3.20.2006
A Blessed Spring Equinox
Today is the vernal (spring) equinox. It is the astronomical beginning of spring. Wiccans, Heathens, and various modern Pagans celebrate this day as Ostara, Lady Day, or simply the spring equinox. Several current secular Easter traditions including the Easter Bunny, and dying/decorating eggs are considered remnants of pre-Christian spring celebrations. It is a time for the celebration of the renewal of life.
"Eostre" by Thalia Took
Here are some quotes from the press and some prominent Pagans on this day.
"Spring Equinox celebrates the renewed life of the Earth that comes with the Spring. It is a solar festival, celebrated when the length of the day and the night are equal (this happens twice a year, at Spring and Autumn Equinox). This turn in the seasons has been celebrated by cultures throughout history who held festivals for their gods and goddesses at this time of year. Aphrodite from Cyprus, Hathor from Egypt and Ostara of Scandinavia. The Celts continued the tradition with festivities at this time of year." - BBC, Religion and Ethics
"Naturally, this is the season to celebrate the victory of life over death, as any nature lover will affirm. And the Christian religion was not misguided by celebrating Christ's victory over death at this same season. Nor is Christ the only solar hero to journey into the Underworld. King Arthur, for example, does the same thing when he sets sail in his magical ship, Prydwen, to bring back precious gifts (i.e., the gifts of life) from the Land of the Dead, as we are told in The Mabinogi. Welsh triads allude to Gwydion and Amaethon doing much the same thing. In fact, this theme is so universal that mythologists refer to it by a common phrase, "the harrowing of hell". However, one might conjecture that the descent into hell, or the Land of the Dead, was originally accomplished, not by a solar male Deity, but by a lunar female Deity. It is Nature herself who, in spring, returns from the Underworld with her gift of abundant life." - Mike Nichols, The Witches' Sabbats
"The equinox sets off the Welsh Pagan Sabbat of Gwyl Canol Gwenwynol, or Eostre. In the Mabinogion, it's the day when the restored Llew takes his vengeance on Goronwy by piercing him with the sunlight spear. But you already knew that." - Leigh Allan, Dayton Daily News
"My friend Kristen firmly believes in the power of spring equinox celebration and has "tested" it. A few years ago, when her fruit tree refused to bear, someone suggested she pay homage to the tree. She toasted the tree with cider, tied bows on it and read appropriate poetry. That year the tree bore its first fruit. As long as she celebrated the tree each spring, she says, it produced fruit. The one year she skipped the festivities, she claims, the tree didn't bear." - Brenda Beust Smith, Houston Chronicle
"Because the Equinox and Easter are so close, many Catholics and others who celebrate Easter often see this holiday (which observes Christ's resurrection from the dead after his death on Good Friday) as being synonymous with rebirth and rejuvenation: the symbolic resurrection of Christ is echoed in the awakening of the plant and animal life around us. But if we look more closely at some of these Easter customs, we will see that the origins are surprisingly, well, pagan! Eggs, bunnies, candy, Easter baskets, new clothes, all these "traditions" have their origin in practices which may have little or nothing to do with the Christian holiday." - Peg Aloi, Witchvox
"According to legend, Ostara once changed a certain bird into a rabbit. She granted this rabbit two special talents: the power to run as fast as a bird can fly, and the ability to lay eggs. By now, you might have guessed where this story is going. From "Ostara" we get our word "Easter." And Lepus the Hare is none other than the Easter Bunny!" - Jim McKeegan, Times Herald-Record
"The name of Ostara's (Eostra's) festival was transferred to the celebration of Christ's resurrection when Anglo-Saxon and German heathens converted to Christianity. Thus, unlike other European cultures, English and German Christians still attach the name of a heathen goddess to their most sacred holiday: Easter or Ostern. In other European languages the holiday's name is based on the Hebrew word "pasah," to pass over, thus reflecting the Christian holiday's Biblical connection with the Jewish Passover." - D. L. Ashliman, University of Pittsburgh
"The practice of dyeing eggs in bright colors and patterns pre-dates Christianity and the Easter tradition. The eggs were used for healing and fortunetelling, and in Spring revival ceremonies. It was only natural that pysanky was adapted for Easter rituals as well." - Susan E. Hoffman, The Sun Herald
May you enjoy a fruitful and blessed spring!
Today is the vernal (spring) equinox. It is the astronomical beginning of spring. Wiccans, Heathens, and various modern Pagans celebrate this day as Ostara, Lady Day, or simply the spring equinox. Several current secular Easter traditions including the Easter Bunny, and dying/decorating eggs are considered remnants of pre-Christian spring celebrations. It is a time for the celebration of the renewal of life.
