When is the First Day Of Spring?
That depends on where you live.
In the Northern Hemisphere, 2021 kicks off spring early morning precisely at 5:37 am Eastern Time on March 20th.
However, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the beginning of your fall season. Their Spring will have to wait until September, when we enter our Autumnal Equinox.
This is because the tilt of the Earth’s axis allows different areas of the planet to receive different hours of sunlight. For instance, during the winter, we are actually closer to the sun’s rays, but we get fewer hours of daylight.
The Vernal Equinox (or Spring Equinox) is that moment in time when
the entire planet enjoys virtually an equal amount of sunlight – North, South, East, and West.
An equinox only occurs twice each year: the onset of Spring and the onset of Fall.
For many, this is not just the beginning of Spring, it is their New Year. It is a time of growth, rebirth, and new beginnings… which is why I chose this special timing of the Vernal Equinox as a symbol within nature to launch My Sacred Circles.
The Mythology of Ostara
Before we celebrated Easter as a Christian holiday honoring the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we had the pagan celebrations of Ostara or Eostre.
Ostara was the goddess of the dawn. Her name means just that – the one who shines. As the sun rises in the east, this is where we get the word – from Ostara herself.
The holiday Ostara is celebrated to mark the Vernal Equinox, the time when light begins to overcome the darkness.
It is no surprise that people would celebrate her arrival after many cold, dark months.
She has inspired many variations of the following story.
While the snow blanketed the earth, Ostara laid beneath the soil in wait. The swallow acted as her messenger to awaken her.
“It is time for dawn to arise and shine its light and warmth upon the earth.”
But when Ostara finally made her appearance, she was horrified to find her feathered friend frozen – barely grasping onto life.
Realizing that the harsh winter could be the end of her little messenger of songs, her heart shone upon the swallow.
She blanketed it in warm fur, so it would never suffer from the icy climate, and she turned the bird into a beautiful rabbit. His long ears could listen for the changes of the season. His alert eyes would watch for signs that it is time to arise, and his large, thumping feet could tap…tap…tap… to gently awaken Ostara, so that she may bring sunshine to warm the earth and bring forth new life.
The bird, now warm and safe as a rabbit, rejoiced as she celebrated her renewal of life knowing she was near the brink of what was surely her doom. The rabbit was the perfect form for this delicate little creature, for the rabbit was a sign of life itself – a progenitor of generations upon generations of rabbits.
The bird, now a rabbit hopping merrily upon the earth, met a rabbit. They fell in love, and much to everyone’s surprise, when they created a family, the rabbit laid eggs. Hatching from the eggs, sprang her baby rabbits – protected with the same eyes, ears, and long feet that she had. They even had her soft little tail.
Each spring, she continues to lay eggs and is reminded of her own renewal of life as well as the earth’s awakening thanks to the spring goddess, Ostara.
How to Celebrate and Honor Ostara
Wiccans observe and celebrate the cycle of the seasons. This includes the equinoxes and solstices, as well as the mid-points between each. This means there are eight great times to celebrate life on this planet!
The Wheel of the Year begins with Yule, aka Winter Solstice. This is the longest night of the year.
If a circle had a beginning and an end, this would be it, for the sun has hidden from us, but this day marks the time when the days begin to get longer once again.
We then hit the mid-point between Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. This is Imbolc. When you think of imbolc, white comes to mind. This is early February when the North is covered in snow. Imbolc serves as a reminder to us that the seeds of spring have been planted. While it may not be visible and is still seemingly in hibernation, the earth is gradually warming and it will not be long before Ostara is here.
Finally our Vernal Equinox arrives with the arrival of Ostara, the third of eight important times of the year that we should make note of.
If you aren’t Wiccan though, should this special time be dismissed and ignored?
Many people dabble with some of the aspects that Wiccans observe while not claiming the title, and there’s nothing wrong with that. This is spiritual exploration. I always encourage finding ways to tap into your own spirituality, and it certainly does not need to be within the confines of a religion, although sometimes it may be.
