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Post by Rik Wallin on Apr 5, 2007 12:02:38 GMT -6
Sabbats – Ostara (March 22)
Ostara is the virgin Goddess of spring. This holiday concerns the deity's trip to the underworld, and their struggle to return from the Land of the Dead to Earth. When they accomplish this return, they have a life renewed.
The Church, trying to keep their holidays close to the Pagan holidays, assigned Easter to this time of the year. Like Easter, Ostara is a time to wear your new clothes. It was considered bad luck to wear anything new before Ostara, so the people would work through the winter in secret to make elegant clothes for the Sabbat celebration. The entire community would gather for games, feasting, and religious rituals while showing off their clothing.
The lamb was another symbol of Ostara, and was sacred to the Virgin Goddess of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. This symbol was so ingrained in the mindset of the people that it carried over to Passover and Easter.
The modern belief that eggs are delivered by a rabbit known as the Easter Bunny comes from the legend of the Goddess Eostre. So much did a lowly rabbit want to please the Goddess that he laid the sacred eggs in her honor, gaily decorated them, and humbly presented them to her. So pleased was she that she wished all humankind to share in her joy. In honor of her wishes, the rabbit went through the entire world and distributed these little decorated gifts of life. To make these eggs, boil a large handful of an herb or flower until the water is well colored. Place the water into a heat-resistant cup or bowl. Stir in a teasthingy of vinegar and a pinch of salt and allow soaking. Below is a list of colors:
Color Herbs
Yellow Carrots, White grape juice, Turmeric, Fenugreek
Orange Onion skins, Madder root, Cayenne
Red Red onion skins, Madder root, Cayenne
Red-Violet Purple grape juice, Red raspberries
Green Carrot tops, Bracken
Blue Blueberries, Red Cabbage, Black raspberries
Blue-Violet Blackberries, Beet juice, Mulberries
Pink Heather
The Spring Equinox
Depending on the year, the Spring Equinox falls on March 20, 21, 22, or 23. The altar cloth and Mood Candle are light green.
The Cauldron is placed in the center of the Circle. The High Priest/ess rings the Chime thrice and says:
Once again the Wheel turns,
Setting in motion the season of Spring.
Darkness and light are equal.
Yet the darkness shall be overcome by the light.
The Goddess gives us the seeds from the harvest past.
Raising the plate of seeds high, the High Priestess says:
The God warms them.
She then holds the bowl of seeds close to the God Candle. A divine light is visualized surrounding the bowl. She says:
Without the heat of His light they will not sprout.
Life needs a balance of things to grow and blossom.
As night and day are now equal by His growth,
So, too, will our gifts then be ready for the planting to come.
The plate of seeds is passed doesil, each Priest/ess taking some in his/her hand while the High Priest says:
Standing before us in His Golden Radiance is He;
The manifestation of love and light.
Extend your hands toward Him
To show Him the seeds from the Mother Goddess.
See the promise and glory of the season to come.
Feel His heat and power.
Receive His radiant blessing of life-giving energy.
His is with us even on the darkest of days.
The High Priest/ess says:
Springtime is for hopes, desires, and new ideas.
All say:
Thus we plant the seeds.
Each Priest/ess drops his/her seeds into the Cauldron. the High Priest then says:
Receive our seeds.
Let them manifest and grow.
Let them be a part of our lives.
High Priest:
Male receives the power and is its reservoir.
High Priestess:
Female taps the power in him and gives it form.
One without the other is incomplete.
He is the God of life and death.
She is the Goddess of birth, death, and rebirth.
The Sun brings forth light.
The Moon reflects it in darkness.
Taking the Athame in his right hand with the point down, the High Priest says:
The Athame symbolizes the masculine force.
The High Priestess then takes the Chalice in her left hand saying:
So the Chalice symbolizes the feminine form.
Know that there is no greater power
Than the force of man joined with the form woman in love.
He lowers the Athame blade into the Chalice. Both the Athame and the Chalice are placed on the altar. Next, the Cauldron is placed on the altar. Fixed in the center of the Circle is the potted plant. While pouring the melted snow into the soil the High Priest/ess says:
From Winter to Spring.
We have been given another Spring
And the return of life to the land is all about us.
Feel the energy of the Earth around you.
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Post by Rik Wallin on Apr 5, 2007 12:03:07 GMT -6
*{+OSTARA+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 marks 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 reproduction) 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 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 in to 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 magicakl 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!
The following "Natural Oestara Eggs" is written by a deliciously artistic, treasured Witchfriend of mine...
Natural Oestara Eggs
by Ariadne
Natural egg-dying is like recycling. It takes a li'l bit longer to do, but gives you that Oh-Im-soooooo-WC (witchly correct) feeling.
Cover your plant material (see list below) with about 3 inches of water, bring to a boil, and simmer until the color looks good. You'll probably have to let the eggs sit in the dye overnight, so if you're planning more than one color per egg, start this a few days before Oestara. Experimenting is half the fun, but here are some hints to get you started:
Yellows- daffodil petals, saffron, turmeric, onion skins
Blues- blueberries, red cabbage leaves & vinegar
Greens-broccoli, coltsfoot
Pinks- cochineal, madder root
Browns - walnut shells, tea, coffee
Wanna get fancy? Gather some small leaves, ferns, flowers and grasses. Dip them in water (to help them stick) and press them onto your eggs. Wrap each egg in a piece of cut up pantyhose and secure it with a twist tie before dyeing. When you remove the flower or leaf, it's design will appear (either in white or in your first dye-color). Rub your finished eggs with a tiny bit of vegetable oil on a soft cloth to shine them.
Too hard?? No hosiery??? Okay, try using crayons to draw spirals and pentagrams on the eggs before dying them.
Now, plan a fertility ritual for your garden. Bury an Oestara egg in the east corner of your garden, or one egg for each direction, or dig an entire circle for them (depends on how much you hate egg-salad).
Next I will list several recipes appropriate for the Ostara turn in the Wheel of the Year. I have gathered these from various places, noted on each...
Ostara Incense
Recipe by Scott Cunningham
2 parts Frankincense
1 part Benzoin
1 part Dragon's Blood
1/2 part Nutmeg
1/2 part Violet flowers (or a few drops Violet oil)
1/2 part Orange peel
1/2 part Rose petals
Burn during Wiccan rituals on Ostara (the Spring Equinox, which varies from March 20th to the 24th each year), or to welcome the spring and refresh your life.
(The above recipe for "Ostara Incense" is directly quoted from Scott Cunningham's book: "The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews", page 83, Llewellyn Publications, 1992.)
Oil For Sabbat: See OILS
Spring Equinox Ritual Potpourri
Recipe by Gerina Dunwich
A small cauldron filled with homemade potpourri can be used as a fragrant altar decoration, burned (outdoors) as an offering to the old gods during or after a Sabbat celebration, or wrapped in decorative paper and ribbons and given to a Wiccan sister or brother as a Sabbat gift.
45 drops rose oil
1 cup oak moss
2 cups dried dogwood blossoms
2 cups dried honeysuckle blossoms
1/2 cup dried violets
1/2 cup dried daffodils
1/2 cup dried rosebuds
1/2 cup dried crocus or iris
Mix the rose oil with the oak moss, and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and then store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.
(The above recipe for "Spring Equinox Ritual Potpourri" is directly quoted from Gerina Dunwich's book: "The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch's Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes", pages 161-162, A Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994/1995.)
Country-Witch Eggnog
Recipe by Gerina Dunwich
1 cup apple cider
3 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teasthingy cinnamon
1/4 teasthingy ground nutmeg
2 tablesthingys brandy
Combine all of the ingredients in a large cauldron or pot and cook over medium heat for 13 minutes. Pour the hot eggnog into mugs and top each serving with fresh whipped cream (if desired).
