest and shortest days of the year, equinoxes happen in between when the day and night are equal.
-There is a very specific time for when spring starts. This year it will come early, exactly it will start on March 20th at 09:37 and it will be a very welcomed spring season. This event marks the astronomical first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. So everyone living in the Northern Hemisphere can celebrate spring on March 20th, starting with a spring breakfast made with seasonal ingredients and fresh flavors.
The exact moment of the Equinox varies from year to year as shown below. This is due to a slight misalignment between the Gregorian calendar, and the actual rate of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun.
Year – Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)
2021 – Saturday, March 20, at 9:37 A.M. EDT
2022 – Sunday, March 20, at 11:33 A.M. EDT
2023 – Monday, March 20, at 5:24 P.M. EDT
2024 – Tuesday, March 19, at 11:06 P.M. EDT
Celebrations of Spring Equinox:
-Druids, Pagans and Wiccans gather at Stonehenge in the West of England
Druids, Pagans and Wiccans watch the sun rise above the ancient ring of stones at Stonehenge on Spring Equinox day. They celebrate drinking dandelion and burdock cordials, which they believe cleanses the blood. Participants commemorate the balance between the light and the dark side, playing ancient musical instruments.
-An ancient serpent god
In the ruins of the Maya city Chichén Itzá, in Mexico, crowds gather at the ancient El Castillo pyramid every spring and fall equinox to witness an equinox celebration that dates back to the construction of the pyramid around A.D. 1000. At sunset on the equinoxes, the angle of the sun creates shadows that look like a giant snake. The light-and-shadow snake appears to slither down the pyramid steps until it merges with a huge sculpted serpent’s head at the bottom.
-Equinox marks the start of the new year in Iran
The fortnight-long Persian festival Nowruz begins at the spring equinox. It is a celebration of rebirth and has its roots in the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism. Nowruz also marks the Iranian New Year. Iranians prepare on the day a table full of a variety of foods that symbolize beauty, good health, patience and prosperity, flowers and sprouting seeds that symbolize rebirth.
-Fallas of Valencia, Spain.
Las Fallas takes place in the week leading up to the first day of spring, The five main days celebrated are from March 15-19. They are declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity as it is a festivity that combines tradition, satire, art, tonnes of gunpowder, emotive religious acts, parades and paellas in the street. You can see huge paper figurines filled with firecrackers through the streets. Every evening, fireworks fill the sky and on the eve of the first day of spring the figurines are set up in flames.
-The world’s biggest water fight in Thailand
Thailand’s national new year’s celebration occurs shortly after the spring equinox. Revelers all over the islands and cities celebrate by throwing water everywhere and on everyone. The Songkran Water Festival has become a popular tourist attraction. Splashing around with friends and strangers, from resident Buddhist monks to first-time visitors, seems to bring out everyone’s inner child. Loud music and dance parties in the street are the cherry on top.
-Central Asia’s over-the-top, month long celebrations
On the first full day of spring, Central Asian communities around the world celebrate Nowruz. Though the festival is rooted in Iranian and Zoroastrian tradition, it has spread across several cultures over the last few centuries. Nowruz means new day in Persian, and it is the kickoff to one full month of extravagant celebrations. If you attend a Nowruz celebration, don’t miss the beginning, when revelers jump over bonfires to signify the start of the festivities.
Nice time to work your spiritual energy:
As you can see with all these celebrations around the world, spring is a nice moment to work on your spiritual energy. With the start of the new spring season, you can improve your mind, soul and spirit, visiting more green spaces and walking barefoot on the grass. You can put this in practice with this beautiful visualization:
-Spring Earth energy visualization
This creative visualization falls into the power of Mother Nature. All you need to do is sit comfortably outside barefoot on the grass. Close your eyes and relax, take deep breaths through your nose several times feeling the air coming inside and outside, cleaning your body. Do this for a while and start visualizing beautiful roots beginning to grow from the soles of your feet and burrowing into the grass.
Begin slowly watching these roots, growing deeper and deeper. Imagine the roots deepening into the rich, brown soil, deeper and deeper into the earth. Roots growing downwards deeply like an enormous cherry tree in spring and you are firmly rooted into the earth. Then visualize your roots tapping into the life force, and energy of Mother Nature, just like sparkling lights or waves of coloured light in just the same way the real roots draw up water. Picture this light travelling up your roots, and entering your body. As the light travels up your body, picture it washing, cleansing and re-energizing every cell in your mind, body and spirit. Stay in this wonderful restorative energy as much as you like. Before opening your eyes and coming back to the real world, say a positive sentence then count from three to one. Open your eyes slowly and calmly.
In the name of the Ya-Hub Team I encourage you to celebrate the Vernal Equinox, as the beginning of a new season full of positive energy. Clean your soul, walk barefoot in the nature around you and feel the rebirth of a new season.