My personal rule is always to stay in the light. We just don’t want to open any weird, scary portals. On my site, you will NEVER find anything dark! Heck, Ostara is Goddess of the Dawn!
So if you are wanting to mark today as a special day, there are a few things you can do.
1. Environmental Clean-up (Celebrate the earth as spring kicks off.)
2. Create a magickal herb garden (Bless all your future herbs.)
3. Celebrate in an established group. (If you don’t have a coven, go to Meetup.com to see if you can participate.)
4. Honor Ostara as an individual. (Feel free to find a special way that is meaningful to you. Otherwise, I have some tips you can use.)
How to Perform an Ostara Ritual
In 1988, Scott Cunningham came out with a new book, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. As I was not Wiccan but interested in witchcraft (as well as so many other religious traditions), I bought it. Ends up, it was one of his most popular books ever sold, and I still have it today.
Cunningham’s book is often my first ‘go-to’ resource. I felt like he did such a nice job with honoring Ostara and celebrating this special day, the recommendations and incantations that I am offering come from Cunningham and this particular book. You may choose to substitute your own.
If you are blessed to live in an area where the flowers are already making an appearance. Gather plenty for this ritual. Otherwise, go to your local grocery store or florist. Daffodils, violets, irises, and peonies, and narcissus are excellent choices for this celebration of spring. While you’re at it, get a small potted plant. You may wish for this to be something you will be using in your magickal herb garden!
1. Create an altar with candles, incense, flowers, a small potted plant and an iron cauldron. (These are a lot easier to get a hold of than when Cunningham’s book was first published.) Have a plate of bread/cake/cookies and a glass of wine/juice.
2. Fill your cauldron with spring water and flowers.
3. Sprinkle flowers around the circle to be cast.
4. Recite the Blessing Chant.
“May the powers of The One, The source of all creation; all-pervasive , omnipotent, eternal; May the Goddess, The Lady of the Moon; And the God, Horned Hunter of the Sun; May the powers of the Spirits of the Stones, Rulers of the elemental realms; May the powers of the stars above and the Earth below, Bless this place, and this time, and I who am with You.”
5. Invoke the Goddess and God.
6. Look upon the plant and say these words:
“O Great Goddess, you have freed yourself from the icy prison of winter. Now is the greening, when the fragrance of flowers drifts on the breeze. This is the beginning. Life renews itself by Your magic, Earth Goddess. The God stretches and rises, eager is His youth, and bursting with the promise of summer.”
7. Touch the plant, connecting to the energy and vibrations of the plant.
8. Visually journey within the plant through its roots, stems, and leaves as you maintain contact with the plant.
9. Before breaking contact, recite these words:
“I walk the earth in friendship, not in dominance. Mother Goddess and Father God, instill within me through this plant a warmth for ALL living things. Teach me to revere the Earth and all its treasures. May I never forget.”
10. Meditate on the changing of the seasons and what that means to you.
11. If you are moved to say any words of magic, do so at this time.
12. Celebrate with leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and edible flower petals. Traditionally wine is used in celebrations, but you can substitute grape juice in its stead.
“Gracious Goddess of Abundance, Bless this wine and infuse it with Your love. In Your names, Mother Goddess and Father God, I bless this wine (or juice).”
Sprinkle some on the ground as an offering before taking your sip.Then lift your plate of cakes (or bread) with both hands and say,
“Powerful God of the Harvest, Bless these cakes and infuse them with Your love. In Your names, Mother Goddess and Father God, I bless these cakes (or bread).”
Sprinkle some on the ground as on offering before eating yours.13. Break the circle. Honor the North, East, South, and West thanking them for their presence. You can ask them to watch over you as you end your ritual.
14. You may choose to use the water for an elixir or give it back to the earth.
Cunningham’s book is a great resource for all your basic needs if this is an area you wish to further explore.
Celebrate Life!
However you choose to celebrate spring, celebrate life. Recognize that you are one with nature. You are a creator who is powerful beyond imagination. What you choose to put in your thoughts is drawn into your life. So create a world of beauty for yourself and others, and welcome into my little sacred circle of love.