Many gather to watch the sunrise and mark the first day of Spring at dawn on the Stonehenge (Photo: www.stonehenge.news)
A famed landmark of England that dates back to the Neolithic era, Stonehenge aligns with sun, moon, stars, four times a year and was used as a means to depict the cycles of a year during the ancient time. As time passed, its popularity degraded but then rose again, when the modern British revived pagan festivals at Stonehenge—spring and autumn equinox, along with summer and winter solstice.
Located on Salisbury Plain, about 13 km north of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, every year, the Stonehenge is open to the public four times a year, on the equinoxes and solstices. Each that comes once in a year, all together four times annually. Festivals are held to celebrate these days and people gather here to watch the sunrise. Amongst these four ‘sky points’ in the wheel of the year, is Spring equinox that usually falls between March 19-21.
Spring Equinox is an event that attracts New Age Tribes such as neo-druids, neo-pagans and Wiccans as well as other tourists who travel each year to the Stone structure to watch the sunrise and mark the first day of Spring season and prepare for the positive growing energy of spring and summer.
In summer, the sun tilts in such a way, that the earth leans over the sun, while in winter, the planet pulls away. Meanwhile the Equinox, is something halfway between these two. Therefore, when the Equinox comes twice a year (Spring and Autumn) the sun does a perfect balancing act in the heavens. It rises exactly in the east, travels through the sky for 12 hours and then sets exactly in the west. All over the world, at this moment, day and night are of equal length hence the word equinox which means ‘equal night’.
Stone hedge Spring equinox is a recreation of an ancient tradition of the old Britain, where Druids and pagans arrive in the early morning to mark the Equinox and to see the sunrise above the stones. For many of them, the experience for them is akin to spiritual importance.
During the procession, at the moment when the sun rises and illuminates the sky, the entire crowd becomes silent. Later, these very same people are the ones who soak up and engage on the festive atmosphere celebrating with hippies, druids, and travellers from all around.
The Spring Equinox is the least visited of all celebrations at Stonehenge, as only a few hundred visit the monument at this time.
Since Spring Equinox is a time of renewal in both nature and home, it is essential to perform a physical activity called spring-cleaning. For the natives, spring-cleaning is more than just a physical activity. It is a ritual that helps to remove any old or remaining negative energies accumulated over the dark, dreary, heavy winter months.
During this time, in the rest of rural Britain, it is also the custom to drink dandelion and burdock cordials as these herbs help to cleanse the blood and are effective tonics for the body after the hardships it goes through in winter.
Just like with all the other key festivals of the year, there is association of both Pagans and Christians with the Spring Equinox. This is no surprise, since many of the Christian holidays and celebrations have been derived from pagan celebrations anyway.
For the Pagans, this is the time of the ancient Saxon goddess, Eostre, which stands for new beginnings and fertility, while Christians mark and celebrate this time as part of the natural calendar.
For the past two years due to the Covid-19 restrictions, this English heritage was closed off as rituals, like those of the druids involved holding hands while taking vows. This year though the restriction has been lifted and the time for the Spring (or Vernal) equinox at Stonehenge 2022 is on March 20 at 09:34 local time.
