The Spring Maiden

The Spring Equinox honors one of the two times of the year when day and night are of equal length. Equinox comes from the Latin ‘Aequus” (equal) & ‘Nox’ (night). At this time, the Sun is directly above the Earth’s equator path between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. It is the beginning of astronomical Spring.

From this point on daylight hours will be longer than night, days will increase in length.  The sun's light is reborn and begins to grow stronger. It’s time to throw off the warm blanket we’ve been hibernating under and step out into the fresh energy of a new season.  The force of light is equally balanced with the force of darkness at this time, but light is on the increase – and will reach its apogee at the Summer Solstice three months from now.  This growing light calls us to become active again to grow in our maturity towards things of the light.

The Celtic peoples had a goddess of Spring or Light.  Her name was Eostre (pronounced as Eh-Oh-streh, or Eh-streh) and is likely the source for what we know as Easter.  As the name implies, the words have an ancient root to the word east referring to dawn or daybreak; to shine, to glow; or towards the dawn. Although she is historically obscured by the mists of time. Eostre is the spring maiden of vibrant new life in abundance, but also of the golden dawn that brings with it a new day of possibilities; the bright hope of each new morning. She is the breeze of spring that clears and freshens our minds; she is the boundless life and desire that fuels us.

Eostre  holds in her hands the balance of light and dark. In one hand is the bulb buried in the dark soil, rooted and secure; in the other is the blossoming daffodil moving towards the light. In one hand she also holds the egg, an oval, its life contained safely within; with the other she holds the chick, ever-growing and learning in the light of a new life.  Eostre brings us to this point of balance of light and dark.  It is a point of transition – to the moment just prior to birth,  the dawn between night and day.

Many people find the Spring Equinox a stressful time. At the Equinox we seek the balance of this moment within, and in doing so, draw strength from that sense of equilibrium, even when our imminent rebirth frightens and overwhelms us.  This time offers us a moment to take breath, to be touched by that stillness at a deep inner level, before the final push that will birth us.  The rising energy stirring up our static winter selves can feel uncomfortable, like rising from sleep before we are ready. Beginnings can be alarming and unnerving times, as well as bringing excitement and renewed enthusiasm and energy.

Because Eostre’s energy brings a tense, urgent moment when we feel the tightness of the egg’s shell painfully confining us. Our constantly evolving shape will always eventually outgrow any space/womb we inhabit. We must risk the dangers of birth to truly live and grow; we must risk the unknown that we might reach our full potential.  It takes courage to expand beyond our known boundaries, to crack the shell of our limitations that we might take the true place in our own unfolding story. Sometimes it can be tempting to want to remain in that warm, safe womb, regardless of how cramped it may have become. It can be helpful to understand that the struggle of the tender shoot through the soil is rewarded by its eventual blossoming and fruit. This tightly coiled energy often, because of the tension, strength and power needed to propel birth, is ready to shoot us into the light as a sprout through the ground.

Life is quickening everywhere. All nature is stretching awake driven on by the growing light and warmth of the radiant and increasing light following the equinox.  During the stillness of the darkness we learned to let go of the old, all those damaging habits and ways of thinking that no longer serve us.  Now we can be thankful for the wonderful chance to begin again. It is time to let the decay of winter go and to embrace the new growth for ourselves that Spring brings with the dawning of the increasing amount of light between now and the Fall Equinox.

May Eostre  bring you the courage to explore new territories, new perspectives, to find the strength to be reborn to new and exciting possibilities. Although it might feel frightening to be pushing against your shell, if your call on the irrepressible energy of Eostre, you will feel that fragile casing give way and, through its cracks, see the light of the dawn breaking upon a new world and set of possibilities.

Spring means the opportunity for growth.  Let's grow together.