There are many similarities and shared themes across religions and holidays throughout the year. In fact, some of the most widely celebrated religious traditions occur during major seasonal shifts in nature. Curious about the relationship between religion and seasons, I mapped spiritual celebrations on a seasonal calendar called Spiritual Connections Around the World.
To complement this annual calendar, I will be producing articles on each of the eight major seasons and the themes shared across many of our world’s major religious celebrations. In honor of new beginnings and today’s Spring Equinox, I begin this series with traditions and shared themes in Spring…
Spiritual Connections in Spring
As winter begins to melt away, the living world is resurrected and stirring with new life in Spring. This time of year, traditions near and far are united by the celebration of birth or the resurrection of life. Central to the theme of rebirth, the egg is a consistent symbol celebrated across many cultures and religions.
- Eostre, the ancient goddess of Spring, was celebrated by dying eggs and honoring the Hare, her animal totem, who laid eggs for children to find
- Prium, the Jewish Spring Festival, celebrates the heroine Queen Esther who gave her people life, saving them from annihilation
- Easter, the Christian celebration in Spring of the day Jesus is reborn to eternal life
- Passover, a Jewish holy day in Spring, marks Israel’s birth as a nation, the time when Jewish families were liberated and led to the Promised Land
- Narooz, the Iranian New Year, celebrates new life with the exchange of dyed eggs for blessings of luck
- Eggs dyed and given as gifts have been a tradition in both ancient and modern times across almost every continent of the world
Up Next: Midspring, coming May 1st
For a copy of this poster or additional information, please contact me at Jacqueline.t.hammond@gmail.com
Ⓒ festive sol
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