leaf moon / Eostre’s moon

Mar/Apr 2026

Hello All,

Welcome to the new moon that bridges winter's end and spring's official arrival — a gentle, dreamy reset in late Pisces, right on the cusp of the equinox.  

If you haven't picked one up yet (or want extras for friends), both the US and UK versions of my calendar are available on my website and in my Etsy shop, now at a reduced price.  

☽O☾  

British History – Eostre's Moon

The Anglo-Saxons called the moon that would be full in April Eosturmonath, the month named for the goddess Eostre.  

Once again, the only surviving reference comes from Bede in The Reckoning of Time, 725 AD:  

“Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated ‘Paschal month,’ and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month.”  

That's essentially all we know from historical sources. No further details survive about her appearance, myths, symbols, or rituals. Modern scholarship generally accepts Bede as reliable here — he was meticulous and drawing from living oral traditions — but debate continues.

Some see her as a genuine but minor or local deity, possibly linked to dawn/spring renewal (her name etymologically ties to Proto-Indo-European roots for "dawn/shine/east," cognate with words like "east" and dawn goddesses in other Indo-European cultures).

Others note Bede might have inferred a goddess from the month name (e.g., ēostre could simply mean "dawn" or "the month of opening/beginnings"), with no actual deity involved.

Jacob Grimm (19th century) popularized and expanded her into "Ostara" (a reconstructed Germanic dawn/fertility goddess), influencing modern pagan views, but that's later speculation. Importantly, popular modern associations like eggs, hares/rabbits, or fertility symbols as "Eostre's" have no connection to Anglo-Saxon sources.

In early pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon England, as days lengthened and the land began to green, communities likely gathered to celebrate the return of light and fertility — perhaps with simple offerings or communal meals to mark the turning of the season.  

Later, as the Anglo Saxon population transitioned to Christianity, old and new blended: the name "Easter" preserved a linguistic echo of pre-Christian springtime feasts, but the festival itself focused on Christ's resurrection. Early Christian Anglo-Saxons celebrated with fasting during Lent, all-night vigils, baptisms at dawn on Easter Sunday, and joyous feasts afterward — practices rooted in Roman/Gallic Christianity rather than pagan holdovers. 

On the cusp of the spring equinox, Eostre's Moon asks us: What is awakening in you as the light returns? What small acts of celebration — the season's freshest flowers on your table, or a whispered thank-you to the rising sun — can help you welcome this fresh chapter?  

☽O☾  

American History – Leaf Moon

For the Kiowa people of the Great Plains, this moon is the Leaf Moon (the next in sequence after the Great Bud Moon), when trees finally burst into full leaf and the prairie turns green in a show of life. 

The Kiowa, historically nomadic bison hunters, relied on these cues for movement and survival. Winter camps huddled in sheltered river valleys for firewood and horse grazing; with spring's advance, small bands scattered to exploit fresh resources. By the Leaf Moon, larger gatherings became possible — communal hunts ramped up to stock meat for the coming months, preparations began for planting small gardens, and families reunited after seasonal dispersal. Raiding and warfare, often paused in deep winter due to limited horse forage, could resume as ponies strengthened on new grass.

This moon signaled freedom of movement and renewal: tipis were refreshed, tools repaired, and social ties strengthened through storytelling, dances, and shared meals around spring fires. The Kiowa viewed the land's transformation as a mirror for human life — what gestated invisibly in winter now showed itself openly, demanding action and gratitude.

The Leaf Moon teaches us that growth eventually becomes visible and unstoppable. What momentum has been building within you and is now ready to unfurl? How can you step into this season of expansion with openness and action?  

☽O☾  

Lunar Astronomy

This new moon arrives right on the cusp of the spring equinox. The spring season is the best time to catch a glimpse of some "earthshine", also called "Da Vinci glow" or "the old moon in the new moon's arms". Do you know it? It is the ghostly pale, barely-there glow of the shadow-side of the moon that is sometimes visible.

We all know that the moon is illuminated by the sun and that it reflects some of this light down onto us, but we don't often think about how we do a bit of the same in return. 

Leonardo da Vinci was among the first to correctly surmise that the phenomenon was caused by our oceans' reflection of the sun's light onto the surface of the moon. We know now it is also largely due to our clouds that reflect a great deal of sunlight. The springtime brings cloudier conditions than usual, making this phenomenon more pronounced. 

On any of the next few new moons, especially when the sliver of a crescent is visible at dusk or at dawn, see if you can see the dark side of our only natural satellite, as it is ever so gently illuminated by our reflected light.

☽O☾  

Lunar Astrology

This new moon is exact at 28°26' Pisces — a deeply intuitive and compassionate energy that invites surrender, imagination, spiritual connection, and release of what no longer serves. With the equinox so close, it's perfect for dreaming big while letting go of illusions or old emotional baggage.  

Just after the exact conjunction, the Moon moves into Aries (the sign of fresh starts and courage), infusing the new intentions with fiery, initiating spark — almost like Pisces dissolves the old, then Aries plants the seed with bold action.  

The full moon arrives on April 1st/2nd (depending on your locale)  at ~12° Libra — a time of balance, relationships, beauty, and harmony. This one highlights partnerships, fairness, and how we give and receive in connections. Use the building light to see the world with fresh eyes, to reflect on what feels well-tuned in your life and what needs adjustment.  

Astrologically, the Pisces-Aries and Libra-Aries axes remind us: compassion + courage = true renewal, and balance in “me vs. we” brings harmony.  

Which feels more alive for you right now — the dreamy dissolution of Pisces or the bold “go” of Aries? A little bit of both will go a long way for a new start.

☽O☾  

All my best, and until next lunar month,

Claire