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 Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 2:57 am
Last night, I decided to make a new BOS, using a floppy disk instead of a book, purely because it's easier. I spent absolutely ages digging up information on things and writing it out. Seeing as it's Ostara soon, that was one of the first things on my list of "Information to Get"! I basically decided that I would share all the information I got with you guys, partly because I love you, partly because I'm feeling nice today, and partly to stop Jack from moaning because he's posted pretty much everything so far. (Only joking!)
Contents.
Post One. (You are Here)
Post Two. Basic Information.
Post Three. Ostara and Symbolism.
Post Four. Possible Activities.
Post Five. Ostara Solitary Ritual.
Post Six. Hot Cross Bun Recipe.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:01 am
Basic Information.
Also Known As: Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox, Alban Eiler, Esther, Eostre, Ostarun, Eastre, Eoastrae or Oestre.
When?: Normally around March 21st.
When this year?: 20 March 18:25 approx.
The most important elements of this festival are fire and water.
It is a fertility festival and the first true day of Spring. It symbolises the God continuing to mature and beating the winter coldness.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:07 am
Ostara and Symbolism.
Ostara.
Ostara is actually the Goddess of spring and morning redness. She is commonly shown standing in spring?s flowers and vines holding an egg in her hand. Hares play around in the grass and birds fly in the sky around Her head, which is crowned with spring flowers.
Symbolism.
The hare is a fertility symbol that is tied to March because it is their mating season. It is associated to the moon in many cultures because of it?s night-time eating habits and the fact that you can see one in the moon.
Ostara and the egg she carries are both symbols of fertility, new and continuing life. In most cultures, red was the colour most commonly used to dye eggs, because it symbolizes morning redness, dawn, the sunrise, which all symbolize beginning (as in the beginning of another day). The red egg cracks open and releases ?life? (yolk and albumen) just as the morning redness releases the sun. It can also be related to giving birth because of the blood shed in the process and the long period type bleed afterwards. Eggs can be charged as talismans for fruitfulness and success in the coming season.
Hot cross buns also seem to have Pagan roots: ?There are mixed reports on the symbolism of the cross on the hot cross buns. Some suggest that the equilateral cross symbolizes the four quarters of the moon, other suggest that is expressing the uniformity of the seasonal year, and still others suggest that it is expressing the equilibrium of the equinox day -- equal day and equal night.? (Somewhere on Witchvox)
Silvander Equilateral crosses symbolize the crossroads. Places where spirits meet and offerings are left for goodwill and good travel. Shrines to Hecate and the Triple Goddess were also often left at crossroads.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:09 am
Possible Ostara Activities.
You Could:
~Do spring cleaning
~Decorate eggs
~Bless and plant seeds
~Walk with nature
~Do a ritual
~Bless pets
~Bake Hot Cross Buns
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:13 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:16 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:45 pm
Equilateral crosses symbolize the crossroads. Places where spirits meet and offerings are left for goodwill and good travel. Shrines to Hecate and the Triple Goddess were also often left at crossroads.
That's a really cool planting ritual. I think I'll try that one this year. Where did you find this particular information, if you don't mind (or still remember)? It seems like it'd be a good read...
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:39 am
A lot of it was from Witchvox, but I did get some bits and pieces from other places (don't know where from). The ritual was based on one I found from another website, but I changed some of the words. I can't remember where I got the ritual from, though.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:58 am
Me? Moan?
Never. I challenge you to a duel sir. But failing that, can I just share my first proper Spring Equinox story please?
I'll take that as a yes.
"At the time I must have been about 15 or 16...and up until then (since I was about 12) I had just been reading around and being quietly curious. But one of my friends and her mother were in this Moot that happened every two weeks.
At the first one we discussed what we are planning to do for the Equinox and decided to all go up our local mountain and have a basic and happy little ritual. Plus we got to chat amongst ourselves.
---
The big day, and the group of around 10 of all ages started the trek up the mountain road. Not actually that long as Caerphilly Mountain is sort of a tourist attraction, don't ask me why.
So we turned in at this half-overgrown track and then they started singing folk songs and generally laughing and enjoying the surroundings. After a bit of a walk about we found a nice little clearing with a large circular ditch in the centre of a circle of trees...this was perfect.
So we emptied our bags and belongings alongside. We had all painted eggs, with surplus for those who hadn't brought one, and I was very proud to have made a sponge cake with jam and icing...remember, this was my first proper Festival.
We put all our eggs in the centre of the ditch and found a large, pointed stone that acted as a make-shift obelisk. After visualisation, holding hands and chanting: we sung and all pointed our own wishes into our eggs ( we could argue that it may go into the wrong egg but all of them were gonna get used anyway ).
After that, the circle went down and we took an egg each, ran off into the small woodland and threw our eggs or crushed them near the bottom of tree trunks...releasing the spells. Then we ran around a bit, sat and talked with the trees, planted a few new flowers and bushes, and went back to the main "camp" to get cake and wine (or juice for the under 18's). Hehe.
- After we came back we all went down to one of the many pubs in town and chatted about paganism as had become their custom. Unfortunatley the Moot has disbanded now due to the Coven that was responsible, and more importantly the "New Age" shop that we all met in upstairs being closed and finished.
But *with a sentimental tear*, I will never forget that day, the feeling of belonging and acceptance among others who are pagans was amazing...and we got cake too!
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:22 am
Your duel has been accepted! Prepare to get your a** kicked!
That sounds really good! I have no idea what I'm doing for Ostara this year, probably something very small, because I won't have a lot of time spare. I will try and fit in the ritual, but, failing that, I'll do some meditation. I'll probably end up making hot cross buns anyhow. I like cooking stuffs.
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:37 pm
w00t for Brigid's Cross ^.^ (I think I spelled the name right) And I donj't think I'm gonna be doing anythign for Ostara cuz I've yet to do somethign for a Pagan Holiday crying eek
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 2:18 am
Tenaku w00t for Brigid's Cross ^.^ (I think I spelled the name right) And I donj't think I'm gonna be doing anythign for Ostara cuz I've yet to do somethign for a Pagan Holiday crying eek If you've yet to do something, then maybe you could make this your time!Even if it's just a bit of meditation, you should try and do something. Or, if you're like me, try and remember to do something!
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Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:02 am
-Psychotic Faerie- Tenaku w00t for Brigid's Cross ^.^ (I think I spelled the name right) And I donj't think I'm gonna be doing anythign for Ostara cuz I've yet to do somethign for a Pagan Holiday crying eek If you've yet to do something, then maybe you could make this your time!Even if it's just a bit of meditation, you should try and do something. Or, if you're like me, try and remember to do something! Oh man, I'm already planning my Ostara. I have to do it way in advance, because otherwise I'll forget. This way I have definitally cleared that day of anything else.
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Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:15 pm
Silvander -Psychotic Faerie- Tenaku w00t for Brigid's Cross ^.^ (I think I spelled the name right) And I donj't think I'm gonna be doing anythign for Ostara cuz I've yet to do somethign for a Pagan Holiday crying eek If you've yet to do something, then maybe you could make this your time!Even if it's just a bit of meditation, you should try and do something. Or, if you're like me, try and remember to do something! Oh man, I'm already planning my Ostara. I have to do it way in advance, because otherwise I'll forget. This way I have definitally cleared that day of anything else. I like the way you think, that's a good way of doing things.
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