EP15 | Vernal Equinox - Spring Awakening

The Magic of the Spring Equinox a Celebration of Light, Life & Ancient Wisdom

As the days grow longer and the air begins to warm, there’s a shift in the world around us. Flowers start to bloom, birds sing a little louder, and everything feels just a bit more alive. This is the magic of the
spring equinox, a moment of balance between light and dark, a time that has been celebrated by cultures across the globe for thousands of years.

Join us for our next episode on Holistic Radio. Thursday 3rd April 2025 at 1pm

In our latest episode of Scribing Journeys, we explore the deep connection our ancestors had with this celestial event, from the ancient calendars they used to track time to the stunning monuments they built to welcome the sun’s return.

Let’s take a journey through history and discover how the equinox has shaped traditions, beliefs, and celebrations worldwide.

Listen to the full episode here:

Here’s a summary.

Tracking Time: How Ancient Calendars Followed the Sky

Long before clocks, apps, and printed calendars, people looked to the sky to track time. Early civilizations relied on the lunar or the moon’s cycle, marking the months by the phases of the moon.

Photo Credit: https://www.mooncratertycho.com

As farming became central to communities, many civilisations moved towards using solar-lunar calendars, combining both the sun’s and moon’s cycles.

Between the jigs and reels, we eventually ended up with the Gregorian Calendar, which most of the world uses today. But one thing remained constant: the importance of the equinox, marking the turning point toward longer days and the renewal of life.

Celebrating the Arrival of Spring Worldwide

Many ancient cultures saw the arrival of spring as a signal to start fresh.

In Babylon, for example, people celebrated the Akitu festival, dedicating 11 days to honouring their chief god, Marduk, and marking the start of a harmonious year.

Photo Credit: https://www.mooncratertycho.com

In China, Chun Fen, is a time for thorough spring cleaning, believed to clear away negative energy and prepare the land for a new growing season.

Photo credit: https://www.chinadiscovery.com

Across India, the vibrant Festival of Colours, Holi, welcomes spring by banishing the winter blues with lots of colour and joyful gatherings.

Photo Credit:https://images.healthshots.com

Ireland’s Ancient Equinox Sites

Closer to home, Ireland is sprinkled with ancient sites that are aligned with the cosmos.

Photo Credit https://www.irishcentral.com

At Knowth, in County Meath there is a stone structure that was built to mark the movement of the sun. The passageways were designed to catch the sun’s first light at the equinox, illuminating special carvings that tell stories of the past.

Photo Credit Ken Williams.

There’s another cairn at Loughcrew which also align with the equinox. When the sun rises, its light shines into the passage, illuminating intricate stone carvings that are believed to represent the sun, stars, and the passage of time.

Photo Credit: https://visionsofthepastblog.com/

These ancient monuments weren’t just calendars for keeping time; they were places of gathering and celebration, where people connected with nature and each other. Even the smaller stone circles and cairns remind us that our ancestors deeply honoured the cycle of the seasons, trusting that the return of light would bring new energy and fertility to the land.

A Shared Message of Renewal

No matter where we look, the message of the equinox remains the same: it’s a time of balance, renewal, and hope. Whether you’re joining in the festivities of Holi, enjoying the traditions of Nowruz in the Middle East, or visiting an ancient site in Ireland.

The common thread is clear: the spring equinox is a time to celebrate the end of winter and the promise of new life. It’s a reminder that, no matter where we are in the world, we all share a deep connection to nature’s rhythms.

We hope enjoyed this episode. Join us live for our next episode on Holistic Radio on Thursday 3^rd April at 1pm. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy listening back to this episode. And, yes, I made a mistake at the beginning (again!)

Thanks for being part of the journey. See you on April 3^rd

Our resources for this episode were: