The Spring Equinox:

As we walk during these changing tides we begin to find ourselves recovering from the long nights of winter as we approach the return of the extending sunlight. For many these warming days bring about easter baskets and oven baked hams, but to us cunning folk the equinox heralds balance and a shift from dormant energies into high-spirited ones as we "spring" into the spring equinox!

But what is the spring equinox, and what makes it special?

So way back in time when our ancestors were cavemen, when all they did was observe the natural world, the only two events they would really distinguish is “warm period with loads of food,” and “cold period with scarce food.” Nowadays we just call these periods the seasons of summer and winter, and the ancient people could tell which is coming up based on the solstices. But they also recognized that in between these important periods there would be a time where the night and day were equal, and these would become the equinoxes. During this time the day is given approximately 12 hours and the night the same amount, this time also marks “astronomical spring.” I only say astronomical spring since this is only based on the position of the earth to the sun, and springtime as we know (when the last frost is gone for example) is called “meteorological spring.” 

Various cultures around the world would either use the equinox as a time marker for their calendars so they can plan events in the future or they would make this a direct holiday which is what we are doing in this case! 

So in the pagan community the spring equinox is also known as “Ostara.” It is often recognized that Aiden Kelly actually coined the term for this modern pagan holiday from the Anglo-Saxon Goddess “Eostre,” and this name was actually promoted by Timothy Zell (now known as Oberon Zell) with his magazine at the time, The Green Egg. Also noticed how I said “modern pagan holiday,” since although the customs are indeed ancient such as the decorating of eggs and the symbolism of rabbits and lambs being linked to fertility and abundance, this holiday and many similar sabbats are modern recreations of ancient holidays and they were likely developed around the mid-20th century. There are numerous websites that I have found that ignore this aspect of the Sabbats and many others (myself included) truly believed that this was far more ancient. But the more I uncovered the origins of this holiday the more I fell in love with it and even though there are virtually no historical records of the Sabbat “Ostara” past the last century, that doesn’t make this holiday any less legit than any other holiday we have nowadays.

It should also be known that Ostara shouldn't be limited to just one day, Ostara is period of time as all Sabbats are on the wheel of the year. Its energies are found all around mid-March up unto late April, so don't feel overwhelmed to cram in as much fun pagan activies you can do on this day. For once you recognize this sacred day as a period of time you are truly able to immerse yourself with it's revitalizing energies as we shake off our winter coats and don our spring attire! With that being said here are some good correspondences with the spring equinox:

Symbols for Ostara: Eggs, baskets, budding plants, migrating birds, besoms & brooms, melting snow & rain

Colors: White, yellow, pink, green, pastel colors in general

Animals: Hares & rabbits, hedgehogs, blackbirds, robins, worms, butterflies, lambs & kids (baby goats), snakes

Plants & herbs: Crocuses, lavender, violets, lilac, honeysuckle, clovers, moss, tree blossoms, heather, cleavers, stinging nettle, garlic mustard, dandelion

Stones: Rose quartz, green & blue calcite, clear quartz, lepidolite, selenite

Rituals & activities: Cleaning & cleansing the home, decorating eggs, baking treats, preparing your garden, road opening work, fertility magic

Foods & drinks: Deviled eggs, hot crossed buns, fruit juices, dandelion wine or mead, fresh berries, lamb, fish, ham, custards & puddings, spring salads, goat cheese, fresh water, citrus fruits

Suggested music for Ostara: You could play some music that incorporates some wind instruments like flutes or wind chimes, you may even use a harp, rainstick, or even whistling. Some songs I suggest for the equinox is Dandelion by the Rolling stones, Coming up by Paul McCartney, or Birds of a feather by Billie Eilish.

The folklore of the equinox:

• If one wishes to create a traditional broom or besom they could gather at this time a bundle of birch twigs to represent the Goddess and her "bush", an ash staff works as a phallic symbol for the God, and some willow branches to bind them together. Symbolically this would represent the union of the God and Goddess during the equinox and spiritually brooms make for great tools to cleanse and protect the home from strangers. However it should be known that when you move into a new house you shouldn't bring in your old broom, as this is considered to be

  bringing in the bad luck from the old home.

  
  

• Hot crossed buns are a traditional baked good to be made around this time to receive the blessings of the land. Recipes vary but essentially it's a sweeten bun that is often glazed with frosting and dried fruits like cherries or raisins are added too.

• In Wicca the spring equinox is seen as the point when the Horned god and the Goddess are still youthful and beginning to flirt with each other. During this time they may begin to explore themselves as they begin to mature and develop.

Conclusion:

Ultimately the best way you could celebrate the equinox is by simply balancing yourself and aligning with the changing tides. Let the winter and all that has happened with it stay in the past and look forward to germinate new experiences with your loved ones, your spiritual path, and your local environment. Be sure to also give your genius loci some extra love and attention by also giving them a small offering, and also eat yourself a nice homemade hot cross bun and eat one more for me dear reader! Blessed be!