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 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 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.
Showing posts with label Ostara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ostara. Show all posts
Ostara Ritual
It's Ostara, and it's a time of year in which many Wiccans and Pagans choose celebrate the balance of light and dark that heralds the beginning of spring. It's a time to celebrate new life and rebirth -- not only the physical embodiment of renewal, but the spiritual as well.
Colors - To get an idea of what colors are appropriate for spring, all you really have to do is look outside. Notice the yellows of the forsythia blooming behind your house, the pale purples of lilacs, the green of new leaves appearing in the melting snow. Pastels are often considered spring colors as well, so feel free to add some pinks and blues into the mix if the idea strikes you. Decorate your altar in any of these colors -- try a pale green altar cloth with some purples and blues draped across it, and add some yellow or pink candles to carry the color up.
The Balance of the Equinox - Altar decor should reflect the theme of the Sabbat. Ostara is a time of balance between light and dark, so symbols of this polarity can be used. Use a god and goddess statue, a white candle and a black one, a sun and moon, even a yin/yang symbol.
New Life - Ostara is also a time of new growth and life -- add potted plants such as new crocuses, daffodils, lilies, and other magical spring flowers. This is the time of year when animals are bringing forth new life too -- put a basket of eggs on your altar, or figures of new lambs, rabbits, calves, etc. Add a chalice of milk or honey -- milk represents the lactating animals who have just given birth, and honey is long known as a symbol of abundance.
Other Symbols of the Season
Seeds and bulbs
Caterpillars, ladybugs, bumblebees
Symbols of nature deities -- Herne, Flora, Gaia, etc.
Gemstones and crystals such as aquamarine, rose quartz, and moonstone
Ritual fires in a cauldron or brazier
Supplies for Ritual:
A bowl of earth
Incense
A white candle
Water
A black sheet for each participant
____________________________________________________________________
For this rite, the High Priestess (HPs) or High Priest (HP) should be the only person at the altar. Other participants should wait in another room until called. If you're doing the rite outside, the group can wait some distance away from the altar.
"The cauldron of the mother her mysteries wise and deep. Rise now as I call thee this sacred space to keep. The mother supports me, the consort defends me, the guardians surround me, with a web of golden stars. Above and below, around and about I charge this circle, in and out. And legions await my word, so be it."
Walk to the east area "I greet the East, direction of Air: Gentle breezes and strong winds, Realm of the beauty of clouds and birds, Bearer of the weather that touches us all, The breath of life I inhale and exhale. I am a part of all around me."
Walk to southern area "I greet the South, direction of Fire: Candle flame, bonfire, starlight, and sunlight,The energy that warms me and gives life to the world I inhabit, The energy that pulses along my nerves. I am a part of all around me."
Walk to western area, "I greet the West, direction of Water: Rain, snow, rivers, and lakes, The great encircling ocean from which all life first came, The blood which flows through my veins still bearing the saltiness of that original home.I am a part of all around me."
Walk to northern area "I greet the North, direction of Earth: Metal and stone, hill, and valley, Mother who bears and nourishes all life--root and leaf, Fur and feather and scale and skin, Muscle and bone and brain cell. I am a part of all around me."
____________________________________________________________________The first person in the group waits outside the circle, covered from head to toe in the black sheet. If your group is comfortable with skyclad rituals, you can be nude under the sheet -- otherwise, wear your ritual robe. Once the HPs is ready to begin, she calls the first participant into the altar area, cutting an opening in the circle as the person enters and then closing it behind them.
The participant, still covered in the black sheet, kneels on the floor before the altar.
The HPs greets the participant, and says: "Today is the time of the Spring equinox. Ostara is a time of equal parts light and dark. Spring has arrived, and it is a time of rebirth. The planting season will soon begin, and life will form once more within the earth. As the earth welcomes new life and new beginnings, so can we be reborn in the light and love of the gods. Do you, (name), wish to experience the rebirth of spring, and step out of the darkness into the light?"
The participant replies with an affirmative answer. The HPs takes the salt from the altar, and sprinkles it over the sheet-clad participant, saying: "With the blessings of the earth, and the life within the soil, you are reborn in the eyes of the gods."
Next, the HPs takes the lit incense and passes it over the participant, saying: "With the blessings of air, may knowledge and wisdom be brought to you upon the winds."
The HPs takes the burning candle and (carefully!) passes it over the participant, saying: "May the fire of the spring sun bring growth and harmony into your life."
Finally, the HPs sprinkles water around the participant, and says: "With the blessings of water, may the chill and darkness of winter,be swept away by the warm spring rains. Rise! Step forth out of the darkness, and climb into the light. Awaken once more in the arms of the gods."
At this point, the participant slowly emerges from the black sheet. Remember, this is a symbolic rebirth. Take your time if you feel you need to. As you pull the sheet back away from you, remember that you are not only stepping into the light, but putting behind you the darkness of the past six months. Winter is over, and spring has arrived, so take a few moments, as you emerge, to think about the magic of this time of year.
The High Priestess then welcomes the participant, saying: "You have stepped once more into the light, and the gods welcome you. "
Repeat the ceremony until all members of the group have been "reborn". If you are performing this rite as a solitary, obviously you would speak the lines of the HPs yourself, and bless the area around yourself with the dirt, incense, candle and water. Once everyone in the group has gone through the rebirthing, Light and dark are equal, as are positive and negative. Consider, for a while, the polarity of this season. Think about the balance you wish to find in your life, and consider how you may work harder to find harmony within yourself.
____________________________________________________________________
Now relax you body and calm your mind. You are about to create a sacred sanctum deep inside your own mind. Close your eyes and visualise a forest clearing or a beautiful garden where you feel good. In one corner of the garden or forest clearing there is a cave.
In front of the entrance is a huge round stone preventing others from entering. Yet it is no hindrance to you as this is your own special private cave. It was you that put the stone there in the first place. On the stone you see a sigel or special symbol. Only you know what it looks like. See it now; it is your own mark. As you pass your hand across this sigel it glows bright and the stone rolls aside so you can enter the cave.
Once inside you turn back towards the stone and see the same mark on the inner side. Pass your hand across it once more and the stone rolls back securing the cave and keeping you safe. Only you can open it.
As you walk a short distance into the cave you see a flight of steps hewn into the bare rock floor. There are ten steps leading downwards. They lead to your own private sanctum. This sanctum is your Hall of Miracles. Whatever thoughts you create here will soon become objective reality in your waking life.
Count the steps as you slowly descend. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8… 9… 10. With each step you feel more relaxed. As you descend deeper and deeper, you become more calm and relaxed. You feel marvelous!
As you step off the 10th. stair you see your sanctum stretching out before you. It is a great hall with flaming torches set all around the walls. This is your "HALL OF MIRACLES ". Here you will create the things you need. Here you see the things, people and events exactly as you want them to be. You see everything clearly with your inner eyes. You smell all the smells clearly. You feel all the feelings intensely. This inner world is just as real as the outer one.
When you have finished seeing and feeling everything just as you want it to be, dismiss it quickly from your mind with the words "So mote it be!" These words are spoken by your inner self. They cannot be heard in the waking world. Now say, "I love myself, I love myself. I love myself enough to grant myself all the things I have just created. What I have created in the world within, is now becoming just as real in the world without, for this is my Hall of Miracles!"
Now return the way you came, counting the steps from ten back up to one. Walk back through the cave until you see the stone. As you pass your hand across the sigel the stone rolls away and you walk out into the bright sunshine. Remember to close the entrance in the now familiar way before allowing the scene to fade.
When you feel ready, open your eyes. You are back in waking conscious, fully confident that the things you created are becoming objective reality.
____________________________________________________________________Take the drink-filled chalice in left hand and athame in right. Slowly lower athame into chalice, saying: "As the athame is to the male, so the chalice is to the female; And conjoined, they become one in truth. Let the fruits of union promote life.Let all be fruitful and let wealth be spread throughout the lands." Take a sip of the drink. Pass to the next person "May you never thirst"
Hold the plate of cakes in left hand and athame in right. Draw an invoking Earth pentagram over the cakes, saying: "Oh gracious Lord and Lady of abundance, Bless these cakes and infuse them with Your love, Bestowing health, strength, joy and peace." Take a bite of the cake. Pass to the next person "May you never hunger"
____________________________________________________________________
Walk to the north "I thank the North, direction of Earth: For metal and stone, hill, and valley, I am a part of all around me.I thank you, North, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
Walk to the west "I thank the West, direction of Water: For rain, snow, rivers, and lakes, I am a part of all around me. I thank you, West, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
Walk to the south "I thank the South, direction of Fire: For candle flame, bonfire, starlight, and sunlight, I am a part of all around me. I thank you, South, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
Walk to the East "I thank the East, direction of Air: For gentle breezes and strong winds, I am a part of all around me. I thank you, East, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
"The web of life is an endless circle never to die only to change form. What was begun is now finished, welcome home these energies borne. This circle is open never broken. It is so."
____________________________________________________________________
Daily Habits to start including in your life as part of a Healthier cycle.
*Morning Devotional: wake up, take a deep breath. go to your altar and light a candle/incense and greet your vision of the Lord/Lady. Give thanks, ask for guidance.
*Daily Affirmations: Instead of being a zombie as you get dressed and get cleaned up in the bathroom, try some simple affirmations to put you in the right frame of mind for the day.
*Get Dressed: look at your clothes in terms of their correspondences - what do you want to enhance/project today? Think about what colors/textures/shapes you wear and how you can use them to give you a magickal boost.
*At the end of the day: shake off the day with a workout and some spiritual cleansing to refresh yourself inside and out! Take some time out for yourself: take a magickal bath, read, do a bedtime meditation, enjoy a special herbal tea, write in a journal - whatever you feel like to rejoin your body and mind.
*Have a big glass jar where you see it often. Each time something of pleasure, or good fortune happens in your life, drop a penny or a pebble into the jar. Another pretty idea would be to use those glass pebbles that are sold for use in fish tanks. You will see your 'good fortune' building up.
*Have a special calendar with large squares for the days and put on a special sticker when the good things occur. This could be a gold star or a red heart, or any other symbol you feel appropriate. Or when you meet a goal. Visual aid to showing Improvement.
*Prepare a thank-you candle. This could be a very large white candle and you could also mark it with a rune, eg Gebo which is an X. This would represent the joyful exchange of energies between the Self and the Universe. Light it every day and think of the good things that happened today.
*Leave an offering to Gaia or Her creatures by sprinkling cornflour, grain or bird seed on the ground.
*If you like beading you could also make a necklace and/or bracelet by adding a bead to a cord for each positive event
_______________________________________________________________________
Cleansing Bath
1st smudge (burn sage) to clear away the negative energy in your home. Then take a spiritual cleansing bath using the 5 senses and the 4 elements. The recipe for this bath is handful of sea salt, a pinch of baking soda, a drip of lavender oil or lavender bubble bath, light a candle (dim the lights), light an incense, turn on some mellow music, and get a nice cool beverage of your choice. Enjoy! Then after your bath spend 20 minutes in the sun to re-energize yourself. I do this like once a week.
Colors - To get an idea of what colors are appropriate for spring, all you really have to do is look outside. Notice the yellows of the forsythia blooming behind your house, the pale purples of lilacs, the green of new leaves appearing in the melting snow. Pastels are often considered spring colors as well, so feel free to add some pinks and blues into the mix if the idea strikes you. Decorate your altar in any of these colors -- try a pale green altar cloth with some purples and blues draped across it, and add some yellow or pink candles to carry the color up.
The Balance of the Equinox - Altar decor should reflect the theme of the Sabbat. Ostara is a time of balance between light and dark, so symbols of this polarity can be used. Use a god and goddess statue, a white candle and a black one, a sun and moon, even a yin/yang symbol.
New Life - Ostara is also a time of new growth and life -- add potted plants such as new crocuses, daffodils, lilies, and other magical spring flowers. This is the time of year when animals are bringing forth new life too -- put a basket of eggs on your altar, or figures of new lambs, rabbits, calves, etc. Add a chalice of milk or honey -- milk represents the lactating animals who have just given birth, and honey is long known as a symbol of abundance.
Other Symbols of the Season
Seeds and bulbs
Caterpillars, ladybugs, bumblebees
Symbols of nature deities -- Herne, Flora, Gaia, etc.
Gemstones and crystals such as aquamarine, rose quartz, and moonstone
Ritual fires in a cauldron or brazier
Supplies for Ritual:
A bowl of earth
Incense
A white candle
Water
A black sheet for each participant
____________________________________________________________________
For this rite, the High Priestess (HPs) or High Priest (HP) should be the only person at the altar. Other participants should wait in another room until called. If you're doing the rite outside, the group can wait some distance away from the altar.
"The cauldron of the mother her mysteries wise and deep. Rise now as I call thee this sacred space to keep. The mother supports me, the consort defends me, the guardians surround me, with a web of golden stars. Above and below, around and about I charge this circle, in and out. And legions await my word, so be it."
Walk to the east area "I greet the East, direction of Air: Gentle breezes and strong winds, Realm of the beauty of clouds and birds, Bearer of the weather that touches us all, The breath of life I inhale and exhale. I am a part of all around me."
Walk to southern area "I greet the South, direction of Fire: Candle flame, bonfire, starlight, and sunlight,The energy that warms me and gives life to the world I inhabit, The energy that pulses along my nerves. I am a part of all around me."
Walk to western area, "I greet the West, direction of Water: Rain, snow, rivers, and lakes, The great encircling ocean from which all life first came, The blood which flows through my veins still bearing the saltiness of that original home.I am a part of all around me."
Walk to northern area "I greet the North, direction of Earth: Metal and stone, hill, and valley, Mother who bears and nourishes all life--root and leaf, Fur and feather and scale and skin, Muscle and bone and brain cell. I am a part of all around me."
____________________________________________________________________The first person in the group waits outside the circle, covered from head to toe in the black sheet. If your group is comfortable with skyclad rituals, you can be nude under the sheet -- otherwise, wear your ritual robe. Once the HPs is ready to begin, she calls the first participant into the altar area, cutting an opening in the circle as the person enters and then closing it behind them.
The participant, still covered in the black sheet, kneels on the floor before the altar.
The HPs greets the participant, and says: "Today is the time of the Spring equinox. Ostara is a time of equal parts light and dark. Spring has arrived, and it is a time of rebirth. The planting season will soon begin, and life will form once more within the earth. As the earth welcomes new life and new beginnings, so can we be reborn in the light and love of the gods. Do you, (name), wish to experience the rebirth of spring, and step out of the darkness into the light?"
The participant replies with an affirmative answer. The HPs takes the salt from the altar, and sprinkles it over the sheet-clad participant, saying: "With the blessings of the earth, and the life within the soil, you are reborn in the eyes of the gods."
Next, the HPs takes the lit incense and passes it over the participant, saying: "With the blessings of air, may knowledge and wisdom be brought to you upon the winds."
The HPs takes the burning candle and (carefully!) passes it over the participant, saying: "May the fire of the spring sun bring growth and harmony into your life."
Finally, the HPs sprinkles water around the participant, and says: "With the blessings of water, may the chill and darkness of winter,be swept away by the warm spring rains. Rise! Step forth out of the darkness, and climb into the light. Awaken once more in the arms of the gods."
At this point, the participant slowly emerges from the black sheet. Remember, this is a symbolic rebirth. Take your time if you feel you need to. As you pull the sheet back away from you, remember that you are not only stepping into the light, but putting behind you the darkness of the past six months. Winter is over, and spring has arrived, so take a few moments, as you emerge, to think about the magic of this time of year.
The High Priestess then welcomes the participant, saying: "You have stepped once more into the light, and the gods welcome you. "
Repeat the ceremony until all members of the group have been "reborn". If you are performing this rite as a solitary, obviously you would speak the lines of the HPs yourself, and bless the area around yourself with the dirt, incense, candle and water. Once everyone in the group has gone through the rebirthing, Light and dark are equal, as are positive and negative. Consider, for a while, the polarity of this season. Think about the balance you wish to find in your life, and consider how you may work harder to find harmony within yourself.
____________________________________________________________________
Now relax you body and calm your mind. You are about to create a sacred sanctum deep inside your own mind. Close your eyes and visualise a forest clearing or a beautiful garden where you feel good. In one corner of the garden or forest clearing there is a cave.
In front of the entrance is a huge round stone preventing others from entering. Yet it is no hindrance to you as this is your own special private cave. It was you that put the stone there in the first place. On the stone you see a sigel or special symbol. Only you know what it looks like. See it now; it is your own mark. As you pass your hand across this sigel it glows bright and the stone rolls aside so you can enter the cave.
Once inside you turn back towards the stone and see the same mark on the inner side. Pass your hand across it once more and the stone rolls back securing the cave and keeping you safe. Only you can open it.
As you walk a short distance into the cave you see a flight of steps hewn into the bare rock floor. There are ten steps leading downwards. They lead to your own private sanctum. This sanctum is your Hall of Miracles. Whatever thoughts you create here will soon become objective reality in your waking life.
Count the steps as you slowly descend. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8… 9… 10. With each step you feel more relaxed. As you descend deeper and deeper, you become more calm and relaxed. You feel marvelous!
As you step off the 10th. stair you see your sanctum stretching out before you. It is a great hall with flaming torches set all around the walls. This is your "HALL OF MIRACLES ". Here you will create the things you need. Here you see the things, people and events exactly as you want them to be. You see everything clearly with your inner eyes. You smell all the smells clearly. You feel all the feelings intensely. This inner world is just as real as the outer one.
When you have finished seeing and feeling everything just as you want it to be, dismiss it quickly from your mind with the words "So mote it be!" These words are spoken by your inner self. They cannot be heard in the waking world. Now say, "I love myself, I love myself. I love myself enough to grant myself all the things I have just created. What I have created in the world within, is now becoming just as real in the world without, for this is my Hall of Miracles!"
Now return the way you came, counting the steps from ten back up to one. Walk back through the cave until you see the stone. As you pass your hand across the sigel the stone rolls away and you walk out into the bright sunshine. Remember to close the entrance in the now familiar way before allowing the scene to fade.
When you feel ready, open your eyes. You are back in waking conscious, fully confident that the things you created are becoming objective reality.
____________________________________________________________________Take the drink-filled chalice in left hand and athame in right. Slowly lower athame into chalice, saying: "As the athame is to the male, so the chalice is to the female; And conjoined, they become one in truth. Let the fruits of union promote life.Let all be fruitful and let wealth be spread throughout the lands." Take a sip of the drink. Pass to the next person "May you never thirst"
Hold the plate of cakes in left hand and athame in right. Draw an invoking Earth pentagram over the cakes, saying: "Oh gracious Lord and Lady of abundance, Bless these cakes and infuse them with Your love, Bestowing health, strength, joy and peace." Take a bite of the cake. Pass to the next person "May you never hunger"
____________________________________________________________________
Walk to the north "I thank the North, direction of Earth: For metal and stone, hill, and valley, I am a part of all around me.I thank you, North, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
Walk to the west "I thank the West, direction of Water: For rain, snow, rivers, and lakes, I am a part of all around me. I thank you, West, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
Walk to the south "I thank the South, direction of Fire: For candle flame, bonfire, starlight, and sunlight, I am a part of all around me. I thank you, South, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
Walk to the East "I thank the East, direction of Air: For gentle breezes and strong winds, I am a part of all around me. I thank you, East, for joining me today. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be."
"The web of life is an endless circle never to die only to change form. What was begun is now finished, welcome home these energies borne. This circle is open never broken. It is so."
____________________________________________________________________
Daily Habits to start including in your life as part of a Healthier cycle.
*Morning Devotional: wake up, take a deep breath. go to your altar and light a candle/incense and greet your vision of the Lord/Lady. Give thanks, ask for guidance.
*Daily Affirmations: Instead of being a zombie as you get dressed and get cleaned up in the bathroom, try some simple affirmations to put you in the right frame of mind for the day.
*Get Dressed: look at your clothes in terms of their correspondences - what do you want to enhance/project today? Think about what colors/textures/shapes you wear and how you can use them to give you a magickal boost.
*At the end of the day: shake off the day with a workout and some spiritual cleansing to refresh yourself inside and out! Take some time out for yourself: take a magickal bath, read, do a bedtime meditation, enjoy a special herbal tea, write in a journal - whatever you feel like to rejoin your body and mind.
*Have a big glass jar where you see it often. Each time something of pleasure, or good fortune happens in your life, drop a penny or a pebble into the jar. Another pretty idea would be to use those glass pebbles that are sold for use in fish tanks. You will see your 'good fortune' building up.
*Have a special calendar with large squares for the days and put on a special sticker when the good things occur. This could be a gold star or a red heart, or any other symbol you feel appropriate. Or when you meet a goal. Visual aid to showing Improvement.
*Prepare a thank-you candle. This could be a very large white candle and you could also mark it with a rune, eg Gebo which is an X. This would represent the joyful exchange of energies between the Self and the Universe. Light it every day and think of the good things that happened today.
*Leave an offering to Gaia or Her creatures by sprinkling cornflour, grain or bird seed on the ground.
*If you like beading you could also make a necklace and/or bracelet by adding a bead to a cord for each positive event
_______________________________________________________________________
Cleansing Bath
1st smudge (burn sage) to clear away the negative energy in your home. Then take a spiritual cleansing bath using the 5 senses and the 4 elements. The recipe for this bath is handful of sea salt, a pinch of baking soda, a drip of lavender oil or lavender bubble bath, light a candle (dim the lights), light an incense, turn on some mellow music, and get a nice cool beverage of your choice. Enjoy! Then after your bath spend 20 minutes in the sun to re-energize yourself. I do this like once a week.
Solitary
Items Needed:
Paper and pen
Plant pot filled with soil
A large plant or flower seed
Light green candle
Preparation:
Place the plant pot on the floor next to the left side of the altar.
Place the paper, pen, and seed on the altar pentacle.
Ritual:
Cast the circle.
Call Quarters & Dieties.
Ring the bell three times. Say:
Light the light green candle. Say:
Sit in front of the altar and meditate on what seed of an idea you would like to plant, to grow into an opportunity. It could be a skill or personal quality you'd like to acquire, or an opportunity to do or create something. When you have decided what desire you'd like to nurture in the coming year, write it down on the paper. Stand up and say:
Light the paper from the light green candle, holding it so that as it burns, the ashes fall into the soil in the plant pot. With the athame, mix the ashes into the soil. Pick up the plant seed and concentrate on it and your desire. Place the seed in the center of the pot and close the soil over on top of it. Water it with blessed water. Say:
Ring the bell three times.
Cakes and Ale.
Thank Everyone.
Close the circle.
Place the plant in a room you go into frequently, and take care of it whenever needed, knowing that as it grows and blossoms so too will your desire grow and blossom.
Paper and pen
Plant pot filled with soil
A large plant or flower seed
Light green candle
Preparation:
Place the plant pot on the floor next to the left side of the altar.
Place the paper, pen, and seed on the altar pentacle.
Ritual:
Cast the circle.
Call Quarters & Dieties.
Ring the bell three times. Say:
The Goddess has freed Herself from the icy prison of winter.
Now is the greening, when the fragrance of flowers drifts on the breeze.
The Maiden displays her beauty through colorful spring flowers and their sweet aromas.
The Sun wakes from His long winter's nap.
The God stretches and rises, eager in His youth, bursting with the promise of summer.
I welcome thee, beautiful spring!
Light the light green candle. Say:
Springtime is seedtime. Now is the time to plant that which I wish to come to flower.
Spring brings hope and joy; expectations for desires realized; and inspiration for new ideas.
Life is brought into balance and I am reborn with the earth's renewal.
Now the darkness of Winter and the past is cast behind.
I look only to that which lies ahead and what I wish to bring forth.
Sit in front of the altar and meditate on what seed of an idea you would like to plant, to grow into an opportunity. It could be a skill or personal quality you'd like to acquire, or an opportunity to do or create something. When you have decided what desire you'd like to nurture in the coming year, write it down on the paper. Stand up and say:
Lord and Lady, receive this seed.
Let it germinate in my mind and heart.
Let it prosper and grow into maturity,
For I will care for it and encourage it in Your names.
Light the paper from the light green candle, holding it so that as it burns, the ashes fall into the soil in the plant pot. With the athame, mix the ashes into the soil. Pick up the plant seed and concentrate on it and your desire. Place the seed in the center of the pot and close the soil over on top of it. Water it with blessed water. Say:
This seed I place in the womb of the earth
That it may become a part of that earth,
A part of life and a part of me.
Ring the bell three times.
Cakes and Ale.
Thank Everyone.
Close the circle.
Place the plant in a room you go into frequently, and take care of it whenever needed, knowing that as it grows and blossoms so too will your desire grow and blossom.
Ritual - Flowing w/plan
To prepare the self:
Bathe as usual and anoint with oil of an appropriate scent for the season. Wear fire-safe clothes in colors of green or yellow. Wear magickal jewelry and flowers or a hair wreath made of plants of the season.
To prepare the circle:
Sweep. ¤ Lay out cord. ¤ Position altar with yellow and green or egg-themed/Eostre themed cloth. ¤ Position God and Goddess candles. ¤ Position other God and Goddess representations. ¤ Add Earth bowl and salt at north. ¤ Add incense burner and incense. ¤ Add candleholder and green or yellow candle at south. ¤ Add goblet and water at west. ¤ Put pentacle at north. ¤ Put wand at east. ¤ Put athame at south. ¤ Put chalice at west. ¤ Add bolline to south. ¤ Add matches to south. ¤ Add match holder to north. ¤ Add wet napkins to west. ¤ Add bell to west. ¤ Add libation bowl to north. ¤ Add any decorations for the season. ¤ Have an extra green candle and red candle. ¤ Have a pot or two of damp soil and some seeds to plant. ¤ Have an Eostre basket and some plastic eggs, with any seasonal decorations and some paper and a pen to write wishes on. ¤ Put an apple on a plate on the right of the altar, and have handy mead and pineapple punch. ¤ Have yarn ready for finger-knitting. ¤ Complete with feasting foods of the season.
Begin ritual:
Cast the circle. Sit inside and focus, and invoke the God and Goddess.
Meditation (to seasonal music if desired):
It is spring! It is a day of balance at the equinox, when day and night are exactly equal. We are waxing toward the God’s prime, and the Goddess is fertile. They are showing interest in each other for the first time as the God becomes a young man, and nature begins to flourish with the first hints of Their new love. Renewal wracks the Earth and new life begins to touch the land.
Opening Honor:
Take the green candle that symbolizes the God and place it just in front of the cauldron on the altar. Carve into the top of the God candle the protective rune ALGIZ. Ponder the protection of the young God and our need to keep Him safe from harm until He is old enough to marry the Goddess on Beltane and make love with Her for the first time. Place the candle in the cauldron and light it. Then take a mother Goddess candle—in red—and light it with the flame from the already-lit Goddess candle on the altar. Hold the flame up to the rune on the God candle and melt it, symbolizing the Goddess’s need to keep Him safe as the bounty that is growing in a sometimes-hostile world. Leave the God candle in the cauldron and move it aside or back; put the Goddess candle out and put it aside.
Ostara Activities:
Take some seeds and plant them. Put them in front of the God candle and ask for His blessing, and ask for the plants to grow as He does through the waxing year. If desired, the seeds can be stroked with a protective or growth oil and blessed by the elements before being placed in the soil.
Take the plastic eggs and paper, and on each piece of paper, write down something you’d like to work on, improve, or increase for this year. Seal each paper in an egg and place it in a basket. When the basket is full of eggs of your intention, add any other decorations and later place it on your altar.
You may remove the corn dolly’s bridal clothes except for the veil if you’d like, and give her seasonal flowers or an egg for the season.
Ritual Core:
Take the God candle out of the cauldron to symbolize His venturing out of the immediate arms of the Goddess. She still protects Him in His innocence and youth, but She cannot hold Him within Her womb forever; to let Him grow, He must venture forth into the sometimes dangerous world. Now walk around the circle and stop at each quarter, thanking each element and direction for their influence in your life. When you stop at the north quarter, thank the Lady of Earth for growth and material gains that have occurred in your life. When you stop at the east quarter, thank the Lord of Air for mental and intuitive contributions. When you stop at the south quarter, thank the Lord of Fire for all healing and necessary destruction in your life. When you stop at the west quarter, thank the Lady of Water for emotional and subconscious aspects of life. When you do this, really think about the presence of these aspects in your life; don’t just go through the motions.4 Now kneel or sit before the God candle newly out of the cauldron, and drink a toast of pineapple punch to Him, wishing Him luck on his journey toward manhood. Pour a libation.
BANISH THE IMBOLC SEASON AND INVOKE THE OSTARA SEASON with banishing and invoking pentagrams. Ring the bell and say “it is done” or “so mote it be.”
Follow-up:
Greet the new season with a toast and pour a libation. Now celebrate the young God’s venture forth with a feast. Begin the feast by cutting the apple, separating the stem from the bottom, to see the five seeds inside arranged in a pentagram. Eat one bite from both sides, acknowledging your acceptance of both sides of life: Light and dark, male and female, life and death. Put the remainder of the apple in the libation bowl.5 Now begin the feast. Make sure to share everything you’ve eaten with the libation bowl.
Finger-knit and tie your rope to the previous years’ ever-growing rope. Meditate on the meaning of this weaving to symbolize the journey. Think about previous Ostaras you might have celebrated, and what has transpired in your life since you finger-knitted for Imbolc.
Closing:
Thank the God and Goddess for coming and put out their candles with a pinch or a snuffer, and thank all elementals, then earth and close the circle. Put anything that was given in the cauldron into the libation bowl also, with the exception of the candle and its holder. When the circle is broken, the first thing you should do is go outside and bury the contents of the libation bowl, then commence cleaning up. Document anything important in your Book of Shadows. Change any decorations around your house that you have to reflect the new season.
Alternatives and Additions:
If you wish, you may leave goodies out for the little people, animals, or whatever you choose. You may dedicate this food to them before the ritual’s core.
This Sabbat is conducive to magickal workings having to do with growth spells, spells for improving communication, group interaction, fertility, and abundance. If magick is to be done, do it right before the feast.
If dancing, singing, or any other personal or individual merriment is scheduled, it can be done either after the feast and the core of the ritual, OR it can be done after the circle is broken.
Bathe as usual and anoint with oil of an appropriate scent for the season. Wear fire-safe clothes in colors of green or yellow. Wear magickal jewelry and flowers or a hair wreath made of plants of the season.
To prepare the circle:
Sweep. ¤ Lay out cord. ¤ Position altar with yellow and green or egg-themed/Eostre themed cloth. ¤ Position God and Goddess candles. ¤ Position other God and Goddess representations. ¤ Add Earth bowl and salt at north. ¤ Add incense burner and incense. ¤ Add candleholder and green or yellow candle at south. ¤ Add goblet and water at west. ¤ Put pentacle at north. ¤ Put wand at east. ¤ Put athame at south. ¤ Put chalice at west. ¤ Add bolline to south. ¤ Add matches to south. ¤ Add match holder to north. ¤ Add wet napkins to west. ¤ Add bell to west. ¤ Add libation bowl to north. ¤ Add any decorations for the season. ¤ Have an extra green candle and red candle. ¤ Have a pot or two of damp soil and some seeds to plant. ¤ Have an Eostre basket and some plastic eggs, with any seasonal decorations and some paper and a pen to write wishes on. ¤ Put an apple on a plate on the right of the altar, and have handy mead and pineapple punch. ¤ Have yarn ready for finger-knitting. ¤ Complete with feasting foods of the season.
Begin ritual:
Cast the circle. Sit inside and focus, and invoke the God and Goddess.
Meditation (to seasonal music if desired):
It is spring! It is a day of balance at the equinox, when day and night are exactly equal. We are waxing toward the God’s prime, and the Goddess is fertile. They are showing interest in each other for the first time as the God becomes a young man, and nature begins to flourish with the first hints of Their new love. Renewal wracks the Earth and new life begins to touch the land.
Opening Honor:
Take the green candle that symbolizes the God and place it just in front of the cauldron on the altar. Carve into the top of the God candle the protective rune ALGIZ. Ponder the protection of the young God and our need to keep Him safe from harm until He is old enough to marry the Goddess on Beltane and make love with Her for the first time. Place the candle in the cauldron and light it. Then take a mother Goddess candle—in red—and light it with the flame from the already-lit Goddess candle on the altar. Hold the flame up to the rune on the God candle and melt it, symbolizing the Goddess’s need to keep Him safe as the bounty that is growing in a sometimes-hostile world. Leave the God candle in the cauldron and move it aside or back; put the Goddess candle out and put it aside.
Ostara Activities:
Take some seeds and plant them. Put them in front of the God candle and ask for His blessing, and ask for the plants to grow as He does through the waxing year. If desired, the seeds can be stroked with a protective or growth oil and blessed by the elements before being placed in the soil.
Take the plastic eggs and paper, and on each piece of paper, write down something you’d like to work on, improve, or increase for this year. Seal each paper in an egg and place it in a basket. When the basket is full of eggs of your intention, add any other decorations and later place it on your altar.
You may remove the corn dolly’s bridal clothes except for the veil if you’d like, and give her seasonal flowers or an egg for the season.
Ritual Core:
Take the God candle out of the cauldron to symbolize His venturing out of the immediate arms of the Goddess. She still protects Him in His innocence and youth, but She cannot hold Him within Her womb forever; to let Him grow, He must venture forth into the sometimes dangerous world. Now walk around the circle and stop at each quarter, thanking each element and direction for their influence in your life. When you stop at the north quarter, thank the Lady of Earth for growth and material gains that have occurred in your life. When you stop at the east quarter, thank the Lord of Air for mental and intuitive contributions. When you stop at the south quarter, thank the Lord of Fire for all healing and necessary destruction in your life. When you stop at the west quarter, thank the Lady of Water for emotional and subconscious aspects of life. When you do this, really think about the presence of these aspects in your life; don’t just go through the motions.4 Now kneel or sit before the God candle newly out of the cauldron, and drink a toast of pineapple punch to Him, wishing Him luck on his journey toward manhood. Pour a libation.
BANISH THE IMBOLC SEASON AND INVOKE THE OSTARA SEASON with banishing and invoking pentagrams. Ring the bell and say “it is done” or “so mote it be.”
Follow-up:
Greet the new season with a toast and pour a libation. Now celebrate the young God’s venture forth with a feast. Begin the feast by cutting the apple, separating the stem from the bottom, to see the five seeds inside arranged in a pentagram. Eat one bite from both sides, acknowledging your acceptance of both sides of life: Light and dark, male and female, life and death. Put the remainder of the apple in the libation bowl.5 Now begin the feast. Make sure to share everything you’ve eaten with the libation bowl.
Finger-knit and tie your rope to the previous years’ ever-growing rope. Meditate on the meaning of this weaving to symbolize the journey. Think about previous Ostaras you might have celebrated, and what has transpired in your life since you finger-knitted for Imbolc.
Closing:
Thank the God and Goddess for coming and put out their candles with a pinch or a snuffer, and thank all elementals, then earth and close the circle. Put anything that was given in the cauldron into the libation bowl also, with the exception of the candle and its holder. When the circle is broken, the first thing you should do is go outside and bury the contents of the libation bowl, then commence cleaning up. Document anything important in your Book of Shadows. Change any decorations around your house that you have to reflect the new season.
Alternatives and Additions:
If you wish, you may leave goodies out for the little people, animals, or whatever you choose. You may dedicate this food to them before the ritual’s core.
This Sabbat is conducive to magickal workings having to do with growth spells, spells for improving communication, group interaction, fertility, and abundance. If magick is to be done, do it right before the feast.
If dancing, singing, or any other personal or individual merriment is scheduled, it can be done either after the feast and the core of the ritual, OR it can be done after the circle is broken.
Ostara Games
Blow the Egg Game: This is a really good indoor game and works great on a hard floor. Have a start line and finish line set up. Place a small plastic eggs at the start line and give the child a cardboard “fan”. Have the kids try to “fan” the egg across the finish line. It is harder than it seems, since the eggs aren’t round!
Traditional Egg Hunt Game: This customary egg hunt game is a must for any Ostara party. This can be done indoors or out, and with real colored eggs or plastic ones. If using plastic eggs, you can fill them with special treats like jelly beans, stickers, coins and small toys.
Egg-Spoon Race: If you are lucky enough to have a yard and nice weather, then why not take your guests outdoors! You will need one egg (raw or hard boiled) and one spoon for each person participating in the race. Line contestants up next to each other on a starting line. Racers should have a point across the yard to race to (check point line). When the race starts, each contestant has to race from the starting line across to the checkpoint line, and then turn around and come back to the starting line. The contestants have to keep their egg balanced in their spoon, without using their other hand for support. If the egg drops, but is not broken, the contestant can pick up the egg and resume the race. The first contestant to make it back to the starting line wins the race.
Egg Toss: This is also another great game for the outdoors. Be sure to have extra eggs and lots of paper towels nearby. Start by dividing the contestant into teams of two people. Split the entire group of contestants into two rows, with partners facing each other. Arrange the rows so that the partners are standing about 2-3 feet away from each other. Give eggs (raw ones) to each partner that is standing in one row. When the game starts, have the contestants toss their egg to their partners. After catching the egg, each contestant takes a step back and they toss the eggs again. If one of the partners breaks the egg, then that team is out of the game. It does not matter whether the egg breaks in his/her hands or by hitting the ground. Continue the game, taking steps back to increase the distance between partners, until only one team remains. They are the winners of the game.
Traditional Egg Hunt Game: This customary egg hunt game is a must for any Ostara party. This can be done indoors or out, and with real colored eggs or plastic ones. If using plastic eggs, you can fill them with special treats like jelly beans, stickers, coins and small toys.
Egg-Spoon Race: If you are lucky enough to have a yard and nice weather, then why not take your guests outdoors! You will need one egg (raw or hard boiled) and one spoon for each person participating in the race. Line contestants up next to each other on a starting line. Racers should have a point across the yard to race to (check point line). When the race starts, each contestant has to race from the starting line across to the checkpoint line, and then turn around and come back to the starting line. The contestants have to keep their egg balanced in their spoon, without using their other hand for support. If the egg drops, but is not broken, the contestant can pick up the egg and resume the race. The first contestant to make it back to the starting line wins the race.
Egg Toss: This is also another great game for the outdoors. Be sure to have extra eggs and lots of paper towels nearby. Start by dividing the contestant into teams of two people. Split the entire group of contestants into two rows, with partners facing each other. Arrange the rows so that the partners are standing about 2-3 feet away from each other. Give eggs (raw ones) to each partner that is standing in one row. When the game starts, have the contestants toss their egg to their partners. After catching the egg, each contestant takes a step back and they toss the eggs again. If one of the partners breaks the egg, then that team is out of the game. It does not matter whether the egg breaks in his/her hands or by hitting the ground. Continue the game, taking steps back to increase the distance between partners, until only one team remains. They are the winners of the game.
Ritual
Circle Cast – throw flower petals
Equal is the light and dark,
With these gifts our circle we mark.
As warm sunlight greens the earth,
The Maiden and Lord dance with mirth.
Quarter Call
Spirits of East – ring bell
Breath of air – light incense
Please come play with us – light candle
Flames of South – ring bell
Sunlight on skin – light cauldren
Please come play with us – light candle
Mers of West – ring bell
Water of life – set water down
Please come play with us – light candle
Gnomes of North – ring bell
Ground beneath us – set earth down
Please come play with us – light candle
Reason
We gather together this morning,
In the presence of the Old Gods,
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy.
With fear of naught,
We celebrate the Maiden,
The light of life, which is a bright flame before us,
A guiding star above us,
A smooth path beneath us.
May this flame be kindled within our hearts,
A flame of love for our neighbors,
To our friends, to our kindred all.
We gather this Equinox day in honor
Of the virginal Daughter of Cerridwen.
The Maiden of Spring.
INVOCATION TO THE GODDESS
By the flowers of the field, O lady of delight
By the crops thy blessing yield, O Maiden clear and bright.
We invoke thy presence in kernels and sheaves
We see thy face in the moonlit leaves
Come now to us, extend thy grace
Come into our circle within this holy space
Daughter of the Earth, drinking sunlight
Queen of plants, Sister of night,
By leaf and twig, by root and bough
By water and earth, come to us now!
Bring us your grain, the staff of our lives.
Bring us your fruit, wherever it thrives.
Mistress of herbs, unlock your power
And lead us into your leafy bower.
In love and joy we call your name
With comforting hope, you ease our pain.
We see thee in the swelling bud
We feel thee in our stirring blood.
O Lady clear,
We feel thee near
In Spring a Maiden with flowers crowned,
In Summer and Harvest, the Mother renowned.
In Fall and Winter, the Hag holds sway,
Yet, the Maiden remains but months away.
Great Triple Goddess, the seasons flow
And ebb to thy will, as you come and go.
We call upon thee - Persephone!
We call upon thee - Eos!
We call upon thee - Aine!
We call upon thee - Arianrod!
We feel your presence here ! Blessed Be!
Turn to the North
Goddess and Mother! Hear us this day; the time has come to shed your Wintery body and be born to the light and beauty of Spring! No longer does the earth sleep with you as it's ever watchful guardian, for the time of the shining maiden has come again.
INVOCATION TO THE GOD
Lord of the Springtime,
Father of flower, field, and fruit
Smile on us as the days grow longer!
