Vernal Equinox 

Spring Equinox, Lady Day, Alban Eiler, Ostara, Eostara, Eostre, Eostar, Easter

Also connections to St. Patrick's Day and April Fool's Day

Beginnings is the key word for this point in time. The Sun reaches it's most Northern point around March 21, entering Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, a fire sign symbolic of conception (beginnings), drive, and intensity. This is the first day of Spring. 'Vernal' is Latin for bloom. 'Equinox' is Latin for equal night. In the North, signs of life are beginning to emerge in Nature. Trees and plants are starting to bud, grass begins to sprout in patches of melted snow, the sweet sounds of birds are starting to return as they make their nests and begin to lay their eggs. Fertility is abound. In the Pagan Wheel of the Year, the Goddess conceives the child of the God, which in turn is the God himself. The seed is planted. Light and dark are in balance once again, but this time Light is overtaking the Dark. From this day forward the daylight grows longer, and night grows shorter until the Summer Solstice, when the Sun reaches its peak. This is the time to make a fresh start in any endeavor. There is a sense of eagerness and excitement in the air. New possibilities, fresh perspectives, and the drive to begin these possibilities. Some cultures consider this the New Year.

The Shamrock (trefoil), the Lily, Fleur-de-lis, and similar plants were all symbols of the three aspects of the Goddess; Virgin Maiden, Mother, and Crone. These threefolds represent the Goddess's ability to self-fertilize. The Triple Mothers of Celtic lore were sometimes called Three Brigits, or Three Morgans. In Roman myth, the Goddess Juno used a magic lily to conceive Mars without a male.

The name for the feminine horomone Estrogen comes from Eostre, the Goddess of fertility & conception. Her symbols were the hare (another fertility symbol) and the egg of creation. It was said you could see a hare in the moon at this time of year.

HERBS/INCENSE/FLOWERS:

Daffodils, catnip, clover, crocus, honeysuckle, lilies, lemon, lemongrass, lotus, jonquils, meadowsweet, narcissus, snowdrops, spearmint, tulips, violets, All Spring flowers

COLORS:

Green, Yellow, Scarlet, Violet, Pastels: Pinks, lt. Blues

DECORATIONS (altar or otherwise):

Colored &/or decorated eggs, birds, nests or baskets, rabbits & hares, Spring flowers.

FOODS:

Spring flower foods, first fruits of season, seeds, sprouts, leafy greens, eggs, honey cakes, cakes, buns, biscuits, cheeses, honey ham .

GODS & GODDESSES:

Aphrodite, Arachne, Astarte, Athena, Blodeuwedd, Cybele, Eostre, Gaia, Gaea, Hera, Inanna, Isis, Ishtar, Juno, Minerva, Persephone, Venus, Attis, The Great Horned God, The Green Man, Lord of the Greenwood, Robin of the Woods, Cernunnos, Demeter, The Dagda, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Thoth, Pan...any God/desses of Love, Youth, Fertility, The Moon & Sun

GEMSTONES:

amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, jasper, rose quartz, moonstone.

ANIMALS:

rabbits, hares, lambs, all baby animals.

RITUALS/ACTIVITIES:

collecting, decorating, & eating eggs, starting a garden, taking nature walks, making baskets, cleaning & cleansing, making a fresh start, new beginnings, obtaining balance

TAROT CARDS:

The Empress & The Fool

written by GypsyJaguar  2003-2005