Celebrating the VERNAL EQUINOX or Happy First Day of SPRING!

by Dima Duzzen, Contributing Writer

Today is the first day of spring, also known as the Vernal Equinox. The sun crosses over the Earth’s equator, halving the day into equal parts light and dark. This astrological balance leads many to believe the equinox is a time when you can balance eggs or broomsticks on end. Does it work? Watch Phil the Bad Astronomer try egg balancing.

What’s the significance of this day? In Christianity, Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. Early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the Vernal Equinox. On this day, pagans celebrate Eostre (or Ostara, the precursor to Christian Easter) as the beginning of spring.

Most importantly, it is a time of exuberance and fertility. Winter is over! Huzzah!

The equinox is an excellent time for ancient rituals rejoicing over the warming earth and sprouting new life. Spring rituals often involve flowers, greenery, eggs (symbol of fertility), candles and mud. According to MoonShine Mary, leader of a local pagan group, dance is one ritual that should not be overlooked.

“Dance as if you are a new shoot rising from the Earth! Wear green if possible, or better yet, dance naked,” suggests Mary. “Dance with your sisters under the rising sun, and call out chants to the Mother Goddess: ‘New light!’ ‘ Lady Earth lives!’ ‘ Sap rising!’ or whatever else comes to mind.”

As the original New Year (celebrated as Nowruz in several countries including Iran), the Vernal Equinox is also a great time for making vows. Here are some examples:

• “I will make peace with my mother-in-law.”
• “I will clean out the attic before summer.” 
• “I will read more than just the comics section of the newspaper.” 
• “I will never devour an entire cheesecake in one sitting again…unless I’ve just spent an entire week with my mother-in-law.”

Speaking of cheesecake, no equinox celebration is complete with a feast. Choose foods that celebrate spring such as eggs, spring greens, asparagus and lamb. Or, if you feel daring, try Patti Wigington’s recipe for Ostara Peep Ambrosia.

Let us end with a few inspired words from MoonShine Mary: “Virgin Spring, we greet you! Warm our earth, our seedlings, our souls! Behold the darkness and light as equals! Who is our Goddess? She bursts forth from within us!”

Huzzah!