Casting Circles

[kristmort-deactivated20130822]

I am a being of nature I am a piece of infinity and inconceivability I am a part of the universe that goes beyond mind I exist in this human body and I exist in the body of nature I am surrounded by myself and I am salvaged in the universe’s womb And in this place I am eternal

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

Persephone - Greek Goddess of Spring and the Underworld

Persephone, a Greek goddess known in her childhood by the name Kore (or Cora, meaning young maiden), was the only child of the union of Demeter (goddess of the bountiful harvest) and Zeus, the mighty king of the Olympians.  The Greek goddess Persephone was born when Demeter was Zeus' consort, long before his marriage to the goddess Hera.  By all accounts  Persephone had an idyllic childhood, raised by her nurturing mother and played with her father's other daughters, the Greek goddesses Athena and Aphrodite.  Always a cheerful and compliant child, the little goddess Persephone was a parent's dream.

According to Greek mythology Persephone's life was soon to change.   As signs of womanly beauty began to shine along side her childlike innocence, the adolescent goddess Persephone unwittingly attracted the attention of the Greek god Hades, brother of Zeus and ruler of the underworld.  One can hardly blame Hades because the underworld, in Greek mythology,  was the realm of the sleeping and the dead. It probably needed some "brightening up", and the young goddess Persephone's radiance would assuredly liven up the place.  

The god Hades, however, did not bother to woo the young Persephone, traditional goddess protocol notwithstanding.   After asking for (and receiving) her father's approval for Persephone's hand in marriage, Hades simply abducted her one bright sunny day when she stooped to pluck a narcissus from a field of wildflowers near her home.  The meadow was suddenly rent open, and Hades simply reached out and snatched Persephone away, taking her to his underworld kingdom and making her his queen.   Although the young goddess Persephone grew to love Hades, she remained lonely for her mother and the life she'd known on earth.

Her mother, the goddess Demeter, had heard Persephone's screams when Hades grabbed her. She  began an intensive search for Persephone. After learning how Zeus had betrayed their daughter, and consumed by grief and sorrow, Demeter demonstrated her outrage by withholding her blessing from the earth until Persephone was returned to her.  Droughts ensued, and the earth lay barren.  Mankind was facing a major famine. Zeus finally relented and sent the god Hermes to bring the young goddess Persephone back to her mother.  

Part of Persephone missed her mother horribly, but another part had grown rather fond of the god Hades. And Persephone was rather enjoying her role as Queen, even if it was in the underworld.  While preparing to return to the earth with Hermes, Persephone accepted a pomegranate offered to her by Hades. She knew full well that anyone who had eaten while in the underworld would not be allowed to return, even a goddess -- Persephone went ahead and ate seven of the seeds.  Her choice prevented her from ever being fully restored to Demeter, but did open up the possibility of a compromise.  Hermes was able to negotiate an agreement on her behalf between Hades, a god who was usually rather cold-natured and self-centered, and Demeter. Persephone would be allowed to stay with Hades in the underworld for four months each year (winter) and would return to the earth and her mother the remaining months.  The goddess Persephone was soon reunited joyfully with her mother.  Each year as Persephone left to join her husband in the underworld, Greek mythology tells us that the goddess Demeter would begin to grieve, bringing on the cold, barren winters.  But a few months later Persephone, the goddess associated with awakening, would return to bring spring and its verdant growth in her wake . . . thus were the seasons established.

Not that the goddess Persephone sloughed off any of her responsibilities as the Queen of the Underworld . Apparently Persephone didn't spend all her time "going home to momma".  Having made the decision to consume the seeds of the pomegranate while in the underworld, Persephone managed to somehow always be there when others came visiting, ready to receive them into the underworld and to serve as their hostess and guide. 

The goddess Persephone, Queen of the Underworld,  was willing to help Psyche pass Aphrodite's tests so that Psyche could be reunited with her beloved husband.  Psyche had been assigned to go to the underworld and return with some of Persephone's famous youth serum/beauty ointment (actually it was a sleeping potion, but hey, we all know what a bad night's sleep can do to our appearance!) While Psyche was in the underworld, she found Persephone to be both a gracious and generous hostess.  

The Greek goddess Persephone also helped Heracles (Hercules), loaning him Cerberus, the ferocious three-headed dog that guarded the entrance of the underworld, so that he could complete the Twelve Labors he'd been assigned to make retribution for the death of his wife.  The goddess Persephone was also at home in the underworld  when Odysseus (Ulysses) arrived. She rewarded him with a legendary tour of the souls of women of great renown.

In another intriguing story, the Greek goddess Persephone agreed to hide Adonis, a mortal youth who was Aphrodite's lover,  from Aphrodite's suspicious husband.  But upon seeing the beautiful Adonis, Persephone, receptive goddess that she was, also fell for his charms and refused to give him back to Aphrodite.  (Remember, these Greek goddesses were the original "wild women", refusing to yield to convention!) 

