The New Year is Spring

Realigning our Calendars to The Seasons

As we may know, the western world celebrates their new year on January 1st - with a message of celebration and resolutions. The holiday takes place (in the northern hemisphere) during Winter; a season of rest and conservation; counter to the new year spirit of new beginnings.

So why does the year begin on January 1st and not on the Vernal Equinox in the Spring? After sufficient research, we've come to conclude that the calendars of today are no longer aligned with nature and thus do not have our best interests in mind. Here we explore how it got this way, why managing and self-directing our energy is the most vital thing we can do, and how we personally use ÓS to better connect to the cycles of nature.

Spring is the real New Year

The date January 1st as the start of the new year originates from ancient Rome, specifically from Julius Caesar's calendar reform in 45 B.C. Before this, the Roman Republic followed a lunar-based calendar that had drifted out of sync with the seasons due to political manipulation and irregular adjustments. To correct this, Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, a solar-based system, adding 67 days to realign the year and establishing January 1st as the official start. This change also served a practical purpose: Roman elected officials traditionally began their terms at the start of the year, and by fixing January 1st as New Year's Day, military campaigns could be planned earlier... On January 1st they held feasts dedicated to Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions, symbolized by his two faces—one looking back and the other forward. January getting its name from this deity.

During the Middle Ages, errors in Julius Caesar’s calendar became evident, leading many to abandon it. In the 1570's, Pope Gregory XIII enlisted Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius to correct the miscalculations. By 1582, the Gregorian calendar was introduced, solidifying January 1st as the widely accepted start of the new year. 443 years later we still use the Gregorian calendar, now integrated in our phones. The Babylonians, one of the earliest civilizations to record a new year festival, around 2,000 B.C., celebrated Akitu: their New Year's festival was on the first moon after the vernal equinox. Aligning the new year to Spring continued until the calendar became a tool for administration; it leaned away from the concept of connection to the rhythms of nature. Calendars at their root serve to honor humanity’s intrinsic relationship to the cycles of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

Why do we celebrate new year during Winter when Spring is when natural life is renewed? It seems obvious that celebrating the new year in Spring can relieve us of putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves and empowers us to make and practice rituals that nurture us. Our own calendars are ultimately for us to define. Yet many people and cultures DO celebrate in the spring, or similarly with the Lunar New Year. The calendars do more than just mark the time though; they can remind us of ways in which can improve our lives through nature.

Deep wisdom is found within the Seasons: They reflect the cycles and patterns all around us.

We Begin our New Years on the Vernal Equinox

The Vernal equinox marks the beginning of the season of Spring. The vernal equinox is a powerful threshold—a moment when light and darkness stand in perfect balance, marking the shift from winter’s stillness to the vibrant energy of spring. Occurring around March 19–22 in the Northern Hemisphere, this transition signals renewal, growth, and the awakening of nature.

Unlike the Gregorian-based New Year, which is often met with forced resolutions and lingering winter inertia, beginning the year with the vernal equinox aligns with nature’s rhythm. The increasing daylight opens us up to new possibilities, making it an ideal time to set intentions, initiate projects, and embrace new experiences.

The Equinox is a Symbol of Balance

The equinoxes—both vernal (spring) and autumnal (fall)—are the only two times of the year when day and night are nearly equal in length. This balance serves as a reminder of life’s natural cycles: action and rest, light and shadow, growth and release.

Spring Equinox : The return of longer days brings renewed vitality. It’s a season of planting—both literally in the earth and metaphorically in our lives.

What seeds am I planting?

Autumn Equinox: A time of harvest and reflection, preparing for the descent into the quieter, introspective months ahead.

The equinoxes remind us of the delicate balance in life. Across cultures and centuries, these seasonal cycles have served as powerful guides of change shaping our societies.

Many traditions see the equinoxes as portals of transformation. In Wiccan and pagan traditions, the vernal equinox (Ostara) is a festival of fertility, while the autumnal equinox (Mabon) is a time for reflection and gratitude. Similarly, indigenous cultures recognize the equinoxes as moments of spiritual renewal in connection with nature’s cycles.

Nature is our earliest teacher.

Honoring the Equinox: Anew Year

How can I align my own rhythm with this seasonal shift?

We can begin through our notebooks and journals. They help us to clear out stagnation, refine our focus, and step into a new cycle of growth.

1. Set Clear Intentions:  What do I want to cultivate in this new year?
   

2. Create Space for Renewal: 

   • organize your environment

   • refresh your routines

   • welcome change with enthusiasm.
     

3. Embrace Balance: Integrate both reflection and action; ensuring sustainable momentum.

Journaling helps us step into the year with clarity - connected to nature’s unfolding rhythms.

Seasons as Symbols of Change and Renewal

Nature moves in a continuous cycle, from the emergence of new life in spring to the stillness of winter. These transitions are not just external shifts; they affect our emotions, energy levels, and perspectives. Recognizing these patterns allows us to move with life rather than against it.

Each season carries profound symbolism and lessons:

• Spring (Rebirth & Possibility) represents new beginnings. ➶ Practice visualization and goal-setting to align with the energy of new ideas.

  
  

• Summer (Abundance & Expression) highlights abundance, vitality, and the peak of creative and personal expression. ➶ Immerse yourself in social gatherings and creative expression to celebrate life’s fullness.
  

• Autumn (Reflection & Letting Go) is a time for shedding what no longer serves us, preparing for transitions, and embracing transformation. ➶ Engage in self-inquiry and process emotions, making space for new insights.
  

• Winter (Rest & Renewal) calls for stillness, rest, and inner reflection, reminding us of the importance of restoration before the next cycle begins.

  ➶ Prioritize self-care, inner work, and deep rest to nurture your heart, mind, and soul.

These natural patterns give us a deeper insight into our own internal rhythms. They remind us to keep in mind what we value, what we honor, and that we we can choose to begin again!

The Seasons are here to guide us and help balance us out.

We organize our months through the Zodiac

We connect the meteorological seasons to the the tropical Zodiac for our symbols. We invite you to look up Vedic Astrology, explore what works for you, and consider the potential for organization through the symbols for the 12 months of the year themselves.

Looking at this symbolism deeper - The Zodiac outlines a hero's journey of the mind, and spirit - it is a framework for using the year to better develop our thought patterns, and decisions.

The Zodiac as an outline for Yearly Development

The Year begins with the Vernal Equinox and lines up with the initiatory sign of Aries.

In ancient cultures there are lessons and wisdom within the myth, story, and symbolism inside of the seasons, Zodiac, and Planets that ruled them. Myths and story are plots of the psyche; they are ongoing, symbolic explanations of the inner self, as well as metaphors for external events. We embody all the signs: Each sign represents a different aspect of ourselves. There is something to know and understand. The hero on their journey also faces what is difficult and gains wisdom in the process.

Through this symbolism - we highlight the lessons to integrate behind each sign. Through journaling we can use this outline to support our own personal development.

We offer our ÓS Guidebooks as referential tools in support of your own journaling practice.

ÓS Guidebook

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Continue reading through our Hero's Journey Page.