VERNAL Equinox
Sunday 21 March 2010 5.30pm
The Vernal or Spring Equinox is a time when the Sun rises and sets directly over the Equator. On the earth we experience it as a time of equal day and night and from now on the days will be slightly longer than the nights. The sun will rise and set further north each day and every mid-day the sun will be higher and higher. We will hopefully feel the days begin to warm as we head towards the summer. It is a time of re-birth and re-awakening. A time of re-trieval of things gone into abeyance, a time of re-turning to warmth and growth. A time for re-inventing ourselves.
Ardmulchan. Early Christian site with medieval tower dedicated to the virgin. St. Melchu was the founder saint, a nephew of St. Patrick. He preformed miracles before St. Patrick to prove himself innocent of scandal. He is the Saint who ordained St. Brigid a bishop when the Holy Spirit distracted him during her ordination as a Nun. He and his 3 brothers have a line of monastic enclosures that lye in an east west line over the country. His feast day is (6th Feb) Imbolc, His mothers Feast day is March 22nd( Equinox) and His brothers feast day is 6th August (Lughnasadh).
Coincidence?
Just today the Frogs returned to the pond in the garden, a full month later than this time last year and Claire said that, being Welsh, she had always daffodils for St. David’s day (1st March), but this year they are still only peeping above the ground. So this year the annual cycles seem to be noticeably behind. However, having said that, I did spend most of the day in the garden and got an amazing amount tidied . I got the onions and elephant garlic in and started to clear away some of the many plants that this years extreme cold had killed. Very often we expect things to be a certain way and when we find they are not we have to some how reconcile the reality with the expectation. So again this reflects the balance of birth and decay expressed at this time of the year.
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This year for Vernal Equinox we thought we would be going to the North of Ireland. So we went on a reconnaissance trip up beyond Newry to Kilbroney forest park. Whilst we were impressed by the setting and the scenery we both felt it wasn’t the place to hold our Equinox gathering so we returned via Slane and climbed a mud track through rough ground festooned with brambles on the Hill of Slane, but again feeling this was not exactly where we were looking for. The sun was setting and we were racking our brains as to where might be a supportive environment for our activities when Ardmulchan seemed to suggest itself.
Ardmulchan is an early Christian site perched on the banks of the Boyne about 2 miles from Navan. It is host to a ring fort, standing stone, ancient holy well and the remains of a medieval church complete with a bell-tower dedicated to the virgin. It is named after the founder saint, saint Maelchon or Maelchou, who is a bit of a mystery man but may have been the nephew of St Patrick .
The picture below shows a stretch of the river lying in an almost perfect East West Alignment, most appropriate for equinox.
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The traditions of the people state that, to save the bells of Ardmulchan from the church robbers of the Reformation, the parishioners threw them into Lug-Gorrom, or the Blue Hole, a deep pool in the Boyne, opposite Taaffe's lock.
Our celebration this year will be in keeping with balance, the yin and Yang, the darkness and light, forward and reverse, silence and sound, highs and lows, potentials and realised powers, revulsion and redemption.
Directions:
Take the R153 Kentstown road out of Navan and at the first Y junction at the Ramparts car park, just outside the town, turn Left. Proceed past the cemetery on your right, continue another 6Km until you see a sign “Ardmulchan” pointing down a narrow laneway on your Left, It is the first road sign for a T junction you see after the cemetery and at the time of writing is actually pointing back to Navan!. Drive past all the houses and park in the carpark (Hide your Valuables).
What we will be doing:
We will begin with a general introduction and a brief tuning in period to our own energies.
This will be followed by a brief tour of the area taking in pleasant and unpleasant energies. We will be walking between both sets of energies and finding what each has to offer us. After leaving the unpleasant energy we may choose to re-appreciate the view of the river. We will be meditating on striking the balance between stress and peace, and then choosing to rebalance ourselves in the peace rather than the stress. We will be make a simple mandala from what Nature has to offer us and focusing our intent on Balance and healing and blowing bubbles with the intention that the bubbles will carry our healing and positive vibes into the ethers. There may be some time for dancing and singing as well as the all important open heart contributions where we encourage participants to contribute some thoughts, poetry or music to the proceedings. So a warm welcome to those joining us on the ground or in spirit. (If you want anything read out on your behalf contact us here).