Eventually, Zeus had to step in to settle the argument.   He ruled that Adonis should spend a third of the year with each of the goddesses, Persephone and Aphrodite, and be left to his own pursuits the remainder of the year.  Unfortunately, Adonis chose to spend his free time hunting and was killed in a hunting accident a few years later. 

The Greek goddess Persephone represents both the youthful, innocent, and joyous maiden aspect of a woman as well as the more womanly self who,  innocence lost and family attachments loosened, can begin to consciously decide for herself. 

In Greek mythology Persephone, goddess of the soul, is the possessor of its dark and frightening wisdom. But the goddess Persephone is also the harbinger of spring . . .  and a reminder of all the growth and hope that it brings.

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

History of Ostara

Many Holidays, Many Names:

The word Ostara is just one of the names applied to the celebration of the spring equinox on March 21. The Venerable Bede said the origin of the word is actually from Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring. Of course, it's also the same time as the Christian Eastercelebration, and in the Jewish faith, Passover takes place as well. For early Pagans in the Germanic countries, this was a time to celebrate planting and the new crop season. Typically, the Celtic peoples did not celebrate Ostara as a holiday, although they were in tune with the changing of the seasons.

A New Day Begins:

A dynasty of Persian kings known as the Achaemenians celebrated the spring equinox with the festival of No Ruz -- which means "new day." It is a celebration of hope and renewal still observed today in many Persian countries, and has its roots inZoroastrianism. In Iran, a festival called Chahar-Shanbeh Suri takes place right before No Ruz begins, and people purify their homes and leap over fires to welcome the 13-day celebration of No Ruz.

Mad as a March Hare:

Spring equinox is a time for fertility and sowing seeds, and so nature's fertility goes a little crazy. In medieval societies in Europe, the March hare was viewed as a major fertility symbol -- this is a species of rabbit that is nocturnal most of the year, but in March when mating season begins, there are bunnies everywhere all day long. The female of the species is superfecund and can conceive a second litter while still pregnant with a first. As if that wasn't enough, the males tend to get frustrated when rebuffed by their mates, and bounce around erratically when discouraged.

The Legends of Mithras:

The story of the Roman god, Mithras, is similar to the tale of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Born at the winter solstice and resurrected in the spring, Mithras helped his followers ascend to the realm of light after death. In one legend, Mithras, who was popular amongst members of the Roman military, was ordered by the Sun to sacrifice a white bull. He reluctantly obeyed, but at the moment when his knife entered the creature's body, a miracle took place. The bull turned into the moon, and Mithras' cloak became the night sky. Where the bull's blood fell flowers grew, and stalks of grain sprouted from its tail.

Spring Celebrations Around the World:

In ancient Rome, the followers of Cybele believed that their goddess had a consort who was born via a virgin birth. His name was Attis, and he died and was resurrected each year during the time of the vernal equinox on the Julian Calendar(between March 22 and March 25). Around the same time, the Germanic tribes honored a lunar goddess known as Ostara, who mated with a fertility god around this time of year, and then gave birth nine months later – at Yule.

The indigenous Mayan people in Central American have celebrated a spring equinox festival for ten centuries. As the sun sets on the day of the equinox on the great ceremonial pyramid, El Castillo, Mexico, its "western face...is bathed in the late afternoon sunlight. The lengthening shadows appear to run from the top of the pyramid's northern staircase to the bottom, giving the illusion of a diamond-backed snake in descent." This has been called "The Return of the Sun Serpent" since ancient times.

According to the Venerable Bede, Eostre was the Saxon version of the Germanic goddess Ostara. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the vernal equinox -- almost theidentical calculation as for the Christian Easter in the west. There is very little documented evidence to prove this, but one popular legend is that Eostre found a bird, wounded, on the ground late in winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But "the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs...the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre."

Modern Celebrations

This is a good time of year to start your seedlings. If you grow an herb garden, start getting the soil ready for late spring plantings. Celebrate the balance of light and dark as the sun begins to tip the scales, and the return of new growth is near.

Many modern Wiccans and Pagans celebrate Ostara as a time of renewal and rebirth. Take some time to celebrate the new life that surrounds you in nature -- walk in park, lay in the grass, hike through a forest. As you do so, observe all the new things beginning around you -- plants, flowers, insects, birds. Meditate upon the ever-moving Wheel of the Year, and celebrate the change of seasons.

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

Ostara Labyrinth Meditation

What is a Labyrinth?

The labyrinth has long been considered a place of magic and introspection. Labyrinthine designs have been found in nearly every major religion, and are an integral part of many ancient cultures. Labyrinths have been found all over the world. They are, in essence, a magical geometric shape which helps define sacred space. A labyrinth is not the same as a maze -- there is only one path in, and one path out.

During the period of the Crusades, wealthy families often built a labyrinth as a way to represent the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Today, they can be built and used by anyone as a tool of reflection and prayer. You can make a labyrinth out of just about anything -- planted flowers, shrubs, or stones for a permanent structure, string or sand or cornmeal for a more temporary one.

