Pagan Holidays - Spring Equinox

The classic Greek myth of Demeter and her daughter Persephone embodies the cycle of death and rebirth that spring represents. Demeter was the goddess responsible for earth's fertility. Persephone (sometimes referred to as Kore, meaning maiden) was picking flowers in a field when Hades, the Underworld god, abducted her and kept her hidden from her mother. He then forced her to marry him. Angry and despairing, Demeter searched everywhere for Persephone. Finally, she refused to allow anything to grow on the earth until her daughter was returned to her.

Zeus, lord of the gods, had allowed the abduction, but when he saw what form Demeter's wrath took, he had to intervene. He demanded that Hades return Persephone. Hades agreed but tricked her before she left by giving her some pomegranate seeds to eat. These seeds were the seal of a marriage that could not be broken.

Again, Zeus had to suggest a compromise. Persephone would spend part of the year as queen of the Underworld and then return to her mother as goddess of spring. This myth is just one of many that illustrates the resurrection theme many Pagans believe pre-dates Christianity by centuries.

While we don't have evidence that the ancient Celts celebrated the spring equinox, traditions honoring the rebirth of spring have survived from many cultures. Modern Pagans combine some of these including painting eggs, the symbol of the hare, planting seeds and blessing land in order to provide a fruitful year.

Some believe that even hot cross buns, the popular Easter treat, are ancient in origin. While the cross for Christians symbolizes their faith, it also represents the sun wheel for Pagans. It is believed these buns were either given as offerings to Eostre or hung in the home for good luck.

Rituals at this time of year honor the gods and goddesses of spring and regrowth. We can bring in the green by planting a tree or starting our indoor herb garden. Inwardly, this is a time of physical, mental, and spiritual renewal.

Bring flowers into your home and contemplate that part of yourself which has been hibernating in the dark and bring it back into the light of the dawn. Better yet, dance the spring back into your life in celebration of the renewal of the earth as well as your own.

Making sugar cookies is always a fun activity to get the entire family involved in. Pick your favorite recipe and use cookie cutters in egg and bunny shapes to go with the Ostara theme. Ice them and then decorate with spring flowers or Pagan symbols made with piped icing or the pre-made icing from a tube. Make a spring-themed cake complete with decorative flowers or rune symbols since the goddess Eostre is of the Northern European pantheon. Deviled eggs are perfect to make with all those eggs you and the kids dyed.

If you want to make some less sugary fare instead of or alongside your confections, think green. While it's true many areas don't have farmers' markets open yet, your local grocery store still probably has things like spinach, cucumbers, leafy lettuce and herbs. Use these in salads and soups for a lighter alternative or side dish to your holiday dinner.

Decorate eggs with your favorite paint or dying method. Before you color the eggs though try using a crayon or melted wax and a toothpick to draw your chosen symbols on it. After you dye the eggs and let them dry, place them in an oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes to melt off the wax. You will then have the wax-resist design left on the egg. Then have an egg basket hunt with the ever popular chocolate bunnies as part of the prize or whatever your heart desires. Personally, I'm a sucker for Cadbury eggs at this time of year.

Any crafts that celebrate spring would be appropriate such as wreaths or garlands. Ask the kids to draw a picture of how they envision the goddesses and gods of spring. Start seedlings indoors sharing the excitement of the plants to come as well as the increasing light and then keep a gardening journal to record your progress.

Now is a great time to share spring myths from around the world and to learn about environmental concerns in your area. Explain what fertility means in terms of new growth, new life as well as prosperity and how it is part of the cycle of seasons you celebrate all year round. Above all, have a happy spring!

Photo credits: Ostara, easter eggs, Frederic Leighton's The Return of Persephone: Wikimedia Commons, public domain June 2009.

Sources:
Stuart Alan. Anglo-Saxon Heathenism. 2007. Accessed 2008.
Robert Lee Ellison. The Solitary Druid. Citadel Press. Kensington, 2005.
Hugh G. Evelyn-White, translation. Hymn to Demeter. Loeb Classical Library, 1914.
Janet & Stewart Farrar. The Witches' Goddess. Phoenix Publishing, Inc.,1987.