Jean M. Roberts : The Book's Delight

    The Spring Equinox: Between Light and Shadow The spring equinox arrives as a quiet threshold—one of those rare, balanced moments in the year when day and night stand in perfect equality. Light and dark hold each other in suspension, and for a fleeting instant, the world feels poised between what has been and what is about to bloom. Across time, humans have marked this turning. The Ancient Echoes (and Silences) One of the most frequently cited figures associated with spring is Ēostre, a goddess recorded by the 8th-century monk Bede. According to him, the month of Ēosturmōnaþ was named for her, and festivals were once held in her honor. And yet—this is where things grow uncertain. Outside of Bede’s brief mention, there is no substantial evidence that widespread festivals dedicated to Ēostre were practiced among the Anglo-Saxons. No surviving rituals, no archaeological confirmations, no additional written accounts. She stands as a shadowed figure: half-rem...