When walking through a labyrinth, your body tends to turn back and forth - first you're moving right, next you're going to the left, with a 180 degree turn each time. This causes you to shift your awareness from the right side of the brain to the left, and then back again. It is believed that this is one of the reasons why a labyrinth walk can induce varied states of consciousness.

The Labyrinth as Problem-Solving Tool

To do this meditation, if you don't have access to a labyrinth, you'll need to construct a simple one of your own. Use the pattern above as a guideline if you wish, but if you're working in a smaller physical space, feel free to make your design more simple than that. You can mark out your labyrinth with tape, string, or paint on the ground. If you're doing it outside, I like to use a trail of birdseed -- it doesn't damage the grass, and the local wildlife cleans up for you afterwards.

Once you've marked out your path, take a moment to meditate on what sort of issues you would like to resolve in your life. Ostara is a time of balance, so one of the great uses for this meditation is that of finding polarity and solving problems. Consider for a moment what problems -- either physical, spiritual, external, or emotional -- you would like to find a resolution for at this time. As you walk towards the center, you will begin working out solutions for your problem.

Take your first step into the labyrinth, walking slowly. Stop after each step, and think. Become aware of your surroundings, and what lies before you, and what lies behind you. Begin by thinking about not only your problem, but what you think of it on an intellectual level. Explore how the problem has come to exist, from a non-emotional standpoint.

As you continue to walk, move on to how the problem makes you feel. What emotions does it bring about in you? Do you find yourself unable to make rational decisions when you're dealing with your problem? What is it about this problem that brings about such an emotional response within you, and WHY does it effect you so much?

As you begin the third part of the journey, move on to how your problem effects you in your physical world. Are you running out of money because of a bad job? Do you have someone in your life who is hurting you? Have you become ill because of your problem?

Continue walking slowly, and examine how the problem has effected your spiritual needs. Do you feel as though you are at a loss in your spiritual path? Does it inhibit your growth as a spiritual person?

As you approach the center of the labyrinth, it is time to begin looking for solutions. If you have a patron deity, you can ask them to take the problem into their hands. You can ask the universe to help with a solution. You can ask for a vision to guide you -- whatever choice works best with you and your faith. As you reach the center, ideas will begin to come to you that will help resolve your issue at hand. When these visions arrive, accept them without questioning or judgment -- even if they don't make sense right now, you can analyze them later on. Meanwhile, accept that a solution has been given to you by a higher power.

Stand in the center of the labyrinth. Ask yourself, "What is the first step? How may I make this solution come to be?" Take some time to just stand -- or sit -- there, and let your solution sink in. You have completed the first part of your journey -- the reaching of a resolution. When you are ready, start making your way back out of the labyrinth.

The Return Path

As you take your first few steps from the center, consider the solution you were given. Look at it in a non-judgmental way, and think of it logically. Is it something you can make happen? Even if it seems difficult or hard to achieve, if you set yourself a goal, it IS obtainable.

Continue walking towards the exit, and keep thinking about the answer to your problem. Consider the deities or other higher power which provided you with this answer. Do you believe they have your best interest in mind? Of course they do -- so be sure to thank them for taking the time to pay attention to you and your needs, and for helping you reach this state of awareness.

As you continue to walk, consider once more your spiritual life. Will this solution allow you to grow or learn spiritually? Will you feel more whole spiritually after the solution has been implemented? What about physically? Will your body and health be affected in a positive way once you begin working towards this resolution? How does the solution make you feel on an emotional level, and how will it effect the negative emotions you felt about your problem in the first place?

As you approach the end of your journey, try to look at your solution from a logical, non-emotional perspective. If you work towards this solution, will it resolve your problem? While it may create more work for you, and be difficult to obtain, will the end result ultimately be worth the effort of making it happen?

Once you step out of your labyrinth's path, take a moment to once again thank the deities or higher power that assisted you. Think, as well, about how you feel as you emerge from the labyrinth. Do you feel lighter, as though you have truly found a way to resolve your issue? Take a deep breath, recognize the new power that you have, and get to work on making the necessary changes in your life!

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Chocolate Rabbit

Sure, Ostara is a time to celebrate spirituality and the turning of the earth, but there's no reason we can't have a good time with it as well. If you've got kids -- or even if you don't -- this simple rite is a great way to welcome the season using some things that are readily available in the discount stores at this time of year!

Bear in mind, this is meant to be fun and a little bit silly. If you think the Universe has no sense of humor, click the Back button on your browser immediately to exit this page.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 20 minutes

Here's How:

For this ritual, you'll need the following:

A bag of jellybeans

Marshmallow Peeps -- chicks, bunnies, etc.

A chocolate rabbit for each particpant

A glass of milk for each participant

Arrange your ritual supplies on your altar so they look pretty. Kids can do this -- typically the chocolate rabbits end up in the center, surrounded by an army of Peeps and several rings of jellybeans. A quick note -- you might want to perform this ritual well in advance of mealtime, or all the kids will be too full of candy to eat a real dinner.

