My Path of Kundalini
The Celts likely celebrated the Spring Equinox around March 19-23rd, although this portal spans a much wider time frame. Honouring the time when day and night come into balance, as equals, a point within the wheel of the year where we have the opportunity honour the darkness which gives birth to the light. A moment to pause and reconnect with the light that radiates from within us, connecting us back to source.
Though there is no surviving record of a specific Celtic name for the Spring Equinox it is however, often linked to the festival of Alban Eilir, a Druidic term, meaning "Light of the Earth" in Welsh. The transition from Alban Eilir to the more commonly recognised Ostara in modern Pagan traditions is largely due to the influence of Wicca and contemporary Paganism, which blended multiple European traditions. Ostara was popularised by Gerald Gardner, the founder of Wicca, in the mid-20th century. He drew on the work of Jacob Grimm (19th century), who speculated about Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon Germanic goddess of spring. Over time, Ostara became widely adopted within Wiccan and Neopagan traditions, focusing on themes of fertility, renewal, and balance. The Wheel of the Year, which includes Ostara, was designed to unify Celtic, Norse, and Germanic seasonal festivals into a cohesive system for modern Pagans, creating a unified Pagan calendar. Alban Eilir is still used by modern Druids and those following a Celtic-based spiritual path, of which I am going to curiously explore some more. Alban Eilir the Festival of Balance and Renewal As the Wheel of the Year turns, we arrive at Alban Eilir, as we move into the Light half of the year, the midpoint of growth, transformation, and balance.. This sacred time marks the balance of day and night, a fleeting moment when light and darkness stand as equals before the light of the sun’s power begins to rise. With winter’s grip finally loosening, the land awakens, offering signs of renewal, fertility, and transformation. A time of awakening throughout the ancient world, the Spring Equinox was seen as a powerful threshold. It signified the return of life after the long, introspective months of winter. The first buds appear on trees, animals stir from hibernation, and birds begin to nest, preparing for the abundance ahead. For the Celts and Druids, this was a time to honour the delicate balance between dark and light, death and rebirth, rest and action. The Celts likely acknowledged this shift with offerings to the land, honouring deities of fertility, and rituals celebrating the returning warmth and abundance. Stone circles and sacred sites, such as Stonehenge, and Castlerigg Stone Circle in the Lake District, have alignments with the equinox sunrises and sunsets, and the passage tombs of Ireland are some sites that align with the rising sun at this time of year, suggesting that our ancestors deeply understood and honoured this celestial turning point. Alban Eilir honours the balance of Light and Dark, and the magic of creation, the alchemical reaction birthed through the primordial sound of the darkness, which created light and life. At this time, day and night are equal, symbolising harmony, transition, and renewal. It is a time to honour both the dormant wisdom of winter, the darkness within the womb, which births the emerging light frequency that ignites the fires of creation bursting forth manifesting itself as the life force of spring. During this time in the wheel of the year we give space to be with ….
Ways to Honour Alban Eilir
Stepping into the light Alban Eilir reminds us that just as nature moves in cycles, so do we. It is a time of emergence, growth, and possibility, an invitation to step forward with intention, leaving behind what no longer serves us. This equinox, may we honour the balance within and around us, embracing the growing light while carrying the wisdom of the darkness that has passed. Alban Eilir is a reminder that balance is fleeting, a moment of pause before action. It is a powerful time to…..
As the Light of the Earth strengthens, what new beginnings are you ready to embrace?
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