Spring Equinox
20-23 March in the Northern Hemisphere
20-23 September in the Southern Hemisphere
The Spring Equinox is a solar festival celebrated when the length of day and night are equal. The word “equinox” comes from the Latin and means “equal night”. In our yoga practice we can explore the equinox theme of balance by working with yoga’s balancing
poses. We can also reflect on how best to balance our own Sun (Ha) and Moon (Tha) energies, both in our yoga practice and in our life. Yoga helps us to reconcile opposing parts of our self, creating optimum conditions for healing to occur.
Whatever seeds are planted now will expand and grow. At this time, we have an outward focus, and our face is turned towards the sun. This is a time for pushing, rather than for yielding. We need to prioritise and use this short-lived, fertile, sun energy to grow and
make manifest the projects that are closest to our heart.
poses. We can also reflect on how best to balance our own Sun (Ha) and Moon (Tha) energies, both in our yoga practice and in our life. Yoga helps us to reconcile opposing parts of our self, creating optimum conditions for healing to occur.
Whatever seeds are planted now will expand and grow. At this time, we have an outward focus, and our face is turned towards the sun. This is a time for pushing, rather than for yielding. We need to prioritise and use this short-lived, fertile, sun energy to grow and
make manifest the projects that are closest to our heart.
Finding Balance at the Spring Equinox
The Spring Equinox is a good time to consider how we go about creating a balanced life. Yoga is a union, a marriage between complimentary opposites that helps us to find balance in our lives. Our challenge is: how do we marry and unify these two complimentary opposites to achieve a state of balance in our lives?
The balancing pose Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana 3) is the perfect pose for this time as it mirrors day and night being perfectly balanced at the equinox.
The balancing pose Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana 3) is the perfect pose for this time as it mirrors day and night being perfectly balanced at the equinox.
Tree Wisdom in Spring
The perfect way to connect with the arrival of spring is to spend some time around trees, watching new life unfold. It’s a joy to mindfully observe the signs of trees coming back to life, with the appearance of catkins, leaves unfurling, and blossom opening.
Seek out a tree and spend a few moments mindfully observing what signs of the arrival of spring you can see. Are the leaves coming into bud? Or have the leaves already reappeared on the tree? Can you see any birds or other wildlife on or around the tree? Are
there any spring flowers growing around it? Use all your five senses to enjoy the moment: use your hands to touch the tree; enjoy the aroma of the tree; the colours; and the sounds that you can hear around you.
Where I live willow trees grow all along the banks of the river. In spring they are the first trees to come into leaf and yellow daffodils grow around them. It was this that inspired me to write my Meditation Upon a Willow Tree at Spring Equinox which is included in the Yoga Through the Year book. The Willow Tree has taught me to listen to the whispers of the wind whispering that spring is here.
Seek out a tree and spend a few moments mindfully observing what signs of the arrival of spring you can see. Are the leaves coming into bud? Or have the leaves already reappeared on the tree? Can you see any birds or other wildlife on or around the tree? Are
there any spring flowers growing around it? Use all your five senses to enjoy the moment: use your hands to touch the tree; enjoy the aroma of the tree; the colours; and the sounds that you can hear around you.
Where I live willow trees grow all along the banks of the river. In spring they are the first trees to come into leaf and yellow daffodils grow around them. It was this that inspired me to write my Meditation Upon a Willow Tree at Spring Equinox which is included in the Yoga Through the Year book. The Willow Tree has taught me to listen to the whispers of the wind whispering that spring is here.
Spring Equinox Meditation Questions
Night and day are perfectly balanced at the equinoxes.
- What steps do I need to take to restore balance in my life?
- Are there any changes I need to make in my lifestyle to restore a good work-life balance?
- How can I use my yoga practice as a way to bring balance into my life.
Yoga Through the Year Book
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In the Spring Equinox chapter of the Yoga Through the Year book you will also find:
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Spring Equinox Yoga Practice
Below is an aide memoire for a Spring Equinox Yoga Practice. Full instructions for the practice can be found in The Yoga Through the Year book. This practice is designed to be used around the time of the Spring Equinox, but it can also be used all year round. It takes about 15-20 minutes. It is an energising practice that also creates a sense of balance and stability.
This Spring Equinox yoga practice has been designed to encapsulate the excitement and anticipation that comes with the arrival of spring. Poses such as the Runner’s Lunge have been chosen to reflect a sense of being poised for action at the start of a race.
The magic of leaves unfurling, blossom opening, and the world waking up after its winter sleep is reflected in the flowing sequence of Child’s Pose into Upward-Facing Dog and back again. The exuberance of spring is expressed through poses such as Downward
Facing Dog pose with leg lifts.
We choose the balancing pose Warrior 3 to mirror day and night being perfectly balanced at the equinox. Stabilising poses such as Chair Pose help us stay grounded as the energy of the year revs up.
This Spring Equinox yoga practice has been designed to encapsulate the excitement and anticipation that comes with the arrival of spring. Poses such as the Runner’s Lunge have been chosen to reflect a sense of being poised for action at the start of a race.
The magic of leaves unfurling, blossom opening, and the world waking up after its winter sleep is reflected in the flowing sequence of Child’s Pose into Upward-Facing Dog and back again. The exuberance of spring is expressed through poses such as Downward
Facing Dog pose with leg lifts.
We choose the balancing pose Warrior 3 to mirror day and night being perfectly balanced at the equinox. Stabilising poses such as Chair Pose help us stay grounded as the energy of the year revs up.
