Our Planet – “Earth” or “Gaia” as we may name Her, and both are Goddess names^[i] – comes to one of Her annual points of balance in Her orbit around Sun on September 23rd 4:50 UTC (that’s 14:50 East Coast Australia, where I am). Other global times can be found at  archaeoastronomy.com. This is one of two points of balance in Her/our annual journey. For the Southern Hemisphere it is the Spring Equinox – with the balance about to tip into increasing light. For the Northern Hemisphere it is the Autumn Equinox – with the balance about to tip into increasing dark. I think of this Seasonal Moment^[ii] of balance, as representative of the delicate balance of the “curvature of space-time” that enables all to come forth, and it may be celebrated in the Spring and the Autumn: the creative tension of resistance and expansion, the creative edge of grief and joy – 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 on – and emerges with it.

The Spring Equinox, often known as Eostar/Ostara (from which “Easter” takes its name^[iii]), 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 in our personal stories as well – and we hope for it – the Return of the Beloved One, however that may be understood at different times: such sacred Moments may be celebrated at this time, the remembering of them, and connecting of one’s small story to Earth’s Creativity, to Cosmic Creativity – to the Great (Universe) Story. 

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. Note that the version of the Persephone story that I tell is 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 innate to the Cosmos and present in the Seed. This version is researched and told by Charlene Spretnak in her Lost Goddesses of Early Greece. It is also told by Carolyn McVickar Edwards in The Storyteller’s Goddess. I develop this story in this article: Female Metaphor, Science and Paganism: a Cosmic Eco-Trinity.

For Spring Equinox/Eostar Poetic video: PaGaian Eostar 2009

For Autumn Equinox/Mabon Poetic video: PaGaian Mabon 2009 

At the 5000 year old Loughcrew megalithic Cairn T (Hag’s Chair) in Ireland, the rising sun on the mornings around both Equinoxes illuminates the passage and chamber – see Newgrange.com for September Equinox 2009, and Knowth.com for a video and images from Spring 2005. 

At my place the Spring Equinox ceremony will be held close to the actual Moment, and I invite others in my hemisphere in this way: 

This is the time of the Spring Equinox,

     Earth is poised in balance of light and dark.

You are invited to celebrate

SPRING EQUINOX/EOSTAR

Warmth and growth are sensed in the Land.

Life bursts forth with new strength.

The Beloved One return from the Depths

with new Wisdom.

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!

–oOo–

PaGaian Cosmology blogs for Spring Equinox/Eostar

PaGaian Cosmology blogs for Autumn Equinox/Mabon

Some Spring and Autumn Equinox story (and offered ceremonial scripts) may be found in my new book A Poiesis of the Creative Cosmos, Chapters 7 and 11 respectively, and/or  Appendix F of PaGaian Cosmology may be referred to.

Spring and Autumn Equinox meditations are on the  PaGaian Cosmology Meditations CDs and are also available individually in digital form at that link (scroll down).

To be on the PaGaian Cosmology Seasonal list (for both hemispheres) please contact me (Glenys).

Equinox Blissings to you.

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^[i] The name “Earth” is derived from a Nordic Goddess’ name, Erde, and is originally from the Greek ergaze which means to work the ground. Elisabet Sahtouris, Earthdance, p.5-6.

^[ii] I have coined this term to speak of the “Sabbats”, the eight Earth holy days of the Old European calendar, based onThomas Berry’s naming of Earth-Sun transitions as ”moments of grace”.

^[iii] For some story see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ēostre