Equinox (Easter) Eggs

Decorated eggs at the Spring equinox for nothing new. They were in use long before any connection with Christian Easter. Red eggs in particular were given by many cultures as gifts at this season, in the remembrance of the Great Goddess and Her life renewing abilities. The ancient Romans celebrated the season by running races on an oval track and giving eggs as prizes.

If you aren’t fond of the left over hard cooked eggs, and plan to use the eggs only as decorations, consider using just the empty shells. Within needle, make a small hole at the top and a slightly larger hole at the bottom of a raw egg. Be sure that the needle or ice pick punctures the membrane inside. Hold the egg over a whole and blow into the top hole until all the contents flow out the bottom. You now have an empty shell that can be decorated, and the insides can be scrambled or used for cooking. Be sure to gently wash the shell out before you decorated it.

Polish peasants used to decorate their eggs with elaborate cut paper designs. Sometimes they color the shells first, covering them with colored paper. Sometimes they left them white, using white paper. To cut of repeating design, old piece of paper into his many layers as needed to repeat the motif. Make a sketch of the design on the top layer. Cut around the design scissors, being sure to cut through all the layers at the same time. Unfold the paper and paste the little cut out on the egg. Eggs can also be decorated with colored paper to resemble animals and birds, by attaching wings, ears, etc.

DJ Conway

~Moon Magick~

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I agree with the Rev. Haley Dossor of this article: Political correctness has gone to far.

School deems hot cross buns ‘offensive’

England, Feb. 6 (UPI) — A school in England has decided that hot cross buns are religiously offensive, and demanded the supplier start making them as simply cross-less currant buns.

Traditionally served at Easter time, the buns have been around since 1361, when a monk reportedly made small spiced cakes stamped with the sign of the cross, to be distributed to the poor visiting the monastery at St. Albans on Good Friday.

Head teacher Tina Jackson of the Oaks Primary School in Ipswich says that might offend some religious minorities like Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are not allowed to worship things of a pagans-are-nature-oriented/">pagan nature.

But the Rev. Haley Dossor told the Suffolk Evening Star political correctness has gone too far.

“All religions have particular traditions, habits and customs and this is one of the traditions of the Church of England,” he said.

One parent who asked not to be identified told the newspaper it was an absurd move.

“I have never heard of anything so ridiculous. Since when have hot cross buns been offensive?” the parent asked the Star.

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Ostara and the Equinox

I love Ostara because it is the beginning of Spring. I have come to tolerate Winter and even enjoy it at times but it is not my time of the year. I love Spring because our Mother Earth is coming to life. The promise of rebirth is here.

On the Equinox day and night are equal, reminding me how important balance is in my life. This is the time of year for me to reflect on myself and let go of what is not working for me. I look for rebirth and growth. What cycles are ending and what new cycles are beginning.

This year I went to Cheaha Mountain for an Ostara get together and picnic. Last night I spent Ostara with close friends.

Today is the first day of Spring it is cold and much more like Winter, but I know that Spring’s promise is in the air. I hope everyone has a wonderful Ostara today, welcoming in the Spring.

Loki

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Ostara History, & Lore

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 with us 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.

OSTARA (pronounced O-STAR-ah) 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 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 worshipped 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.

Correspondences
Other Names
Ostre, Oestre, Eostre, Rites of Spring, Eostra’s Day, Lady Day, First Day of Spring,
Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Alban Eiler, Bacchanalia

Dynamics/Meaning
The God comes of age, sexual union of the Lord & Lady, sprouting, greening,
balance of light and dark

Purpose
Plant and animal fertility, sowing

Gods/Goddesses
Hare, Green Man, Youthful Gods, Warrior Gods, Taliesin, Lord of the Greenwood (English),
Dagda(Irish), Cernunnos(Greco-Celtic), Pan(Greek), Adonis(Greek)
Eostre (Saxon Goddess of Fertility), Ostara (the German Goddess of Fertility) (Teutonic)
Kore, Maiden, Isis, Astarte(Persia, GrecoRoman), Ishtar(Babylonian), Minerva(Roman),
Youthful Goddesses. Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake(Welsh-Cornish), the Green Goddess

