Vernal Equinox 2011

The March equinox will occur on March 20th, 2011 at 7:21pm Eastern Standard Time, marking the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and fall (autumn) in the southern hemisphere. The equinox occurs twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. The word Equinox translates from Latin to mean 'equal night.' This marks the day when day and night are almost equal in length. This particular equinox was ushered in by a super full moon in perigee, which is when the moon is closest to the earth. The image of Stonehenge is fitting because the stones mark the rising of the sun on the Vernal Equinox. The Spring Equinox is the time when the ancient Chinese used to stand an egg upright to symbolize good luck for the coming season.

Spring is a time of new beginnings and growth and is a good time to do rituals devoted to shedding old habits and sprouting new ones. It is a time when pagans celebrate the ancient Saxon Goddess Eostre who represents rebirth. This is where the symbols of the egg and rabbit, ancient symbols of fertility,come from and is the basis for the Christian celebration of Easter. This is an especially good time to go within to look for guidance as the earth energies are particularly potent now. Find a wonderful analysis of the equinox and its inner implications for finding balance within ourselves here.

The Vernal Equinox is also a good time to remember the impact we human beings have on our Mother Earth. With the recent ongoing nuclear tragedy in Japan, it is a good time for us to ponder the implications of our energy sources and rethink the way we do things for the future. The pagan religions celebrate the earth and ecoconsciousness is a good way to honor the Goddess in all of her forms. Think about the impact of your 'global footprint,' and how you can use energy in your home more efficiently as well as how you can reduce, reuse and recycle your waste to keep harmful materials from ending up in landfills where they will never biodegrade and cause toxic harm to the ecosystem and food chain. We human beings have a large impact on our natural surroundings and we must take responsibility for ourselves and our environment.

Enjoy the day and Blessed Be!