"Eostre" by Thalia Took
Here are some quotes from the press and some prominent Pagans on this day.
"Spring Equinox celebrates the renewed life of the Earth that comes with the Spring. It is a solar festival, celebrated when the length of the day and the night are equal (this happens twice a year, at Spring and Autumn Equinox). This turn in the seasons has been celebrated by cultures throughout history who held festivals for their gods and goddesses at this time of year. Aphrodite from Cyprus, Hathor from Egypt and Ostara of Scandinavia. The Celts continued the tradition with festivities at this time of year." - BBC, Religion and Ethics
"Naturally, this is the season to celebrate the victory of life over death, as any nature lover will affirm. And the Christian religion was not misguided by celebrating Christ's victory over death at this same season. Nor is Christ the only solar hero to journey into the Underworld. King Arthur, for example, does the same thing when he sets sail in his magical ship, Prydwen, to bring back precious gifts (i.e., the gifts of life) from the Land of the Dead, as we are told in The Mabinogi. Welsh triads allude to Gwydion and Amaethon doing much the same thing. In fact, this theme is so universal that mythologists refer to it by a common phrase, "the harrowing of hell". However, one might conjecture that the descent into hell, or the Land of the Dead, was originally accomplished, not by a solar male Deity, but by a lunar female Deity. It is Nature herself who, in spring, returns from the Underworld with her gift of abundant life." - Mike Nichols, The Witches' Sabbats
"The equinox sets off the Welsh Pagan Sabbat of Gwyl Canol Gwenwynol, or Eostre. In the Mabinogion, it's the day when the restored Llew takes his vengeance on Goronwy by piercing him with the sunlight spear. But you already knew that." - Leigh Allan, Dayton Daily News
"My friend Kristen firmly believes in the power of spring equinox celebration and has "tested" it. A few years ago, when her fruit tree refused to bear, someone suggested she pay homage to the tree. She toasted the tree with cider, tied bows on it and read appropriate poetry. That year the tree bore its first fruit. As long as she celebrated the tree each spring, she says, it produced fruit. The one year she skipped the festivities, she claims, the tree didn't bear." - Brenda Beust Smith, Houston Chronicle
"Because the Equinox and Easter are so close, many Catholics and others who celebrate Easter often see this holiday (which observes Christ's resurrection from the dead after his death on Good Friday) as being synonymous with rebirth and rejuvenation: the symbolic resurrection of Christ is echoed in the awakening of the plant and animal life around us. But if we look more closely at some of these Easter customs, we will see that the origins are surprisingly, well, pagan! Eggs, bunnies, candy, Easter baskets, new clothes, all these "traditions" have their origin in practices which may have little or nothing to do with the Christian holiday." - Peg Aloi, Witchvox
"According to legend, Ostara once changed a certain bird into a rabbit. She granted this rabbit two special talents: the power to run as fast as a bird can fly, and the ability to lay eggs. By now, you might have guessed where this story is going. From "Ostara" we get our word "Easter." And Lepus the Hare is none other than the Easter Bunny!" - Jim McKeegan, Times Herald-Record
"The name of Ostara's (Eostra's) festival was transferred to the celebration of Christ's resurrection when Anglo-Saxon and German heathens converted to Christianity. Thus, unlike other European cultures, English and German Christians still attach the name of a heathen goddess to their most sacred holiday: Easter or Ostern. In other European languages the holiday's name is based on the Hebrew word "pasah," to pass over, thus reflecting the Christian holiday's Biblical connection with the Jewish Passover." - D. L. Ashliman, University of Pittsburgh
"The practice of dyeing eggs in bright colors and patterns pre-dates Christianity and the Easter tradition. The eggs were used for healing and fortunetelling, and in Spring revival ceremonies. It was only natural that pysanky was adapted for Easter rituals as well." - Susan E. Hoffman, The Sun Herald
May you enjoy a fruitful and blessed spring!
Comments:
Eostre looks nice, can I have her phone number?
Seriously now, my calender siad that the equinox was 21/3/06, did I get drunk for no reason?
Poetry Politics and Piracy
http://judaspenrose.blogspot.com
The 21st is the traditional fixed date, but the equinox being an astronomical phenomena doesn't actually happen on a fixed day.
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Eostre looks nice, can I have her phone number?
Seriously now, my calender siad that the equinox was 21/3/06, did I get drunk for no reason?
Poetry Politics and Piracy
http://judaspenrose.blogspot.com
The 21st is the traditional fixed date, but the equinox being an astronomical phenomena doesn't actually happen on a fixed day.
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