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3/24/2008

Fall equinox celebrations: The first day of autumn falls on a full moon...



... and on Easter this year. I spent it meditating on the death and rebirth of the Saviour, as the daylight slowly gives place to longer nights, and the days get longer on the North, in which is so apropos to the occasion, considering that Halloween in the North Hemisphere falls in the falls equinox (day and night in equal duration). Though here in the South Hemisphere there is no such tradition, nevertheless (and like a rare coincidence) I ended up celebrating it in a place called Aquelarre, which means a place where witches and magicians get-together around the lake Vichuquen.



Vichuquen means "sea serpent" and it's an ancient site (previous to the Spaniards conquests, and founded by the Incas) where legends and myths were shared mouth-to-mouth. In that lake there are jumping fishes and swim dark little swans, as well as the big swans with white tail and long black neck. The water there is so penetrating that at night is difficult not to fall into a trance. No wonder the legends. I was wondering if with all those long necks swirling around people wouldn't get dizzy and imagine they have seen the "Long Necks" monster. So I made a small ritual, dancing like dragonfly in a Ballet made for the Swan Lake, and holding the little witch, which is used to sign where the wind blows, at the top of my finger.


Some people believe that by some mystical way one can balance eggs on their end on the equinox. Well, the only eggs I tried to balance were the little ones the Easter bunny gave to me. And so that I would still be able to balance my own body after that feast of chocolates during the day and the pouring of red wine on my glass at night.

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