Essence
Strength, birthing, completion, power, love, sexuality, embodiment of spirit,
fertility, opening, beginning

Tools, Symbols & Decorations
Colored eggs, baskets, green clothes, shamrock, equilateral cross, butterfly, cocoons,
sprouting plants; violets, lily, spring wildflowers, new clothes, lamb, hare/rabbit

Colors/Candles
Gold, light green, grass green, robin’s egg blue, lemon yellow, pale pink, anything pastel

Customs
Wearing green, new clothes, celtic bird festival, egg baskets coloring eggs,
collecting birds eggs, bird watching, egg hunts, starting new projects, spring planting

Animals/Mythical beings
Unicorn, merpeople, pegasus, rabbit/easter bunny, chicks, swallows, snakes

Gemstones
Rose quartz, moonstone, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, red jasper

Herbs
Blessed thistle, evergreen, moss, oak, sage, bay, bayberry, cedar, pine, frankincense,
ginger, holly, ivy, juniper, mistletoe, myrrh, pinecones, rosemary, chamomile,
cinnamon, valarion, yarrow

Incense/Oil
African violet, lotus, jasmine, rose, magnolia, sage lavender, narcissus,
ginger, broom, strawberry

Rituals/Magicks
Personal renewal, world peace, honoring family & friends, Festival of light, meditation

Foods
Light foods, fish, maple sugar candies, hot crossed buns, sweet breads,
hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, seasonal fruits, milk punch, egg drinks

Author Unknown

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Blackbirds and Spring

Yesterday, in the early afternoon, I was leaving the house to see a friend. I walked down the stairs to the car and I could not help but notice the chatter.  The birds were noisy.  There were hundreds of them.

I looked up in the pines and they were filled with blackbirds.  They were everywhere, perched in the trees talking with each other.  The pines were covered with them. The sun was shining and I could feel the warmth of the sun.  I could feel the beginnings of spring.  Winter’s death was ending and beginning to stir with life.  The Earth Mother was ready to begin her rebirth.

Blackbirds are magical and connected to creation.  This time of year they are very social in large groups bantering to each other, preparing for the mating season that is soon to come.  Blackbirds are symbols for creation and our spiritual strength.  They call to us to create, to look for opportunities. They remind us that we can manifest our destiny. Blackbirds can be powerful totems when we get to know them.

The blackbirds reminded me that spring was soon to come, and rebirth is just around the corner.  On this sunny afternoon they brought to my attention that we are all affected by the turn of the wheel, somehow we are all connected, we are all related.  I left my home feeling a deeper connection to the Earth Mother’s Spirit and knowing that I was part of a greater whole.

Loki

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Here is a nice Ostara Ritual for the Solitary Practitioner.  It can be modified for groups or covens.-Loki

Ostara Solitary Ritual
This Ritual shall be performed either in the morning, at Dawn, or during the day sometime, or during the early evening hours, just after Sunset. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil, with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and “sweep away” any lingering negative energies. Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West-Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the

Four Quarters. Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with a white, light green, lemon yellow or a pale pink altar cloth. For this ceremony, decorate the altar with Springtime flowers of any color (silk are acceptable), along with a Spring basket filled with brightly-colored pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan Ostara Eggs. Along with your usual ritual tools and items, have upon the altar:

White, Light Green, Lemon Yellow or a Pale Pink Altar Cloth
Spring Basket filled with Brightly-colored pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan Ostara Eggs
Spring Flowers (for decoration)
A New Plant or a Seed or Seedling to be planted within your cast Circle -

you will also need some soil and a pot (as a Spring gift to yourself)

Pen and Paper (for writing out your desires for the coming year)

Cauldron for Burning the “Seed” Papers in (light each one from the Fire candle)

A Bell

Ostara Incense - Spring Blend, or Jasmine, Rose, Sage, or Strawberry Sticks

When all is set up, take a shower or bath for purification and don your Ritual Robe or other Ritual attire. Be sure to wear your Magickal jewelry, if you have any. Sit quietly and meditate for a little while - to ground and center. When you feel ready to begin, play some quiet peaceful music for the Ritual.

