skip to main |
skip to sidebar
SPRING EQUINOX ( MARCH 22) IS THE FULL MANIFESTATION OF THE RETURN OF THE VITAL POWERS OF NATURE. THE NAME OF THIS CELEBRATION WAS ALWAYS TEUTONIC. IN GERMANY THE GODDESS THAT REIGNS SUPREME AT THIS HOLIDAY IS KNOWN AS OSTARA. SHE IS THE VIRGIN GODDESS OF SPRING IN ANCIENT GERMANY. IT IS FOR HER THAT THIS FESTIVAL IS NAMED.
AT OSTARA, THE TEUTONS HONORED THEIR GODDESS OF SPRING, EOSTRE - FOR WHOM THE CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY OF EASTER IS NAMED. IT IS SIMPLY ONE OF THE NAMES THAT THE EVANGELISTS COULD NOT OBLITERATE. EASTER FALLS NEAR OSTARA AND CELEBRATES ANOTHER RESURRECTED DEITY.
PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST LASTING SYMBOLS OF OSTARA IS THE EGG. SINCE ANCIENT TIMES, EGGS, BEING THE UNIVERSAL ARCHETYPE OF NEW LIFE, WERE HELD IN REVERENCE AS SYMBOLS OF SACRED OBJECTS AND ETERNAL LIFE. THEY WERE DECORATED AND PLACED ON SPRING ALTARS. THEY WERE EXCHANGED AS CHERISHED GIFTS.
OUR PRESENT DAY MYTH THAT EGGS ARE DELIVERED BY THE EASTER BUNNY, COMES FROM THE GODDESS EOSTRE, WHO WE HONOR AT OSTARA. LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE RABBIT WANTED TO PLEASE THIS GODDESS SO MUCH THAT HE LAID SACRED EGGS IN HER HONOR, BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED THEM, THEN PRESENTED THEM TO HER.
EOSTRE WAS SO PLEASED WITH THE RABBIT'S GIFT THAT SHE WANTED TO SHARE HER HAPPINESS WITH ALL OF MANKIND. AS A RESULT THE RABBIT TRAVELED WORLD WIDE GIVING OUT EGGS, LITTLE DECORATED GIFTS OF LIFE.
WEARING NEW CLOTHES AT EASTER ALSO COMES FROM AN EARLIER TEUTONIC PAGAN TRADITION. GERMANIC PEOPLE WOULD WORK THROUGH THE WINTER IN SECRET SEWING ELEGANT CLOTHES FOR THIS SABBAT CELEBRATION. IT WAS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK TO WEAR ONE'S NEW SPRING CLOTHES BEFORE OSTARA.
AT OSTARA THE WHOLE PAGAN COMMUNITY WOULD GATHER FOR FEASTING, GAMES AND CELEBRATE RELIGIOUS RITUALS SHOWING OFF THEIR NEW OUTFITS.
THE LAMB IS A SYMBOL OF OSTARA. THE LAMB WAS SACRED TO ALL THE VIRGIN GODDESSES OF EUROPE, NORTH AFRICA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST. THIS SYMBOL WAS SO INGRAINED THAT IT CARRIED OVER INTO THE RELIGIOUS RITUALS OF CHRISTIAN EASTER.
MANY OF THE VERNAL EQUINOX MYTHS FROM THE NORDIC AND GERMANIC LANDS CONCERN TRIPS BY DEITIES INTO THE NETHERWORLD, AND THEIR STRUGGLE TO RETURN FROM THE LAND OF DEATH TO THE LAND OF LIVING. WHEN THEY DO RETURN TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING, THEY HAVE A NEW LIFE, BOTH FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY. ODIN WOULD BE ONE OF THESE RESURRECTED DEITIES. YOU CAN EASILY SEE HOW THIS THEME USED THE GRAFTING SAINTLY FEAST DAYS ONTO ANY PAGAN FESTIVAL THEY WANTED TO ERADICATE.
THE OSTARA CELEBRATION WAS NONEXISTENT IN CELTIC LANDS UNTIL THE VIKINGS, INVADING THESE LANDS, CELEBRATED IT, AND IT BECAME ANOTHER CHERISHED FESTIVAL. THE CELTS RENAMED IT "LADYS DAY." IT WAS A TIME OF THE GODDESS'S RETURN AFTER HER WINTER SLEEP.
HAPPY OSTARA AND SPRING EQUINOX!
Lory
Source: http://pagan-magic.blogspot.com
It is no coincidence that the name for this sabbath sounds similar to the word 'Easter'. Eostre, or Ostara, is an Anglo-Saxon Dawn Goddess whose symbols are the egg and the hare. She, in turn, is the European version of the Goddess Ishtar or Astarte, whose worship dates back thousands of years and is certainly pre-Christian. Eostre also lives on in our medical language in the words 'oestrous' (the sexual impulse in female animals) and 'oestrogen' (a female hormone). Today, Oestara is celebrated as a spring festival. Although the Goddess put on the robes of Maiden at Imbolg, here she is seen as truly embodying the spirit of spring. By this time we can see all around us the awakened land, the leaves on the trees, the flowers and the first shoots of corn.