Everywhere is the green of new growth,
The amazing sight of the renewal of the Earth.
Therefore, by seed and root, by stem and bud
By leaf and flower and fruit,
Do we invoke thee, Lord of Light,
and new Spring Sun.
Move our bodies, our minds, our spirits,
To learn a whole new rhythm,
The rhythmic pulse of the renewing forests,
May Spring come to us, be in us, and recreate life in us.
We call upon thee - Adonis!
We call upon thee - Baldur!
We call upon thee - Apollo!
We call upon thee - Bacchus!
We feel your presence here! Blessed Be!
Turn to the south
God and Father! You have grown strong by the loving and nurturing hand of the Goddess. Now it is time for you to help the plants grow and to take your rightful place as the Green Man. Blessed be!
Working
Pick up the wand 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, and 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 - 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.
Circle Dance - call the Maiden
Child of eternity, Smiling Maiden,
Ever pure, ever free, Ever laughing, ever loving,
Come dance with us!
Maiden leads circle dance - all chant
Bunnies Hop, Birdies sing
Winter’s Gone, Welcome Spring
Cakes & Ale
We have danced and now we drink and feast.
May this bread made from the fallen grain fill
and restore you for the coming year.
May you never hunger.
And may this nectar from the ripened fruits quench
and renew you for the coming year.
May you never thirst.
Lady & Lord Farewell
Great Mother, we ask that your blessings remain in our heart, and that we live in harmony with all that dwell on this earth. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must.
Thank you for playing with us
Lord of the Spring and budding new life, we welcome the growth and beauty that you bestow upon the greening land. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must.
Thank you for playing with us
Quarter Call
Spirits of East – ring bell
Breath of air
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Flames of South – ring bell
Sunlight on skin
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Mers of West – ring bell
Water of life
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Gnomes of North – ring bell
Ground beneath us
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Circle Dismiss
Raise your arms as you stand facing your altar, and say:
As all good things must sometimes end,
Go forth with the love the Goddess send.
For if your heart is always true,
This circle will come back to you.
Equal is the light and dark,
With these gifts our circle we mark.
As warm sunlight greens the earth,
The Maiden and Lord dance with mirth.
Quarter Call
Spirits of East – ring bell
Breath of air – light incense
Please come play with us – light candle
Flames of South – ring bell
Sunlight on skin – light cauldren
Please come play with us – light candle
Mers of West – ring bell
Water of life – set water down
Please come play with us – light candle
Gnomes of North – ring bell
Ground beneath us – set earth down
Please come play with us – light candle
Reason
We gather together this morning,
In the presence of the Old Gods,
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy.
With fear of naught,
We celebrate the Maiden,
The light of life, which is a bright flame before us,
A guiding star above us,
A smooth path beneath us.
May this flame be kindled within our hearts,
A flame of love for our neighbors,
To our friends, to our kindred all.
We gather this Equinox day in honor
Of the virginal Daughter of Cerridwen.
The Maiden of Spring.
INVOCATION TO THE GODDESS
By the flowers of the field, O lady of delight
By the crops thy blessing yield, O Maiden clear and bright.
We invoke thy presence in kernels and sheaves
We see thy face in the moonlit leaves
Come now to us, extend thy grace
Come into our circle within this holy space
Daughter of the Earth, drinking sunlight
Queen of plants, Sister of night,
By leaf and twig, by root and bough
By water and earth, come to us now!
Bring us your grain, the staff of our lives.
Bring us your fruit, wherever it thrives.
Mistress of herbs, unlock your power
And lead us into your leafy bower.
In love and joy we call your name
With comforting hope, you ease our pain.
We see thee in the swelling bud
We feel thee in our stirring blood.
O Lady clear,
We feel thee near
In Spring a Maiden with flowers crowned,
In Summer and Harvest, the Mother renowned.
In Fall and Winter, the Hag holds sway,
Yet, the Maiden remains but months away.
Great Triple Goddess, the seasons flow
And ebb to thy will, as you come and go.
We call upon thee - Persephone!
We call upon thee - Eos!
We call upon thee - Aine!
We call upon thee - Arianrod!
We feel your presence here ! Blessed Be!
Turn to the North
Goddess and Mother! Hear us this day; the time has come to shed your Wintery body and be born to the light and beauty of Spring! No longer does the earth sleep with you as it's ever watchful guardian, for the time of the shining maiden has come again.
INVOCATION TO THE GOD
Lord of the Springtime,
Father of flower, field, and fruit
Smile on us as the days grow longer!
Everywhere is the green of new growth,
The amazing sight of the renewal of the Earth.
Therefore, by seed and root, by stem and bud
By leaf and flower and fruit,
Do we invoke thee, Lord of Light,
and new Spring Sun.
Move our bodies, our minds, our spirits,
To learn a whole new rhythm,
The rhythmic pulse of the renewing forests,
May Spring come to us, be in us, and recreate life in us.
We call upon thee - Adonis!
We call upon thee - Baldur!
We call upon thee - Apollo!
We call upon thee - Bacchus!
We feel your presence here! Blessed Be!
Turn to the south
God and Father! You have grown strong by the loving and nurturing hand of the Goddess. Now it is time for you to help the plants grow and to take your rightful place as the Green Man. Blessed be!
Working
Pick up the wand 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, and 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 - 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.
Circle Dance - call the Maiden
Child of eternity, Smiling Maiden,
Ever pure, ever free, Ever laughing, ever loving,
Come dance with us!
Maiden leads circle dance - all chant
Bunnies Hop, Birdies sing
Winter’s Gone, Welcome Spring
Cakes & Ale
We have danced and now we drink and feast.
May this bread made from the fallen grain fill
and restore you for the coming year.
May you never hunger.
And may this nectar from the ripened fruits quench
and renew you for the coming year.
May you never thirst.
Lady & Lord Farewell
Great Mother, we ask that your blessings remain in our heart, and that we live in harmony with all that dwell on this earth. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must.
Thank you for playing with us
Lord of the Spring and budding new life, we welcome the growth and beauty that you bestow upon the greening land. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must.
Thank you for playing with us
Quarter Call
Spirits of East – ring bell
Breath of air
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Flames of South – ring bell
Sunlight on skin
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Mers of West – ring bell
Water of life
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Gnomes of North – ring bell
Ground beneath us
Thank you for playing with us – extinguish candle
Circle Dismiss
Raise your arms as you stand facing your altar, and say:
As all good things must sometimes end,
Go forth with the love the Goddess send.
For if your heart is always true,
This circle will come back to you.
Ritual
Setup
Items needed for this Ostara ritual include: Four green altar candles for the directions; Two lavender or purple altar candles for the Goddess and God; At least one cut flower for each participant in the group ritual. For solo ritual, have a minimum of four flowers to mark the cardinal directions or more to mark your circle on the floor. (You can allow space between the flowers); Flower seeds—daisies, if possible, as this flower is associated with spring, light and the sun; A small flower pot or small paper cup filled with potting soil. You may want to decorate it with Pagan symbols such as a pentagram, spiral, or a circle with a dot in the center; One or two long scarves; Taped music or drumming with which to dance (optional).
Background
This ritual has been written for daytime to enjoy the warmth, light and greening earth. Ostara celebrates both the sun and the earth. It is a day to celebrate the balance of all things; female and male, the spiritual and the physical. The spiral you walked at Winter Solstice took you down inside yourself. Now is the time to follow that spiral of energy up into the light.
As Persephone re-emerges from the Underworld, animals return from their winter hibernation. One such creature is the snake, an ancient symbol of the Great Mother Goddess. Snakes dwell in both worlds: Ours and the Underworld. Because they live underground, they carry the power of Mother Earth. Into the time of ancient Greece the snake was a symbol of earthly powers especially for healing. Even today it is included in the symbol of the medical profession.
The Ritual
Lay the flowers on the floor as you cast your circle as you say:
Equal is the light and dark,
With these gifts my circle I mark.
As warm sunlight greens the earth,
The Maiden and Lord dance with mirth.
After calling each direction and deity light a candle on the altar:
Come ye spirits of the North, powers of Earth, hold me rooted by tree and flower. Bring the beauty of your lush green meadows. Be with me this day.
Come ye spirits of the East, powers of Air, sail on golden wings of dawn. Blow away the staleness of winter. Be with me this day.
Come ye spirits of the South, powers of Fire, bring the heat of noon to warm my days. Coax the seeds from the womb of the earth. Be with me this day.
