SECTION I: HOLIDAY LORE
1. Ostara - StormWing
2. Oestre - Baboo Kyra Finch
3. A Druid's Pondering - LadyToad
4. Spring Equinox - Sarolta
Ostara and Its Lore
Ostara (pronounced "O-STAR-ah") is one of the Lesser Wiccan Sabbats and is celebrated on the Spring
Equinox, most often March 21st, but varies somewhat from the 20th to the 23rd. The variance, as with all
Solar festivals, is due to the differences between the actual astronomical event and our calendar, so be sure
to check the calendar each year.
Other names this Sabbat is also called by are the Vernal Equinox or the Spring Equinox,
Oestara, Eostre's Day, Rite of Eostre, Equinozio della Primavera (Aridian
Strega), Alban Eiber (Caledonii Tradition or the
Druids), Bacchanalia, Festival of the Trees, and Lady Day. Christians celebrate their holiday - Easter - near
this same time and it is based on basically the same principles as ours in the Old Religion. Easter is actually
determined in a very Pagan manner... it is always the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring
Equinox. (Images to the left and below are by Anthony Meadows and from Llewellyn's 1998 and 1999 Witches' Calendars. Click on either image to go directly to Llewellyn's Web Site.)
This Sabbat is a time to celebrate the arrival of Spring, when light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. The forces of masculine energy and feminine energy are also in balance and this day paves the way for the coming lushness of Summer. Ostara is a time for the celebration of fertility and balance, a time when all elements within and without us are brought into harmony. A time of new life and
rebirth, as well as the end of Winter.
Symbols used to represent Ostara include the egg (for fertility and
eproduction) and the hare (for rebirth and resurrection), the New Moon, butterflies and cocoons. Symbolically, many Pagans choose to represent Ostara by the planting of seeds, potted plants, ringing bells, lighting new fires at sunrise, either in the
fireplace (if the weather us still cold enough), in the cauldron, or light a balefire (if outdoors). I always give
myself a gift of a newly potted plant or take a seed and plant it within my cast Circle. Ritually, a fire may be lit in the cauldron during (not before) the rite itself. You may want to decorate your altar with a colorful bouquet of Spring wildflowers. Other traditional activities include working on magickal gardens and practicing all forms of herbal work ---
magickal, artistic, medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic.
Here is a traditional Vernal Equinox pastime according to Scott Cunningham: go to a field and randomly collect wildflowers. Thank the flowers for their sacrifice before picking them and it is also best to leave an offering to the plant and/or the Earth for taking the flowers, such as some milk and honey, a small crystal or even a coin. Or, buy some from a florist, taking one or two of those that appeal to you. Then bring them home and divine their magickal meanings by the use of books, your own intuition, a pendulum or by other means. The flowers you've chosen reveal your inner thoughts and emotions. A particular suggestion from Scott Cunningham that I really enjoy each year is to do the following... at this time in the turn of the Wheel
of the Year, when all things are green and renewed life is all around us, it is a very good idea to plan a walk (or a ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest and other green places. This is not simply for exercise, and you should be on no other mission. It isn't even just an appreciation of Nature. You should make your walk celebratory, a ritual for Nature itself. Other Pagan activities may include the planting of your herb and/or vegetable garden.
Another very popular Ostara activity is decorating and coloring or dying hard-boiled eggs - or other eggs such as wooden or paper mache (I call them "Ostara Eggs"), and drawing Pagan and magickal symbols on the colored eggs. You could then choose to either keep the eggs, bury them in the Earth or cast them into a fire as offerings to the Goddess - the choice is yours. If I use hard- boiled eggs, I usually bury them in the Earth when the ritual is over, but - alternately - here is my personal choice... I usually make my eggs from the paper mache ones (the cost factor comes into play here, they are a LOT cheaper than the wooden ones, but the wooden ones are much smoother). I buy them at the local craft store (such as Hobby Lobby). These eggs can be reused next year and you can even add new ones to the old, if you like. The first thing I do is paint them each a different color - whatever shade strikes me - whether it be dull, bright, pastel, or primary.
