Happy Equinox on Sunday March 20 at 15.33 UTC, the Spring or Vernal Equinox in the Northern hemisphere and Autumn or Fall Equinox in the Southern world.

In spite of war, Covid, floods, intense storms, earthquakes, high prices and shortages, the human spirit of courage and kindness towards others daily shines. People open their homes and hearts to those in need as in the North the flowers push through the earth defiantly and in the South the earth yields her hard won harvest.

Every year banks of daffodils bloom between suburban houses near where I live, planted years ago by an old man who wanted to bring the beauty of the new season into the town. They are still tended in his memory.

Mother Nature turns the wheel of the year and spring with its new beginnings and autumn with its reconciliation of what did and did not thrive.

She reminds us now is the time at the turning of the year to make up that old quarrel next month, next year and speak the words of love and appreciation. Give flowers to a loved one now on the Equinox to bring and share their pleasure rather than waiting to make offerings one day to fade on a grave.

We should not give up on people or situations where there is still hope and love, or where we discovered we  are mortal, not angels or demons and so there can be forgiveness and understanding and new beginnings.

Wherever you live in the world on this Equinox, you might like to try this renewal of the home ritual to welcome the changing energies.

You will need:

A bowl of lavender, lilac or rose water or a floral fragrance diluted in a little water.

Timing:

Any morning around the Spring Equinox in the Northern hemisphere or the Autumn Equinox in the Southern hemisphere.

The Ritual:

• Anoint each doorknob or handle in your home with a few drops of fragrance, starting from outside the front door and sprinkling a few drops on each external window ledge too, saying for each, Blessings on all, May sickness, misfortune and sorrow call here no more,  except to happiness do I bar every door. Let there be laughter, health and daily good cheer, bad luck and sadness depart now from here.
• Go indoors, again anointing door handles starting inside the front door and ledges in every room, repeating the words.
• Pour any fragrance that is left down a bathroom wash basin plughole, saying, Now, only goodness and good fortune dwell within. Blessings be on all who enter herein.

Happy, happy Equinox as equal day meets equal night and may by the time the next Equinox dawns six months from now, peace, health and enough for all have entered and remain in the world.