Spring Goddess

The Spring Goddess celebrates the turning of the wheel of the year as the death and decay of winter gives way to a time of renewal and rebirth.  

Spring begins with the first green shoots and explodes into a multitude of beautiful blossoms and promise of good harvest.

In ancient times many festivals were held to celebrate the Spring Goddesses who were associated with flowering, growth and fertility of the land.

Below is an exploration of the many faces of this Goddess taken from myths from around the world.

List of Spring Goddesses

Anna Perenna  (Roman) she was associated with the cycles of the year and renewal. Her main Festival was celebrated on Ides of March.

Artio (Swiss)the bear Goddess who hibernates during the Winter her return heralds the beginning of Spring.

Beiwen  (Finnish) A Saami Goddess associated with the fertility of plants and reindeer.  Together with her daughter Beiwe-Neia, they turned the hills green so the reindeer could feed.

Blodewedd (Celtic) This Spring Goddess was created by magic from nine spring flowers to be the wife of Llew Llaw. This  got around the curse Arianhod had placed upon her son preventing him from taking a human wife.

Brigit (Celtic) In her maiden aspect this Goddess is honoured at the festival of Imbolc which celebrates the first stirrings of Spring.

Dziewanna (Eastern European)  the Goddess of Spring and Agriculture.  She was especially honoured by local farmers.

Flora  (Roman) The Goddess of flowering plants, especially those that bore fruit. Her festival, the Floralia, took place in April or early May and was marked with dancing, drinking, and flowers.

Freya (Nordic) This Nordic fertility Goddess is linked with spring growth and flowers.

Gefn (Norse) This is another name for the Nordic Goddess Freya.

Hare Ke  (West African) Goddess of the sweet waters fed by the spring rains that brought fertility back to the land.

Hebe (Greek) The Goddess of eternal youth and Spring.

Ostara (Celtic) Painted eggs and white rabbits are sacred to Ostara, the Celtic Goddess of Spring, fertility and rebirth.  Her symbols haves been incorporated into the Christian celebration of Easter.

Kono-Hana-Sakuya-Hime (Japanese) She is associated with the Springtime and cherry blossom as her name means "Lady who makes the trees bloom."  She is also Goddess of the sacred site Mount Fuji.

Kore (Greek) Kore is an alternative name for the Greek Goddess Persephone.

Kostroma (Russian) the fertility Goddess and personification of Spring.  In Russian mythology she dies at the end of each Spring, only to arise once more at the end of the following winter.

Lada (Eastern European) As Goddess of Spring and Love she was worshipped throughout Lithuania, Poland and Russia.

Libera (Roman) Together with Ceres and Liber she formed part of a triad of ancient Roman Gods and Goddesses responsible for bringing fertility back to the land. 

Maia (Greek) This Goddess of Spring represented the forces of growth and the return of the warm rays of the sun.

Olwen (Celtic) Goddess of sunlight she reappeared every Spring, leaving behind her a trail of white clover wherever she walked.

Persephone (Greek) Her mother Demeter mourned her daughter when she returned to the underworld each Autumn causing the land to become cold and barren.  When Persephone returned in the Spring the happy Demeter would bestow the land with growth and abundance.

Prosepina (Roman) She was the Roman counterpart to Persephone and daughter of the grain Goddess Ceres.

Rafu-Sen (Japanese) Goddess of plum blossoms.

Sita (Hindu) Spring Goddess and Goddess of agriculture and the earth.

Discover the other seasonal Goddesses by following the links to the following pages.

Sun Goddesses for information about the Summer Goddesses who represent the heat and the longer days of summertime.

In traditional societies Autumn/Fall was not considered to be a separate season, it was the harvest at the end of summer. The section of this site that most closely reflects this aspect of the Goddess is the page on Fertility Goddesses

The Winter goddess and the crone represent the attributes of the Goddess in the darkest and coldest months of the year.