 Persephone, Goddess of Spring, by Howard JohnsonThe Equinoxes
 The Spring Equinox
The first great Gate stood open wide. A voice came through that portal: "Hercules, my son, go forth. Pass through the Gate and enter on the Way. Perform thy labor and return to me, reporting on the deed." With shouts of triumph Hercules rushed forth, running between the pillars of the Gate with over-weening confidence and surety of power.
The Vernal Equinox is the time when the Sun reaches the balancing point in its path through the zodiac. It marks the beginning of the new astrological year, as the Sun enters the first degree of Aries, the Ram. It happens in 2010 on March 20 (17:33 UT – but bear in mind that the Equinox is a day and a night, a phase not a moment), marked in the Christian Calendar by the Festival of the Annunciation of the Virgin (Lady Day) on March 25. This major calendrical event is the focus of religious and social festivities in all cultures, and is the key to the timing of Easter.
The death of the old year and the rebirth of the new has been celebrated since time immemorial, on or around the spring equinox, which is why the death and resurrection of Jesus is celebrated at this time. Aries is the sign of the exaltation of the Sun, for it marks the time when the days of light begin to outstrip the nights of darkness (for this reason the Ram is also the Fall of Saturn).
The word equinox means "equal night": the duration of the day being equal to that of the night, an event which occurs but twice a year, the one marking the astrological beginning of spring and the other the ending of summer. Interestingly, the actual equal duration (equilux) need not occur on the official Equinox, which is more cultural and celebratory than scientific. The Autumn, or Fall Equinox marks the harvest celebrations in September, outlined later in this article. [See NOTE for Southern Hemisphere.]
Spring is a time of new beginnings, both spiritually and physically. Crops germinate and shoots peek through the earth, flowers bloom, young animals gambol about and everything feels new. It is a truly energising time, when people feel bold and ready to take on the world! In an earlier era, the Equinox marked New Year's Day (in Christian times, the New Year marker was taken on by Lady Day – up to 1752 when the Gregorian Calendar was introduced in England). It is still the beginning of the year in various calendars, including the Iranian and the Bahai.
Astrologically, the March Equinox marks the beginning of the tropical astrological year, being the entry of the Sun into the Cardinal Fire Sign of Aries, the Ram. Aries is traditionally ruled by Mars, so the ancient Roman festivals of the equinox centered around Mars (hence the name of the month "March"). The Lupercalia was a fertility festival at this time, said by Cicero to be so ancient as to have been instituted before civilisation and law existed. Interestingly, the name "Easter" derives from the ancient fertility festival of the goddess Eostre, the teutonic goddess of spring. All cultures have spring festivals of this type and the Vernal Equinox is still widely celebrated as a holiday in many countries across the world.
Thanks to a rare retrograde period, Mars has been travelling through the constellation of Ursa Major (traditionally known for expressing a martial nature), contacting several of the stars involved. Ursa Major, the Great Bear, is rarely good for nations and political leaders whose charts are affected. Fortunately, Mars turned direct again on March 10, 2010, in the first degree of Leo, remaining in that degree for much of the month, forming a potent trine with the Sun at the Equinox. Mars is at this time in conjunction with Talitha, in the forepaw of the Great Bear, offering a guide to the nations as they turn from the angry persuasions of the retrograde phase. The Sun in Aries and Mars in Leo at the Equinox are in the favourable relationship known as mutual reception, greatly aiding the benefits associated with the trine aspect. It's an ego-boosting time.
Some of the most highly favoured activities include those involving men, or products and services related to men, military manoeuvres, sports, surgical procedures, manufacturing, and firearms. The energy is dynamic and will give a big boost to courageous activities, and a dynamic push to get ahead. Just plain good luck can save you from accidents and other mishaps. Nevertheless, do not take things too much for granted, or become too sure of yourself, as Mars is not to be trusted, especially when so highly stimulated. During this phase, Mars is moving slowly forward, but returns to full speed ahead by May 17th.
The Autumnal Equinox
And Hercules, who is a son of man and yet a son of God, passed through the seventh Gate. The power of the seventh sign passed through him. He knew not that he faced a dual test, the test of friendship rare and the test of courage unafraid.
 The Autumn, or Fall Equinox is the time when the Sun reaches the opposite balancing point in its path through the tropical zodiac. The word equinox means "equal night": the duration of the day being equal to that of the night, an event which occurs but twice a year, the one marking the astrological beginning of spring and the other the ending of summer. It is the time of ripening and harvest, marked astrologically as the Sun enters the first degree of Libra, the Scales, hence Saturn, the "grim reaper", is exalted in Libra. Libra is not just the season of "Fall", but as night begins to outstrip the day, is also the "Fall" of the Sun – being the opposite sign to Aries, the sign of the Sun's exaltation. This year, the ingress into Libra occurs on September 23 at 03:10 UT, marked in the Christian Calendar by Michaelmas, the Feast of St Michael the Archangel, on September 29 (but remember that the Equinox is a day and a night; a phase not a moment).
The equinox is also a day of sacrifice. This is the day of the year when the ancient god of light is defeated by his twin and alter ego, the god of darkness. It is the time of the year when night conquers day. This sacrifice is illustrated in the lyric:
There were three men came out of the West,
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow,
John Barleycorn must die.... |
The sacrifice of John Barleycorn, however, is a symbolic one: it is the spirit of the vegetation that is 'sacrificed' to harvest the food that will sustain the people through the winter months and into the next growing season.
Ancient agricultural societies celebrated the harvest with festivals of one kind or another, usually marking them with sacrifices to ward off the evil spirits and spirits of the dying year. The burning of the Corn Dolly is associated with the death of the corn god, and the crossing of the the border between long days of light and long nights of darkness.
NOTE: in southern latitudes, of course, the equinoxes are reversed, so that the spring character of Easter in the Northern Hemisphere becomes an autumn celebration in Australia, South Africa, South America, New Zealand and other places south of the equator. This presents something of a problem for Christianity and for Astrology, or any other seasonal philosophy with claims to universality, a question which is partially addressed on this site in Ian Thurnwald's article on the Elemental Qualities, the building blocks of astrology. However, the tropical zodiac seems to delineate cultural forms (archetypes) within the Cosmic Mind. Our connection via the collective unconscious (see The Living Signs by Steven Birchfield on this site) enables us to interpret these forms using astrology, even though the physical seasons may not actually comply with the symbolism.
The Solstices mark the other points of the Cardinal Cross. Click here to read more on The Solstices
Click here to view a Table of Equinoxes and Solstices
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Equinoxes & Solstices