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Below:The trees where we will be meditating on balance and peace
Above: The Beech tree of wisdom at Ardmulchan
Above & Below: The Beech tree at Ardmulchan, site of the Spring or Vernal Equinox
Above: Roots of the tree at ritual site
Above: Part of the symbol laid out to represent Equinox Blessings
Above: Part of the symbol created for equinox Blessings which was then "Danced" into the earth
Equinox ritual at Ardmulchan with the candle representing the fiery southern energies
Above: More frogs!
Frogs with colours!
How many frogs?
First buds of Spring
Mullaghmeen Forest 21 March 2009
Here I stand tall and thin.
See the life that stirs within,
Stretching from the air to ground,
Spreading roots all around.
Reaching from the ground to sky,
To feel the wind passing by.
This verse came to one of us during meditation with the trees.
Thanks also to all those who join with us at a distance and emailed in contributions and poems which we read out, our words echoing through the forest to the ears of all seen and unseen participants.
Thanks to Anne, Tom and Martin who recorded the day - a picture paints a thousand words...
The cushion softness of the deep moss underfoot, the crunch of the dry beech leaves, the alarmed flight of woodcock, the thrush calling from a high branch, the abundance of small and large beetles in the leaf mould, the bee, the spiders...
the peace, the joy... the silence...
Wood anenome, small delicate yellow primroses on exposed clay banks, tangled brambles and ferns....
At the base of a moss covered tree we gathered fallen branches, placing each on another in a balanced framework.
Rose petals, primrose and daffodil flowers scattered on the ground, mead and honey mixed with Tara well water poured by each in blessing. Crusty bread, broken from a long loaf, shared with woodland creatures and spirits.
An expression of our appreciation and thanks to the woodland and all its inhabitants.
We shared laughter and contemplation on the top of a moss covered mound in the woodland. With a meditation and a picture of an Indonesian elemental, the retelling of the Tuatha de Danaan and Milesian coming to Ireland, the Song of Amergin, and a commitment to do an earth serving activity, we connected in unity and harmony with all beings. Our intentions were for Balance with Nature.
The distant view and the plan...
Sow in Spring and reap in Autumn; in life as in the seasons
Hello everyone.
Thank you so much to everyone who came to the FourKnocks at Imbolc. I think everyone agreed that it was an excellent, atmospheric and moving ceremony which saw Brigid return to her maiden persona of the goddess after her role as the dark caileach.
We are still in Imbolc and Spring Equinox is the mid point of that season where the days and nights are of equal length. After winter Samhain it marks the time of year when fertility replaces barrenness. We enter the male half of Imbolc where Patrick complements and balances Brigid. Their integration brings the birth of the Bealtaine leanbh na Griann (Child of the sun...a golden child). Our theme for this equinox is standing in balance with nature.
We have been inspired to hold this next ceremony/ritual meditation in the beautiful forest setting of Mullaghmeen (mullach mín, smooth summit). On a sunny day recently we were led to a site deep in the wood where there was a small hillock set like a navel in the forest.... silence, the aroma of pine in the air and a profound sense of tranquillity, moss covered logs, stones, trees and ferns.
So moved were we by this tangible presence that we decided to use a very unobtrusive approach to the planned ceremony. We will have no smudge, no bowls, no cauldrons, no incense, no crystals...few if any of the trappings of ritual as this place is in itself a living breathing entity. We felt to go in smudging and “crystaling” would disrespect the energies who reside there and may not be used to human contact.
For those that are coming with us please bring something to acknowledge the environment. We are suggesting a poem or an inspirational quotation or a prayer or perhaps flowers....having to spend time considering what you will bring will allow you to invest your time and energy in tuning in to honouring the environment.
