The Spring Equinox marks the traditional Easter celebration, the moment when the Sun crosses the equator from south to north. This is when animals like rabbits, deer, chipmunks, and other creatures of the forest begin to have their offspring. Various flora also emerge around this time, dotting the landscape with hints of color. During the Spring Equinox we pay special attention to the great Goddess in her youthful form of Ostara, Goddess of the Dawn. Ostara is associated with the rising Sun in the East, fertility, and light; a beacon of joy and good fortune. To many ancient Germanic Pagans, Ostara was credited with Springs deliverance. From her name we derive the modern word Easter, nodding to the Pagan origins of this holiday. To Ostara we make offerings and pray for a good year, thanking her for the return of the light. In one particular myth, Ostara transforms a bird into a rabbit who would then lay colorful eggs for her, showing us where the core symbolism of our modern holiday came from.
In “Teutonic Mythology”, Grimm says:
“Ostara, Ēastre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing, whose meaning could be easily adapted to the resurrection-day of the Christian’s God. Bonfires were lighted at Easter, and according to a popular belief of long standing, the moment the sun rises on Easter Sunday morning, he gives three joyful leaps, he dances for joy. Water drawn on the Easter morning is, like that at Christmas, holy and healing; here also heathen notions seem to have grafted themselves on great Christian festivals. Maidens clothed in white, who at Easter, at the season of returning spring, show themselves in clefts of the rock and on mountains, are suggestive of the ancient goddess.”
It is customary to make generous offerings to the land spirits during this time, as this exchange nurtures the relationship with the local wildlife around the homestead. Examples would be seeds, nuts, fruits, bread, honey, water, kitchen scraps and other food items. This not only develops the connection between us and the land, but also boosts the local ecosystem, encouraging more organisms and ecological functions to flourish. By doing this, we also connect deeper with the natural order, by thoroughly observing the peculiarities of nature as it transitions through the seasons year after year.
In “A History of Pagan Europe” by Jones and Pennick, it says: