Happy Fall Equinox 2015

Pyramid of Kukulkan

At the Autumnal Equinox, we begin a new cycle on the Medicine Wheel of Life, entering the West--the home of autumn, twilight, Bear, introspection, and transformation. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the day and night are in balance, the Pyramid of Kukulkan (or Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent god) at Chich'en Itza, Mexico is visited by its namesake. On every equinox, the sun projects an undulating pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon--a pattern caused by the angle of the sun and the edge of the nine steps that define the pyramid's construction. These triangles of light link up with the massive stone carvings of snake heads at the base of the stairs, suggesting a massive serpent snaking down the structure. On the equinox, Kukulkan returns to earth to commune with his worshipers and provide blessing for a full harvest and good health before descending into the underworld.