The Spring Equinox is the astrological New Year for us and is when Aries the Ram greets us again like a long lost friend. The tide of winter has finally beginning to pass and hopefully by this time, we will not receive any further snow in our own area and can look forward to longer, warmer days and digging around in the garden. (Though, only speaking for my own environment – weather may vary depending on your location.)
Votive candles in glass holders along with Pussy Willow branches are on the altar to be used in this Sabbat. The white and black taper candles, representing the polarity of the dark and the light are also present on the altar.
I have fond memories of many past Spring Sabbats – probably because in our Pennsylvania climate, it is easier to celebrate this Sabbat outside if you choose. The nights are still cold, but we typically will be able to have a bonfire outdoors and a warm blanket on our laps to keep us warm if we spend it outside.
In my garden, I typically will rake out the last dregs of fall leaves that cover the garden beds and pick up small fallen branches and twigs: saving them for fires. Early spring flowers and bulbs are put in the ground and the daffodils begin their yearly bloom!
….. the beauty of spring flowers. Flowers, plants or a cut arrangement are usually present at all rituals. The Language of Flowers is something studied by many witches.
Because it is the astrological new year, we typically will perform ritual actions within this Sabbat for the purposes of re-dedicating ourselves to the coven. In this ritual we may recite the “Tenets of the Faith” together in order to refresh our understanding and contemplation of our religion and what we aspire to. As Spring lengthens and widens, and the sprouting plants aspire to bloom and flower; so should our dedication to the religion of the Wicca lengthen and widen so that we may express spiritually what we aspire to.
Also, since the astrological new year is initiated at this time and the new cycle beginning in Aires, that is why it is a perfect time for us to be initiated into Witchcraft.
A wonderful High Priestess of another Sacred Pentagraph coven kindly cross-stitched the Tenets of Faith and had these framed for me as a gift. They are lovely and helpful reminders about some of the beliefs that we hold dear in our coven.
Forsynthia blossoms beautifully represented on the altar. This is one of the earlier spring bushes to bloom near the Vernal Equinox in my area.
Because it is a time of “new beginnings,” it is also the traditional time of initiation of neophytes and probationers that have been studying to become initiated witches.
Probationers would prepare their four sacred elemental tools and consecrate them before initiation.
