We are honoring our friends and listeners in the southern hemisphere whose spring equinox is our fall equinox.
Across the world, for thousands of years, human beings have looked toward spring with awe and reverence. After the cold silence of winter, the earth begins to breathe again. Flowers rise from frozen soil. Rivers thaw. Animals emerge from hibernation. The days grow longer, and sunlight returns to the land. Again and again, cultures across history have seen this moment not merely as a change in weather, but as a cosmic miracle.
On this episode we will travel through some of the world’s great spring festivals — from the pagan celebration of Ostara to Easter, Holi, Nowruz, the Spring Equinox, Japan’s Shunbun no Hi, China’s Qingming Festival, and beyond.
We’ll explore the gods and goddesses associated with these celebrations, the ancient myths behind them, and the spiritual meaning humanity has found in the return of spring.