The spring equinox is fast approaching!
This is that special time of year when the sun makes it’s yearly transition north of the equator, marking the start of spring in the northern hemisphere (or fall in the southern hemisphere).
This celestial event has been celebrated by humans for thousands of years because it marks the return of longer days, fertility & the warm growing season.
In modern times most people don’t celebrate the equinox, but this is actually a great opportunity to get more tuned in with nature.
So today let’s explore 12 ways to celebrate the equinox.
1. Watch The Sun Rise
The central theme of the spring equinox is returning sunlight after a long period of darkness.
And if there’s one time of day that best exemplifies this same energy, it’s sunrise!
There’s something magical about stepping outside at sunrise, and it can be especially meaningful on the equinox because this is the day when our sun rises in true east.
Getting yourself up early can be a great way to break the usual routine and create space for something new.
It’s a great way to bring that extra bit of intention into your morning as you start the first day of spring with a quiet moment of beauty.
2. Go For A Nature Walk
For many people, there’s no better way to celebrate the spring equinox than by spending quality time in nature.
Going for a nature walk is one of the easiest, fun & simple ways to let go of technology & schedules so you can really be present with nature.
This website is filled with tips & ideas to help you have the best possible experience outside, but here are a few quick guidelines:
- Start with a few moments of quiet sensory attunement even before you start walking.
- Leave the technology at home so you can focus your undivided attention on nature.
- Move slow & with presence. Don’t worry about trying to reach any particular destination. Just enjoy yourself!
- Stop regularly to watch, listen & experience your surroundings.
- Pay attention to all the layers of nature including birds, plants, trees, animals, clouds & sunshine.
The goal here is simply to spend some good quality time with nature and observe life on the equinox.
3. Check Out The Spring Plant Growth
At this point in March, most places in the northern hemisphere will already have some good plant growth happening.
If you’re a plant lover like me, the equinox is a perfect opportunity to check in with how they’re doing.
This can be as simple as stepping outside with a few questions to guide your awareness of plants like:
- Which plants are growing near you right now?
- How many different types can you find?
- What is their current stage of growth?
The cool thing is when you repeat this practice for multiple years, you’ll notice gradual changes from year to year.
Some years the plants might be a bit further ahead than other years, or you might find different types appearing or shifting locations as the environment evolves.
Every year you connect with nature on the equinox, your appreciation of the spring awakening will grow a little bit deeper.
Spending time with plants also invites the opportunity to harvest and use wild foods & medicines, which brings us to our next point…
4. Drink A Spring Tonic
At the spring equinox, we’re just coming out a winter lacking nutrition (& possibly physical health), and into a time when the land is providing a burst of fresh nutrition.
The idea of a spring tonic is it helps to replenish our lost reserves from the winter at that critical moment when everything is just waking up.
This would have been especially true in old times when we didn’t have access to fresh fruits & vegetables all year round.
But even today, most diets are probably lacking in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Some good options include coniferous teas made from needles & twigs or that first new growth of stinging nettles and dandelions (yummy).
Many places will even have birch sap running at this time, which is a traditional spring tonic across northern Europe.
These are all fairly simple preparations and using the plants of spring will bring your connection to a whole new level while providing a delicious local health boost to kick off the season.
5. Go Bird Watching
Spring is an amazing time of new beginnings for birds too.
By the spring equinox, many birds are already firmly in the midst of their courtship & nesting season.
This is a bumping time of year with spring migrants, singing songsters, territorial aggression & new life being created.
Witnessing the lives of birds with our own eyes can be an inspiring adventure that gets us out of our own heads and helps us get lost in nature for awhile.
You can incorporate an awareness of birds into your nature walk, or step outside with the specific intent to explore the bird life.
How many of the following bird activities can YOU spot?
- Feeding
- Singing
- Territorial Aggression
- Gathering Nest Materials
- Building Nests
- Alarm Calls & Behavior
How many different birds can you identify on the land at this time of year?
6. Start A New Project
On a more internal level, the spring equinox is all about new beginnings and having abundant energy for new growth.
Many people feel this burst of energy as nature springs to life and the sunlight becomes stronger.
This is a perfect opportunity to start something new in your own personal or professional life.
In fact, if you’ve ever set a new years resolution and then failed to follow through, you may have better success starting at the spring equinox.
This could include:
- Personal growth goals whether physically, emotionally or spiritually.
- New hobbies.
- Improving your connection to nature.
- Starting a new relationship or rekindling old ones.
How do you want to grow this year?
What do you want to bring into your life over the coming months?
Use this spring equinox to set some intentions and jumpstart your growth!
7. Journal And Meditate
An important lesson of the equinox is learning to sense how the cycles of nature are affecting us mentally, emotionally & physically.
It’s well documented that changing levels of light have a profound effect on human psychology, which becomes increasingly pronounced the further you are from the equator.
But in order for you to use this knowledge to your advantage, it really helps if you can FEEL how the changing balance of sunlight affects you personally.
