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Vernal Equinox: March 20-23

Ostara, Easter, Spring Break

While the vernal equinox is always when night and day are equally long and the actual date on the calendar shifts a little each year.   It is traditionally the time of celebrating fertility and rebirth as nature will not allow us to think of much else.

Hares figure prominently in the folklore of this month as they are seen sparring for partners in the open fields.   In many cultures they were sacred and seldom eaten (unlike rabbits) except as a ritual dish.   They are often found carved in old churches and a hare's foot is considered a lucky talisman to some.

The goddess invoked at this time was Ostara in the German or Eostre in the Anglo-Saxon.   Though little is known about her I heard a beautiful story about how she came to Earth disguised as a hag to check up on rumors that humans had become selfish, greedy and cruel.   Sure enough she found that not one person would feed her or clothe her or give her a place to stay, though she appeared old, hungry and homeless.   She went to the edge of town and built a fire to sit and grieve and just as she decided to condemn humankind forever, a small brown hare threw himself into the fire as a sacrifice to feed her.   She quickly snatched him out and as a reward for his compassion and bravery, turned him white and agreed to allow us all another chance.

No matter where this story came from, Ostara was obviously such an integral part of the lives of people that the Christians dared not change the name of the festival at all but kept it as Easter.   The day to celebrate Easter changes every year and is not on the equinox but rather relies upon it for the formula: the first Sunday after the first full moon after the equinox.   The Christians celebrate rebirth of Jesus rising from the dead on this day, but they do it with baskets of eggs (symbols of fertility) and chocolate rabbits!

St. Joseph's Day is March 19th and often includes the blessing of the new beer!

Here in the United States, even the godless observe this time as a break from school for colleges and schools.   It is traditionally a time when college students celebrate fertility and rebirth by going to warm beaches to revel.

Beltane: May 1

May Day

As a fertility festival Beltane has a raucous reputation and the history books are full of stories about this overnight, bonfire holiday.   In the time before a stern, political church ruled morality, sexual activity had a more playful part in spirituality and humans took their cues from nature in revving up their antics in May.   Even as Christianity took over and attempted to tame this holiday, the best it could do was to call it May Day and dedicate the month to Mary, mother of Jesus.   Dancing around the May pole, covering it with ribbons and leaving secret May baskets on the doorknobs of ones you love are ways that children continue to celebrate this day; still rooted deeply in symbols of love and fertility.