About the Spring Equinox

Tomorrow 20th of March, planet earth’s axis will be perfectly aligned, meaning it won’t point towards or away from the sun.

This means that in both the northern and southern hemispheres day and night will be the same length.This tipping point is known as the Equinox; the Spring Equinox for those of us in the northern hemisphere and the Autumn Equinox for those in the southern hemisphere. 

In the northern hemisphere it is the beginning of Spring, a time of renewal and rebirth in the natural world. While trees begin to flower in the northern part of the Earth, leaves begin to fall off the trees in the southern part of the planet as they enter Autumn.  

Regardless of where we are in the world, it’s a good idea to mirror nature and either plant seeds and start new projects or slow down and go within. This is not to say that Spring and Summer should not include moments of rest and introspection – there are cycles within the cycles (night and day / full moon and new moon), but we can certainly use the increased solar energy available to fuel our projects. Similarly for those entering the darker colder months of the year, it doesn’t mean that they should spend 6 months hibernating, but it’s a good time for more stillness and rest.  

As already mentioned, on this day the night and day are of equal length. This means that light and darkness are equally present, or in other words solar and lunar energies are equal on both halves of the planet. The solar energy is the Yang, masculine energy and the lunar energy is the Yin, feminine energy.

Both energies are equally important and the balance of these opposing energies within enables us to experience the divine. This is the true purpose of Yoga. Through pranayama (breathwork), asana (postures) and dhyana (meditation) the yogi creates balance in their body and mind which enables them to connect with the more subtle part of their being, the atman (soul). 

The equinoxes are also believed to be times where the veils between realms are thinner and we are therefore better able to connect with our ancestors and spirit guides. 

Spring Equinox Rituals

Here I share with you a few rituals that can help us harness and maximise the energy already present:

1. Breathwork

• Anuloma viloma Pranayama also known as Nadi Shodhana 

Anuloma viloma is sometimes translated as natural or with the grain and Nadi shodhana translates as channel purification. 

This is a simple yet effective pranayama you can practice as part of your sadhana (daily spiritual practice). 

I recommend practicing it specifically for the equinox as it helps balance the Yin and Yang energy in the brain and body. Here is a video I recorded with instructions and guidance you may find useful. 

2. Refresh your space

• Spring clean

Over the winter months we are more likely to accumulate things and energy can become stagnant. 

A great way to make space for what we want to call in energetically is to physically cleanse our space.  

I recommend setting aside time to look through your wardrobe and any hoarding stations (desks and drawers) and making a pile of things that no longer inspire you. If it’s not a full body YES it’s a no and someone else may make better use of it. 

• Mindful cleaning

This is also a great time for deeper cleaning (corners, walls and windows). You may not be able to do it all in one day but you can intend to do one area per week for example. 

• Altar renewal

If you already have an altar, now is a good time to refresh it and remove anything that doesn’t feel aligned anymore and to add new items. You can also add fresh flowers to celebrate the beginning of this new season.  If you don’t already have an altar it’s a great time to make one. 

• Smudging

Smudging or energy cleansing can be done with herb that grow locally such as Sage, Rosemary, lavender. You can make the smudge stick yourself but if you choose to buy on it is important to be aware of where the herbs come from and their environmental impact as the rise in the popularity of smudging has caused deforestation and mono-cropping in certain areas. 

3.  Set intentions

The beginning of spring is a great time to ask ourselves what we want to manifest in the coming months. We can answer the following questions in a journal:

– What seeds do I want to plant?

– What do these seeds need to grow?

-How can I nurture myself so I can nurture my seeds?

When answering these questions it is important that we allow ourselves to dream big first and then create an action plan.

I like to revisit my intentions and action plan every new moon in order to keep myself accountable.

Having your intentions written somewhere you can see them regularly is also a good way to stay on track.

I hope you found this article helpful and I wish you a blessed transition and continuation.

Thank you for reading 🙂

Love and light to all beings eveywhere

Melissa