Come ye spirits of the West, powers of Water, let my soul flow with the beauty of your tides. Bless the land with dew-filled mornings. Be with me this day.
Prince of Light, Lord of Spring, you wax to the fullness of youth and bless the world with your bright spirit. Join me in this sacred circle. Be with me this day.
Great Mother who gives the world form, as your web of life renews the earth, light that spark within me to awaken my soul. Join me in this sacred circle. Be with me this day.
Stand in front of the altar. Hold a few of the flower seeds in the palm of one hand, then cup your other hand over it. Close your eyes, and recall that at Winter Solstice you made a wish and set forth an intention for the New Year. Now is the time to start bringing them into the physical world.
Fix that wish or intention in your mind. Let the energy and vision flow from you into the seeds. Visualize your wish coming to fruition. Once you have clearly seen what you want to achieve or receive, place the seeds into the cup and cover them lightly with soil. After your ritual, put it in a place where you will see it frequently and be reminded of your intention.
Call forth the power of the snake to energize the seeds you have planted by dancing around your circle. Unfurl the scarves and shake them to create an undulating motion to simulate the movement of a snake. If you are using taped music or drumming, begin it now.
As you dance, call forth the power of the Mother Goddess with a chant:
Gaia rising, Gaia rising.
Mother of love, mother of life.
You may want to alternate this with the counter chant:
Gaia, Gaia, mother of all.
Gaia, Gaia, we heed your call.
When your energy has been released, bring your dancing and chanting (and taped music if used) to a close. Use your usual method for grounding.
Extinguish the altar candles in the reverse order that they were lit:
Great Mother, I ask that your blessings remain in my heart, and that I live in harmony with all that dwell on this earth. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Lord of the Spring and budding new life, I welcome the growth and beauty that you bestow upon the greening land. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the West, of Waters that nourish the land, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the South, of Fire that provides new beginnings, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the East, of Air and precious breath, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the North, of Earth that brings forth new life, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Raise your arms as you stand facing your altar, and say:
As all good things must sometimes end,
Go forth with the love the Goddess sends.
For if your heart is always true,
This circle will come back to you.
Items needed for this Ostara ritual include: Four green altar candles for the directions; Two lavender or purple altar candles for the Goddess and God; At least one cut flower for each participant in the group ritual. For solo ritual, have a minimum of four flowers to mark the cardinal directions or more to mark your circle on the floor. (You can allow space between the flowers); Flower seeds—daisies, if possible, as this flower is associated with spring, light and the sun; A small flower pot or small paper cup filled with potting soil. You may want to decorate it with Pagan symbols such as a pentagram, spiral, or a circle with a dot in the center; One or two long scarves; Taped music or drumming with which to dance (optional).
Background
This ritual has been written for daytime to enjoy the warmth, light and greening earth. Ostara celebrates both the sun and the earth. It is a day to celebrate the balance of all things; female and male, the spiritual and the physical. The spiral you walked at Winter Solstice took you down inside yourself. Now is the time to follow that spiral of energy up into the light.
As Persephone re-emerges from the Underworld, animals return from their winter hibernation. One such creature is the snake, an ancient symbol of the Great Mother Goddess. Snakes dwell in both worlds: Ours and the Underworld. Because they live underground, they carry the power of Mother Earth. Into the time of ancient Greece the snake was a symbol of earthly powers especially for healing. Even today it is included in the symbol of the medical profession.
The Ritual
Lay the flowers on the floor as you cast your circle as you say:
Equal is the light and dark,
With these gifts my circle I mark.
As warm sunlight greens the earth,
The Maiden and Lord dance with mirth.
After calling each direction and deity light a candle on the altar:
Come ye spirits of the North, powers of Earth, hold me rooted by tree and flower. Bring the beauty of your lush green meadows. Be with me this day.
Come ye spirits of the East, powers of Air, sail on golden wings of dawn. Blow away the staleness of winter. Be with me this day.
Come ye spirits of the South, powers of Fire, bring the heat of noon to warm my days. Coax the seeds from the womb of the earth. Be with me this day.
Come ye spirits of the West, powers of Water, let my soul flow with the beauty of your tides. Bless the land with dew-filled mornings. Be with me this day.
Prince of Light, Lord of Spring, you wax to the fullness of youth and bless the world with your bright spirit. Join me in this sacred circle. Be with me this day.
Great Mother who gives the world form, as your web of life renews the earth, light that spark within me to awaken my soul. Join me in this sacred circle. Be with me this day.
Stand in front of the altar. Hold a few of the flower seeds in the palm of one hand, then cup your other hand over it. Close your eyes, and recall that at Winter Solstice you made a wish and set forth an intention for the New Year. Now is the time to start bringing them into the physical world.
Fix that wish or intention in your mind. Let the energy and vision flow from you into the seeds. Visualize your wish coming to fruition. Once you have clearly seen what you want to achieve or receive, place the seeds into the cup and cover them lightly with soil. After your ritual, put it in a place where you will see it frequently and be reminded of your intention.
Call forth the power of the snake to energize the seeds you have planted by dancing around your circle. Unfurl the scarves and shake them to create an undulating motion to simulate the movement of a snake. If you are using taped music or drumming, begin it now.
As you dance, call forth the power of the Mother Goddess with a chant:
Gaia rising, Gaia rising.
Mother of love, mother of life.
You may want to alternate this with the counter chant:
Gaia, Gaia, mother of all.
Gaia, Gaia, we heed your call.
When your energy has been released, bring your dancing and chanting (and taped music if used) to a close. Use your usual method for grounding.
Extinguish the altar candles in the reverse order that they were lit:
Great Mother, I ask that your blessings remain in my heart, and that I live in harmony with all that dwell on this earth. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Lord of the Spring and budding new life, I welcome the growth and beauty that you bestow upon the greening land. Thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the West, of Waters that nourish the land, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the South, of Fire that provides new beginnings, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the East, of Air and precious breath, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Spirits of the North, of Earth that brings forth new life, thank you for your presence this day. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell.
Raise your arms as you stand facing your altar, and say:
As all good things must sometimes end,
Go forth with the love the Goddess sends.
For if your heart is always true,
This circle will come back to you.
Games
"Bunny May I?"
The "Bunny" stands at one side of the room or playground area. (To make it extra fun, make a set of ears from the Ostra crafts section and have the "Bunny" wear them.)
The rest of the children line up at the opposite end of the room or playground.
The "Bunny" calls on each of the other children in turn, who then must ask if they can move by saying, "Bunny, may I move____ jumps, giant steps, hops, baby steps etc."***
The "Bunny" gives the other players permission to move by saying,"Yes, you may" or "No, you may not."
The object of the game is to cross the space to the "Bunny" and tap him/her on the shoulder. The first to touch him/her is the next "Bunny". Children can try to move up when the Bunny isn't looking at them, but if they are caught cheating, they must go back to the beginning.
***An alternative way to play is by having the "Bunny" tell the other players how many steps and what kind of steps to take e.g.:"Billy, you may take 3 hops" to which Billy replies, "Bunny, may I?"
Egg Race
This is another fun game for kids of all ages. Little kids will have a difficult time just learning how to lean over and push the egg. You can make it more difficult for older children by placing obstacles in their way.
Use real hard-boiled eggs or plastic eggs with something inside to give them a little weight (we use small plastic bags of bird seed so that if there are "accidents" no one would be hurt and it won't hurt the environment either.)
Children line up at one side of the room or playground
The object of the game is for the children to push the eggs across the finish line WITH THEIR NOSE. No hands allowed! (The hardest part of the race is usually stopping the gales of giggles long enough to actually finish the course.)
Should someone finish the course, the prize can be a special decorated egg or basket of eggs.
Ostara Egg Hunt
The "Bunny" stands at one side of the room or playground area. (To make it extra fun, make a set of ears from the Ostra crafts section and have the "Bunny" wear them.)
The rest of the children line up at the opposite end of the room or playground.
The "Bunny" calls on each of the other children in turn, who then must ask if they can move by saying, "Bunny, may I move____ jumps, giant steps, hops, baby steps etc."***
The "Bunny" gives the other players permission to move by saying,"Yes, you may" or "No, you may not."
The object of the game is to cross the space to the "Bunny" and tap him/her on the shoulder. The first to touch him/her is the next "Bunny". Children can try to move up when the Bunny isn't looking at them, but if they are caught cheating, they must go back to the beginning.
