Celebrating Spring Equinox
Spring is a time of rapid change and reawakening. Let's celebrate what that means.
This year, Spring kicks off officially in the northern hemisphere with the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox on Thursday, March 20. Spring is a time of rapid change, which creates a sense of vibrancy and energy to life outdoors.
This moment can be a great time to pause, even briefly, and reflect on what’s going on right now in our more-than-human-world.
If nothing else, the Equinox gives us a reason to step back and see ourselves as part of something that exists on much much much grander scale than whatever we are thinking about or doing right now.
We are but small mortal beings on a huge planet tilted on a spinning axis. How about that?
Below are some ideas for celebrating the Spring Equinox. I’ve also added this fun little illustrated guide that we made a while back at Art Nature Place, which you can download below to print, share, or use as you see fit.
Experiencing the “Half Way There”
In Spring (as in Fall) we are experiencing the Equinox, which marks the moment between the two solstices when the length of dark and light are nearly the same. “Equinox” derives from the Latin words “aequi” (which means equal) and “nox” (which means night). During the Equinox, the Sun appears directly overhead at the Earth’s equator.
The Equinox (and the Solstices too) exist because of the tilting of the Earth’s axis at an angle of approximately 23.45 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun.
Let’s ponder that for a moment. How often do you take that tilt (that happened billions ago from a random collision) for granted?
Yet without the Earth’s axial tilt, we would have no seasons at all, no polar ice caps as we know them, and no variable weather patterns. The wide variety of plants, animals, and invertebrates that populate this planet simply wouldn’t exist.
The changing of the seasons are reminders of our connections to the greater universe, and to events that occurred long before human existence.
Here are a couple ways to tune into this grander scale of things over the next few weeks:
By yourself or with kids (if you have them), spend some time observing the sky over the next several weeks. Where is the sun rising and setting on the horizon right night? Check again in April and reflect on the changes.
Never a better time to use the internet to geek out on sunrise and sunset times than around the Equinox. The amount of sunlight in each day changes more rapidly around the Equinox than during the Solstices. Tools like timeandate.com are great ways to check and anticipate the changes ahead.
Observing the World Around Us
Spring is a wonderful time to take notice of nature in a period of rapid transition. From now through June, we’ll be witnessing a pace of change rivaled only, perhaps, by those weeks in October and November when the deciduous leaves turn from green to brilliant to gone.
The outdoors will look different with each passing week. ‘Tis the season to get outdoors often.
Yet I recognize how busy it can be for many of us, so here are very easy ways to take a little time each week to connect with nature this Spring:
Try taking time out of your day about once a week over the next two months to notice how the trees and plants change. Maybe just make time for a short weekend check in if that’s all the time you have. Which trees are in blossom? Which are not anymore? Which leaves sprout early and which wait longer to to form? What new growth is emerging from the ground?
If you are too busy to get outside, food is a great way to stay in touch with Spring’s changes. What kinds of foods are showing up at the farmers markets or in grocery stores right now? What’s going on in the local farm scene?
What are the animals doing right now? Take time to watch and listen to the squirrels and birds. Do you hear any new bird calls during this time of year? Have you seen any new insects or earthworms?
Plan some time in the next few weeks or months to visit a wildflower meadow to notice new blossoms and pollinators. This can be as easy a quick trip to a meadow area at a local park.
Spring Traditions and Celebrations Around the World
For thousands of years, the Spring Equinox has been honored around the world. Many cultures affiliate this date with fertility and rebirth.
Eggs are a recurring motif within many Spring celebrations, including the Easter tradition of egg hunts.
In Mexico, at the Teotihuacán archeological site, people celebrate the changing season by visiting and climbing the Pyramid of the Sun.
In Japan, the Spring Equinox is a national holiday known as "Shunbun no Hi.” It is a time for honoring ancestors, visiting family graves, and enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms.
Many local communities have their own kinds of festivals celebrating the passages of springs that may or may not include a celebration of religious holidays, trees or tulips (or other flowers) blooming, or the return of spring foods. Why not spend a little time this weekend looking for festivals to see if one fits into your schedule?
Rough Year So Far? This is a Great Time to “Make Like a Tree” and Start Again
The signs of Spring that we see in the natural world (especially in the gardens, meadows, and fruit trees) are dramatic reminders that the world is always in a state of change. In this way, they can act as guides for us when we are feeling stuck.
Having a tough time so far this year? This might be a good time to pause and reflect:
Try setting aside time for yourself (or your family) to reflect on the small and large ways your life has changed since the previous Spring. How have you grown? What kinds of changes are to come in the year ahead?
Take time to offer gratitude to the reawakening of life, and to honor the patterns of our natural world. Celebrate the foods of the season with meals and gatherings with family and friends.
Take cues from the plants and animals that reawaken in this time of year. Their vibrancy and growth, after a time of rest, can be an inspiration for your own time of reflection and growth. This is a time that many people use for “spring cleanings” and resets.
How will you be celebrating Spring Equinox and the season ahead?
How about you? Do you have any plans in store for celebrating Spring and/or the Equinox? Have any yearly traditions you’d like to share? Is there a local festival in your community that you’d like folks to know about? Go ahead and share them in the comments below!
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Note: This is an updated post from 2024.
Spring’s change wake up call.
Flora fauna farm food fun.
Thanks, axial tilt!