Our Planet – “Earth” or “Gaia” as we may name Her, or perhaps by the name of any other primordial Mother from around the globe – comes to one of Her annual points of balance in Her orbit around Sun on September 23rd 2:29 UT (or at 12:29 September 23rd where I am East Coast Australia). Other global times can be found at archaeoastronomy.com. It is one of two points of balance in Her/our annual everyday sacred journey. For the Southern Hemisphere it is Spring Equinox – with the balance about to tip into increasing light. For the Northern Hemisphere  it is Autumn Equinox – with the balance about to tip into increasing dark. I like to think of this Seasonal Moment of balance, as representative of the delicate balance of the “curvature of space-time” that enables all to come forth, and just so, it may be celebrated in the Spring or the Autumn as the creative edge of grief and joy, the creative tension of resistance and expansion – they are never separate. The image in my mind is of Demeter handing Persephone the wheat … I think of this as an icon of the Sacred Balance: the Mother handing the thread of knowledge to the Young One, the Daughter, and She carries it into the dark, makes it Her own, and emerges with it anew.  This is the Equinox story/Poiesis as I understand it.

The Spring Equinox, often known as Eostar (from which “Easter” takes its name), may be celebrated as the return of the Beloved One from the depths, as in the story of Demeter-Persephone, or in the story of Inanna, or that of Dumuzi: it is Poetry for the return of the GREEN, evident life-force surging through plants again, and lots of flowers that only appear at this time. It happens at times in our personal stories – and we hope for it – the Return of the Beloved One, however that may be understood at different times:  and each one’s personal story is connected to Earth’s Creativity, to Cosmic Creativity – to the Great (Universe) Story … we participate in Her.

For some Spring Equinox Poetry: see PaGaian Eostar 2009 on YouTube.

The Autumn Equinox, often known as Mabon, may be celebrated as the loss of the Beloved One. In the story of Demeter and Persephone, Persephone descends to the underworld to tend to the dead and for the gaining of knowledge of these realms … Poetry for the power of the Seed, and many other valencies of meaning: it is also metaphor for the experience of LOSS in our personal stories. Such sacred Moments may be ceremonially recognised at this time and connected to Larger Story – that of Earth Herself and Cosmos. The version of the Persephone story that I tell is the pre-Hellenic one wherein Persephone descends of Her own volition (not the abduction version) –  it is an interpretation of the story that enables Persephone’s integrity, as a redemptive quality that is innate to the Cosmos, and present in the Seed. This version is researched and told by Charlene Spretnak  in her book Lost Goddesses of Early Greece. It is also told by Carolyn McVickar Edwards in The Storyteller’s Goddess. I develop this story in an article published in the Indian Journal of Ecocriticism: Female Metaphor, Science and Paganism: a Cosmic Eco-Trinity.

For some Autumn Equinox Poetry: see PaGaian Mabon 2009 on YouTube.

Here in the Blue Mountains of Australia we will celebrate Spring Equinox on the 20th September at 4pm, in MoonCourt. The invitation reads:

This is the time of the Spring Equinox,

     Earth is poised in balance of light and dark

You are invited to celebrate

EOSTAR

Warmth and growth are sensed in the Land.

Life bursts forth with new strength.

The Beloved One, Persephone, returns

from the Depths

– as a “Hera”- a courageous One.

Demeter stretches out her arms

to receive & rejoice.

We may leave behind the binds of the past …

and step into the Power of Being

with new Wisdom.

She is alive in us, and we in Her!

 If you wish to attend, you may email me (Glenys) for an invitation and details: pagaian@bigpond.net.au

To participate in preparation for celebrating either Spring or Autumn Equinox see: Celebrating PaGaian Cosmology On-Line for information, or contact me.

Some Spring and Autumn Equinox story is offered in Appendix F of PaGaian Cosmology under the names of  Eostar and Mabon respectively, or if you have a paper version of the book, there is an Index for references throughout. These Seasonal Moments in relationship to the whole Wheel of the Year may be found in Chapter 5, and ritual scripts are offered in Chapter 7 – the on-line versions are usually a bit different from the paper versions, as they evolve.

There is a PaGaian Cosmology Facebook group where all members may initiate discussion and/or respond.

I frequently post to the Pagaian Cosmology Facebook Page also … which you are welcome to “Like”.