First, give everyone present a handful of jellybeans. Point out the different colors in the jellybeans, and what they can represent. As you call out each one, eat the jellybeans in that color. Feel free to be a bit goofy. Say something like:

Behold, little jelly eggs, small symbols of the season, How we adore you! Green is for the grass that springs from the land! (eat all the green jellybeans) Yellow is for the sun shining above our heads! (eat all your yellow jellybeans) Red is for the tulips that grow in our garden! (eat your red jellybeans)  Pink is for Aunt Martha's new Easter hat! (eat your pink jellybeans)

Purple is for the crocuses that sprout along our driveway! (eat the purple ones)

Continue this until all the colors are gone -- if you really want to have some fun, make the kids take turns naming off the colors and what they mean to them. When they're all gone, call out:

Hail! Hail! to the mighty jelly bean of Spring!

Next, hand out the marshmallow Peeps. As you do, say:

Behold the Peep! The Peep is life, brought back in the spring! Little Peep chickens, we honor you! (bite the Peep chicks) Little Peep bunnies, we honor you! (bite the Peep bunnies)…

Continue this until the Peeps are all gone -- it's probably a good idea to limit each kid to just two or three Peeps at the most. When the Peeps have all vanished, call out:

Hail! Hail! to the mighty Peeps of Spring!

Finally, distribute the chocolate rabbits. Say:

Behold the great chocolate rabbit!  As he hops through the land, he spreads joy and happiness! O, how we adore the chocolate rabbit and his great big chocolate ears! (eat the rabbit's ears) Praise the chocolate rabbit, and his delicious chocolate tail! (eat the rabbit's tail) Honor this chocolate rabbit, and his chocolate hoppity legs! (eat the rabbit's legs) He is a wonderful rabbit, and he is special indeed! (eat the rest of the rabbit)

When the rabbits are all gone, say:

Hail! Hail! to the mighty chocolate rabbit of Spring!

Give everyone a glass of milk, and raise your drinks in a toast to these three symbols of the season.

To the jelly beans! To the Peeps! To the chocolate rabbit! We drink in your honor!

Drink your milk, and sit back to enjoy the sensation of being stuffed with ritual candy.

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

[aquapoetica-deactivated20120519]

Field Guide to Pagan Stereotypes (Satire)

I think I’m a cross between the “Ravin Pagan”, “Discordian Neo-Anarchist” and “TechnoPagan”.

Read it here.

[sunsetsinraindrops]

If youre a wiccan/pagan blog or if you post one of the following things please like this post.

Wicca

Paganism

God/Goddess

Trees/Flowers

Herbs

Fairys,nymphs or things of that.

Magick

[bisayawitch]

The Sabbats ~ Spring Equinox, Ostara

Ostara or the Spring Equinox is one of the Lesser Wiccan Sabbats, and is usually celebrated on the Vernal or Spring Equinox right around March 21 (although because of its origins, may instead be celebrated on the fixed date of March 25). Other names by which this Sabbat may be known are Oestara, Eostre’s Day, Rite of Eostre, Alban Eilir, Festival of the Trees, and Lady Day. The Christian holiday of Easter is very near this same time, (notice the similarity in name?), and is determined as the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox.

The winter, harsh and long, is now fading. The Earth is waking from Her frozen slumber and it’s time to rejoice in life, warmth and a renewal of the spirit. Come celebrate and worship as we give birth to all things fresh and new. Enjoy the hypnotic rhythms of the drum circle, the hugs of old friends, the laughter of children and the joy of togetherness. Let us reconnect with family, loved ones and friends, old and new as we turn the Wheel to Ostara.

Once again, night and day stand in perfect balance, with light ascending. Ostara is a fertility festival celebrating the birth of Spring and the reawakening of life from the earth. The energies of nature subtly shift from the sluggishness of Winter to the exuberant expansion of Spring. It is a time of great fertility, new growth, and newborn animals. The Goddess blankets the earth with fertility as she bursts forth from Her winter sleep. The young God stretches and grows to maturity as he walks the greening fields and delights in the abundance of nature.

Traditionally, Ostara is a time for collecting wildflowers, walking in nature’s beauty, and cultivating herb gardens. This is the time to free yourself from anything in the part that is holding you back. At this time we think of renewing ourselves. We renew our thoughts, our dreams, and our aspirations. We think of renewing our relationships. This is an excellent time of year to begin everything new or to completely revitalize something. This is also an excellent month for prosperity rituals or rituals that have anything to do with growth.

The name for this Sabbat actually comes from that of the Teutonic lunar Goddess, Eostre. Her chief symbols were the bunny (for fertility and because the Ancient Ones who worshiped her often saw the image of a rabbit in the full moon), and the egg (representing the cosmic egg of creation). This is where the customs of “Easter Eggs” and the “Easter Bunny” originated.

