Spring is Afoot!- Info

Any section marked with an asterisk (*) is via Witchology.com.

I was curious about what makes the first day of Spring the equinox. So I thought I would share my findings!


An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name "equinox" is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day have approximately equal length. (I personally was not aware of that.)

* Today, Ostara is one of the eight major holidays, sabbats or festivals of Wicca. It is celebrated on the Spring Equinox, which in the northern hemisphere is around the 20th or 21st of March and in the southern hemisphere around the 23rd of September. But many other religions also celebrate the Spring Equinox, under another title, of course.

* Etymologically, Eostre, or, as it is sometimes called, Ostara, may come from the word 'east', meaning dawn. Others have also tried to link Eostre with 'estrogen' and 'estrus'. These words, however, are more widely considered to be derived from the Greek oistros, meaning 'gadfly' or 'frenzy'. Interestingly, the word 'spring' (from to spring, to leap or jump up, burst out, 0ld English springan, a common Teutonic word, ccompare German springen), primarily the act of springing or leaping, is applied to the season of the year in which plant life begins to bud and shoot.

Goddesses: Virgin Goddesses, Moon Goddesses, Goddesses of Love, Androgynous Deities, some Fertility Goddesses. Some Ostara Goddesses are: Aphrodite (Greek), Eostre (Teutonic), Ma-Ku (Chinese), Lady of the Lake (Welsh-Cornish), Minerva (Roman), Isis (Egyptian), Rheda (Anglo-Saxon), Coatlicue (Aztec).

Gods: Gods of Love, Moon Gods, Gods of Song & Dance, some Fertility Gods. Some Ostara Gods are: Adonis (Greek), Lord of the Greenwood (English), Ovis (Roman Etruscan), Dylan (Welsh), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Attis (Persian), Mithras (Greco Persian). 

Altar decorations: Colored eggs, seeds, earth, flowers and herbs appropriate

Traditions:  Planting seeds, working on magickal or herbal gardens, herbal work, taking walks through gardens, parks, woodlands, decorating and coloring eggs.
Foods: Eggs, honey, bread, seeds, sprouts and green leafy vegetables 

Drinks: Eggnog, wines, dandelion, linden teas,hyssop

Flowers And Herbs: all spring flowers. Irish moss,crocus flowers, daffodils, Easter lilies, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, roses, strawberry, tansy and violets. Acorn, Celandine, Cinquefoil, Dandelion, Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Iris, Jasmine, Rose, Tansy, Violet

Incense: Floral of any type. jasmine, African violet, rose, sage, strawberry, violet flowers, orange peel, rose petals, lotus, magnolia, ginger .

Oils: Magnolia, ginger, lotus.

Colors: all pastels, yellow, pink, green, blue

Stones: Rose quartz, aquamarine, amethyst, jasper and moonstone.

Animal: Hares, rabbits, snakes, unicorn, Pegasus