3.20.2008
A Blessed Spring Equinox
Today is the vernal (spring) equinox
"Eostre" by Thalia Took
Here are some quotes from the press (and Pagans) on this day.
"As the Earth's axis tilts the northern hemisphere back toward the sun, followers of Wicca, a nature-based religion, will celebrate Ostara, a holy day of seasonal rebirth and renewal, during the vernal equinox on Thursday. In Traverse City, the Rev. Harry C. Dorman is eagerly awaiting the seasonal change ... Dorman said that typically, Wiccans observe Ostara with worship conducted in a circle outdoors, weather permitting ... An altar is decorated with objects such as flowers, acorns, herbs, eggs and other items preparing to come forth in the spring growth cycle." - Gretchen Murray, Traverse City Record-Eagle
"The Marshall University Pagan Association will be performing a ritual honoring Ostara, the Virgin Goddess of Spring in the Pagan religion, in Buskirk Field Thursday. 'Christianity has Pagan DNA,' said George Fain, president of the MUPA. 'Easter is about resurrection and rebirth and this ritual is the most ancient form of Easter. I'm a gardener by nature and springtime is a very important time of the year. This ritual celebrates all the good things about spring.'" - Samir Abdel-Aziz, The Marshall Parthenon
"We think that the customs surrounding the celebration of the spring equinox were imported from Mediterranean lands, although there can be no doubt that the first inhabitants of the British Isles observed it, as evidence from megalithic sites shows. But it was certainly more popular to the south, where people celebrated the holiday as New Year's Day, and claimed it as the first day of the first sign of the zodiac, Aries. However you look at it, it is certainly a time of new beginnings, as a simple glance at nature will prove." - Mike Nichols, The Witches' Sabbats
"I am excited to see how Icelanders interpret this quirky holiday in the land of Christianity and huldufolk ("hidden people," i.e. elves). Along my travels around Iceland, I have meticulously documented in pictures garden and roadside miniature churches that are intended to convert pagan elves. I love the mixture of believing in Christ and invisible people. After all, Christianity was and is based on many pagan concepts. Easter seems to be the perfect holiday for Icelanders who follow this religion but have a hard time letting go of long-held beliefs." - Alexandra Hertell, Iceland Review
"Ostara represented many complex, interrelated beliefs to our ancestors. The sun was reborn from its winter banishment to thaw the earth, making it ready for the plow. People felt reborn as well, escaping from close, snow-bound confinement into the new warmth. The Gods and Goddesses of fertility were active once again in the land, causing new growth everywhere. Women often were showing the first swelling signs of pregnancy, engendered in the winter months when bed meant both warmth and entertainment for they and their men. As the wilds burgeoned with new life, so too would the lands inhabited by man, bearing crops in the furrows, kine in the fields, and salmon in the streams. Ostara is the brightest and most joyful ceremony of the Teutonic year. It is the time in which we celebrate the renewed presence of the Gods and Goddesses of fertility among us, and their marriages which ensure the fertility of the land. Ostara marks the victory of Sunna over the wolves which pursued her down into winter's dark, and Thorr's victory over the Frost-Giants. We celebrate the end of winter, and joyously exchange the cold for summer's healing warmth." - Kveldulf Hagan Gundarsson and Gunnora Hallakarva, "Ostara", from Mountain Thunder, Issue 4, Spring 1992.
May you enjoy a fruitful and blessed spring!
* Technically speaking, the 2008 Spring Equinox happened at March 20th 05:48 UTC. In my neck of the woods, that means that the equinox actually happened shortly after midnight (or possibly shortly before due to daylight savings). If you live in the United Kingdom then it happened at 05:48 AM. In Australia the equinox (though not the "spring" equinox) will be this afternoon. Check your time zone for exact calculations.
Labels: Festival, Lady Day, Ostara, Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox
Comments:
Just curious but will you be posting a feed to LJ during the LJ Strike? My blog has more information on WHY its happening (including information being hidden on whose interested in things like bisexuality and even fanfiction). http://rin-x-x.livejournal.com
Not sure if this is the thing your feed/blog is into, but technically you have a feed to LJ.
Don't mean to be rude. :)
Rin-x-x,
The syndicated feed to LJ is automated from this blog's RSS feed, and I have no direct control over it. So I can't stop something I post here from eventually appearing on the LJ feed. This is a reality for every syndicated feed on LJ from Neil Gaiman's blog to Dinosaur Comics.
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Just curious but will you be posting a feed to LJ during the LJ Strike? My blog has more information on WHY its happening (including information being hidden on whose interested in things like bisexuality and even fanfiction). http://rin-x-x.livejournal.com
Not sure if this is the thing your feed/blog is into, but technically you have a feed to LJ.
Don't mean to be rude. :)
Rin-x-x,
The syndicated feed to LJ is automated from this blog's RSS feed, and I have no direct control over it. So I can't stop something I post here from eventually appearing on the LJ feed. This is a reality for every syndicated feed on LJ from Neil Gaiman's blog to Dinosaur Comics.
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