***An alternative way to play is by having the "Bunny" tell the other players how many steps and what kind of steps to take e.g.:"Billy, you may take 3 hops" to which Billy replies, "Bunny, may I?"
Egg Race
This is another fun game for kids of all ages. Little kids will have a difficult time just learning how to lean over and push the egg. You can make it more difficult for older children by placing obstacles in their way.
Use real hard-boiled eggs or plastic eggs with something inside to give them a little weight (we use small plastic bags of bird seed so that if there are "accidents" no one would be hurt and it won't hurt the environment either.)
Children line up at one side of the room or playground
The object of the game is for the children to push the eggs across the finish line WITH THEIR NOSE. No hands allowed! (The hardest part of the race is usually stopping the gales of giggles long enough to actually finish the course.)
Should someone finish the course, the prize can be a special decorated egg or basket of eggs.
Ostara Egg Hunt
Important Info
Correspondences
Symbolism: The beginning of spring, new life and rebirth, the God and Goddess in Their youth, balance
Symbols: Eggs, rabbits
Foods: Hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, fresh fruits, milk punch, leafy green vegetables, dairy foods, apples
Plants & herbs: Acorn, celandine, cinquefoil, croqus, daffodil, dogwood, easter lily, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, tansy, violets
Incense and oils: African violet, jasmine, rose, strawberry, lotus, magnolia, ginger
Colors: Light green, lemon yellow, and pale pink
Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, red jasper
Animals and mythical beasts: Rabbits, snakes, unicorns
Goddesses: all love, virgin, and fertility Goddesses - Aphrodite, Athena, Gaia, Isis, Minerva, The Muses, Persephone, Venus
Gods: all love, song & dance, and fertility Gods; Adonis, Cernunnos, The Great Horned God, Pan
Decorations: Daffodils, tulips, violet, iris, narcissus, any spring flowers, eggs, butterflies, cocoons
Activities: Dying eggs, planting seeds (for plants and plans), lighting fires, ringing bells, looking for spring growth, buying a new besom or staff, spring cleaning
Spell/ritual work: Garden/plant blessings, balance, growth, communication
Symbolism: The beginning of spring, new life and rebirth, the God and Goddess in Their youth, balance
Symbols: Eggs, rabbits
Foods: Hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, fresh fruits, milk punch, leafy green vegetables, dairy foods, apples
Plants & herbs: Acorn, celandine, cinquefoil, croqus, daffodil, dogwood, easter lily, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, tansy, violets
Incense and oils: African violet, jasmine, rose, strawberry, lotus, magnolia, ginger
Colors: Light green, lemon yellow, and pale pink
Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, red jasper
Animals and mythical beasts: Rabbits, snakes, unicorns
Goddesses: all love, virgin, and fertility Goddesses - Aphrodite, Athena, Gaia, Isis, Minerva, The Muses, Persephone, Venus
Gods: all love, song & dance, and fertility Gods; Adonis, Cernunnos, The Great Horned God, Pan
Decorations: Daffodils, tulips, violet, iris, narcissus, any spring flowers, eggs, butterflies, cocoons
Activities: Dying eggs, planting seeds (for plants and plans), lighting fires, ringing bells, looking for spring growth, buying a new besom or staff, spring cleaning
Spell/ritual work: Garden/plant blessings, balance, growth, communication
Activities
Egg Decorating
Circles: Protection, everlasting life, completeness. The Sun, and cycles of life.
Triangles: The elements of air, fire and water.
Suns: The life-giving
Tripods: Man, Woman, and Child. Birth, Life and Death.
Dots: Usually represent stars or the Tears of Mary. Also can be the Sun.
Curls: Protection.
Spirals: Mystery of life and death, divinity and immortality.
Crosses: equal-armed crosses - Represents the four directions, the four ages of man, the four elements, rebirth and eternal life.
Plants: Rebirth and nature. Very popular symbols.
Trees: Strength, renewal, creation, organic unity, growth, eternal life.
Leaves: Immortality, eternal or pure love, strength, persistence.
Flowers: Beauty, children, female principles of wisdom and elegance.
Fruit: Continuity, good fellowship, strong and loyal love, love of the Divine.
Sunflowers: Motherhood, life, love of the Divine.
Wheat: Bountiful harvest.
Stags: Leadership, victory, joy, masculinity.
Horses: Wealth, prosperity, endurance, speed and the motion of the Sun.
Rams: Leadership, strength, dignity, perseverance. Ram's horns symbolize strong leadership, dignity, and perseverance.
Horns: Mobility, wisdom, triumph over problems, and implies manhood and leadership.
Bear paws: A guardian spirit, bravery, wisdom, strength, endurance, the coming of spring.
Birds: All kinds, are messengers of the Sun and heavens, pushing away evil, fertility, fulfillment of wishes, good harvest.
Roosters: Good fortune, masculinity, coming of the dawn.
Hens: Fertility. Hen feet offer protection for the young, and guidance.
Goose feet: Symbols of soul or spirit.
Butterflies: Ascent of the soul, pleasure andfrivolity of childhood.
Spiders: Patience, artistry, industry, healing and good fortune.
Fish: Abundance, sacrifice, regeneration.
Circles: Protection, everlasting life, completeness. The Sun, and cycles of life.
Triangles: The elements of air, fire and water.
Suns: The life-giving
Tripods: Man, Woman, and Child. Birth, Life and Death.
Dots: Usually represent stars or the Tears of Mary. Also can be the Sun.
Curls: Protection.
Spirals: Mystery of life and death, divinity and immortality.
Crosses: equal-armed crosses - Represents the four directions, the four ages of man, the four elements, rebirth and eternal life.
Plants: Rebirth and nature. Very popular symbols.
Trees: Strength, renewal, creation, organic unity, growth, eternal life.
Leaves: Immortality, eternal or pure love, strength, persistence.
Flowers: Beauty, children, female principles of wisdom and elegance.
Fruit: Continuity, good fellowship, strong and loyal love, love of the Divine.
Sunflowers: Motherhood, life, love of the Divine.
Wheat: Bountiful harvest.
Stags: Leadership, victory, joy, masculinity.
Horses: Wealth, prosperity, endurance, speed and the motion of the Sun.
Rams: Leadership, strength, dignity, perseverance. Ram's horns symbolize strong leadership, dignity, and perseverance.
Horns: Mobility, wisdom, triumph over problems, and implies manhood and leadership.
Bear paws: A guardian spirit, bravery, wisdom, strength, endurance, the coming of spring.
Birds: All kinds, are messengers of the Sun and heavens, pushing away evil, fertility, fulfillment of wishes, good harvest.
Roosters: Good fortune, masculinity, coming of the dawn.
Hens: Fertility. Hen feet offer protection for the young, and guidance.
Goose feet: Symbols of soul or spirit.
Butterflies: Ascent of the soul, pleasure andfrivolity of childhood.
Spiders: Patience, artistry, industry, healing and good fortune.
Fish: Abundance, sacrifice, regeneration.
Other Names
Ostara is also known as the Spring Equinox, the Vernal Equinox, Lady Day, Eostara, Easter, Alban Eiber, and Bacchanalia.
Lore
Date:
March 21
History:
Ostara is a festival of fertility and growth. Ostara occurs on the Spring Equinox, the first day of Spring. On this day darkness and light are in balance. From this day onward, day will dominate the night and the Earth will explode with life. Ostara is a celebration of this renewal and rebirth of nature and warming of the Earth. As mirrors of the world around us, this is an ideal time to put plans into action for growth in our own lives, to actively encourage change.
The name for this Sabbat is derived from the Teutonic lunar Goddess Eostre. Her chief symbols were the rabbit (for fertility, and her worshippers 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.
A tradition that did not exactly move over into the popular celebration of Easter was having sex in freshly plowed fields. This tradition came from the pagan farmers who would finish plowing 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 plowed 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.
March 21
History:
Ostara is a festival of fertility and growth. Ostara occurs on the Spring Equinox, the first day of Spring. On this day darkness and light are in balance. From this day onward, day will dominate the night and the Earth will explode with life. Ostara is a celebration of this renewal and rebirth of nature and warming of the Earth. As mirrors of the world around us, this is an ideal time to put plans into action for growth in our own lives, to actively encourage change.
The name for this Sabbat is derived from the Teutonic lunar Goddess Eostre. Her chief symbols were the rabbit (for fertility, and her worshippers 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.
A tradition that did not exactly move over into the popular celebration of Easter was having sex in freshly plowed fields. This tradition came from the pagan farmers who would finish plowing 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 plowed 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.
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