The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/tag/spring-equinox)
Over the last few months, I have been exploring definitions of what makes a hard winter. How do I define that experience? Sometimes I stayed awake at night, turning thoughts in my head, worrying at this topic like a child poking a loose tooth with her tongue.
The performance of the Eleusinian Mysteries in Eleusis draws inspiration from traditions that have their roots in ancient Greece, offering modern Pagans a window to the past in the celebration of Spring.
TWH – This week marks the celebration of the vernal (spring) equinox and the astronomical beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The actual equinox occurs Tuesday, Mar. 20 at 12:15 am EDT (10:29 UTC). At the same time in the southern hemisphere, it will be the autumnal equinox, and the beginning of the fall season. Many Pagans, Heathens, and polytheists celebrate the spring equinox as Ostara, Lady Day, Shubun-sai, or simply the coming of spring.
This weekend marks the celebration of the vernal (spring) equinox and the astronomical beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The actual equinox occurred Mar. 19 at 11:30 p.m. CT (4:30 UTC). Many Pagans, Heathens, Polytheists celebrate the day as Ostara, Lady Day, Shubun-sai, or simply the spring equinox. Within their own varied and diverse traditions, they find ways to honor or recognize the coming of warmer weather and renewed growth, as winter makes its slow departure.
Today is the vernal (spring) equinox. It is the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Wiccans, Heathens, Polytheists and various modern Pagans celebrate this day as Ostara, Lady Day, Shubun-sai, or simply the spring equinox (autumnal equinox for our friends in the Southern Hemisphere.) Other Spring festivals and holidays, include Holi or the Hindu festival of color, Higan in Japan, Nowruz or New Year on the Persian calendar, the Christian Easter and Jewish Passover. And there are many others. This year’s vernal equinox, which will occur today at 6:45 pm (EDT), will coincide with two other astronomical events: a solar eclipse and a supermoon.