Spring Equinox -Spring Has Sprung
The Spring Equinox, March 20, 2024, marks the official start of spring across various cultures around the globe and holds special meaning. When day and night are nearly equal in length – representing balance and renewal on Earth from winter’s chill to the warmth of spring’s warmth.
Many celebrate it through rituals, ceremonies, festivals or festivities that honor this changing season and promise new beginnings – join us as we uncover history, customs and traditions associated with this ancient and magical event!
Spring Equinox ushers in an emotional and physical renewal. In Northern Hemisphere after months of dormancy during winter, nature slowly begins to waken. New leaves emerge and floral beauty gradually unveils itself into vibrant color schemes and aromas, filling the air with vibrancy and fragrance. Bird songs become more melodic while streams run freer than before – life springs forth with renewed vitality all around us! These changes not only delight the eye but are a testament to life on our planet.
On a symbolic level, the Spring Equinox has long been seen as a time for renewal and rebirth. Easter, which commemorates Christ’s resurrection and usually falls around this time, usually falls around this date.
Ancient druidic tradition celebrated this event as marking victory of sun-god over darkness-god; many people today still align celebrations and rituals around its celebration, feeling deeply interconnected to nature’s rhythms.
In certain cultures, the Spring Equinox marks an opportunity for fertility and abundance. Japan celebrates Higan – a week-long memorial service held at family gravesites to remember those who have passed.
Iranians celebrate Nowruz – an Iranian new year festival coinciding with Spring Equinox which symbolizes rebirth and fresh starts – in conjunction with Spring Equinox.
The Spring Equinox with its inherent message of renewal can teach us much. Just as nature renews herself each spring, so can each of us embrace change, set goals for ourselves and emerge from metaphorical hibernation into a period of growth and abundance. Let’s welcome this spring equinox with hope, connect more closely with nature and live more harmoniously within its rhythms and cycles. Now is an opportune moment to plant seeds of intention for the coming months, set goals, and embark upon exciting adventures.
Happy Spring Equinox!
Speaking of Spring, take a peek at Raven’s Hollow Spring Magic.
Spring is in full bloom in Raven’s Hollow, a small town in the Colorado Rockies with a population of unique townspeople. Blaze, a dragon shifter, and Wynter, a witch, are neck-deep in wedding preparations, when Wynter’s mother, Jade, goes missing after opening her new antique store, and attending the Simon estate sale where she procured an ancient jelly bean machine. Frantic with worry, Blaze and Wynter track her last movements via the store’s ancient, grainy, security footage. What it reveals is nothing short of shocking. As deputy sheriff, it’s Blaze’s responsibility to find his soon-to-be mother-in-law. But at what cost?
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged fantasy, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Raven's Hollow Spring Magic, Shapeshifters, Spring Equinox, Tena Stetler, Time travel, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
The Spring Equinox is almost here!
Sure enough, according to scientists, astronomers and people who know these things, Spring Equinox will arrive at 12:15 p.m. EDT, on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. You wouldn’t know it here in the Colorado Rockies there are still big wet snowflakes blanketing the tulips and daffodil plants that should know better than to stick their tender green sprouts above ground this early. The good thing, when the sun comes up after a coating of snow over night its gone in a matter of a couple of hours.
Did you know Vernal Equinox is another name given to the Spring Equinox or called the March Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. But in the Southern Hemisphere the March Equinox is referred to as the Autumnal Equinox. If that isn’t confusing enough, when September rolls around (I am in no way hurrying the seasons) the equinoxes are switched – the Northern Hemisphere experiencing an Autumnal Equinox and the Southern Hemisphere having their Vernal Equinox. What is the equinox you ask? Well…the equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator.
Whether you call it Spring, March or Vernal Equinox, it brings a plethora of traditions and rituals including more sunlight hours, which makes me happy. I love to watch new life sprout after the dreary, brown last days of Winter. Don’t you? Easter for Christians falls the first Sunday after the full moon subsequent to the Spring Equinox, which this year is April 16th. Others celebrate the Spring Maiden or Goddess who watches over the emerging flora and fauna, a reminder of earth’s fertility. Still others have traditional dances and hunts to celebrate the arrival of Spring.
Another sign of spring is the Crocus who is famous for bursting forth and blooming when it’s cold outside, even through a blanket of white snow! This brave little flower can help banish nightmares and generally infuse your dreamscapes with a cool serenity. Because Crocus reminds us of vibrant beauty even in the most wintry landscape, it’s also considered a harbinger and symbol or happiness. Saffron actually comes from the stigmas and styles of a variety of Crocus. Bet you didn’t know that!
As the snow melts, the thirsty ground sighs with relief soaking up the much needed moisture. Boy howdy we need the moisture this year. Hope springs eternal for the promise of warm sunlit days that awaken the budding flowers and bring spectacular color to our world. Happy Spring everyone! Are the early spring flowers like Crocus, Tulips, Daffodils poking up through the ground yet at your house?
Do you have all your camping reservations set? I have a few, circumstances beyond my control curtailed some of my camping reservation dates, gotta get those six months from the date you want to camp, or you’ll be out of luck.
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged camping, Crocus, Easter, flowers, snow, Spring, Spring Equinox, Tulips by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Spring Equinox Arrived!
Sure enough, according to scientists, astronomers and people that know these things, Spring Equinox arrived at 12:57 p.m., on Thursday, March 20, 2014. You wouldn’t know it here in the Colorado Rockies as lots of big wet snowflakes blanketed the tulips and daffodil plants that should know better than to stick their tender green sprouts above ground this early.
Also known as the Vernal Equinox, it brings a plethora of traditions and rituals including more sunlight hours, which makes me happy. Easter for Christians falls the first Sunday after the full moon subsequent to the Spring Equinox. Others celebrate the Spring Maiden or Goddess who watches over the emerging flora and fauna, a reminder of earth’s fertility. Still others have traditional dances and hunts to celebrate the arrival of Spring.
As the snow melts, the thirsty ground sighs with relief soaking up the much needed moisture. Hope springs eternal for the promise of warm sunlit days that awaken the budding flowers and bring spectacular color to our world. Happy Spring everyone!
Views: 78
Posted in Food for Thought, My Say What Blog and tagged Colorado Rockies, Daffodil, Easter, rituals, Spring, Spring Equinox, Tulips by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
