The Spring Equinox takes place on Monday, March 20, 2023 at 2:34 pm PST and marks the moment the Sun’s rays strike Earth’s equator before crossing into the Northern Hemisphere.
Known also at the March Equinox or the Vernal Equinox, what we commonly call in mainstream the Spring Equinox indicates the first day of Spring in North America, Europe and Asia – on lower side of the globe in the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, Columbia, Ecuador to name a few) they are welcoming the end of summer and the beginning of Autumn.
What has always been a fascinating of this Equinox is that at the precise point that the sun crosses the celestial equator northern bound is known as The First Point of Aries, the cusp of Aries.
However, due to the continuous change in the orientation of an astronomical body and how the range in motion and other changes in the alignment of Earth's axis (a mouthful) the First Point of Aries is now in Pisces. As our Universe shifts and expands, by the year 2600 this first point will be in Aquarius.
But for now, the Spring Equinox lands right on the Cusp of Pisces and Aries. (Aries begins on March 21 – April 19.)
So, what does all this mean in the esoteric world of metaphysics?
The Spring Equinox marks the Astrological New Year. It’s New Year’s Day on the First Day of Spring with the welcoming of Aries season, the first sign in the zodiac. The sign we call “the boss” of the Zodiac. In tarot, we all it The Emperor.
This equinox represented new beginnings, a new journey, and planting seeds for a whole new garden. It is a time of renewal, growth, expansion, and development. It is a time when daylight and nighttime are equal again after being skewed towards darkness of the winter. It is restored balance in the Earth and we, on Earth, find ourselves once again with spry in our step with a desire to spend time outdoors.
Spring represents a new day, the turning of the Wheel of Fortune in tarot to begin anew. It epitomizes the fact that long-term and ancestral karmic cycles might finally be closed on that day (if the lesson is formally learned).
The Wheel, like the Spring Equinox represents all elements of life and growth. The Devil is defeated and pushed off the wheel, while four-winged Zodiac signs Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus read and write in the Torah (ancient scriptures of Judaism) combined with the words TORA (ancient for Torah) along with ROTA (Latin for Wheel) which combined creates the divinity called Tarot.
The spinning of the Wheel of Fortune, like all moments of a New Year, give us hope for something better, a new day, a new direction, and hopefully, a beautiful start to something we all truly desire.
This is the time of year that we hit the gas pedal and go. It’s the moment of acceleration; taking that first step towards executing a plan.
There are many health-related experiences when the Spring Equinox is upon us. The sun’s rays are directly overhead giving us an instant need to drink more water.
The strength of the sun’s rays can hit our bodies quite hard since we are coming out of winter (hibernation); dehydration is one of many ailments that can happen which might trigger constipation. Because we generally get more active in the spring, we can see our digestion system improve and our skin become clear and vibrant.
Spring is a natural mood elevator – and as we understand the brain is made up of 70% water, an increase of water intake can help with mood swings, sadness – and restore our ability to focus, lead, and visualize.
We tend to stand up taller during the Springtime, and our posture takes on an entirely new authoritative stand. It has been said the gravitational pull of the atmosphere might be the key in this, and it is noted in pediatric journals all note that boys and girls tend to grow more in the spring, most likely due to being outdoors more which triggers more eating.
There’s a certain rhythm present when Spring is upon us; birds sing, bees and insects buzz, butterflies and moths flutter about, crickets and lady bugs bring their wisdom and spirituality out into the open, and the ants go marching on. It’s a natural music aphrodisiac in our environment if we stop and take a listen.
In Greek mythology, the Goddess Persephone governs Spring. Like her mother, Demeter, Persephone was an agriculturally based goddess who presided over grains and vegetation. She was also known as the Goddess of Vegetation.
Certain crystals and gemstones are often associated with Spring including the Peridot, the stone known as the mascot of the Spring Equinox. It is the stone of compassion, balance and equal give and take. It is a light green gemstone with yellow tones that brings out laughter, happiness, and creativity. Other stones that are deeply connected to springtime include:
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Citrine – Money, Success, Career Advancement & Manifestation
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Green Aventurine – Luck, Adventure & Opportunity
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Pyrite – Protection of mind, body and soul
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Clear Quartz - Mental Clarity
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Jade – Serenity, Calm, Harmony and Feng Shui
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Aquamarine – Happiness, the Fountain of Youth
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Pink Tourmaline – Love, Compassion, Sexual Desire
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Moonstone – inner clarity, diving feminine, fertility
In closing, we wonder is there a difference between the Spring and Fall Equinoxes and the Summer and Winter Solstices? The quick answer is yes. Solstices are the longest and shortest days of the year, while equinoxes occur when the day and night are equally as long.