Cast the Circle… begin the Ostara Sabbat Ceremony by sitting quietly for a few moments, then say these words aloud in dedication:

“Winter’s bareness has subsided,
from the death of Winter springs new life!
Spring is coming to the land.
The days grow longer, warm breezes begin to stir…
All around me I see signs—
The growing things are beginning anew.
It is a resurrection of the dance of life—
The dance of the stems and stalks
As they push forth from the Earth.
It is the season of creation.
Growth has turned outward.
The land has become fertile again.
The Earth is caressed by the loving touch of the Mother.
Where Her hand passes:
Atoms twine together to create growth.
Buds burst open, leaves and vines unfurl.
She creates a vision of green beauty.
Beauty so breath-taking after the dark solitude of Winter.
It is this vision that we celebrate on Her day of Ostara.
The world recreating itself—
Returning from the death of Winter,
Into the new life of Spring
Through the love of the Lord and the Lady.”

Sit quietly again and reflect on the meaning of the Spring Season for a few moments. When you are ready, pick up your wand and hold it in your power hand, face the North and with your arms outstretched and say:

“The time of change is upon us again -
the Equinox comes, the Wheel turns…
The Wheel of the Year turns on and on,
bringing us all to and from each Season,
and from and to another…
What will be is. What was will be.
All time is here and now in this Sacred Space.
I now pause to watch the Wheel turn,
and cast this Circle on this blessed day/eve.
to celebrate this season of balance known as Ostara, the Vernal Equinox -
the time of new birth and new beginnings.
In this moment between time,
I come to praise the bountiful young Goddess.
and Her son-lover, the Great Horned God of renewal.
for Their blessings of fertility, warmth and life renewed.
I wish to give thanks and feel myself as a part of
the relentlessly turning Wheel of Life, Death, and Rebirth.”
Pause and reflect for a few moments, then continue, saying:

“O Great God of Strength, New Beginnings, and Fertility,
who has been known as Cernunnos, Herne, Pan,
the Great Horned God, and the Lord of the Forests -
Grant me strength, power, and understanding,
throughout this season and always.
O Great Goddess of Love, New Beginnings, and Fertility,
who has been known as Blodeuwedd, Eostre, Astarte, Aphrodite,
and the Maiden Lady of the Moon -
Teach me the secrets of the Mysteries
and the ways of magick.”
Still holding the wand in your power hand, pause and reflect again for a few moments, then say these words:

“Behold, the Lord and Lady of life and the giver of life.
Without Her Lord, the Goddess is barren.
Without His Lady, the God has no life.
Each is needful of the other for completion and power,
as Sun to Earth, the spear to the cauldron,
spirit to flesh, human to human.”
Rap the side of the cauldron lightly with the wand, say:

“O Great Goddess, be with me now.
in your aspect of the Maiden,
the fair one who brings joy and new life.”
Ring the bell once and say:

“O Great God of renewal, be with me now.
in your aspect of the Lord of the Forests,
the Horned God who brings warmth and love.”
Rap the cauldron once more with the wand and say:

“May the strength of the old enter into the new.
Great Lord and Lady, make all things strong
and giving of new life. Blessed be.”
Pick up the burning incense and carry it once more around the Circle deosil. Set it back down and say these words:

“Awake! All creatures in the realm of Earth, awake!
Greet the Maiden and Her Lover,
who herald the coming of Spring.”
At this time, symbolically present yourself with your new Springtime gift - the potted plant (or plant the actual seed or seedling in the soil and then present it to yourself). Say these words:

“As this tiny plant/seed/seedling begins its life anew,
so do I now begin to manifest
my new desires for the coming year.”
Pick up your athame and touch its tip to the paper, and say:

“Now I cast behind me
the darkness of Winter and the past.
I look only to that which lies ahead.
This is the time for me to plant seeds in the
physical, mental, as well as spiritual realms.”
Now write down your desires for the coming year on the slips of paper. Write only one desire on each piece of paper. Fold the papers and hold them up over the altar in offering to the Old Gods. Say these words:

“This is a joyous time, a time for planting.
With joy and trust, I place these requests
in the hands of the Goddess and Her Lord.”
Light the papers afire in the flame of the Fire candle and drop them one by one into the cauldron to manifest as the Gods see fit. As you do so, say:

“These thought-seeds I do willingly place
into the hands of the Lady and Her Lord,
that these desires and dreams may
manifest and become reality.
By the free will of All, and
with harm to none,
as I will, so shall it be done.”
When you are finished, proceed with the Cakes and Ale Ceremony, followed by Releasing the Circle in
your usual manner.

