The Alchemy of Spring Equinox and Easter

Today is the vernal equinox. It is the time when day and night are of equal length. We celebrate the balance between dark and light (the sun and the moon), not only in the sky, but within ourselves. Over the years we have enacted this concept through our Druidic Alban Eiler ritual, walking into the light half of the year through the gateway of the merging of the sun and the moon. We understand this is an alchemical process of bringing our own opposites together to create this harmony within our own beings.

But what’s the deal with Easter?

Graphic by Marty Leeds – Gnostic Church and Academy of Lord Jesus Christ

Easter is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox because it is also astrological. It is signifying the time when the sun and the moon are both being reborn. And Jesus’ (the son/sun’s) death on the astrological cross of the solstices and equinoxes is telling us the story of our own death and rebirth.

the wheel of the year sky clock showing the cross of equinoxes and solstices

Easter brings the moon fully into the story, telling us that this is a mystical holiday. Whereas the spring equinox is based completely on the sun, Easter is following the lunar aspects as well. Oftentimes, the sun is thought of as masculine and the moon feminine, so it is helping us bring together both the masculine and feminine. The story of Jesus helps us to make the connection of “as above, so below”. His story is OUR story. The pain of his death tells us of the pain that we all must go through to reach enlightenment. Just as a woman has great pain in childbirth, our own rebirth is a painful process.

And Jesus’ resurrection tells us how we all must rise through the merging of our own opposites to bring balance within our lives.

alchemical marriage / rebis graphic by Marty Leeds, Gnostic Church and Academy of Lord Jesus Christ

There is a great deal more to the alchemy and astrology of this and what is going on in the sky at the time of Easter. I will give you one other small part of this aspect so that you might begin to understand that the Bible is entirely astrological and alchemical.

Here is what is happening in the south in the night sky at Easter.

The Golden Gate graphic by Marty Leeds – Gnostic Church and Academy of Lord Jesus Christ

At the time of Easter, rising in the south is Sagittarius and Scorpio. Between these constellations cultures across the world have known this to be a place where souls are bound and released by heaven, or the spiritual realm. In the Christian tradition it is called “the golden gate”. (Another place in the heavens known by many cultures and religions throughout time is called “the silver gate”. This is the place where souls are bound and released by earth.)

At Easter when Christ dies on the cross of matter – literally nailed to wood – he is released from being bound to the material realm and rises into the spiritual realm thus showing us the Way to our own enlightenment. He has been released by the heavenly Golden Gate.

keys representing the silver gate and the golden gate, symbology found at the Vatican

The above symbol found at the Vatican is one of many representations of the keys to the silver and golden gates found throughout Christian art. But the Vatican isn’t going to be telling you that it’s all astrological! And mark my word, they do know, but they don’t want you to know. And all the Christians who think the Bible is a literal history book also do not have a clue as to what they are reading.

When we begin to understand the true meaning behind these things is when we can receive the gnosis and put all the pieces together. We begin to see that we are a fractal of the whole. That is the meaning of “as above, so below”. The heavenly constellations have correspondences within ourselves.

the zodiac man

Each constellation has a correspondence to our own bodies. Understanding these correspondences will help you to understand all of the Bible stories as well as yourself. And this is all part of the mystery school tradition!

I look forward to expanding on this knowledge through my in-person events where we will continue delving into all of these things, learning through stories, songs, arts, crafts, nature, star studies, rituals and so much more!

Please let me know what you think about this post in the comments below. I look forward to continuing the conversation.

Here’s to your rising!

Jean