MSN Home  |  My MSN  |  Hotmail
Sign in to Windows Live ID Web Search:   
go to MSNGroups 
Free Forum Hosting
 
Important Announcement Important Announcement
The MSN Groups service will close in February 2009. You can move your group to Multiply, MSN’s partner for online groups. Learn More
Wicca Way[email protected] 
  
What's New
  
  Board Listings  
  Rules *Read First*  
  General  
  Classes  
  Post Discussion  
  Coming Sabbat  
  Spell Craft  
  SpellCrafting  
  Health  
  Home  
  Garden Magick  
  Job & Career  
  Love Spells  
  Animal Spells  
  Misc. Spells  
  Money/Prosperity  
  Protection Spell  
  Kitchen Witch  
  Kitchen Witchin'  
  Oils  
  Pregnancy Info  
  Witchy Diet  
  Simplings  
  Wortcunning  
  A Kitchen Witch  
  Witchy Crafting  
  Beading  
  Sewing  
  Scrapbooking  
  Witchy Cooking  
  Kitchen Tips  
  Brews  
  Alcoholic Brews  
  Appetizers  
  Breakfast Ideas  
  Bread Recipes  
  Fruity Delight  
  Veggie Recipes  
  Salads  
  Main Dish  
  Casseroles  
  Side Dish  
  Soups & Stews  
  Diabetic Recipes  
  Foreign Foods  
  Beef & Veal  
  Lamb & Pork  
  Poultry  
  Fish & Sea Food  
  Wild Game  
  Cabin Cookin'  
  Pie Recipes  
  Cakes & Cupcakes  
  Candies  
  Cookies & Bars  
  Special Desserts  
  Sabbat & Esbet  
  Kid Recipes  
  H Potter Recipes  
  Jams & Spreads  
  Sauses & More  
  Spice Blends  
  Nature's Cures  
  Natures Cures  
  Ask For aid...  
  Women's Health  
  Natural Pet Care  
  Green Witchery  
  Witch's Garden  
  DreamScape  
  Divination  
  Psychic Powers  
  Dowsing  
  Palmstry  
  Scrying  
  Tarot  
  Other Divination  
  Celtic  
  Native American  
  Familiars&Guides  
  Native American  
  Medicine Wheel  
  Witches' Year  
  Samhain  
  )0(Samhain)0(  
  Yule  
  )0(Yule)0(  
  Beltane  
  )0(Beltane)0(  
  Ostara  
  )0(Ostara)0(  
  Midsummer  
  )0(Midsummer)0(  
  Imbolc  
  )0(Imbloc)0(  
  Lughnasadh  
  Mabon  
  )0( Mabon )0(  
  Otherworlds  
  Astrology  
  Elements  
  Air  
  Earth  
  Fire  
  Water  
  Spirit  
  ~Book of Shadows~  
  Book of Shadows  
  Alters/Spaces  
  Goddesses  
  Gods  
  Invoking  
  Blessings  
  Rituals  
  Witches Year  
  Sacred Stones  
  Pagan Living  
  Pagan Families  
  Pagan Parenting  
  Indigo Children  
  Green Living  
  Pagan Traditions  
  Druid & Celtics  
  Paganism  
  Shamanism  
  Wicca  
  Other Traditions  
  Magick  
  Candle Magick  
  Wicca Magick  
  Color Magick  
  Dragon Magick  
  Faerie Magick  
  Moon Magick  
  Tree Magick  
  Seasonal Magick  
  Spring Magick  
  Summer Magick  
  Fall Magick  
  Winter Magick  
  Chinese Medicine  
  Feng Shui Living  
  Tai Chi  
  Yoga  
  Reiki  
  Shiatsu  
  Meditations  
  Auras  
  Labyrinths  
  Chakras  
  ~Wiccan Entertainment~  
  Witchy Movies...  
  BeWitched  
  Charmed  
  Dark Shadows  
  Harry Potter  
  News  
  News Clippings  
  Supernatural  
  Recommended Read  
  Quizzes  
  Jokes 101  
  Muses Learning Board  
  Kitten Muse's  
  Mousey Muse's  
  Sylvar Muse's  
  Amathiya Muse's  
  Pictures  
  Amathiya  
  Madame Mousey  
  Graphix Free 4 All  
  Lady Sylvar  
  Kitten  
  Wicca Way Dates  
    
  Links  
  Witch Trials  
  
  
  Tools  
 
Ostara : OSTARA...
Choose another message board
 
     
Reply
 Message 1 of 1 in Discussion 
From: MSN NicknameLadySylvarMoon  (Original Message)Sent: 2/27/2007 12:48 PM
</MYMAILSTATIONERY>

 

 Closest Day to March 20.

