Symbolism and Signs of Spring

Last Updated on April 7, 2024 by Avia

Exploring the Deeper Meaning and Signs of Spring: Across the world and among countless cultural myths the signs of spring have been heralds of renewal.  In pre-industrial communities, spring equated to a new lease on life. Consider…healing rains flow, the sun returns to the earth, animals begin to multiply and crops are prepared. All of this points to life returning to earth and recharging the humans who inhabit it.  In ancient times, when the chances for survival were far slimmer than today if people survived to see spring, it meant a fair shot at enjoying another chapter of life.

A few Prime Keywords for the Symbolism and Signs of Spring

• Life
• Hope
• Promise
• Renewal
• Cleansing
• Transition
• Rejuvenation
• Opportunity
• New Beginnings

Spring and Themes of Renewal

Spring is a pivotal time for plants, animals and humans. It’s a chance to start anew and hope for the best to come forth after enduring all those long, harsh winter months. On a symbolic and emotional level, spring is an opportunity to experience a renewal of the soul, mind, body and life.  Ancient cultures understood the parallel and connection between spring blossoming in Nature, and the potential for blooming within the soul of humankind. 

In order to expand upon this concept, I’m offering a few signs of spring on a symbolic level that may provide impetus for your own regrowth and renewal.  These signs and symbols are meant to buoy your experience through spring so you can ‘get on board’ with the expansive energy spring provides.

Important note: Keep in mind that spring is one of the transitional seasons (autumn/fall being the other).  This is a time of year that all of Nature’s elements struggle to regain control.  In terms of springtime, Nature is grappling to crush the influence of frigid, winter grip. Spring (symbolically and Naturally) can be a very tempestuous time. As you ride the wave of spring’s energy, remember to be patient with your changes and transitions.  Sometimes storms come crushing…but so often they lead to rainbows of promise and blossoms of hope.

“Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is.”

 ~ Jessica Harrelson

Symbolic Winds and Signs of Spring

As mentioned, spring can be a fussy, tumultuous time in the year.  The winds are a big contributing factor to that uppity energy.  Ancient country folk attributed certain symbolic features to various winds as a way to make sense or describe the chaotic forces experienced during springtime.  Here are a few examples of how the signs of spring come dancing upon forceful winds.

The Greek Winds

According to ancient Greek myth, the sea god Poseidon was the keeper of the winds, and the god Aeolus was the keeper of the winds. Between these two Greek gods, there was some semblance of order.  If it were not for Poseidon and Aeolus, the winds would be twisted into millions of various directions and utter chaos would descend upon the earth, ruining life on all levels. There are four Greek winds, Boreas, Zephyr, Notus and Argestes.  Zephyr (or Zephyros) is the god of springtime winds. Not surprisingly, Zephyros was also the Greek god of spring, and considered one of the most gentlest and compassionate of winds.  There is a myth that makes Zephyros responsible for emitting soft, sweet breezes that allowed Aphrodite to emerge from the sea and gently find her way upon the shores of Cyprus. Symbolically, we might say the presence of Zephyr/Zephyros is imbued in springtime winds.  The energy of Zephyros is an encouraging essence, that can be considered a welcome element as we encourage better winds of change in our own life.

Native American Winds

The Native American Indians of the northern Rockies in Colorado and Canada gave praise to their winds flowing through in the spring. In fact, to this day, spring winds are often referred to as “Chinook winds” – this is because they are named after the Chinook tribes in this region of the North America’s.  Chinook winds are considered a blessing because they raise the ambient temperature and by the time they reach the plains they winds have sucked the moisture out of the air. This means they prohibit snowfall.  These Chinook winds are also called ‘snow-eaters’ because rather than bring more snow over the mountains, they thwart moisture and prevent snowfall in turbulent string months.  Symbolically speaking, this might be a metaphor for welcoming winds that encourage growth instead of the sting of wintery conditions. Remember, spring is symbolic of life renewing, whereas winter is symbolically synonymous with death (or at least dormancy). The Native Chinook winds are a promise of rejuvenation. They push the energy of death, dormancy and inflexibility out of our lives.

Tying Bows Around the Signs of Spring

Rainbows are a common sight around springtime. The rains come, light refracts against the moisture and produces a spectrum of color that is both delightful and a sign of hope to all.  Almost all ancient cultures considered the sighting of a rainbow as a sign of spring that meant better times were right around the corner.  Here are a few bits about rainbows symbolism when inviting renewal into our lives.

Standard Rainbows

Of course, there’s really no such thing as a “standard rainbow” – but I’m talking about the regular type of rainbow you might see after a springtime rain. In Greek myth, rainbows were thought to be produced by Iris, who was the wife of Zephyrus (the Greek god of the spring winds). Iris was said to emit the prismatic colors of the rainbow as a message from immortals to mortals.  It was a sign of hope and promise.  In a way, the Greek goddess Iris was a liaison or divine messenger.  By casting out colorful rainbows into the sky, this springtime goddess was sending a sign of blessing to humans from the gods.

Nightbows or Moonbows

Aristotle’s keen observations revolving around predictive weather patterns rendered the discovery that rainbows can happen at night (not just during the day).  Well, that’s not entirely correct. There must be a remnant of light to see a moonbow or a nightbow…but the sight is highly unique from the standard rainbow we see when the sun shines after a rainy afternoon.  The physics of moonbows and nightbows is the same as daytime rainbows. It takes a certain amount of moisture and the slightest sliver of light to reflect in order to see these wispy magical emanations. The Greek goddess Selene is said to produce these special bows.  Her name means ‘light’ and she is the bringer of shining brilliance upon human lands and lives.  Symbolically, this type of rainbow indicates that light will return to our human lives, and there is still hope to live to our fullest.

Fogbows

These are a unique feature, and worthy of attention when discussing profound signs of spring.  Fogbows form a ring around valleys, or arches around rivers.  They are colorless in nature.  Typically, they appear to be misty and elusive.  They present themselves as a gateway or archway.  To the ancient Norse Vikings, fogbows represented a magical portal into different dimensions.  They were symbolic of moving from one plane to the next.  These foggy arches could transport the Vikings from Valhalla to Asgard, or Middle Earth or any other level of existence.  Symbolically, this speaks to the ability of fogbows and springtime to be an extremely transformative essence in our lives.  If you have the fortunate opportunity to see a fogbow…take a deep breath, close your eyes, and allow your entire essence to be transported into a realm of 100% potential and pure possibilities.

Conclusion About Signs of Spring in Symbolic, Cultural Myths

Whether you subscribe to the ideals of ancient deities or follow the old ways of the spring equinox…you’ve got to admit…pre-industrial wisdom has a colorful way of spinning ideas about the signs of spring.  At the end of the day (no matter what kind of wisdom you consult), spring is a time to launch into new ideas, start on new adventures, and get cracking on new beginnings.  This is a time to start fresh.  As humans, we are connected with the rhythms of earth and Nature.  As Nature is bursting with new life and growth…we would do well to get on Her bandwagon with new ventures during the spring.  It’s like riding a tidal wave of energy. We can all experience the advantages of Nature’s expansion during spring when we ride on Her coattails. 

As always, thank you so much for reading. I sincerely hope this article on the symbolic signs of spring proved helpful on your path to growth and expansion. Please consider checking out the links to other articles I’ve written that are related to springtime symbolism. Oh, and if you liked this, you might also like my article about zodiac signs of spring. Enjoy!

Mighty brightly,

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