Oestara is also the Spring Equinox, a time of balance when day and night are equal. As with the other Equinox and the Solstices, the date of this festival may move slightly from year to year, but many will choose to celebrate it on 21 March. In keeping with the balance of the Equinox, Oestara is a time when we seek balance within ourselves. It is a time for throwing out the old and taking on the new. We rid ourselves of those things which are no longer necessary - old habits, thoughts and feelings - and take on new ideas and thoughts. This does not mean that you use this festival as a time for berating yourself about your 'bad' points, but rather that you should seek to find a balance through which you can accept yourself for what you are.
There is some debate as to whether Oestara or Imbolg was the traditional time of spring cleaning, but certainly the casting out of the old would seem to be in sympathy with the spirit of this festival and the increased daylight at this time encourages a good clean out around the home.
"
Source: http://kate west"
On Ostara I did a very simple ritual. I got up at before dawn and laid out all the parts for my wreath and smudged them and left the incense burning. At dawn I lit a candle for spring, cast a circle, welcomed the Elementals, said hello to a goddess or three, told Eostre that I was making the wreath and dedicating it to her as a thanks for the coming spring. The wreath practically strung itself together, I dropped the circle, thanked everyone for coming and hung the wreath on the wall.
I was so full of energy I was humming all day.
It feels SO good to do that.
So WHY have I not done another ritual all week? Why do I tell myself every evening that I am too tired and will do one in the morning and in the morning why do I tell myself that I am too rushed and will do one in the evening?
Why do we avoid doing things that make us feel good and are good for us?
I say "we" because I know darn good and well that I am not the only one.
Credit: http://masonsofheaven.blogspot.com
Easter is supposed to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, but when someone hears Easter, they think of the Easter Bunny and eggs. Since ancient times rabbits have been associated with spring. It is believed that Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, Eostre had a hare as her companion. The hare symbolizes fertility and rebirth. Later Christians changed the symbol of the hare to the Easter bunny.
In an attempt to Christianize Easter which began as a pagan holiday, is named for a Saxon goddess who was known by the names of Oestre or Eastre, and in Germany by the name of Ostara. She is a goddess of the dawn and the spring, and her name derives from words for dawn, the shining light arising from the east. Our words for the "female hormone" estrogen derives from her name.
Ostara was a fertility goddess. Bringing in the end of winter, with the days brighter and growing longer after the vernal equinox, Ostara had a passion for new life. Her presence was felt in the flowering of plants and the birth of babies, both animal and human. The rabbit (well known for its propensity for rapid reproduction) was her sacred animal.
Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny both were featured in the spring festivals of Ostara, which were initially held during the feasts of the goddess Ishtar Inanna. Eggs are obvious symbols of fertility, and the newborn chicks an adorable representation of new growth. Brightly colored eggs, chicks, and bunnies were all used at festival time to express appreciation for Ostara's gift of abundance.
According to history.com the egg is an ancient symbol of new life and has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring.
From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus' emergence from the tomb and resurrection.
Courtesy: Source
Tags: nyc things to do with children esther queen candy filled plastic candy cane the lost world sir arthur conan doyle what muslim leader wants temple rebuilt lyrics to circe circe dot dot by jamie kennedy
Ok, we are nearly at Ostara and I haven't yet written up my suggestions although I do have an article that will be published any moment now that I will post up when it's ready :)
But Sunday is not too far away - so what am I planning to make Ostara 2011 a special one?!
I have been mainly focused on the fact that 2011 is the Chinese year of the Rabbit and that this links very nicely with the Pagan rabbit (or more traditionally, hare) at this time of year. Here are some of the plans I have made so far:
* The rabbit in many cultures is linked to the moon. Ostara is a lunar festival and it is tradional to plant your seeds at this time of year. The full moon is actually on Saturday rather than Ostara itself and so I am planning on planting my mint on this day instead. (The herbs for Ostara are mint and thyme).
* It is also a pretty traditional activity to take a walk and for those of us with modern lives, it's important to connect with nature whenever we can. I have been doing a Ostara walk for a few years now and did mine yesterday. It was just about the best day, weatherwise, we have had so far this year and it was glorious! I will post this up soon because we actually happened upon what was left behind from a Pagan ritual at some ancient stones!
* The Easter Bunny that we all grew up with gave gifts to all, especially children. So I am trying to think of some appropriate gifts to the children in my family (who have everything!) and also to those who may need a little pick me up or have been through a hard time.
* The rabbit is intuitive and so, as a tarot reader, I am going to be doing a quick tarot reading for myself as well as for a close friend of mine who asked me to take a look for her recently. You can also use a crystal ball if you like. This is always good at a full moon.
* The rabbit is a very lively, energetic creature and I am in need of this at the moment as I have sooooo much going on! So for my Ostara spell, I am going to try and put something together (quickly) to bring about this vibrance and enthusiasm to help me leap out of bed of a morning raring to go!
Tags: why teach evolution the spirit is knocking eckhart tolle meister eckhart to heal the hurt numerology life path 7 meaning waning half moon black magikc spell
