Spring Equinox: Celebrations and Rituals for the Vernal Equinox

Spring is upon us, and you know what that means: spring cleaning and flowers blooming! But those aren’t the only images that come to mind when we think of the first day of spring. In fact, there are many Spring Equinox rituals and celebrations to help you welcome this season’s concept of new beginnings, rebirth, renewal, and clarity into your life. Which ritual or celebration is the best way for you to bring in the spring? Have you ever wondered where the term “Spring Cleaning” came from or why the spring season makes people want to spring into action?

Spring Equinox and Astrology

Astrologically, the first day of spring kicks off Aries season, the first zodiac sign and the first cardinal sign, which explains why northern hemisphere residents spring into action during springtime. Cardinal signs are initiators that love to be the first, and Aries loves to be the first to act. Every year, the Spring Equinox marks the first day the sun enters Aries energy, but this year, Aries’s initiative energy will be in four other placements: Mercury, Jupiter, Chiron, and Vesta. This means you’ll have the self-confidence to act accordingly toward goals you set in the wintertime, and you’ll attract blessings by boldly sharing how past impulses have taught you to finetune the way you devote your energy so observers can gain wisdom from your hardships. Is it a coincidence that the idea of using old lessons to begin anew is aligned with the Spring Equinox meaning?

The Historical Importance and Observance of The Spring Equinox

To go with the season being symbolic of new beginnings, one of the names synonymous with the Spring Equinox, the Vernal Equinox, partially translates as “new” and/or “fresh” in Latin. Furthermore, as the northern hemisphere sheds the reflection and restful hibernation that occurred during the winter season, spring is the little birdie in your ear that tells you it is time to wake up and apply what you have learned to this new season so you can start fresh or “begin again more intelligently” as Henry Ford once said. This also aligns with the most common Spring Equinox ritual that is practiced worldwide by various ethnicities, cultures, and tongues: Spring Cleaning. So, whether you refer to it as the Spring Equinox, the March Equinox, or the Vernal Equinox, one thing is certain: you are shedding the old to welcome the new.

The Spring Equinox’s Spiritual Significance and Meaning  

Of all the Spring Equinox rituals that are practiced around the world, one of the main reasons that all cultures and creeds practice spring cleaning is due to the spiritual connotations it is associated with. It is an ancient Jewish practice to thoroughly clean the home in anticipation of the springtime festival of Passover, a celebration of when the Israelites in Egypt were led from their old existence as enslaved people to embrace a new life as free people. The Catholic church historically cleans the altar the day before Good Friday to coincide with the day Jesus Christ cleansed the temple. Christians perform a thorough housecleaning during Holy Week, which is the week before Easter, a cultural holiday honoring the resurrection (rebirth) of Jesus from the dead (his physical death before his spiritual rebirth). In Japan, Shunbun No Hi or Vernal Equinox Day is a one-week festival that also includes cleaning one’s home as a representation of rebirth. Though these are just a few examples of how and why the Spring Equinox is associated with the concept of new beginnings, there are many more ways to celebrate the first day of Spring.

Spring Equinox Rituals and Celebrations

Are you wanting to celebrate the March Equinox but are unsure which celebration best suits you? Whether you want to travel to celebrate the Vernal Equinox or honor the first day of Spring in the privacy of your own home, these worldwide Spring Equinox rituals should help you decide how you want to welcome spring this year.

If you are a fan of the Marvel Studios recent Black Panther film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, then you may want to travel to the Pyramid of Kukulcan, also known as El Castillo or El Templo in the Mexican state of Yucatán. As part of ancient Mayan tradition, people go to Kukulcan on the Spring Equinox to see the Sun Serpent, a visual effect of a snake descending the steps of the Mesoamerican temple caused by the sun’s shadows as the sun moves throughout the afternoon.

If you would prefer to greet the day of the March Equinox with the sun, then heading to England to watch the sunrise at Stonehenge is your best bet, unless you would rather find a video of it on YouTube to watch it in the comfort of your own home. If you are looking for an extended celebration, you could celebrate the previously mentioned Shunbun No Hi or Vernal Equinox Day, a one-week festival where the Japanese clean their homes, visit their childhood homes, and visit and clean the graves of their deceased loved ones. If one week is not long enough for you, you can take part in Nowruz, also known as the Persian or Iranian New Year, which is a thirteen-day celebration that includes cleaning one’s house of the old, shopping for the new, visiting friends and family, and partaking in delicious food related to the holiday.

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Which March Equinox celebration or ritual had the most appeal to you? Were you surprised to hear about the spiritual connections between the Spring Equinox and spring cleaning? Tell us all about it in the comment section below, and don’t forget to give us an emoji rating below. If you have any more questions about the Spring Equinox, or Spring Equniox rituals, or you would like to know what the new beginnings associated with the March Equinox specifically mean for you and your life right now, feel free to contact me or another Expert Astrologer here at PathForward.

Psychic Dominique is a published writer and an Astrological and Spiritual Advisor who taps into her gifts to assist people on their personal journeys. She delivers insightful and motivating advice that is detailed, honest, and thoughtful.  - Psychic Dominique x4278