SPRING EQUINOX

The equinox falls around March 20, with variation every year. I'll be real. I have trouble figuring out what to do with the equinoxes. If Imbolc is the time to get the fields ready, this is when we're busy getting the planting done. I tend not to have a lot of time to think too hard about things.

I don't know a lot about this time of year from a historical perspective. This was the beginning of the year for the Romans and in the past, the inhabitants of the isle of Britain. I'm sure there are many others I'm just not familiar with. In the Christian calendar, we've got St. Patricks Day and the Feast of the Annunciation around this time. Easter is the new moon after the equinox. According to Tairis, March 25 is the celebration of Gentle Annie, but there isn't much to mark the holiday.

This may be a good time to celebrate your choice of deity associated with growth. The blooming of the roses around this time reminds me of two spirits I'm close to: Mary and Venus. Think of the Empress tarot card. That's the energy we're going for. I also quite enjoyed a rite in the Three Cranes Breviary that celebrates Abnoba, the Gaulish bear goddess. It's the time when the bears are awakening from their hibernation, and the mothers are particularly protective. Channeling this protective energy is a good way to celebrate the season.

Take stock of what's in bloom at this time. This is a delicate time of year, and it may look different based on where you are and how hard the winter has been. I've had luck with regenerative magic around the equinox. Perhaps create a healing oil infused with the energy of a new season.