Then I use gold and silver paint pens to draw Pagan designs and magickal symbols all over them. You may opt to use other color combinations. It is entirely up to your personal choice. I have one egg that is totally covered with interconnected triangles (Triple Goddess), a couple with pentagrams and God and Goddess
symbols, some with words written in Theban script, etc. Just let your imagination take you there - it's a lot of fun!
Appropriate Deities for Ostara include all Youthful and Virile Gods and Goddesses, Sun Gods, Mother Goddesses, Love Goddesses, Moon Gods and Goddesses, and all Fertility Deities. Some Ostara Deities to mention by name here include Persephone,
Blodeuwedd, Eostre, Aphrodite, Athena, Cybele, Gaia, Hera, Isis, Ishtar,
Minerva,Venus, Robin of the Woods, the Green Man, Cernunnos, Lord of the Greenwood, The
Dagda, Attis, The Great Horned God, Mithras, Odin, Thoth, Osiris, and Pan.
Key actions to keep in mind during this time in the Wheel of the Year include openings and new beginnings. Spellwork for improving communication and group interaction are recommended, as well as fertility and abundance. Ostara is a good time to start putting those plans and preparations you made at Imbolc into action. Start working towards physically manifesting your plans now. The most common colors associated with Ostara are lemon yellow, pale green and pale pink. However, also appropriate colors include grass green, all pastels, Robin's egg blue, violet, and white. Stones to use during the Ostara celebration include aquamarine, rose quartz, and moonstone. Animals associated with Ostara are rabbits and snakes. Mythical beasts associated with Ostara include unicorns,
merpeople, and pegasus. Plants and herbs associated with Ostara are crocus flowers, daffodils, jasmine, Irish moss, snowdrops, and ginger. For Ostara incense, you could make a blend from any of the following scents or simply choose one... jasmine, frankincense, myrrh, dragon's blood, cinnamon, nutmeg, aloes wood,
benzoin, musk, African violet, sage,
strawberry, lotus, violet flowers, orange peel, or rose petals.
Foods in tune with this day (linking your meals with the seasons is a fine way of attuning with Nature) include eggs, egg salad, hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season, fish, cakes, biscuits, cheeses, honey and ham. You may also include foods made of seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and
sesame seeds, as well as pine nuts. Sprouts are equally appropriate, as are leafy, green vegetables. From Scott Cunningham: flower dishes such as stuffed nasturtiums or carnation cupcakes also find their place here. (Find a book of flower cooking or simply make spice cupcakes. Ice with pink frosting and place a fresh carnation petal on each cupcake. Stuff nasturtium blossoms with a mixture made of cream cheese,
chopped nuts, chives and watercress.) Appropriate Ostara meat dishes should contain fish or ham.
May the Lord and Lady bless you all with fertility, abundance, success, and all things new!
Blessed Be, StormWing
OESTRE - Baboo Kyra Finch
We use this holiday to celebrate the return of Spring. The day before the ritual, we boil eggs and prepare the dye and wax crayons. I like to go into a field or the woods somewhere instead of having the ritual at home.
We pack a picnic, our ritual tools (usually a staff, a seedling, the eggs, dye and crayons, simple and light), and off we go. When we find a good spot we cast the circle (naturally letting the kids do most of the work). For this, I like to make the Circle more of an elastic bubble that stretches and surrounds us while we walk around. For the purpose, we write our wish on the egg, color it with red dye and wander off into the woods to bury it.
Which brings me to a theory I have on how egg hunts started. In the olden days, good Pagan parents would have their ritual at night and take their eggs into the woods and meadows with their partners. They would make love and then bury the eggs to ensure the fertility of the land. The kids, not being stupid, would get up early while the exhausted adults were still asleep, dig up the eggs and eat them for breakfast. While I have no real knowledge that this occurred, it certainly makes sense.
When we finish burying the eggs, we rejoin and tell the story of Ceres, Kore and
Hecate. You can act out the parts, but no one in our group ever wants to do that.
Ceres and Kore (now Persephone) are reunited, everyone cheers, and we
welcome the return of Spring. We open the circle and picnic. We bury the organic remains of lunch and say “Thank you for the meal. We return the portion we do not need."
I also like to tell the story of Baba Yaga and the magick bird. I’ve included it, as the little ones seem to think it’s the funniest thing ever.
