As the Celtic Wheel of the Year continues to turn, we find ourselves at Spring Equinox, where light and dark are equal. (Equi meaning equal, nox meaning dark or night).
Light and dark are equal
This time of year is the perfect time to take stock, as we look back on the restful winter and slowly emerging spring and then look forward to a busy, high energy summer. We can look at what is out of balance in our lives, and see how we can bring more attention to the areas that are a little neglected.
We can also be reminded this time of year of the relationship between light and dark and how they are equally beneficial to us. Without the dark, we would not appreciate the light. This can apply right across all areas of our lives. Taking the good with the bad and the rough with the smooth. To remember that light always follow darkness and things will get better.
Ancient rituals
In ancient times, people celebrated Spring Equinox with joy and happiness, as the year moves into a brighter phase and crops start to grow and nature begins to flourish.
Ancient people revered the equinoxes and often built monuments honouring these celestial events. The most famous being "Cairn T" at Loughcrew. "Cairn T" is the largest cairn in the Loughcrew complex and is thought to be about 5,000 years old. At both the spring and Autumn equinoxes, the rising sun shines through a portal and illuminates artwork on the back wall of the cairn.
Loughcrew is an ancient site, closely associated with one of the more formidable deities, An Cailleach, but I'll tell you more about her in the winter when she is back ruling the land.
Eostre: the equinox goddess
The goddess Eostre is the deity closely associated with the equinox in spring. When we see or hear the word Eostre, we are reminded of the word eostrogen, a female reproductive hormone. In ancient times, this goddess represented fertility and new life. As Christianity began to spread across Celtic regions, the festival of Spring Equinox and Eostre was changed to the festival of Easter.
Tree wisdom
At this time of year, we can look to the Alder (or Fearnóg in Irish) for strength and wisdom. Alder is an amazing tree; it can grow in extremely wet areas and due to its complex relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in its root nodules, it can grow in nutrient-poor soil. Alder is extremely important for freshwater habitats, as its fibrous root system prevents river and lake banks from collapsing.
In ancient times, this tree was associated with war, as when the tree is cut the inside takes on a reddish colour. It was often used in the making of shields.
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