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The Spring Equinox
 The
Vernal Equinox is the time when the Sun
reaches the balancing point in its path
through the zodiac. It marks the beginning
of the new astrological year, as the Sun
enters the first degree of Aries, the
Ram. It happens this year on March 20
(eve of March 21)—just as Mercury,
the cosmic magician, turns retrograde!
This major calendrical event is the focus
of religious and social festivities in
all cultures, not just the Christian celebration
of Easter.
The death of the old year and the rebirth
of the new has been celebrated since time
immemorial, on or around the spring equinox,
which is why the death and resurrection
of Jesus is celebrated at this time. The
word equinox means "equal night":
the duration of the day being equal to
that of the night, an event which occurs
but twice a year, the one marking the
astrological beginning of spring and the
other the ending of summer. The Autumn,
or Fall Equinox marks the harvest celebrations
in September, as outlined later in this
article.
Astrologically, the March Equinox marks
the entry of the Sun into the Cardinal,
Fire Sign of Aries, the Ram. Aries is
traditionally ruled by Mars, so the ancient
Roman festivals of the equinox centered
around Mars (hence the name of the month
"March"). The Lupercalia was
a fertility festival at this time, said
by Cicero to be so ancient as to have
been instituted before civilisation and
law existed. The name "Easter"
derives from the ancient fertility festival
of the goddess Eostre, the teutonic goddess
of spring. All cultures have spring festivals
of this type.
The Autumnal Equinox
 The
Autumn, or Fall Equinox is the time when
the Sun reaches the opposite balancing
point in its path through the zodiac.
It is the time of ripening and harvest,
marked astrologically as the Sun enters
the first degree of Libra, the Scales,
on the eve of September 23. Saturn, the
"grim reaper", is exalted in
Libra. The word equinox means "equal
night": the duration of the day being
equal to that of the night, an event which
occurs but twice a year, the one marking
the astrological beginning of spring and
the other the ending of summer.
Astrologically, the September Equinox
marks the entry of the Sun into the Cardinal,
Air Sign of Libra, the Scales. Libra is
traditionally ruled by Venus, but is also
the sign of the exaltation of Saturn,
the "grim reaper". Ancient agricultural
societies celebrated the harvest with
festivals of one kind or another, usually
marking them with sacrifices to ward off
the evil spirits and spirits of the dying
year. The burning of the Corn Dolly is
associated with the death of the corn
god, and the crossing of the the border
between long days of light and long nights
of darkness.
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