Around March 20, in the Northern Hemisphere, we celebrate the return of spring. It is a moment that marks the balance between day and night, the equinox. It is also the return of light and the return of the earth’s fertility, with the first shoots beginning to emerge from the ground, buds timidly appearing on the branches of shrubs and trees, chicks leaving their nests, and hares leaping into the grass to court one another. Light triumphs over darkness. The days are sweeter, longer, and livelier. Energy and passion are two other symbols of this period. The two polarities—feminine (moon-night) and masculine (sun-day)—balance each other and unite to make life fruitful.
After a harsh winter, the rebirth of life and the Earth is associated with the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility: Eostre, often linked to the goddesses of the Dawn—Aurora for the Romans and Eos for the Greeks. These goddesses were thus entrusted with the task of ushering in the morning, letting in the light of day. As a symbol of Dawn and Aurora, the associated direction is, in fact, the East.
The Spring Equinox is also associated with the Germanic goddess Ostara, whose name derives from the word “ost,” meaning “East.” Ostara is the goddess of fertility, the earth, nature, and youth.
The animals associated with this period of fertility are chicks, young rabbits, ducklings, and young animals. The rabbit or hare, formerly associated with the moon, is also a symbol of fertility.
The colors associated with Ostara are the yellow of the sun and the green of nature.
Rituals tailored for these days of renewal
- Spring cleaning began with Imbolc in early February. Now is the time to finish that big house cleaning—in every area of your life and on every level—by sweeping away stagnant and even harmful energies. So grab your broom and sweep away, both symbolically and physically, whatever you no longer need from inside your house or apartment. Sweep each room with the broom, starting from the corners opposite the door, to sweep them toward the room’s doorway, and then sweep them out through the front door with gratitude. Next, you can burn incense (Copal, Benzoin…) or smudge with white sage, rosemary, etc., in each room, and then air them out. And don’t forget to pass the sage or incense around yourself as well to free yourself too.
- The celebration of life and fertility comes to life with eggs that you can paint in vibrant colors. Once used in sacred rituals before being eaten, eggs represent the genesis of the world, where life emerges from darkness to discover the light.
- To celebrate the Earth’s awakening in the coming days, you can also take a walk in nature, barefoot, gather the first fresh flowers of the year, and express your gratitude for their blooming, their blossoming. Observe the buds emerging, listen to the buzzing of insects. You can also tend to your garden, plant seeds, or simply enjoy the warmth of the sun. In any case, take this moment to ground yourself, and take a long, deep breath to welcome this renewal.
- Ostara is also an ideal time to spark new projects, to create, to initiate change. So take your best pen and draw your desires, affirm your desires, decree your desires. Do this by including as many details as possible: date, place, images, sound, sensation, surroundings…
- Take a moment to meditate while sitting or lying under a tree and enjoy the present moment, observing your surroundings, smiling at life.
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