Fuzzy Signals

Vernal Equinox

I had a funny thing happen to me around 1996 whilst I was living in Singapore. I was flying business class to Tokyo, a good 7 hour flight, and found myself sitting next to an eccentric-looking lady, plump and very purple both in complexion and clothing. I felt like I was sitting next to a large, florid flower, somewhat artificial but in a pleasantly kitsch sort of way. It turned out that she was an astrologer based in Sydney, and an evidently very successful one to be flying business class!

Before the champagne cocktail arrived, she announced that she never gave free readings, reserving her insights into the future for her exclusive clientele. But by the time our first course had arrived, she couldn't stop talking about the significance of my birth date and time: early morning, March 21st, 1971. Apparently, according to her, I was most certainly a Bacchanal priestess in another lifetime, and that this was exceedingly rare and special. (Why is it that we are never slaves, lepers, evildoers, or anything humdrum when it comes to past lifetimes? Curious that.) I listened politely, bemused by her enthusiasm and sudden reversal of intention. And I was half tempted to cheekily chime, " hey sister, what do you mean in a past life time"! Implying, of course, that I was still carrying on hedonistic fertility duties in some secret society.

[Baachanal Priestess on old silver mug]

Since then I have never really looked into what this day means beyond my entry into the world. So to mark my birthday, I thought a little research was in order and here is what I found:

First, the scientific definition: In the northern hemisphere, the Vernal Equinox is on March 20 or 21st—this varies given the 400 year cycle in the Gregorian calendar— when night and day are nearly the same length and the Sun crosses the celestial equator (i.e., declination 0) moving northward. Translated literally, equinox means "equal night." Because the sun is positioned above the equator, day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinoxes.

While the first day of spring is an important seasonal change, the beginning of the creation cycle in many living systems, it is also richly symbolic. It's when the amount of dark and light is balanced, and thus a moment of equilibrium in the year. Not surprisingly, then, there are many ancient religious and traditional rites surrounding this day.

This is the Pagan Sabbat or "Lady Day" usually celebrated on or near the evening  when the Sun crosses the Equator and enters the astrological sign of Aries.  Mainly celebrated by Neo-Pagans. (Lots of misinformation about these folks. They are not satanists but a modern version of the Celtic Druids fused with other early nature-centric religions.)

Speaking of Druids, we also have a Welsh festival: Gwyl Canol Gwenwynol. This begins sundown, (March 20th or 21st or the day before the Equinox) Day of the Gorse. This is part of the festival of the Goddess Eostar, which is focused on the fertility rites for the early sowing. "This is often celebrated with eggs (beginnings) and rabbits (fertiity) It is now time to lay the seeds of new projects and new directions that you have meditated on throughout the cold months. Now is the time to start taking action. (A lot of traditions use this particular sabbat for initiations. New roads, a new breath.) Colours for this sabbat: Purple and Yellow." The name "Easter" was derived from this Saxon Goddess festival.

A Christian holy day, Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, is around March 25th. In the Church calendar, this is when Mary learns that she is with child. It's "announced" because her conception was immaculate, so how else would she know? Early Church organizers elected to put this date around this time, an appropriate nine months before Xmas, which was also conveniently proximate to earlier pagan spring-rite, cult of the female goddess traditions.

It is also probably no coincidence that early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox.

Back to the Greeks: Aries, which starts on March 21st, is the first sign of the Zodiac. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars and its symbol is the ram figure, which represents offensive power. According to one website: "In Aries we move from the potential to the actual; from dormant to active participation. Desire, initiative, courage and action are words which best describe Aries. Originally an agricultural god associated with the affairs of spring, Mars assimilated many of the characteristics of Ares since battles were often coordinated at this same time of year." I think the Iraqi War Part II started around this time last year. To read more about the traits of Aries, click here. It's disconcertingly accurate, but I'm sure that's explainable in some rational way.

So lots going on around this as pivotal point in the movement of the planets, in the rotation of our earth and our social, cultural, mythological, and seasonal calendars. Interesting how these things, facts and myths and rites, all interact and influence each other.

Posted by nicole at March 21, 2004 10:25 AM