It’s officially spring for those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, which means that this weekend it is also the time of the year in which many people all over the world will be celebrating the Christian tradition of Easter.

However STOP! Before you all gorge on chocolate Easter eggs (vegan, fair-trade & organic of course!) please consider the true meaning of this time of year. No, no I don’t mean the resurrection of Jesus Christ – I am talking about the true historic celebration that civilisation across the world have celebrated in various ways throughout history. I’m talking about the ‘Spring Equinox’ (also known as the Vernal Equinox).

What is the spring (Vernal) Equinox

An equinox is a moment in time when the centre of the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth’s equator. This occurs twice a year, usually around March 20th (Spring Equinox) and September 23rd (Autumn Equinox).

During an equinox the daytime and nighttimes are almost exactly 12 hours long, and very close to being equal to each other.

History of spring (vernal) Equinox

As far as I know there are no exact facts about when Spring Equinox was first celebrated, however ancient civilizations (including the Inca’s, Egyptians etc) created festivals linked to the position of the sun. In fact some of the ancient civilizations even built monuments linked to astronomical events such as the equinoxes, for example:

The Great Sphinx (constructed over 4500 years ago) faces due east on the Vernal Equinox, perhaps the ancient Egyptians did construct this as an astronomical marker.

The Ancient Mayan Caracol Tower and Temples of the Sun and Moon also have alignments that coincide with the sun’s position on the Vernal Equinox.

The Stonehenge (approximately over 3000 years old) also marks the position of the rising sun on the Vernal Equinox.

Spring Equinox – new beginnings and fertility

Whilst this astronomical event may have many names and be linked into various celebrations (Norwuz, Sham El Nessim, Ostara) its key themes universally are new beginnings and fertility. Which makes perfect sense seeing as it is the time of year when the days become longer, the sun more prominent which warms the earths soil, which then encourages plant life to grow, as the plants grow they provide food source for animals (and humans). So nature knows that this is a good time of the year for animals to stock up on food and gain energy for breeding and creating new life.

Celebrate in true eco style

This weekend instead of celebrating Easter / Spring Equinox (or whatever name you may give to this astronomical event) please don’t gorge on chocolate (that the confectionary companies love to tell that you NEED to buy and then over package) or buy a pack of hot cross buns, dont jump in your car to go away for the weekend and cause congestion on the road or even just think “Yippee, time off work”.

Instead connect to nature and celebrate the earth’s true new beginnings and Mother Nature’s fertility.  For example I am going to celebrate by going nature walks and I also aim to do some meditation and draw in on the energy of this amazing planet and the cycle of life.

If you too want to celebrate in a natural and environmentally friendly way then why not sow some seeds in your garden, plant a tree or even treat yourself to a pot plant so that you can bring nature indoors to you.

Remember sometimes it’s the simplest celebration that can bring the most fulfillment and of course leave the smallest ecological / carbon footprint.

Spring blessings everyone x