BABA YAGA AND HER MAGICK BIRD
It was springtime. Baba
Yaga, the Old Crone, was making pashka. Pashka is a kind of Russian cheese pudding and takes a long time to make, requiring hours of simmering and constant stirring in the cauldron. Baba Yaga stirred the
pashka. On her shoulder sat her magick bird, who kept her company by singing in her ear. This bird was beautiful. She had golden feathers, emerald eyes and a ruby throat. She sang like an angel. Best of all, she laid jeweled eggs of the most wonderful designs and colors.
The pashka was almost ready. Baba Yaga was getting very tired of stirring. As the pudding got thicker, it got harder to stir. If you stop stirring mthe pashka before it’s done, you will ruin it. Finally, the pashka was thick enough. Baba Yaga turned around to get the ladle to spoon the pashka into molds to set. As she turned, her beautiful bird pooped right into the
pashka!
Baba Yaga was furious! She took the bird off her shoulder, and put her on the ground! “For your punishment, every spring you will lose voice and you will not fly”!, and zip! She turned the bird into a hare! And that’s why rabbits lay jeweled eggs in the springtime.
A Walk in the Woods
by ladytoad
Come walk with me, and we will explore what it means to be a Druid. Feel the breath of the forest around you; smell the richness of humus under your feet, the dark spoils of the living earth; hear the song of the wind and the calls of birds; let dappled sunshine and cool shadow touch your skin and the
leftover dew of morning fill your lungs; let your pulse beat with the inexorable rhythm of the living forest, and you will know something of what it is to be a Druid.
"Each man's life," wrote German novelist, Herman Hesse, "represents a road toward himself." To be a Druid is to take a path into the self. Druidism is less a religion than a way of thinking and living. It is a path in search of the immanent Divine within one's Self and the resulting expression of that
Divine Spark.
If you were a student of an ancient Druid, your tutoring would be peripatetic. As we are doing at the moment, you would walk and talk, perhaps stopping to sit beneath the trees or to watch a small animal or an insect busy with its daily work. You would memorize certain teachings in order to carry on correctly the history of the tribe, but you would learn much from stories, from accomplishing certain tasks, and from pondering questions that seem to have no answers.
Romantic writers were not far wrong when they told of Merlin's teaching Arthur by example and trial. The Druid way is experiential, the path individualized (but always with strict attention to the needs of the tribe). This sort of learning does not come easily, and surely not every young person followed the path to Druidism. Historic research tells us that the Druids
taught many young. In these Druidic schools, some would be challenged to stay and become Druids themselves. The majority, surely, went on about their lives after absorbing the most important concepts of their culture. We do not know what the Celtic people called their religion. When there is only one religion, there is no need to name it to distinguish it from
something else. We do know that only a select few followed the calling of the Druids, that the Druids gave wise leadership and judgment; that they performed the necessary rituals at traditional celebrations; that they were sometimes bards and craftsmen; and that their word was law; but they were not
"priests" in the traditional sense of the word, were not ministers tending to their flocks, were not religious confessors.
Thus the Druid was unique in that a Druid was nothing like the High Priestess or Priest of Wicca or other pagan religions. A Druid was more like the Dalai Lama of today and his Tibetan monks. The Druid was the keeper of the
culture. Together we will keep the culture, melding old and new, and walking in the "woods" of our spiritual selves
The following article will also appear in SageWoman Magazine -Spring
'99 and The Monthly Aspectarian: http://www.lightworks.com March '99
Rituals of the Earth: The Wheel of The Year
Spring Equinox 1999 : Ostara
-Sarolta G. DeFaltay c.1998
Welcome Spring! This Equinox is a sacred holiday that signals
the blossoming of spring’s return; today the hours of daylight and
nightfall are equal, bringing the opportunity to balance the solar
(projecting) and lunar (receptive) natures within us, harmonizing our
inner and outer realities as well. This is when you can bless the
seeds you’ll be planting in your garden, performing rites of fertility
and abundance for the upcoming season of growth and renewal.
Every planetary alignment holds an opportunity for growth and
expanded awareness, and contains symbolism that can be universally
shared and understood. By meditating on current planetary themes, we
can tune in to the archetypal energy inherent therein, gaining a
deeper understanding of our own personal myth , integrating the
planetary energies experientially through personalized ritual.
