Hello! Welcome to this section of my substack called ‘Wheel of the Year’. As I follow the seasons of the year, marking the subtle transitions has allowed me to step into a place of more presence, to feel the moment a season turns. The Wheel of the Year is linked to the practice of paganism. Pagans believe that nature is sacred and that the natural cycles of birth, growth and death observed in the world around us carry profoundly spiritual meanings, so to observe these shifts is in itself a giver of life. In Japan, 72 micro seasons are marked. As I move through my writing I would love to see how they present themselves in my corner of the world.
In this section I will discuss how I am marking this point in the year, sharing the myths and magic we find around each time. I would love to hear how you are marking the season so please do feel free to comment below. Anna xx
Tomorrow, 3:06am UK time, the Earth’s tilt will be such, that day and night will be of equal length. The Vernal Equinox (also known as the start of Spring) is an astronomical landmark in the solar year. Most of my life has been spent having no real attunement to the subtle shifts of our otherwise remarkable planet. The thought of such disinterest fills me with guilt. Brian Cox said it best simply asking what more do you want. Our atoms have assembled in such a way that we have a short very beautiful opportunity to experience a universe we would not have otherwise known. The interview always sends a shiver down my spine. These landmarks of time are a reminder of how exceptional life really is that we are on a rock, hurtling through the sky, circling round a big ball of fire, with other similar rocks by our metaphorical side. Some are huge gas giants, some with moons containing underwater salt oceans, same just balls of ice, with days no longer than a good nights sleep. You couldn’t write a piece of sci-fi fiction better. What a glorious life to be living in.
The festivals are a time where I allow myself to feel extremely small, but intensely connected. To consciously feel the atoms within me, that were once within those stars, that bolted across the sky to find themselves here, and within me. I allow myself to daydream about the many lives each of them have seen, where they have been and what I carry within my fragmented being. And it is there that I allow myself to feel the true magic of what it means to be alive. So, for the last 4 years I have celebrated every turn of the wheel, with the equinoxes and the solstices as pinch points for astronomical wonder. I am like Robin in Bewilderment, keen to hear the insights into the astrobiological nature of other planets, to believe in more, to believe that there is a purpose for all of this, even if that purpose is simply that I am observer of time.
And on the precipice of this Spring Equinox or Ostara as known by my familiars, life has shifted even more into the beauty of the unknown. In this piece I will share some of the magic to be found at this time in the myths and stories of the goddesses of Ostara, and how I intend to spend a day infused with universal enchantment.
The Goddess Eostre
Where have Gods and Goddesses appeared from? In Paganism, there at times seems to be a default to discuss the Goddess in her many forms. However, as the vernal equinox represents, life is about a fine balance, the treading of a line, akin to the the story of goldilocks and the three bears. A little too much one way can tip us into an arena where we don’t feel quite right. This is the same in masculine and feminine energies. Although today I will talk only about the goddess Eostre related to this equinox, know that there are other sides to the coin to be explored. The word ‘Eostre’ is considered to be the earliest root word of both Easter (the Christian celebration symbolising the resurrection of Jesus), oestrogen (the female hormone required to initiate womb preparation and the cascade of hormones required for ovulation) and oestrus (often denoted as ‘being in heat’ for a number of female mammals). All 3 of which are linked to the idea of fertility, birth and renewal. There are no solid notes or evidence of the origin of this goddess. Like many rituals and beliefs of this time, they were passed down in communities, by word of mouth, through blood and ancestral lines, teachings from sage to student. To be sure of the true nature of these stories is unlikely. We know that she appeared in writings as early as the 8th century but much is debated about origin, meaning and usage.
After spending the last few spring equinoxes in women’s circles, meditating around chalice wells and in Glastonbury sharing stories of wisdom, the stories of Eostre are somewhat consistent. I have heard tales of a goddess with the power to turn animals and plants into hares. The hares whispering to the land of the new life to come. The hares and the goddess ignite the land with the power of hope, growth and fertility. In some stories she finds a bird with frozen wings and in order to save them, transforms them into a hare. The hare was so indebted to the goddess it stayed by her side, and laid eggs of glorious colours in gratitude, once a year at her rising. Some of these stories can be traced back as far as the 19th century but their actual origin remains unknown.
However the shreds we can pull together, show remarkable similarity to what we now know to be Easter…..a time where life is there ready to be renewed. Whether the goddess exists in a physical form or not, her essence is something to be captured, cradled, embodied. This is the time for new years resolutions, a chance to step into a new way of being.
Spending a day embracing the magic
The themes of Ostara are undoubtedly fertility, light and balance. I aim to incorporate all of these within my day tomorrow, even if a small way. I’ll be planting some spring onions, tomatoes, and some beetroot in pots and seed trays, scattering wild flowers ready for the start of summer. As ever, I will rise at sunrise, and if I am lucky, watch the sun peep out over the ocean. This year in particular feels like not just a new year of growth, but a shedding of a skin I have had on for decades. I am also apprehensive, unsure if I am ready, keen to remain in the cocoon and warmth of winters embrace. If this is you too, Kirsty Gallagher provides some great prompts for this time of year that could also help you on your way.
I will also be looking to the wisdom of Victoria Harrison, and the rituals she so insightfully shares, and I am sure this weekend I will be trialling a recipe or two with my niece, as she begins to become more magical as she likes to say i.e become more like Auntie Anna. This is what the equinox and Ostara is all about. Sparkly eyed hope. Joy. Big dreams. A feeling that magic is just waiting around the corner. Spring is so beautifully described by
in her book ‘Wild Hope’. A book that is a beacon of light for these days of unfolding, particularly for those of us in grief. Emerging from grief is a form of spring itself, we still carry with us the hardships of winter but are reminded that life still exists. Poetry stirs the magic of the soul, so if you are not quite ready to come out of hibernation yet I highly recommend the words of great poets like Donna to coax you out. Heidi Barr has also written and shared some beautiful pieces this week too, all which I highly recommend. May we be in tune with our potential and all that is possible. I hope the time surrounding Ostara brings you this feeling so that you may feel the shifts and cracks in the layers containing your soul.As humans will we ever fully grasp the greatness of this day, both for our souls and astronomically? Possibly not, but we can wake with gratitude, hold the magic within and take just one step at a time.
I would love to hear your Ostara rituals and stories in the comments below. Wishing all a wonderful start to Spring.
Anna xxx