Most people are so busy, they don’t really take enough to time check-in with how they feel at the changing of seasons.
Journaling can make it easier to track these subtle shifts in energy & motivation that many people experience during different seasons.
This is a perfect opportunity to simply sit for awhile and quietly meditate. Reflect on your inner state and make some notes to remind yourself later on.
This can become a great practice for checking in with yourself at the start of each new season.
8. Give Thanks
Celebrations around the spring equinox are a perfect opportunity to stop and express gratitude for the amazing gift of life on this planet.
Isn’t it amazing how the sun brings so much energy & life, and we don’t even have to do anything to make it happen!
It’s easy to lose sight of this amazing fact of life when we get caught up in all the busy-ness of the world.
- What are you grateful for today?
- What is supporting you to be alive & moving forward?
- What lessons have you gained in the last year that help you grow?
There are lots of ways to give thanks, and the only real limit is your own creativity.
This can be a few quiet words spoken in nature. Some people are drawn to sing songs or have a dance party. Others might make beautiful crafts out of natural things to leave in the forest.
We give thanks for surviving the winter, and for the return of the sunlight which brings new life to dormant land.
9. Spend Time With Friends & Family
Sometimes we just need a good excuse to gather with friends & family.
Our connections with others grow through having time together that isn’t pressured by schedules or chores and needing to keep busy.
Simply having others over to share food, sunshine & spring teas will create space for dialogue to happen.
Stories will be shared and questions will be asked.
We get up to date on what’s new & exciting, while fuelling momentum for ongoing connection and community support.
These are all great things that come out of taking time to acknowledge something as simple and universal as the spring equinox.
10. Tell The Story Of Your Winter
I know for me personally, winter is a challenging time of year.
Many people struggle with their mood and energy through the winter. Most spend too much time indoors, even sometimes avoiding habits that support mental health.
Spring equinox is a time to regain balance after the long darkness, which can be deeply aided by telling your story with a non-judgemental listener who wants good things for you.
Telling the story of your winter can help get things out of your head, so you can process and move on to more empowering ideas.
- What happened in the last 3 months?
- What was good?
- What was bad?
- What did you learn from both?
- What intentions would you like to invoke for the next phase of your life?
Being honest about your experience is one of the best ways to gain perspective, so don’t be afraid to share your struggles with someone you trust.
However I would also encourage you to not dwell on the negative. Once you get it out of your head, you can be free to move on.
Even if your experience of winter is a positive time with fun outdoor sports & long comfy nights by the fire, spring is here and it’s still an opportunity to move on.
Always finish with positive intentions & feelings so you can set the direction of what you want to create in the world.
11. Springify Your Home
As we clear out our own inner winter energies, this is a great time to also clear out our homes and make space for spring.
Some people are absolute naturals at this. They just feel compelled to gather fresh flowers and create spring crafts that brighten up the home.
I’m a big fan of bringing nature into the home as a way to beautify and uplift our indoor spirits.
The human mind does so much better when surrounded by beautiful natural green things.
Spring cleaning is a great way to clear out stagnant energies and really make things fresh again.
You might be surprised how much this can help you let go of the darkness, and move into the light of spring & summer.
12. Do What’s Meaningful For You
Ultimately, everyone is an individual and has their own favorite goals & methods for celebrating the spring equinox.
To me the most important thing is using this special day to the fullest potential.
This day is an opportunity to mark our lives with something positive that feels meaningful for YOU.
For some people this might mean going all out and dressing up in your witchiest clothing to dance around a fire under starlight.
For others it might just mean sitting all afternoon in the sunshine and absorbing some nice rays with a smile on your face.
Whatever you choose to do on the equinox, what I really want is for you to make it count.
Make it meaningful for YOU and you can’t go wrong!
Why Is The Spring Equinox Special?
Part of life away from the equator means coming into harmony with the sometimes dramatic shifting of seasons.
This is one of two times per year when we have balanced day and night all around the world… first when the light is growing in spring, and then again when the light is reducing in fall.
In terms of understanding our place in the universe, there’s some pretty fascinating science behind the spring equinox.
Humans have been celebrating this day for thousands of years. And it’s not just something we made up. This is based on actual measurable events in our planetary cycles.
For me personally, the spring equinox is special because of how the balance of light levels affect human psychology & biology.
As someone who often struggles with low energy during winter, observing the equinox has helped me understand myself better, including how to be more productive, healthy & happy.
The more I tune in with the natural cycles of light & darkness, the more apparent this becomes.
If nothing else, this day is a special opportunity to make positive choices and move your life forward in a good way.
- How can you set yourself up for your best spring ever?
- What practices & routines support you to be your best self?
Go celebrate & feel connected to life on this beautiful earth!
What a beautiful entry! So many great ideas in here Brian. I particularly love the idea of getting up to watch the sunrise. My wife and I have been out walking this past couple weeks, noticing the emergence of springtime bird action. I love the list of bird behaviours you’ve suggested watching for, like a presence-invoking scavenger hunt!