Named for the ancient Anglo-Saxon goddess who presided over
fertility, Eostre, this holiday symbolizes balance, and the birth of
all nature. The egg was used as a symbol for Ostara, as it represents
the birth of the Goddess as Persephone, returning from the Underworld
to join her mother Demeter once again, playing in the fields together as they bring fertility and growth to the land once more. This holiday
honors the playful child within, and is a good time to honor the body
and its ability to regenerate itself as well.
We are now in the “First Quarter” phase of the year, when the
projects initiated around the Winter Solstice are taking form. This is
when new patterns are established into their environment, and action
must be taken to make sure the patterns are fully integrated. The soil
is prepared, and the planting season will soon be in full bloom!
The astrological charts of the Solstices and Equinoxes have been read by astrologers since ancient times for news of the upcoming
season, especially as it pertains to the well-being of nations, their
leaders, and the condition of the people. Ingress charts (as they are
called) are drawn for the exact moment the Sun enters one of the four
cardinal signs: Capricorn, Aries, Cancer and Libra (Winter, Spring,
Summer, Autumn).
Cardinal energy is initiating, and an excellent time for magickal
workings, as practitioners of earth spirituality have known for a long,
long time.
Spring Equinox 1999
This year’s ingress is exact on Mar. 20, 1999, at 8:48 PM EST Washington, D.C.
Planetary Themes
Two major astrological configurations feature prominently in this
year’s Spring ingress chart, and show that powerful energies can be
accessed for renewal and regeneration at this time.
The first one, represented by a Grand Trine in the element of Fire,
engages Sun/Jupiter (self empowerment, confidence), with Vesta
(dedication), and Chiron/Pluto (deep healing and transformation).
A Grand Trine is a helpful configuration that links the three
energies so they can work together harmoniously (but in a fiery way!).
The possible drawback is that one may feel so good that they waste the
positive energies and become complacent. This is definitely a time to
take action, so don’t take a good start for granted!
The second major configuration is a Grand Cross, a somewhat
stressful but possibly a powerful catalyst for growth and movement.
Make sure your personal vision is communicated in a way that is
understood globally, in a universal language. Balancing personal power
with the material needs of others may be prominent themes in our lives
now as well.
Spring Equinox Herbal Lore
Celandine: Good spirits, joy
Cinquefoil: Ritual bath; eloquence, protection and purification
Dandelion: Divination, wishes, psychic ability
Dogwood: 4 petals symbolize the 4 sacred directions
Iris: Purity, wisdom, faith; baby blessing; symbol of life and resurrection
Honeysuckle: Rebirth, renewal, spiritual sight; agile/versatile mind
Jasmine: Lunar, for psychic opening; spiritual love; use oil to
anoint candles; ritual cup
Lily: fertility godesses; white:purity, rebirth.
Rose: Represents true love and joy; use yellow roses on the altar for
Ostara
Tansy: Women’s mysteries, immortality, health, longevity, love.
These herbs can be utilized in ritual by making an incense, or
anointing candles with essential oil. They can be sewn into a charm
bag and consecrated (dedicated to a single purpose), and worn or
carried when needed.
Ritual Bath: Cinquefoil, Jasmine flowers, Honeysuckle and Rose petals.
Place any or all herbs in cheesecloth and tie well; run under tap.
You can also make a strong tea from the herbs, strain and pour into
the bath.
Light silver candles anointed with jasmine oil to represent the
Maiden aspect of the Goddess. Imagine yourself reborn anew, as dewey
and fresh as Persephone, flowers blooming wherever she steps. Bathe
yourself in the herbs and the springtime energy, clearing away
anything that no longer needs to go with you. After your bath, bring
your candles with you to the circle, and place them on or around your
altar.
The Altar: Place the altar in the East, the quarter of springtime and
the dawn. Decorate your altar and home with an abundance of spring
flowers, especially yellow ones: crocuses, daffodils, violets, lilac,
lilies, yellow roses, iris. Use the silver altar candles, and green
candles to represent the growing flora. The altar cloth can be yellow,
white or spring green.
