Between Light and Darkness • The Spring Equinox in Cultures and Religions • How to Harness Spring for Personal Growth

The equinox is the name given to the day when day and night are of equal length. In the Northern Hemisphere, the equinox marks the beginning of spring, and in the Southern Hemisphere, the beginning of autumn. Astrologically, March 21 marks the beginning of the year, when the sun enters the sign of Aries. The equinox is an astronomical date when day and night are of equal length. It occurs twice a year – on the vernal equinox (in March) and the autumnal equinox (in September). Many cultures around the world have seen this date as a sacred time, filled with symbols of renewal, the transition between seasons, and cosmic balance.

According to Wikipedia, between the March equinox and the September equinox, northern latitudes tilt toward the sun up to 23.5° north latitude, called the Tropic of Cancer, which is the northernmost point where the sun can be viewed directly overhead. The southern parallel is called the Tropic of Capricorn and is located at 23.5° south, where southern latitudes tilt toward the sun during the period between the September and March equinoxes. The area on either side of the equator between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is called the Tropic of Capricorn.

According to the Israel Space Agency, the moment of the spring equinox in Israel was on Thursday, March 20th at exactly 11:01 a.m. From this point on, the days will get longer until the longest day of the year, June 21st, 2025. An opportunity to cleanse systems on a personal level and reach a moment of inner balance. It is worth waking up, connecting, releasing, and turning a new and better page on a personal, emotional, and spiritual level. Spring has arrived.

To glorify God and connect with nature

In ancient cultures, the spring and autumnal equinoxes – March 20-21 and September 22-23, as well as the solstices – the longest day of the year and the shortest night on June 21, and the shortest day of the year and the longest night on December 21, were occasions for celebration, for honoring rulers and gods, a time to achieve balance between body and soul, between man and what he believes in. The equinox was a symbol of balance, renewal and transition. Whether it served as a time for harvest, a time of ritual or a moment of contemplation, it has always remained a significant landmark for humans, connected to the cycles of nature and the forces of the universe.

According to Wicca, a new pagan religion that developed around 1930 in England, the vernal equinox is a festival of renewal of life and is called Ostara, after the goddess of spring of the Germanic tribes of northern Europe. The modern Druid tradition gave the day the name Alban Illyrian, a time when light is on the rise, after days of darkness in the northern regions. The Druids, the same priests of the Celtic culture who also came to the British Isles, Ireland and Scotland, treated the equinox as part of the agricultural and spiritual cycle of the year. They celebrated it at cult sites such as Stonehenge, which is astronomically aligned with the movement of the sun.

According to Hellenistic myth, Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of grain and fertility, was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. Demeter was very worried, the grain did not grow and fertility stopped. The world froze into a cruel winter, and only when Hades returned Persephone did spring begin. Since Persephone ate pomegranate seeds from the underworld, she is forced to return every year for a few months and then winter arrives. The celebrations of the equinox, which begins spring, are the celebrations in which the period of fertility is renewed.

In ancient Egypt, the equinox marked a transition between the rule of the gods Horus (symbolizing light) and Set (symbolizing darkness). Researchers have discovered that the pyramids and obelisks were built so that the sun's rays would illuminate them in a special way on the equinoxes. The Karnak Temple in Luxor, for example, aligns precisely with sunrise on the equinox.

For the Maya, the equinox was a time for ceremonies in honor of the god Quetzalcoatl, the winged serpent god. At the Kukulkan pyramid in Chichen Itza (Mexico), a spectacular spectacle can be seen: the shadow cast by the staircase creates the image of a crawling serpent, symbolizing the god's descent to earth. The Aztecs also held similar ceremonies, which were related to the balance between day and night, and the importance of agriculture and natural cycles.

Help the light overcome the darkness.

In Japan, Buddhism influenced the creation of a holiday called Higan , and is celebrated on the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox. The meaning of the word "Hagan" is "The Second Bank", symbolizing Transition from the world of suffering (samsara) to enlightenment (nirvana). The equinox is considered in Japan to be a time when it is possible to communicate with the spirits of ancestors. During this period, it is believed that the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead becomes thinner, and therefore it is an appropriate time to commemorate the dead, visit ancestral graves, meditate and do good deeds and pray in memory of the dead. It is a time for introspection and connecting to the enlightened path.  

In India, the vernal equinox is associated with spring celebrations such as Holi, the festival of colors, which celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The autumnal equinox marks the beginning of Navratri, a nine-day festival in honor of the goddess Durga. In Buddhism, the equinox between day and night reflects the balance that is important to achieve in life, much like the Buddha's teaching of the "middle way," which teaches avoiding extremes - meaning neither extreme asceticism nor excessive hedonism. The balance between light and darkness on the equinox can be interpreted as a time for introspection and finding a balance between body, mind, and spirit.

In Judaism, there is no official holiday that is celebrated exactly on the equinox, but interesting connections can be found between the equinox and Jewish holidays and festivals, especially around the idea of ​​the cycle of nature, with Rosh Hashanah and Passover symbolizing the cycle of the seasons. Passover, which symbolizes the greatness of the Creator and his power to liberate, renew, and connect a person to faith and freedom from slavery, is celebrated near the vernal equinox (in March). According to the Torah, Passover must occur in the spring because it symbolizes the spring of the Jewish nation. Rosh Hashanah, which occurs in September or October, is closer to the autumnal equinox. According to Jewish tradition, this is the day when "man was created," a point of new beginning that occurs at a time when day and night are equal, a symbol of balance and spiritual reset.