The role of the rabbit has two possible origins. One tale is that the rabbit so loved his Goddess Eostre that he laid sacred eggs in her honor, then brightly colored them and gave them to her as gifts. Eostre was so delighted, she wanted this joy to be shared by all, so the tradition continued. The second tale tells how Eostre found a wounded bird in the snow. To help the little bird survive the winter, she transformed it into a rabbit, but the transformation was incomplete and the rabbit retained the ability to lay eggs. In thanks for its life being saved, the rabbit took the eggs and decorated them and left them as gifts for Eostre. Again, she was delighted and wanted all to share her joy, so the tradition continued.

Ostara is a time to celebrate the arrival of Spring, the renewal and rebirth of Nature herself, and the coming lushness of Summer. It is at this time when light and darkness are in balance, yet the light is growing stronger by the day. The forces of masculine and feminine energy, yin and yang, are also in balance at this time.

At this time we think of renewing ourselves. We renew our thoughts, our dreams, and our aspirations. We think of renewing our relationships. This is an excellent time of year to begin anything new or to completely revitalize something. This is also an excellent month for prosperity rituals or rituals that have anything to do with growth.

Our Pagan ancestors often painted their eggs red at the time of Spring Solstice, and the return of Ostara. The decoration they added symbolized the rays of the Sun, and their prayer that the Sun would warm the egg, and from it create new life. Rabbits were also associated with Ostara, since they were known to be incredibly fertile, and because of their long association with the Moon, and the Goddess.

These symbols, and the happy custom of feasting and celebration at the time of the Spring Equinox, were co-opted by Christianity as it gained ascendancy over Paganism. The chocolate Easter eggs, Easter bunnies, Easter baskets, and Easter egg hunts that children enjoy today have their roots in the celebrations and religious practices of their Pagan ancestors.

There is much symbolism in eggs. The golden orb of its yolk represents the Sun God, its white shell is seen as the White Goddess, and the whole is a symbol of rebirth. The Goddess Eostre’s patron animal was the hare. And although the references are not recalled, the symbolism of the hare and rabbit’s associations with fertility are not forgotten. The Spring Equinox is a time of new beginnings, of action, of planting seeds for future grains, and of tending gardens. Spring is a time of the Earth’s renewal, a rousing of nature after the cold sleep of winter. As such, it is an ideal time to clean your home to welcome the new season. “Spring cleaning” is much more than simply physical work. It may be seen as a concentrated effort to rid your home of the problems and negativity of the past months, and to prepare for the coming spring and summer. To do this, many Pagans approach the task of cleaning their homes with positive thoughts. This frees the home of any negative feelings brought about by a harsh winter. A common rule of thumb for Spring cleaning is that all motions involving scrubbing of stains or hand rubbing the floors should be done “clockwise”. Pagans believe this custom aids in filling the home with good energy for growth.

Ostara represented many complex, interrelated beliefs to our ancestors. The sun was reborn from its winter banishment to thaw the earth, making it ready for the plow. People felt reborn as well, escaping from close, snowbound confinement into the new warmth. The gods and goddesses of fertility were active once again in the land causing new growth everywhere. Women often were showing the first swelling signs of pregnancy. As the wild flourished with new life, so too would the lands inhabited by man, bearing crops in the furrows and salmon in streams.

Celtic/Welsh Tradition

If you have read the Mabinogion myth, this is where the God of Light conquers his darker twin. The Goddess who has become the Maiden again since Imbolc, welcomes her Child and soon to be spouse. She watches him grow proudly. Pagans of old would light fires at dawn for protection of crops to come, renewed life, and cures to aliments they battled with over the hard Winter months.

Lady Day

In Wales, Ostara was known as Lady Day and signified the official return of the Goddess from her long winter hibernation. Many of the myths associated with Ostara concern trips by deities into the mysterious underworld, and their struggle and eventual return to the land of the living.

Many people feel “reborn” after the long nights and coldness of winter. The Germanic Goddess Ostara or Eostre (Goddess of the Dawn), after whom Easter is named, is the tutelary deity of this holiday. It is she, as herald of the sun, who announces the triumphal return of life to the earth.

Witches in the Greek tradition celebrate the return from Hades of Demeter’s daughter Persephone; Witches in the Celtic tradition see in the blossoms the passing of Olwen, in whose footprints flowers bloom.

Lady Day may also refer to other goddesses (such as Venus and Aphrodite), many of whom have festivals celebrated at this time.

Persephone

In fall, Persephone is stolen away by Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Demeter, driven almost to frenzy by the abduction of her precious daughter (a younger form of Demeter herself), blasts the earth and refuses to let anything grow until her daughter is restored to her.

Unfortunately, it isn’t so simple. Persephone is also a death goddess, and she found in the underworld that her husband, Hades, was not entirely offensive to her. Despite knowing better she has eaten 6 pomegranate seeds, a potent blood-red symbol of female power, so no one can compel her to return to her mother and the pleasures of girlhood.

She still loves her mother, however, and eventually a deal is worked out. Persephone will return to the above world for half of the year, depending on the different variations of the legend. In spring, she re-emerges and Demeter’s delight is so great that she allows the earth to burst forth into bloom. Hades, his time of power being the fall and winter, retreats for a time until the next Equinox, in fall, when he will again abduct Persephone and continue the unending cycle.

