Mystical Seasons
Where you find yourself at this time is not a place, it is a state of being. Here you will learn about the Seasons of the year. You may have celebrated Enchanted Holidays and thus learned somewhat about these seasons.
In this magickal state of being, time stands still. You are at the center of where the time actually changes and so you can use your mind's eye to watch the Seasons as they unfold. To help you on this path, meet Teha, Guardian of all that is natural.
The Seasons are as natural as anything you know. A season is a major division in a year, at least in the manner in which humans measure time. Each season is described based on climatic changes. Thus, we have 4 seasons: autumn, winter, spring, summer.
Think of the Earth, the planet on which humans dwell, as a spinning top. Instead of spinning with its axis perpendicular, the Earth is tilted on its axis. So, as the planet moves around the Sun, one part of the planet is more directly exposed to the Sun's rays than the other part of the planet. In addition, the seasons experienced by the top half (Northern Hemisphere) are opposite to those experienced by the bottom half (Southern Hemisphere) of the Earth.
In astronomical terms. this is when each season begins in the Northern Hemisphere:
- Winter: Winter Solstice (corresponds to Yule)
- Spring: Vernal Equinox (corresponds to Imbolc)
- Summer: Summer Solstice (corresponds to Beltaine)
- Autumn: Autumnal Equinox (corresponds to Mabon)
In meterological terms, this is when each season begins in the Northern Hemisphere:
- Winter: December 1
- Spring: March 1
- Summer: June 1
- Autumn: September 1
In the conventional American calendar, the beginning of the astronomical seasons turns out to be approximately the middle of the corresponding meterological seasons.
Are you confused? Essentially, the old way of measuring seasonal change was according to the solstice or the equinox. Many people today will argue that the solstice or the equinox actually marks the middle of the season and not the beginning point. The meterological definition of each season is based on changes in climate or weather, and not an astronomical event.
You can choose to honor each season when you like and as you like!
Equinox
In astronomy, an equinox is defined as the moment when the Sun reaches one of two intersections between the ecliptic (or the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun) and the celestial equator (the projection of the plane of the Earth's equator against the entire sky). There are 2 equinoxes each year, one in March and another in September. During the equinox the day and the night are of equal duration. At equinox, the length of the day and the length of the night is precisely 12 hours. This image demonstrates the equal lighting of the Earth during the moment of equinox. Remember, earth is not perpendicular on its axis and so any other time besides equinox the lighted portion is not equal to the darkened portion.
Solstice
The word solstice is derived from Latin sol (sun) and sistere (stand still). During the year, the Sun (as viewed from the Earth) moves North to South. When it 'changes direction' the Sun appears to stand still momentarily. The solstices are the times of the year when the Sun reaches it northernmost and its southernmost positions. This is the time when the imbalance in the amount of Sun's rays received by one hemisphere compared to the other is greatest. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice is the longest day (shortest night) of the year and the Winter Solstice is the shortest day (longest night) of the year.
Now you are ready to move on and learn more about each individual season.