Happy Spring Vernal Equinox! But what does that actually mean? We did a deep dive on this ancient event and have some cool facts for you!
First off, the term "Equinox" is latin referring to "equal and night". So, in this case, it means that the number of hours of nighttime and daylight are equally split on this day. After the Spring Equinox, the days get longer until the Summer Solstice which occurs on June 20th, 21st, or 22nd. This is the longest daylight date in the Northern Hemisphere. Likewise, an Equinox can land on March 19th, 20th, or 21st. This year, it happened on March 19th, at 10:06 PM CST. Why is an Equinox so special? Besides officially marking the first day of Spring and bringing back vibrant plants, flowers, and animals from their respective winter sleep, history has shown us how the event has impacted humans as well - from the Aztecs and Druids to William Shakespeare and Impressionism painters.
There are poems, artwork, screenplays, and songs celebrating the Spring Equinox, like this playlist on Spotify - The Awakening (spring equinox).
One of the earliest references, is found in the U.K. outside of London on a grassy area known as Stonehenge. The eerie stone structure was built around 3,000 BC by Druids and pagans and believed to be an early monument to worshipping the gods of nature on specific dates of both solstice and equinox. In fact, there are five other locations around the world dedicated to specific solar events. Those are Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichen Itza, in Mexico, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Newgrange in Ireland, and of course, the Great Sphinx and Pyramids of Egypt. Each culture sought to honor, celebrate, and plead with the gods for a bountiful year of crops, health, and weather.
Other cool Equinox facts:
The morning of the equinox, the Great Sphinx faces directly into the sunrise.
Emanuel Hill Cemetery in Stull, Kansas is rumored to be a gateway to the underworld and only accessible during the Spring Equinox and of course, Halloween.
The date for each year's Easter is determined by the equinox. Or on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox.
Ocean waves and surfs increase in intensity during the equinox week. Most likely due to the moon's position with the Earth.
Old Judaic mythology believed water from springs and rivers were poisoned by the supernatural powers until the day passed. It was also a time to be more aware of your surroundings and careful with your actions.
The Persian new year happens during an equinox. So "Eide Shoma Mobarak" to all who celebrate!
For all of us, the Spring Equinox is a great time to be grateful, look ahead to the rebirth of nature and new ideas, and do good things for yourself, others, and the planet! It's a great time to plant seeds herbs, and trees, to create a pollination garden, go for an epic hike, and just be in the moment and appreciate the amazing world of ours that is nature. :-D