As we approach the cusp of the Vernal Equinox, I’m reminded of the promise that the sun brings to different facets of nature and the individual during this time. It may be difficult for some of us to relate to the agricultural aspects of the season, considering that many of us do not live on farms or agricultural communities. However it would behoove us to THINK GREEN during this time of the year. It tunes us into creative birth, fertility, warmth of body and soul, and sunlight on the mind (as opposed to the wintry effects of depression, fatigue, seasonal affective disorder, etc.).
Ancient civilizations like the Babylonians, and many others, viewed Spring as a time of renewal, and the re-establishment of order. Babylonian Springtime celebrations often commemorate the season by re-tellings of the Enuma Elish and make references to Marduk in ritual poetry, calling to him to cast darkness and chaos from civilized land. I have never been much of a fan of Marduk, myself. I am still convinced that Tiamat’s role was more in depth than what we know of ancient history lets on. Not only in the ancient near east, but all over the world we discover a plethora of serpentine folklore. In many cultures serpents were worshipped out of fears of pestilence, disease, disorder, and death. But serpents were also entreated as the bringers of fertility, growth, abundance. Even Hindu belief of the chakras stem from a coiled serpent in the seat of the soul – kundalini. Fires, passion, lust. Even if one were to peer into the modern day garden, snakes are attracted to tall grasses and slightly overgrown regions, but also remove smaller pests from doing damage to the plot, thus promoting the growth and abundance of the plot. Serpentine folklore is a multifaceted subject that can no longer be summized by empty assumptions of a simplified dualistic worldview.
I recently read excerpts from a book on Serpent Worship, which focused primarily on the snake-like processions of worship among Celtic druids. This time of year is also commonly famous for Saint Patrick and his donations to Irish Christianity. I remember hearing from some members of a meetup a year ago that they had plans to silently protest St. Patrick’s Day by donning green pins in the shape of snakes upon their garments. They believed that Saint Patrick’s driving of the snakes from Ireland was an allegory to the conversion of medieval Irish Paganism to Catholicism. I’ve never actually studied it, myself, but find the serpent references awfully intriguing. The shame surrounding modern day celebrations of Saint Patrick’s Day is that many people seem to be clueless as to what they’re celebrating if you take away the shamrocks, pro-Irish sentiments and the green beer. I look at these subjects with a critical eye because I want to get at the heart of why we are still honoring celebrations which began long before any of us were ever a seed of thought glimmering in our ancestors’ eyes.