For those on our e-mail list near or far we extend the same invitation. If you want something read out then please send it to us before Saturday and we will include it in our ritual.
Outline of what to expect on the Day:
· Introduction and explanations
· Acknowledging the local directions/environment
· Creation of a circle from fallen twigs and branches
· Story telling
· Meditation with the trees
· Creation of a temporary shrine from forest materials in front of which it may be nice to make a personal pledge to honour the environment by recycling more, plant a tree, tend a garden, learn about herbs, use renewable resources sustainably etc.
· Reading of poems and open contributions
· Acknowledging the local directions/environment
· Sharing of some nice crusty bread
Bright Blessings - Mary Des Yamann Nora Martin
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Sacred Centre for the Spring Equinox ritual meditation 2008
Flowers remind us of this season of renewed hope.
Eggs and rabbits remind us that energetically the earth is waking up the creative generative potential within each of us, calling us to be more than we are.
The black and white crystals and the Scales symbol remind us that this is a mystic time of balance and intergration leading to a time of growth. The seed for instance must crack its shell and expose itself to the dark but yielding soil to ever hope of seeing the light.
2008
March 17th, St Patricks Day, starts an amazing week. We are all probably aware by now, 21st March is Good Friday and a Full Moon day, and we have also arrived at the mid-point of Imbolc, Equinox. And yes, we lose an hour in bed as clocks 'spring' forward on 30th March when Summer time begins. So many special events. An auspicious time to join together for a celebration of the season on Tara.
You will notice the symbol at the top of the flyer. It was created by putting a stylised Brigid's Cross within a circle. Traditionally the circle calls in the feminine energies but this depiction also calls awareness of Patrick, for the central square carries male qualities. The circle also represents the sacred whilst the square stands for the physical world. Contemplating the symbol provides an opportunity to review if we are integrating these, in a balanced way, in our lives.
There are five sections within the circle and, as at Autumn Equinox, this energetic vibration will be present in our activities, especially as we stand in the fifth province, Mide, and continue connecting to the fifth element - aether.
One suggestion of how to use this symbol is in 'Balanced Walk' section
Below some wild Spring primroses (and a violet) in the Gabhra Valley, Tara
Below Lus an chrom chin an Irish (and Scottish, translating I think into golden headed lighted one) name for the flower below, to me the english language isnt poetic enough to describe it, photographed on the sun set of the vernal equinox at St. Patricks well Tara and planted by Adge the Druid who watches over his handy work. [All blessings BE Adge]
The Black Patrick
It occured to us recently at the meditation group that there was at equinox relatively few positive male role models to draw upon for Irish archtypes. For instance burish Patrick energy came in destroying an already intact celtic christianity. The church stands as an intermediary between us and the divine and regulates from a basis of fear and egoism. Modern leaders have become charalatins slick with deceipt, dishonesty, corruption, unreliability, cheating, cowardice and abuse, are dishonorable, deceitful, egocentric, unjust, unlawful, short-sighted and unaccountable.
So at this time of balance at the equinox we invoked a positive archtypal male energy, one that complemented and supported perfectly the brigidine energy.
An energy that portrayed loyalty, fedility, protection, activism, stewardship, courage, honour, integrity, justice, even handedness, wisdom and responsibility.
Hence we turned over the Black Patrick to recognise the Golden Patrick.
The return of the sun on Easter Sunday 2008
Segerblót
Again, many thanks to Thomas Eriksson, Sweden for this information
I thought I would send you some information about the blót celebrated at the time of the spring equinox.But all I could find about it is next to nothing.I could only find the name of it and the reason for celebrating it, which is basically the same reason as for any holiday around this time of year. This blót is called Segerblót."Seger" is Swedish for "Victory", and it is celebrated as the victory of daylight over nightly darkness and the victory of warmth over the coldness of winter.
Page last updated: 16th Apr 2010
