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The Goddesses of
Spring’s Bounty
By Karen Pierce Gonzalez ‘Queen of Folklore,' publisher of Folk Heart Press and author of  ‘Family Folktales: Write Your Own Family Stories’

There are as many gods and goddesses as there are cultures. Each supra-natural being, shaped to the specifics of its particular society, was – and in many places still is – a supreme overseer of specific life cycles.  

Whether the phase of life was food preparation, the afterlife, child rearing or medicinal rituals, these deities have watched over and have been credited with determining and preserving the health and wealth of their followers. Of all of the life stages that are chronicled, spring is where the most prolific cast of deities appears. Each of these intricate, earth-connected forces is associated with the birth and fertility of people and the natural world that both surrounds and sustains them.

Spring – a time of renewal and rebirth – is one of the most celebrated seasonal cycles.
It’s no wonder that at this time, with green shoots, blossoms and babies of all species bursting  forth with promises of plenty that people have looked towards the goddesses of their understanding for sanction and celebration of these life-affirming events.

Around the world this temporal season which follows winter embodies the start of a new year (or new life). In the Northern Hemisphere this generally occurs in March. In fact, March which was named Martius after Mars the Roman god of war, was considered to be both the start of spring and the start of military campaigns. In the Southern Hemisphere the month of March occurs in Autumn.

For those cultures that follow a lunar calendar Spring can occur anytime between February and April of the Gregorian calendar. An example of this is the Chinese New Year which starts in February and Nowruz, the Persian New Year which takes place towards the end of March.

In a world where everything is categorized as either feminine, masculine or neutral (she/he/it) rebirth and renewal are symbols most often associated with the feminine spectrum. It is interesting to note how the specific characteristics of each goddess reflect the environment, beliefs and values of the culture she exists within. For example, the Finnish goddess Beiwe is associated with fertility and reindeer whereas Japan’s Rafu-Sen is associated with plum blossoms.

Here are some more examples of spring goddesses:

Artio - The Swiss Bear Goddess hibernates during winter. And much like the bear she represents, her appearance announces the start of spring.

Blodewedd - This Celtic Spring Goddess was born from nine spring flowers.

Dziewanna - Eastern Europe’s Goddess of Spring and Agriculture who was honored by farmers.

Flora - Celebrations for this Roman Goddess of flowering plants took place in April/May.

Hare Ke - This is the Goddess of West African spring rain waters which make the land fertile.

Sita - This Hindu Spring Goddess was connected to agriculture.

The attributes of these goddesses were centered on their ability to make life new again after a period of dormancy. In centuries gone by this rebirth process was in many ways a mystery. It still is. We have scientific understandings that can account for the developing DNA of human, flora and fauna but we haven’t yet come upon a way other than mystical beings – especially goddesses and other faith-based entities  - to express the resiliency of life on this planet being able to regenerate itself over and over again.

Goddesses come in many shapes and sizes and have long served and continue to serve our need to understand the unexplainable elements of the world we live in. Metaphorically, these celestial creatures are endowed with life affirming characteristics and are embodied in the feminine physique which has the ability to give birth to and nurse the young through infancy. These divine elements are also capable of supra natural powers that can keep life forms both safe and alive. They provide sustenance that can be turned into nutrition and shelter that protects people, livestock and agriculture against threats of extinction. They also bind people together into societies and cultures that share common values and similar geographic realities, like terrain and weather conditions. Such shared experiences can create communities where all are cared for and no one is left behind.

Karen Pierce Gonzalez ‘Queen of Folklore’ is publisher of Folk Heart Press. Karen is an award winning fiction and non fiction writer.  Author of the ‘Family Folktales: Write Your Own Family Stories’ workbook and ‘Family Folktales: What Are Yours?’, she has been interested in folktales and folklore for more than two decades. Learn more at:  www.FolkheartPress.com

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Karen Pierce Gonzalez discusses Spring Goddesses