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Ostara Spring Sabbat Incense

• 3 parts Frankincense
• 2 parts Sandalwood
• 1 part Benzoin
• 1 part Cinnamon
• a few drops Patchouli oil

Burn on charcoal during spring and summer Sabbat rituals.

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How do they figure out when it is Easter?

More and more people understand that most Christian Holiday’s were originally pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan Holidays absorbed by the Church. This can be easily seen in how we celebrate modern day Easter. There are simple things like hunting for Easter Eggs, which come directly from Ostara traditions. The link that stands out most linking Pagans and Christians is the way we calculate what Sunday Easter will fall on.

When I was growing up and part of the Church I never understood why Easter was a different day every year. Why was it not on a standard date every year like other Christian holidays. I mean Christmas is always on December 25th, why not Easter. Well the reason has to do with the Spring Equinox and the Full Moon. That is why Easter does not have a specific date to fall on.

Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. This formula has more pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan roots than Christian roots. It is another example how the Roman Catholic Church took a pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan holiday, Ostara in this case, and over lapped it with a Christian Holiday or event. By doing this it made it easier to convert Pagans to Christianity.

Now don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against Christianity. I do have a problem with closed mindedness and rigidity, which has to with individuals not religions (it took me years to figure this out). The truth is that I have the utmost respect for Christ Consciousness. I only believe that finding the truth is important. And I am a firm believer in that freedom of religion means freedom for all religions. There are so many things that we live every day that we think are based in fact that in actuality have a much greater history than we are taught. History is taught by the winners and is told with a slanted truth. I am a historian and believe that if we don’t learn from our history we will repeat it. And the truth is that most Christian Holidays are steeped in pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan history. That is something for Pagans to be proud of and for Christians not to fear.

Loki

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Hot Cross Buns for Ostara

Hot Cross Buns are a taditional Spring Dish shared by both Pagans and Christians alike. Hot cross buns are a traditional breakfast on Good Friday. In England, they were once sold by street vendors who advertised their wares with cries of “Hot Cross Buns! “Hot Cross Buns!”

Their street cries became this nursery rhyme.

Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns

If you have no daughters
Give them to your sons
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns

Their origins lie in pagans-are-nature-oriented/">pagan traditions of ancient cultures, with the cross representing the four quarters of the moon. Like many pagans-are-nature-oriented/">Pagan customs the Christian chuch Christianized these buns using the icing cross on top to symbolize the crucifixion of Christ. It was During early missionary efforts, that Christian Preists and Monks adopted the buns and re-interpreted the icing cross. In 1361, a monk named Father Thomas Rockcliffe began a tradition of giving Hot Cross Buns to the poor of St Albans on Good Friday.

The Recipe:

3 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
¼ cup melted butter
¼ tsp. salt
1 large egg, well beaten
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp.allspice(optional)
¾ cup raisins1 package
(1 oz.) dry yeast

Combine all ingredients except eggs and yeast and mix well. Dissolve
the yeast in a ¼ cup hot water. Add yeast and eggs to the rest and
mix well. Cover with a cloth and allow the dough to rise in a warm
spot until it has nearly doubled. This will take about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Shape the dough into round balls about
3 inches across and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet or
jellyroll pan. After five minutes, remove buns and cut into the dough
about ¾ of an inch down, slicing equilateral crosses into the tops.
Return to oven. Allow to bake for another fifteen to twenty minutes.
Remove the buns from the oven and drizzle on the frosting.

Frosting

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp. Milk
2 cups orange juice

Mix all ingredients and drizzle onto hot cross buns.

Loki

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