Date: Spring Equinox (March 20-24 in Northern Hemisphere, September 20-24 in Southern Himsphere) Type: Lesser Sabbat Pronunciation:Ostara “os tar’ a”, “Oh-star-ah”, “OHS-truh”. Eostre “EST-truh”, “East-ra” or “yo’ster” Symbolism: Strength, rebirth, completion, new beginnings, embodiment of spirit, fertility, renewed promise of life, the union of the Goddess and the God, the dispensing of the old and making way for the new, resurrection of life, festival of balance, youth, light overtaking darkness, it is a celebration of the returning of life to the Earth. Etymology: The Spring Equinox, Ostara was known by many names and is believed to be loosely connected to Ishtar/Astarte/Esther, but especially Ostara/Eostre, a goddess of spring, fertility, and rebirth. Gaelic for the Vernal Equinox (Spring Equinox) is Là Meadhonach an Earraich (“Middle Day of the Spring”). Mean Earraigh (“Middle of Spring”) is the Irish. Welsh would be Calon y Gwanwyn (“Middle of the Spring”), though again, some might prefer Calon y Gwanwyn (“Heart of the Spring”). Place in the Natural Cycle:Spring is now upon the Earth. Ostara is the solar festival that marks the transition from the dark to the light half of the year: day and night are of equal length. On this day, the sun rises due east and sets due west. The spring quarter of the year runs from Imbolc to Beltane, so Ostara marks the mid-point of spring. By Ostara, life is returning to the land in noticeable ways, and thus nature demonstrates the festival’s associations with revival and the ascendancy of light. Much of the livestock is giving birth, or being born. It is the season of lambing, the only time shepherds would ‘watch by night’. The planting season has now begun in earnest. In ancient times, many of the tribe’s hunters would lay down their spears and bows to take up the plow. Pagan Mythology: The God comes of age and defeats his alter-ego, sexual union of the Lord & Lady, sprouting, greening, balance of light and dark. The Goddess and God both young and maturing are experiencing a time of transformation, of wonder of newness. They are very similar and balanced at t his time. Oak/Holly King Cycle: TThe Wild Hunt returns to Faerie after roaming the countryside during winter. Its leader, the Horned God, takes his place as the young forest king. Animals: Rabbits, snakes, unicorns, hares, robins, dragons (associated with eggs the earth and fertility), lambs, chicks Altar Decor: Daffodils, tulips, violet, iris, narcissus, any spring flowers, eggs, butterflies, cocoons, four leaf clover, baskets, eggs, lambs, chicks, bunnies, budding twigs, sprouting bulbs, colored ribbons Herbs & Flowers: Honeysuckle, Iris, Peony, Violet, Woodruff, Gorse, Olive, Iris, Narcissus, Daffodils, Jonquils, Primrose, Forsythia, Crocus, all spring flowers, pine tree Trees: Cherry, Dogwood, Forsythia, Willow Celtic Tree Month: Fearn (Alder) Planetary ruler: Mars, Mercury Zodiac: Sun is at 0* of Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) Moon: Sap, Crow Traditional Foods:Hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, fresh fruits, milk punch, leafy green vegetables, dairy foods, apples, nuts, flower dishes, sprouts, jelly eggs (jelly beans), chocolates, seeds, spiced or flower cupcakes, hot cross buns Traditional Drinks: fruity red wine, beers Incense: African violet, jasmine, rose, sage and strawberry Element: Air Musical Instrument: Wind instruments Stones/Gems: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, red jasper Goddesses: Eostre, all love, virgin, and fertility Goddesses Gods: Pan, the Green Man, Cernunnos, all love, song & dance, and fertility Gods. Colors: Light green, lemon yellow, and pale pink Threshold: dawn Taboos: Ostara is a time to wear your new clothes. It was considered bad luck to wear anything old. Oils: jasmine, rose, sage, lavender, narcissus, ginger Magickal Studies: Clean out magick chest and herb chest, make a list of anything that needs to be replaced. Begin to collect herbs and flowers for making incense, oils, and such. This is a good time to study nature and fertility magick. After a physical Spring-cleaning, a spiritual cleansing of the house and property should follow. Renew any protection spells, Circles, blessings, guardians etc placed on the property and in the house.  Meditations: Ostara is a time of balance and this is an ideal opportunity to reflect on how our male and female energies balance within us, examine where you might be unbalanced and where you might need to let go of the past and prepare for a fertile future. Meditate on plans for the future at this time of growth and fertility and how we can develop ourselves. Also meditations on the awakening earth, spring planting, and new growth. Balefire: Alder, broom, dogwood, hawthorn, honeysuckle, olive, rosebush wood, sagebrush. Equal amounts of oak and holly. Cauldron: Seeds, Spring flowers, young shoots, or left empty to burn written goals. Personal Adornments: Should wear flowers, all symbols of Spring. If robed, spring colors are called for. Spellwork: Spellwork for improving communication and group interaction are recommended, as well as fertility, balance and abundance. Banishment of bad ties, fertility magick, goals for future, healing magick, new beginnings, love magick, positive growth. All nature and garden magick is appropriate.

