Rebalancing Rituals for the Spring Equinox

Spring energy, Cheerful wreaths and greeting the Dawn

Hello,

Who’s feeling well-balanced?

The Spring Equinox is on the horizon - the moment in the year when day and night are perfectly equal, and to celebrate I’ve got a special Equinox newsletter for you today.

We’ll be diving into some delicious Equinox recipes, discovering some simple rituals and ways to balance our energy.

Ever since the shortest day, on the Winter Solstice in December, the days have been gradually lengthening as the light slowly returns, and next week the Spring Equinox marks the tipping point as we head towards the longest day of the year at the Summer Solstice. 

In this bite-sized guide to the Equinox we’ll start with a sprinkling of Equinox mythology, then we’ll get straight into some of the loveliest recipes and rituals to celebrate the day.

Who’s ready?

Photo by Gary Bendig on Unsplash

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What is the Spring Equinox?

The Spring Equinox falls on March 20th, halfway between the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice. The word equinox means ‘equal night’ from the Latin ‘equi’ (equal) and ‘nox’ (night)’ and there are two equinoxes each year, one in Spring and one in Autumn.

Each Equinox is a moment of perfect balance in the year, when light and dark are equal and day and night are held in balance for a fleeting moment. This means that on this day there will be approximately 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. Directly after each Equinox we then start to turn either towards the light or the dark.

The Spring Equinox marks the start of moving towards the light and is a time to celebrate the sun’s returning strength. From this point on each day will become longer as the light returns and we head towards the longest day of the year at the Summer Solstice. 

Who celebrates it?

There are a handful of ancient temples around the world that have been gathering points during the Spring Equinox for centuries, such as Chichen Itza, the ancient Mayan city in Mexico and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which are thought to have been designed to line up with the sunrise on the Spring Equinox.

Stonehenge also opens for visitors on the Spring Equinox in the UK, offering a place for people to gather and mark the sunrise.

Spring rituals of fertility, new life and rebirth have long been observed at this time of the Equinox, which is also the astronomical start of Spring. Fertility symbols such as hares and eggs have been linked to this time of year for centuries.

These days, the Christian festival of Easter is celebrated around the time of the Equinox and it clearly draws on the same ancient themes of hope and resurrection. Other modern traditions such as Easter bunnies and chocolate eggs can also be traced back to these pre-Christian Spring fertility symbols of hares and eggs.

Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash

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Spring Equinox Rituals

Ready to celebrate? Here are a few ideas of how to mark the day and fill your home with a little Equinox magic.

1. Greet the dawn

Taking a quiet moment to observe the sun rise or set on this day can help to connect you to the solar year and to notice subtle shifts in the length of the days and the waxing or waning power of the sun. In the UK Stonehenge opens especially for visitors to gather and greet the dawn on this date and admission during Solstice and Equinox at Stonehenge is free of charge.

2. Look for balance

Today when day and night are the same length it’s a good opportunity to assess what is or isn’t in balance in your own life, and many people like to create a ritual around this at the two equinoxes. Take a moment on the Equinox to write a list of the things you’d like to find more time for this year, as well as anything you’d like to do less of, and set your intention to find a path between the two.

3. Decorate eggs

Eggs have been celebrated as a symbol of Spring for centuries, as they represent fertility and new life. Wooden or paper machè eggs are a nice way to bring this spring symbol into your home. Paint them with bright, optimistic spring colours and decorate them with natural motifs such as flowers, leaves, birds and bees to symbolise new life.

According to folklore you should also be able to balance an egg perfectly on its end on the Equinox.

4. Get planting

Many believe the Spring Equinox is a powerful time to plant seeds, so take this opportunity to get some seeds into the ground if conditions are suitable. If you have to wait a few more weeks for the ground to warm up, then you can still get outside during the equinox, and start to get your seed beds and outdoor space ready. 

5. Make a Spring wreath for your door

Welcome in the Spring and share the optimism of the season with others by hanging a seasonal wreath on your front door, as a way to signify the start of the growing and flowering season. A circle is an ancient symbol of balance and represents the steady and reliable turning of the year. The perfect symbol for the Equinox.

Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash

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Equinox Recipes

Lemon, nutmeg, chocolate; this time of year is packed with delicious flavours and tasty recipes. Here are a few seasonal recipes to try:

• Easy Easter Biscuits from BBC Good Food - Lemony, current biscuits with a twist of nutmeg.

• Easter Egg Nest Cake from Nigella - Not a beginner level cake, but I imagine it will be well worth the effort involved.

• No-Knead Hot Cross Buns from Olive - How good will your house smell while these are baking in the oven.

• Orange Iced Buns with Edible Flowers from Olive - These are the prettiest iced buns I’ve ever seen. See below.

Image: copyright Olive magazine

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Ok, that’s all for now, I hope you have a wonderful day filled with delicious cakes, cheerful decorations and a beautiful Equinox sunrise.

Now it’s over to you to share your Spring Equinox rituals, traditions and recipes in the Comments. I’m really interested to know if anyone else celebrates the Equinox and if so what your rituals and traditions look like?

I’ll see you next month for a April edition of the Monthly Notebook. We’ll be exploring woodland wildflowers, making fresh herb teas, and enjoying the Dawn Chorus. I’ll add a sprinkling of weird and wonderful folklore for you too. If you haven’t already Subscribed then just click below to make sure that post arrives safely in your inbox.

Vicky xx

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