The Spring Equinox + a 12-month tarot spread
The Spring Equinox marks the beginning of the New year for many, as this is when the world starts to open up, eggs are hatched, flowers emerge from their slumber and we begin to feel energized and renewed.
History of why Spring is seen as the beginning of the year
Ok, so let’s get technica, first…the Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar system in the world today. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 as a reform of the Julian calendar, which had been in use since ancient Roman times. The motivation behind the adoption of the Gregorian calendar was to address inaccuracies in the Julian calendar, particularly in relation to the timing of the spring equinox and Easter. Oh, Greggie, why don’t we just turn over the apple cart, why don’t we?
The Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE, was based on a solar year of 365.25 days, with an extra day added to February every four years (leap year) to account for the approximately quarter-day discrepancy between the calendar year and the solar year. However, the Julian calendar slightly overestimated the length of the solar year, leading to a gradual drift in the calendar over time.
One of the primary concerns driving the reform of the calendar was the determination of the date of Easter, a significant Christian holiday. The timing of Easter was traditionally calculated based on the vernal equinox, but inaccuracies in the Julian calendar had caused the date of the equinox to drift away from its astronomical position.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar to correct the inaccuracies of the Julian calendar. The reform involved several adjustments, including the omission of several days from the calendar and changes to the leap year rules to more accurately synchronize the calendar year with the solar year.
The Gregorian calendar was gradually adopted by Catholic countries across Europe, starting with Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Other countries followed suit over the following centuries, although some Eastern Orthodox countries continued to use the Julian calendar for religious purposes.
The Gregorian calendar eventually became the standard calendar system used worldwide, largely due to its adoption by colonial powers and its alignment with international trade and communication.
This is why you have a hard time sticking to ‘resolutions’ in January
The Julian calendar is more closely aligned to the seasons and helps us to move in harmony with mother nature more accurately. This is why we have a hard time sticking to ‘resolutions’ set out in January because technically, we are still in the middle of winter.
The Spring Equinox is the best time to begin the new year, because our bodies are in tune with the changing seasons.
The spring equinox is associated with themes of balance, harmony, and growth. It represents a time when the forces of light and darkness are in equilibrium before tipping in favor of light as the days continue to lengthen.
This represents a BALANCING of energy within ourselves, a metaphor for finding harmony within oneself and in one’s relationship with the world. This is a key time to learn to balance between light and dark, masculine and feminine energies, etc. If you have been steeped in heavy shadow work over the winter seasons, this is a great time to assess what you have learned and begin to integrate it into your existence.
The Spring Equinox and Gratitude
As a spiritualist and pagan, I like to use the ending of every season as a time to express gratitude for what I have experienced [challenging and positive], what I have learned from these experiences and a reflection on expressing gratitude for said lessons.
Slowing down at every season change is optimal to help us to understand what we have gone through and what we are moving towards in the next season.
Take a moment to reflect on the blessings in your life and express gratitude for the abundance of the season. Consider creating a gratitude altar or journal where you can write down the things you are thankful for and reflect on the growth and blessings that are unfolding in your life.
Here are some questions to help you make sense of these transitions:
- What 3 major challenges and lessons did the Winter season have for me? [Pick 3 cards for challenges and then 3 cards for lessons]
- How can I integrate these lessons into my being and my everyday life?
- What does the Spring season look like for me? In business/career/love/finances/relationships?
- How can I move towards my Spring Awakening?
- How can I become more open to what is evolving or transforming within me?
- What do I have to be grateful for in the upcoming Spring season?
- How can I express gratitude towards myself and what I have learned so far?
My 12-month spread
I like to do a yearly spread for what energies and lessons may come forth during the year and determine how to work with them. I journal on my iPad and in a notebook about the notes and the cards that I pull, I go into extreme detail, it’s relaxing for me, and serves as a form of art journaling, because I do draw as well, but you don’t have to.
I like to do this in a circular fashion, representing the wheel of the year, which is a reminder of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. And also, it looks prettier. You can use the floor or the bed, like me, because I don’t have Megan knees, I’m old.
Yearly
- Yearly overview card: one card to determine the theme for the year
- Yearly lessons and challenges
- Yearly — what to remember to overcome these challenges. A way of thinking or an action that can be used to make sure that these challenges do not become overwhelming.
Monthly
- Pull one card for the theme of the month
- Card for your energy at the beginning of the month
- Pull card for the challenges or lessons
- Pull a card for how to overcome these challenges
- Pull a card for the blessings of the month
- What energy are you embodying by the end of the month
I then take each month and section of the cards and use Notability or a journal to write out my response for each question. I am a bit anal retentive, so I am methodical and I see this as fun, but you can just use keywords or draw your responses. It is more about having you be contemplative about your next steps and the year ahead. Sometimes I write it out and sometimes, I type it, it all depends…
Okay, so I hoped this helped. Feel free to email me, or join my upcoming membership if you need some help. Have a wonderful Spring and until next time.