Ways to Celebrate

- Go out and collect wild flowers if they are out in the area. - Get out in Nature. Take a walk around your neighborhood or favorite park. See which plants are sprouting, which budding, which blooming, which still are in the grips of winter. Feel the air; smell the scents of Ostara. Clear a space for a garden, or start flowers, herbs or vegetables indoors. It’s too early in this climate to plant fruits and vegetables; frosts can happen as late as April in the Northwest. But you can clear weeds, grass and rubbish from the spot where you plan a garden, or you can start seeds indoors. Check with your favorite garden store what flowers and vegetables might best be started now. - Plant early seeds such as peas, lettuce, cabbage family. Start others indoors - Pick up litter at your favorite park or beach. Help the earth rejuvenate by getting rid of the mess. Even an hour of cleanup can make a big difference. - Perform oomancy (divination by eggs). To perform the most common form of egg-divination, separate egg whites and yolks. You then drop the white into hot water and divine from the shapes it assumes. - Draw sprouting leaves on an egg and bury it in your garden to help stimulate your plants. - Perform magick by planting a seed to grow with your spell. You can use the energy of this time of year to fuel any new project or goal. Think of how you wish to change and grow while planting the seed and watch it flourish as you do. - Make hot cross buns - Light pairs of white and black candles, symbolizing dark and light, in different areas of your home. Each time you pass a pair of candles, you can honor the balance of light and dark we find this time of year, and the balance of light and dark within yourself. - Dye eggs with natural dyes and try decorating them with magickal or other symbols. Ideas for those eggs you can use include runes, astrological symbols, elemental symbols, the Theban alphabet, zodiac/planetary symbols, Ogham writing, lunar & solar symbols, stars, pentacles, Egyptian hieroglyphs, God/Goddess symbols. - Give a potted plant to friends or family for their garden or window sill - Connect with plant energies. Choose a plant and spend time exploring the leaves and stem in great detail, being careful not to harm it. Use a magnifying glass. Feel the textures and inhale the scent of the plant. - Wear flowers in your hair, or as a necklace, and strew them around and on your alter. - Fill your house with spring flowers - Offerings of food and milk are left for the fairies and other spirits who live in and around rocks and are responsible for the fertility of the land. Leave a few fruits from the last harvest for the nature spirits. - If you didn’t do your spring cleaning at Imbolc it is an ideal time to clean your home to welcome the new season. Do a spring cleaning rites/ritual and cleanse your home of negativity and any energies that might prevent you from taking advantage of prosperity in your life. - Meditate on beginnings, on the East, on air, on dawn. In meditation, note how these symbols connect organically and how you relate personally to them. - Light a candle on Ostara Eve, and give a blessing to the departing spirits of winter. Welcome the arriving spirits of spring. - Let the whole family create a dance depicting the rising of new shoots from the earth to greet the sun. Create your own music with drums, rattles and whistles, or choose music that reminds you of spring. Bundle up, spread out a blanket, and watch the sunrise. Eat honey cakes and eggs for breakfast. - Do egg hunts with the family. - Light a bonfire at dawn on the Equinox to honor the light half of the year. - At this time, witches cast spells for careers, relationships, and love. It’s a time for planting new ideas. Seek harmony and balance in the incredible energy of the season, and project good health, good fortune, and confidence in achieving goals. - Color hard boiled eggs and add symbols for the Fertility God, the Goddess, the Sun God, unity, fire, water, agriculture, prosperity and growth, strength and wisdom, spring, love and affection, and protection. - Reconsecrate your tools. - Ashes from the Ostara eve bonfire mixed with the planting seed as a fertility charm -A tradition that did not exactly move over into the popular celebration of Easter was having sex in freshly ploughed fields. This tradition came from the pagan farmers who would finish ploughing and planting their fields. Once the crops were all planted, the farmer and his wife would make love in the field, the idea being that the fertility of their sexual act would help the plants grow into a bountiful crop. Another variant of this is leaping in the fields. Instead of having sex in the freshly ploughed fields, the farmer and his family would go out into the field and leap as high as they could into the air, the idea being that the crops would grow as high as their leaps into the air. This is an example of sympathetic magick, where the crops are supposed to imitate the actions of the farmer’s family. - Let tonight’s meal be the first picnic of the season—even if you’re dining on a blanket in the living room. - Write a spring poem and tuck it under your child’s pillow to find at bedtime. - Create a list with your child of all the spring treats the earth delivers—robins’ eggs, green grass, warmer air, blue skies, purple crocus… - Throw open the windows and imagine that the breeze, even a cold one, is blowing out stale energy and old habits that you would like to release. This can be the day to spring-clean your psyche. - Create a collage of your family’s dream garden using pictures you and your child cut out of magazines and catalogs. - As the sun goes down, light lots of candles, turn up your favorite music, and dance together to celebrate the beginning of spring. - Perform magick to give back to the earth. Raise and send energy to return to the Earth, our mother, some of the bounteous energy and fertility She gives to us. - Meditate on the Moon-Hare, rabbits provide an obvious symbol of animal fertility and see what comes to you about literal or creative fertility in your own life. - Honor the spring or Earth goddess or god of your choice, or a goddess or god of balance. - Let the whole family create a dance depicting the rising of new shoots from the earth to greet the sun. Create your own music with drums, rattles and whistles, or choose music that reminds you of spring. Bundle up, spread out a blanket, and watch the sunrise. Eat honey cakes and eggs for breakfast. - If you live near a river or pond you can look for tadpoles in the water. (Be sure you return later to see the frogs which have grown from those tiny creatures) - Take time to notice what birds have returned from their winter homes. Place feeders and/or a bird bath out for them.