The period of Nissan and the period of Tishrei symbolize the balance of nature and the year. The Sages recognized the concept of "periods." The period of Nissan (the vernal equinox) and the period of Tishrei (the autumnal equinox). Jewish literature states that cosmic changes occur during these days, and it is commonly believed that they symbolize significant turning points in nature and the human spirit. The holiday of Sukkot falls not far from the autumnal equinox. It is a holiday of ingathering, a time when farmers gather their crops before winter - just as the harvest holidays in other cultures are associated with the equinox.

In Kabbalah, the times when day and night are equal have special significance, as they symbolize a balance between the forces of law and grace, light and darkness. Some see the equinox as a time of energetic change, similar to Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh, an opportunity for a person to mend their ways and renew their contract with life. Although there is no official Jewish holiday that falls exactly on the equinox, the influence of the point of balance between light and darkness is evident on the major holidays, especially Rosh Hashanah, Passover, and Sukkot. Judaism, like other ancient cultures, sees this time as an opportunity for change, reflection, and spiritual renewal.

Christianity also has no official holiday that falls on the exact day of the equinox, but there are interesting connections between the equinoxes and important Christian holidays, especially around the idea of ​​rebirth, spiritual renewal, and the struggle between light and darkness. Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox (usually between March 22 and April 25).

For Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus symbolizes the victory over death and the beginning of a new era, similar to how the vernal equinox symbolizes the return of light and life after winter. In Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, the feast of the Archangel Michael is celebrated on September 29, close to the autumnal equinox. This holiday is dedicated to his honor as a warrior against evil and the protector of Christians. The Archangel Michael, as a victor over the forces of darkness, is seen in Christian tradition as a warrior against Satan. The proximity of the holiday to the autumnal equinox, when the nights begin to lengthen, symbolizes the struggle between light and darkness, just as in other cultures.

In Judaism, Michael is one of the four archangels and is considered the guardian angel of the people of Israel. He is described as the minister of God's army and one who fights the forces of evil. In Christianity, Michael is seen as a central figure in the struggle between good and evil, the leader of the heavenly army that fights Satan and his angels and casts them out of heaven. The archangel Michael in Christianity not only protects humans from evil spirits, but is also considered the patron saint of soldiers, police officers, and healers.

In Islam, the equinox itself is not celebrated as a religious holiday, but it has spiritual and cultural connections related to the cycles of time and the transitions between light and darkness. The archangel Michael in Islam is considered one of the four great angels of Allah, alongside Jibril (Gabriel), Azrael (the angel of death), and Israfil (the angel who will blow the trumpet on the Day of Judgment). Michael's role is to bring rain and sustenance and to take care of the needs of humanity, and therefore he is linked to the cycles of nature - a theme that is also reflected in the autumnal equinox.

Nowruz is the Persian New Year celebrated on the vernal equinox. Although it has ancient Zoroastrian roots, it has been adopted by many Muslim communities, especially in Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asian countries. The holiday symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and blessing, and includes rituals of purification, festive feasts, and visits to relatives. The Quran refers to balance and cycles in nature many times, and the balance between day and night on the equinox can be interpreted as part of the divine harmony in which day, night, sun, and moon share.

Rituals worth doing for spring awakening

The equinox is a time when light and darkness are equal, symbolizing balance, renewal, and growth. These are days when it is easier to connect with nature and the cycles of life, and to perform rituals that help us open up to change and personal growth. It is an opportunity to look within, release the old, and connect with new intentions. Here are some rituals that can help stimulate inner growth and connect with the energy of balance and positive change that spring heralds.

Fire Ceremony. Write on a piece of paper everything you want to release – fears, limiting beliefs, relationships that don’t serve you. Then, prepare a safe place to light a fire, light a candle or a small bonfire, and burn the paper while visualizing this energy being released. Fire symbolizes transformation and power, and it helps us to detach from the past and make room for the new.

Water ceremony. Find a natural water source or a bathtub in your home. This could be the sea, a river, a spring, or your bathroom. Get into the water and imagine that the water is washing away all the old energy from you while at the same time filling you with light and new opportunities. If you are unable to immerse yourself, you can put a bowl of water with flowers and wash your hands and face in it as a symbol of cleansing. The water helps clear stuck emotions and allows for a renewed flow in life. Seed ceremony and planting new and good intentions. Take a seed or seedling, and plant it in the ground while defining in your heart or out loud a specific intention that you want to grow in your life. Every time you water the plant, remember your intention and strengthen it. The ground symbolizes growth, stability, and abundance, and the ceremony connects us to the forces of creation.

Meditation for inner balance. Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Imagine a line of light running through the middle of your body, balancing the right side (the solar, active) and the left side (the lunar, receptive). You can use soothing music to enhance the feeling. During the equinox, the balance in nature is at its peak, and it is a perfect time to balance ourselves as well.