Spring is here and the ubiquitous sign of all things Easter is the egg. The egg is a symbol in many different beliefs and cultures, as it symbolizes fertility, new life, or new beginnings. When eggs are shared or used in spring and Easter celebrations, the meaning behind it is joy in a new life or the awakening of the Earth and Nature from a long Winter’s nap. Not only do eggs symbolize that we are in a process of developing ourselves spiritually, but it is said that if you dream of eggs, then it may indicate that you are ready to have a child, or you are “birthing” a new area of your life, and changes to achieve that goal will come to pass.

Many spiritual workers also use eggs as symbolic items in ritual. Curanderos, or shamanic native healers from Central and South America, the United States and Mexico, use eggs as a central part of a limpia, or “cleaning/cleansing”, they will perform for you. Limpias are recommended when you have blockages in your life or if you are experiencing a streak of bad luck, negativity, bad karmic situations, phobias, fears, and in some cases, curses that run through a family from generation to generation.

Many use the egg as a source of divination once the spiritual cleansing ritual has been performed. Some crack open the egg into a clear glass of liquid (usually water) and watch as the albumen, or egg white, swirls and form images that can then be interpreted or “read” in a spiritual consultation. This is for the spiritual worker to determine what form of action to take against the negative energy that is affecting the client’s success. Other cleansing rituals instruct you to break the eggs that were rubbed over your body into the toilet to flush them down and away as a symbolic act of breaking a relationship off with another. Duck eggs have also been employed in rituals regarding a woman’s reproductive health and issues with fertility.

Part of the egg is also used in the form of powdered eggshells, called Efun in the African language known as Yoruba. Efun, or cascarilla as it is known in the United States and Latin America, is used to mark a spiritual circle before a ceremony, as an addition to spiritual baths for healing, cleansing, and protection, and is also applied to certain areas of the body considered entry points for malicious spirits to try to gain possession of a person.

Not only the egg is used in hoodoo, conjure, and magic, but also the chicken. Traditional hoodoo practitioners may have “frizzled” chickens in their yard to ‘scratch’ up any items meant to jinx or “cross you up.” The “Frizzle” chicken is a specialty breed with characteristic curled or frizzled plumage. While the frizzle gene can be seen in many breeds, such as the Pekin and Polish, the Frizzle chicken is a distinct breed in a number of European countries and in Australia. 

Chickens are also used in certain traditions to cleanse as well. Depending on the belief system, a chicken will be ritually cleansed with water, prayed over, then passed over the entirety of a person’s body to absorb any negativity or curse. It is then disposed of in the manner which the belief system dictates, and the person is considered cleaned of the condition.

Many cultures and races have their own stories of the use and meaning of eggs in Spring. Investigate and ask the Elders in your family what they know about the meaning of eggs in your family’s heritage. You may find a story about the Faberge eggs or something even more precious to keep — love and sharing with your family and their stories at a blessed time. 

Happy Spring, Easter, and Ostara!