Spring Equinox 2025

The Spring Equinox, also known as the Vernal Equinox, is a celestial event that occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in nearly equal hours of daylight and darkness across the globe. The word equinox is derived from the Latin roots aequi (equal) and nox (night), reflecting this balance.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Spring Equinox typically falls on March 19th, 20th, or 21st, signaling the transition from winter to spring. In 2025, it occurs on March 20th at 5:01 AM (UTC). This marks a period of increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the awakening of nature, as plants bloom and animals emerge from hibernation.

While modern calendars often designate this as the first day of spring, astronomically, it represents the midpoint of the season. Many ancient cultures celebrated the equinox as a time of renewal, fertility, and balance. Today, it remains significant in scientific, cultural, and spiritual traditions worldwide.

From a scientific perspective, the equinox occurs because of Earth’s 23.5-degree axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun. On this day, the Sun rises precisely in the east and sets directly in the west, emphasizing the harmony of celestial mechanics.

The Spiritual Perspective:

Honoring the return of longer days, new growth and life for both flora and fauna. Many mammals’ mating season is most active around Beltane (beginning of Spring) and gestations see a high number of births in the 2 weeks surrounding Spring Equinox.

Goddesses associated with Spring Equinox:

Asase Yaa (Ghana) An earth goddess who awakens fertility- both in the fields and in the womb.

The goddess Eostre (Western Germanic) Is the etymological origin of the spiritual name for the Equinox, Ostara. She heralds the awakening of the earth by dancing through fields and forests, flowers and blossoms appearing in her footsteps.

Freya (Norse) abandons the Earth during the cold months. She wears a necklace that represents the Sun’s fire, a fire that awakens and warms the Earth upon her return. She is a goddess of marriage, childbirth, and motherhood. Prayers and tributes are offered to her by women plagued with infertility.

Bast (Egyptian) directs the fertility from the Sun’s rays throughout the land. She is sensual and honored with flowers, gold, singing, sex, and feasts. Her influence on ending Winter’s hibernation and beginning the Spring’s actions is the origin of “Spring Cleaning.” I’m pretty sure Bast channels herself through my cats - we need flowery air freshener to combat the litter box, they love anything shiny (gold), they sing/meow if they don’t have my undivided attention or I don’t dish out breakfast fast enough, and I’m always (not just in Spring) cleaning up after them.

Blessed be the Light!