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

Differences Between Erzulie Freda and Erzulie Dantor

Erzulie Freda:  Is the Vodoun Goddess of love and beauty. Vodou has three sets of deities or lwas–Rada, Ghede, and Petro–each with their own associations. Erzulie Freda is the Rada aspect of the Goddess Erzulie, and she represents romantic love, sweetness, and luxury. She loves perfume, the color pink, fancy clothes, and the good life, and she wears three wedding rings, one for each of her three husbands. Erzulie Freda can be called upon to bring love and luxury to one’s life, but she is a little spoiled. She always wants more from her followers–fancier clothes, more champagne, more designer shoes. When she doesn’t get what she wants, she bursts into tears, and plunges a sword into her heart. Even in the midst of her wealth, the world disappoints her, and she reminds us that material wealth is not the only wealth we must strive towards. She is also known as Erzulie Freda Dahomey, because she originated from Dahomey (now the West African country of Benin).

Erzulie Dantor: Is the Vodoun Goddess of jealousy and vengeance. Vodou has three sets of deities or lwas–Rada, Ghede, and Petro–each with their own associations. Erzulie Dantor is the Petro aspect of the Goddess Erzulie, and she is the patron lwa of women who have been abused. She is fiercely protective of her children and her followers. In her arms she holds her daughter Anais, who relays messages to and from Erzulie Dantor. While she is a strict mother, she will go to any lengths to protect her children and to seek vengeance on those who have wronged them. Erzulie Dantor is also the patron Goddess of lesbians.

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

Suggested Offerings for Erzulie

Sweet Cakes

Pink champagne

Perfume

Flowers

Beauty products

Anything beautiful and/or decadent

[asfvrehgwmv123-blog]

Erzulie: Haitian Goddess of Love

Erzulie, or Ezili, is the Vodou Lwa (spirit or goddess) of love and women. She has many forms, from coquette to fierce warrior mother to red-eyed weeping crone, and can be counted among either the Rada or Petwo lwa (spirits or gods). The Petwo rites arose in the New World during slavery, and Petwo lwa are characteristically dark and powerful, and called bitter (anme). Erzulie is a love goddess who developed during a time when slave owners broke up families and separated husbands and wives at will, and considered raping female slaves a pleasant way to produce more slaves.

Erzulie manifests deep, deep passion, and Her moods can range from the height of joy to the depths of misery--when She mounts (spiritually possesses) a follower she or he goes from coquettish and seductive to crying her or himself to sleep, weeping for the limitations of love.

There are numerous sister forms of Erzulie, and She is sometimes considered a triple goddess. As such She has three husbands--Damballah (the sky god), Agwe (the sea god), and Ogoun (a god of fire and iron), and She wears three wedding bands.

Offerings to Erzulie are all the sweet things She loves--perfume, sweet food, and desserts such as bananas fried in sugar.

[scarletsuniquegifts-deactivated]

Aromatherapy Herbs

[teletubby-fan-theorist]

Anubis is the Greek name for the jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. According to the Akkadian transcription in the Amarna letters, Anubis’ name was vocalized in Egyptian as Anapa. The oldest known mention of Anubis is in the Old Kingdom pyramid texts, where he is associated with the burial of the pharaoh. At this time, Anubis was the most important god of the dead but he was replaced during the Middle Kingdom by Osiris.

He takes names in connection with his funerary role, such as He who is upon his mountain, which underscores his importance as a protector of the deceased and their tombs, and the title He who is in the place of embalming, associating him with the process of mummification. Like many ancient Egyptian deities, Anubis assumes different roles in various contexts, and no public procession in Egypt would be conducted without an Anubis to march at the head.

[spell-a-day-blog]

FIRE CHANT

In Ancient times next to the hearth would have been the altar., where many a hearth goddess would be!

The hearth was the heart of the home.

If you have a hearth, try this next time you kindle a fire to enchance it’s magic.

If not so lucky to have a hearth then maybe a fire in a cauldron or small candles ina log!

Fire of old, burn

Seasons of time, turn

Power of light, glow

Passion of love, flow