Country-Witch Eggnog is the perfect drink to serve your Wiccan friends and family members at Yuletide (Winter Solstice) and Ostara (Spring Equinox) sabbats. (This recipe yield two quarts.)
(The above recipe for "Country-Witch EggNog Recipe" is directly quoted from Gerina Dunwich's book: "The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch's Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes", page 168, A Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994/1995.)
And finally, here are some wise words, along with a few nice devotional incantations and poems with proper credit given to each author...
Enjoy and May Ye Blessed Be!
Spring Equinox
by Rhiannon Cotter
The Spring Equinox represents the turning from Winter to Spring during which youth returns, beauty comes forth, and life rises from the depths of the Earth. The Goddess as Maiden is reborn surrounded by the symbols of fertility. Animals and plants return from hibernation. On Spring Equinox, balance is the theme. Yet this balance moves both inner and outer worlds toward love, light, living and outward manifestations of destinies dreamed. Now is the time of planting, nurturing and growth.
Ostara
by Aurora
Winter's barrenness 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 us we see signs
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 Goddess.
Aurora
PO Box 68953
Schaumburg, IL 60168
Equinox Chant
by Ginger Strivelli
The day is balanced.
The night is balanced.
All is balanced this day.
Let balance be our way.
The God energy is balanced.
The Goddess energy is balanced.
All is balanced this day.
Balance in all we do, think, and say.
The Sun is balanced.
The Moon is balanced.
All is balanced this day.
Balance is the divine way.
The light is balanced.
The dark is balanced.
All is balanced this day.
From balance, may we never stray.
Ginger Strivelli
644 Long Shoals Rd #12
Arden, NC 28704
Esbat Invocation
by Zena of Lady's Grove
Mother of all
Goddess above
Look down on Your children
With goodness and love.
Grant to us strength
To heal and to grow.
Share Your fertility
With us here below.
Show us Your power
To sprout things from seed;
Help us all here
In our time of need.
We worship Your symbol, the Moon,
And pray to our Mother
To grant us this boon.
Be with us, Goddess,
Your children below,
And give us the knowledge
That we need to grow.
Blessed Be!
Zena of Lady's Grove
1800 E. Covina #282
Mesa, AZ 85203
Spring Invocation to Persephone
by Elizabeth Barrette
Come, Persephone,
With your paint-pots and brushes:
Stipple the fields with flowers,
Dot the branches with bright blossoms,
Streak the Spring sky with pale pastels.
You are the one who paints the eyes on the pansies,
And the lines on the lilies so the bees can find their food,
And the blushes on the rosebuds.
Without you,
The bearded iris would have no smile
And the black-eyed susan would be blind.
Come, Persephone:
The world has rested too long
Under Winter's snowy cloak.
Come bring your brushes and bright colors
And dress us in the shades of Spring again.
We invoke you, gracious maiden of freedom and beauty:
Join us now.
Elizabeth Barrette
PO Box 533
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 359-0498
ysabet@prairienet.org
Invocation to Bloddeuwedd
by Moonflower May
Apple Blossoms strewn,
along a wooded trail
Goddess of love walks,
Blodeuwedd;
Great Mother of the night.
The owl flies,
into the air.
Familiar of the Lily Maid,
in Her evening guise.
Dancing in the moonlight,
in the garden of the Goddess.
Blodeuwedd;
Maiden of the Mysteries,
waltzing through the night.
By Her side,
allowed to walk;
like the cat who's Her companion
on many evening roves.
Blodeuwedd;
Goddess of the Moon,
Enchant me with your beauty
under the silver Moon.
Moonflower May
Moonbeam Manor
Massachusetts
Robin o' the Woods
by Lokius
Robin o' the Woods
Come dance with us
Before this night has passed.
Come play with your children
Laughing and singing
Barefoot in the grass.
Bless our family
With a step and a song
As we gather together this night.
Oh, Robin of the woods
Come dance with us
Under the full moon light.
Lokius
B. Terkleson
12750 W. 170
Linwood, KS 66052
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