You will need three candles: orange, purple and green.
Ritual: Cast the circle, call in the quarters, and call upon a Maiden
Goddess, if you choose, or just imagine your circle infused with the
freshness of springtime. Prepare incense.
Incense: Sandalwood, rose petals, jasmine flowers, powdered orris
root, cinquefoil, tansy; oils: lilac, sandalwood or rose. Bring any
or all of the above ingredients into your ritual circle and add each
ingredient one at a time, while grinding by hand with a mortar and
pestle and focusing on the properties of each herb as it is added.
Consecrate your incense by dedicating it to the maiden aspect of the
triple goddess, and once the incense is prepared, burn some on a
charcoal as you focus in on your goal.
Candles:
The orange candle represents the Grand Trine in Fire, with the Sun/
Jupiter in Aries, Vesta in Leo and Chiron/Pluto in Sagittarius. Those
three points can work together harmoniously to help you find creative
new ways to get your project the attention it needs to manifest your
vision in the tangible world.
Write down how you’d like to see this accomplished, and place the slip
of paper under the candle.
Light your candle as you say your goal aloud, or meditate on its
meaning. Repeat with the following:
The purple candle represents the transformative power of Chiron and
Pluto. Write down in what area of your life you are born anew, and
focus intently as you light your candle.
The green candle represents Moon, Venus and Saturn in Taurus in the
7th house. Write down what personal and relationship needs require
attention, and how you can feel more nurtured in the coming months.
This is where you ground the energies of the Grand Trine. As you
light the green candle, imagine that you have roots that extend deep
into the earth, and affirm that the energy of your ritual will be
given substance, and will manifest in tangible ways for the highest
good of all.
When you feel the ritual is complete, thank the Maiden Goddess, and
burn each paper as you focus once again on the intention of the goal,
releasing the energy to the wind and elemental helpers. Thank the
nature spirits, deities or elementals, and close your circle, allowing
the candles to burn all the way down, or instead, burn them for a
little while for the next several days, symbolizing the waxing
energies.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Beyerl, Paul. A Compendium of Herbal Magick. Custer, WA: Phoenix
Publishing, Inc., 1998.
Budapest, Zsuzsanna. The Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries. Oakland, CA:
Wingbow Press, 1989.
Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St.
Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1985.
Farrar, Janet & Stewart. The Witches’ Goddess. Custer, WA: Phoenix
Publishing, Inc., 1987.
George, Demetra. Asteroid Goddesses. San Diego, CA: ACS Publications,1986.
Hopman, Ellen Evert. A Druid’s Herbal. Rochester, VT: Destiny Books,
1995.
Smith, Steven R. Wylundt’s Book of Incense. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1996.
Walker, Barbara G. The Woman’s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1988.
Zalewski, C.L. Herbs In Magic and Alchemy. Dorset, UK: Prism Press,
1990.
-Sarolta G. DeFaltay is an Astrologer and Tarot consultant, and teaches
Solitary Magick in Chicago. She works with clients to empower themselves through rituals based on astrological cycles. She is also a regular contributor to SageWoman magazine, and maintains a website:
http://www.enteract.com/~deepsky/
SECTION I: HOLIDAY LORE
* Ostara - StormWing
* Oestre - Baboo Kyra Finch
* A Druid's Pondering - LadyToad
* Spring Equinox - Sarolta
SECTION II: FAMILY ISSUES
* Promoting Pagan Family Values - Selene
* Pagan Parenting - WindSeeker
SECTION III: STORY TIME
* CatCorner - Sorcy SummerWind
* Fiona & Julian - Selene SilverWind
* Meagan Stories - Kat Dyer
SECTION IV: ASK AUNTIE AHN
* Online Help Corner - Ahneke GreyStone
SECTION V: RESOURCES
* Herblore - Dor (Poem by Kyra)
* Wicca 101 - Rhiannon Diana
SECTION VI: PAGAN HAPPENINGS
* Events List - Selene SilverWind
SECTION VII: THE CAULDRON
* When the Goddess Hides Her Face - Samantha
* Critters - Baboo Kyra Finch
* Return from the Shadows - Riversong Drusea'
* Wise One - Samantha