Ostara is also known as the Spring Exquinox

This days color is Amber

Incense of the day is Sage

OSTARA (pronounced O-STAR-ah) is one of the Lesser Wiccan Sabbats, and is usually celebrated on the Vernal or Spring Equinox right around March 21 (although because of its origins, may instead be celebrated on the fixed date of March 25). Other names by which this Sabbat may be known are Oestara, Eostre's Day, Rite of Eostre, Alban Eilir, Festival of the Trees, and Lady Day. The Christian holiday of Easter is very near this same time, (notice the similarity in name?), and is determined as the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox.

The name for this Sabbat actually comes from that of the Teutonic lunar Goddess, Eostre. Her chief symbols were the bunny (for fertility and because the Ancient Ones who worshipped her often saw the image of a rabbit in the full moon), and the egg (representing the cosmic egg of creation). This is where the customs of "Easter Eggs" and the "Easter Bunny" originated.

Ostara is a time to celebrate the arrival of Spring, the renewal and rebirth of Nature herself, and the coming lushness of Summer. It is at this time when light and darkness are in balance, yet the light is growing stronger by the day. The forces of masculine and feminine energy, yin and yang, are also in balance at this time.

At this time we think of renewing ourselves. We renew our thoughts, our dreams, and our aspirations. We think of renewing our relationships. This is an excellent time of year to begin anything new or to completely revitalize something. This is also an excellent month for prosperity rituals or rituals that have anything to do with growth.

In the Pagan Wheel of the Year, this is the time when the great Mother Goddess, again a virgin at Candlemas, welcomes the young Sun God unto her and conceives a child of this divine union. The child will be born nine months later, at Yule, the Winter Solstice.

For Wiccans and Witches, Ostara is a fertility festival celebrating the birth of Spring and the reawakening of life from the Earth. The energies of Nature subtly shift from the sluggishness of Winter to the exuberant expansion of Spring. Eostre, the Saxon Goddess of fertility, and Ostara, the German Goddess of fertility are the aspects invoked at this Sabbat. Some Wiccan traditions worship the Green Goddess and the Lord of the Greenwood. The Goddess blankets the Earth with fertility, bursting forth from Her sleep, as the God stretches and grows to maturity. He walks the greening fields and delights in the abundance of nature.

Pagan customs such as the lighting of new fires at dawn for cure, renewed life, and protection of the crops still survive in the Southern Americas as well as in Europe. Witches celebrate Ostara in many ways on this sacred day, including lighting fires at sunrise, ringing bells, and decorating hard-boiled eggs which is an ancient Pagan custom associated with the Goddess of Fertility. In those ancient days, eggs were gathered and used for the creation of talismans and also ritually eaten. The gathering of different colored eggs from the nests of a variety of birds has given rise to two traditions still observed today - the Easter egg hunt, and coloring eggs in imitation of the various pastel colors of wild birds. It is also believed that humankind first got the idea of weaving baskets from watching birds weave nests. This is perhaps the origin of the association between colored Easter eggs and Easter baskets.

There is much symbolism in eggs themselves. The golden orb of its yolk represents the Sun God, its white shell is seen as the White Goddess, and the whole is a symbol of rebirth. The Goddess Eostre's patron animal was the hare. And although the references are not recalled, the symbolism of the hare and rabbit's associations with fertility are not forgotten. The Spring Equinox is a time of new beginnings, of action, of planting seeds for future grains, and of tending gardens. Spring is a time of the Earth's renewal, a rousing of nature after the cold sleep of winter. As such, it is an ideal time to clean your home to welcome the new season. "Spring cleaning" is much more than simply physical work. It may be seen as a concentrated effort to rid your home of the problems and negativity of the past months, and to prepare for the coming spring and summer. To do this, many Pagans approach the task of cleaning their homes with positive thoughts. This frees the home of any negative feelings brought about by a harsh winter. A common rule of thumb for Spring cleaning is that all motions involving scrubbing of stains or hand rubbing the floors should be done "clockwise". Pagans believe this custom aids in filling the home with good energy for growth.

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. Other 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!

</MYMAILSTATIONERY>


First  Previous  No Replies  Next  Last