Spring Equinox

The first day of spring is also known as the Vernal Equinox. Alban Eiler, which means, "Light of the Earth," is one of the two days that night and day stand equal. The equinoxes and solstices were holy times of transition for the ancient Celts, a celebration of the miraculous balance of nature and life cycles of renewal.

The Vernal, or Spring, Equinox takes place on or about March 21. An equinox refers to the time of the year when the Sun crosses the plane of the Earth's equator, making night and day equal length all over the planet. Crops were typically sown at this time, a time of transition.

The Neolithic predecessors of the Celts aligned numerous megalithic monuments with the solstices and the equinoxes. The passage tomb Sliabh na Caillí ("Hill of the Hag") in Loughcrew County Meath is aligned with the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes, when the sunrise shines on several sunwheel carvings.

The Spring Equinox is the mid-point of the waxing year. The spark of light that was born at the Winter Solstice has reached maturity. Today the light and dark are equal; from this day forward, the days grow longer than the nights. We have survived another Winter and are once more surrounded by the delights of Spring. It is a time for celebrating the greening of the Earth, and crops are typically sown at this time.

This is the time of full Dawn, and was the time of the festivals of the Grecian goddess, Eostre, and the Germanic Ostara, both goddesses of Dawn. Some believe that this is where we get the word "Easter". Since the Spring Equinox is a time to celebrate fertility, and many cultures see eggs as a symbol of Life or the home of the soul, decorated eggs have been part of spring celebrations for centuries.

Here is a spring equinox ritual appropriate for Christians. Stand outdoors at sunrise, forming a circle with those you love. Put a small tree (representing "the tree of life") or a shrub in the center of your circle, or stand around a living tree. Meditate silently together with a sense of awe and wonder about the teeming abundance of life God has created. Tie festive ribbons or attach brightly colored pieces of paper onto the tree. As you do so, state your intention for yourself or a loved one with respect to personal growth, fertility, or spiritual renewal. End with a prayer of thanksgiving for the miracle that is the Continuity of Life, and ask that everyone around you might have a Bright and Blessed Spring.

Alban Eilir is considered the light of spring. This is the turning point within the season of Embolic (spring).
Midwinter Gathering: (Calan) Calends of summer, winter, spring and fall.
Honor spirits of darkness now behind this culture, the sacred land and the welcome of the spirit is of the new cycle. The lessons of the darkness are spoken of, or the beauty and power of winter. The seeds of spring are sewed into the land.

The internal is a mirror for the external, and the external is a mirror for the internal. So, by making an offering to the spirit’s of winter, people are also honoring own dark inner world(s), all that lurks and hides within the cracks, possibly unaccepted by one’s own consciousness and rarely, if ever, expressed. Honoring inner strength and stoutness that brings one through harsh times is essential.

Common seeds that people plant are barley and wheat, which will sprout and grow ripe in time for harvest. Other seeds such as sunflower, beans, sweet peas, or annual grass are also used. It is important that when choosing a seed to plant that an easily grown plant will avoid stress and heartache. This is the time when fertility is awakening. The culture turns their foes to the point of balance.

Creativity, emotion, and desires of the new growing season are seed thoughts of which plans are expressed during painting of eggs. If one takes the time to listen, leaning up against a tree, it is possible to feel the energy of that extraordinary flow - the sap rising. As the warmth of the sun’s light warms the earth, people are inspired to stretch - reaching for the skies - growing and learning, finding freedom in new directions.

The Spring Equinox is celebrated between March 20 and March 23, on the day when the day is the same length as the night. It is also known by the name Alban Eillir (sometimes written Eiler) Eilir is Welsh for “regeneration” or “spring”. Poetically Alban Eilir is expressed as “Light of the Earth”.

The spring equinox, being a time of new life is a celebration of childhood, where games are abundantly played. The symbolism of the egg is prominent. It is a festival filled with laughter and anticipation. It is a festival of excitement for balance with tipping the year toward lightness and growth.

The darkness is behind us and we begin our journey into the light part of the year. Similar to the autumn equinox many, who are attune to the energy of the cycle, feel a balance over the few weeks before and after the event.

At the Spring Equinox, energy is increasing. The tides are high and the moon is high and bright.

The core of Alban Eilir lies in honoring the seeds that will become the year’s harvest. They might be sown in pots and cared for on windowsills or in greenhouses, protected from the frosts. These seeds are a part of a Druid’s ritual work of caring for the land. They are consecrated with the elemental forces of flowing air, of sun warmth, of moisture (rain) and of earth (soil).

Ostara

Ostara is the first day of spring occurs around March 21 in the northern hemisphere and September 21 in the southern hemisphere. The beginning of spring also marks the return of the sun and a time of year when day and night are of equal length after the winter. For Wiccans is the awakening of the earth with a sense of balance and renewal. Ostara, also known as Eostre (Anglo-Saxon Goddess, which means Goddess of Dawn) or Easter (Easter in English) because Easter is held in the northern hemisphere at this time, are goddesses of spring and rebirth and resurrection has as the rabbit symbol. One of the main traditions of this festival is the decoration of eggs. The egg represents fertility of the Goddess and God. Another ancient tradition is to hide the eggs and then find them. (Perhaps there came the custom of Americans to hide chocolate eggs on Easter for children to find them.) Even non-Wiccans feel is different this time, more likely, eat less, sleep less and wake up earlier.

For Wiccans it is also time to start planting, time of love, promises and decisions, for the earth and nature awaken to a new life.