Spiritually Celebrate the Vernal Equinox at Stonehenge

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]oday is the vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s one of only two times a year when the sun rises exactly due east and sets due west. This balance is observed by many people on sight across the world, but especially in ancient locations like Stonehenge (located in England). Many travel to that prehistoric location to appreciate the sheer manpower that it took to place Stonehenge into the solid formation that it still holds today. But those who are neo-druids, neo-Pagans, Wiccans and other religions also travel to Stonehenge to celebrate the world coming into balance once again.

Many of those groups honor Ostara, a holiday which is thought to have originated from Celtic and Saxon spring holidays (which later on became the Christian holiday of Easter). Like many of the world’s spring celebrations, Ostara is a goddess of spring, fertility, hunting and dancing. Many symbols of the theological Easter are shared with this holiday, such as eggs, rabbits and flowers.

Activities included in Ostara include setting up an altar, lighting candles, performing rituals of rebirth, meditating, spring cleaning and planting seeds and plants. At Stonehenge, all this and more happens at sunrise, including the consumption of an ancient drink made of dandelion and burdock cordials, which is said to help cleanse the body.

Stonehenge, which is continually full of new secrets, sees a lot of celebratory events happen on location, especially during equinox and solstice events that occur annually. Many of these events need to maintain a balance of their own, with both spiritual and party-seeking attendees (often embracing a myriad of drugs) sharing the location. It’s truly a unique partnership, and one that helps bring many people together.

Americans can’t exactly pop over to Stonehenge to participate in these unique activities, but the vernal equinox can still be celebrated anywhere in the world. And of course, what other way to spiritually connect with this day of balance, than to consume some cannabis in honor of the holiday? We recently covered spring cleaning, so you’re already halfway there—the next step is to embrace your favorite plant in honor of the arrival of spring.