Sitting here in Sydney on March 20th 2024, I’ve noticed changes morning after morning. Some are subtle, others more pronounced.

Subtle shifts in light greet me each day. Mornings arrive with less brightness, while evening light sets earlier.

I wear a light-summer dress but need a light shawl from the wardrobe. Winter attire remains tucked away, but I’m looking at the cooler-weather clothing displays at local boutiques.

Perhaps where you are, it’s the opposite. You’re spring-cleaning, flinging windows wide open, and stashing away the heaviest winter garments, opting for a light shawl instead.

Maybe we’re both reaching for that same sense of transition.

And then, there it is, March 20th – the day the Sun moves into Aries on the Equinox.

Today.

The Equinox, happening around September 22nd and March 20th, marks the Sun crossing the Earth’s equator, ushering in nearly equal lengths of day and night.

The Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, signals the onset of Spring, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the beginning of Autumn after a long, hot summer.

Against this changing seasonal backdrop, three major religious festivals occur.

Moon as Muse and in Myth

These occasions share a universal theme of reflection and rebirth.

Their exact dates vary yearly because they’re determined by the Sun and the Moon. 🌞 🌕

Early humans relied on the Sun and the Moon as muses; to mark time and seasons and to find their way in the world.

Around 5000 years ago, the Sumerians (modern Iraq) crafted the first known tales of the Sun and the Moon to help them find their way in the world.

The Sumerians had designated Inanna as Queen of Heaven, daughter of the Moon-god and Moon goddess, Nanna and Ningal.

The Moon was revered and considered magical and mysterious, for appearing, disappearing, then reappearing.

The Moon’s presence in the sky helped to create months, track changing seasons, and pinpoint the start of religious festivals. Its phases guided farmers in planting crops and sailors in navigating the seas.

It’s from the Moon that Easter, Passover and Ramadan exist today.

Take Ramadan, for example. Its month-long observance commences and ends with the sighting of the Crescent Moon. ☪️

The Islamic calendar, being a ‘lunar visibility’ calendar, initiates each month with the sighting of the new Crescent Moon. 🌙

Then there’s Passover.

This Jewish festival falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, a lunar month whose phases determine Passover’s timing, always on a Full-Moon day. 🌕

Nisan in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars, signifies the month of barley ripening and marks the start of spring.

The word ‘nisan’ traces back to the Sumerian “nisag,” meaning “first fruits.” 🫐 🍇🍓

Easter, the Christian holy festival, follows a simple definition: it’s the first Sunday after the Full Moon that occurs on or after the Spring Equinox. If the Full Moon falls on a Sunday, Easter is the subsequent Sunday.

In essence, the luminaries – the Sun and the Moon – serve as guides in finding your way in the world today, 5000+ years from the Sumerians.

Your Lunar Playlist

Wherever you are in the world friend, I invite you to celebrate this seasonal transition in a way that’s meaningful and rich to you.

Create a ritual to acknowledge how the Moon helps you find your way in the world.

We’ve created a 3-hour playlist to help you, La Luna.

Leave a comment below with your insights, questions and suggestions for our La Luna playlist.

I’ll be right here, dancing.

All my luminous love, ​

Kathryn 🌓

GlobalWoman Creator