Ostara Newsletter

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

Fáilte and welcome to Ostara and the Spring Equinox, a solar festival celebrating the time when the day and night are of equal length and announcing the warmer half of the year in the northern hemisphere. It is not known whether there was a name for this festival within Celtic culture but it is believed to be related to the northern goddess Ēostre or Ostara, the goddess of the dawn who brings light and renewal to our inner and outer worlds.

Ostara, or the Spring (Vernal) Equinox, marks the arrival of spring and a time of celebration. It brings the energy of light, hope, fertility, growth, and new beginnings. This is a a time for action and growth, where we begin to cultivate the seeds planted at Imbolc and anything is possible.

Whats New? For this cycle we have included a new Shaman category as Shamanism and Druidry can both be considered forms of Animism, a nature based spirituality which holds to the belief that all objects, places and creatures possess a distinct spiritual essence. We have also begun work on an Android version and hope to launch in the summer.

~ The Equinox is the date (or moment) some astronomical alignments in Ireland mark as being auspicious. Some, like the cairn on Loughcrew or the two passages of Knowth, represent a sort of super-alignment with quadruple significance.

~ The equinox is far less obvious an astronomical event than the two solstices, occuring between the winter solstice and the summer solstice, and vice versa, twice a year. However, it is just one event, and even though the spring and autumn equinoxs fall on different dates, for all intents and purposes they are in fact identical events.

~ In agricultural societies, the equinox would mark the seasons and also frame certain activities and expectations. Take hens, for instance. They (very broadly speaking) need twelve hours of daylight to lay eggs in earnest. The main time to get eggs is, you guessed it, between the spring and autumn equinox. And this might also explain why we have an Easter egg, as some people think that the Christian feast of Easter is, after all, a version of the feast of the equinox.

~ At Ostara the Hare is considered sacred, representing fertility and rebirth,
and is associated with the moon and the festivals of Spring.
Eostre (or Ostara), an Anglo-Saxon Goddess of the dawning East, and of springtime (from whom we derive the name for Easter), was believed to have taken the form of a rabbit, or white hare, which is her totem creature. Though not a Celtic Goddess Ostara and the Spring Equinox have become synonymous for this time of year.

~ Also known as Alban Eilir, meaning Light of the Earth, to modern Druid traditions, this holiday is the second of three spring celebrations (the midpoint between Imbolc and Beltaine), during which light and darkness are again in balance, with light on the rise.

Reflection Seeds

✤March 20th to 23rd (variable by a day)
✤Quarter Day
✤The countryside begins to stir
✤Our life force begins to flow
✤Plant those seeds
✤Begin to cultivate your hopes and dreams
✤Deepen into your life
✤Build your relationships

A Message from Ostara:

When it comes to Climate Change, it's easy to feel that our actions are too insignificant, and the challange is too big and disheartening. When you feel this way try to remember Lao Tzu's quote:
"Great Acts are made up of many small deeds", and remember that every step we take matters and that teaching our children a new path is the key to the future.

Ostara Meditation:

The natural world is coming alive, and the days are becoming longer and warmer. The next three months are the most energetic of the year. Join us as we immerse ourselves in the energies of the Spring Equinox and journey through a woodland bursting with spring colour. Today we embrace light and hope as new dreams blossom.

Ostara Inspiration:

For the Spring Equinox you might like to decorate your space with a green or yellow cloth and spring flowers, especially spring bulbs. Pictures of hare's and full moons, and of course decorated eggs are all attractive and sacred objects suitable for this time, as are simple mandalas of flowers and green shoots , and pots of soil within which you can sow seeds with magical intentions. (Danu Forest)

Recommended App:

Regardless if you just want to eat more greens or already are a full time vegetarian - Green Kitchen is the perfect companion in your kitchen or while planning from your sofa. Green Kitchen is filled with tasty and inspiring vegetarian food with ingredients straight from nature and a bare minimum of gluten, sugar and dairy products. Enjoy and be delighted by creative recipes with drop dead gorgeous photos and easy to follow instructions.

Recommended Book:

"Kitchen Witch" by Sarah Robinson is a journey through food for every seasonal festival on the Wheel of the Year, and an invitation to see the magic in every corner of your kitchen. With the Kitchen Witch as our guide, we’ll explore food, nature, magic, and transformation. We’ll discover what the name of Kitchen Witch could mean to us in modern interpretations of ancient practices. May this book of stories and ideas show that there’s magic in the mundane, witchcraft within your walls and the Goddess really is in the details.

Recommended Movie:

Grizzly Man is a 2005 American documentary film by German director Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. The film includes some of Treadwell's own footage of his interactions with brown bears before 2003, and of interviews with people who knew or were involved with Treadwell, as well as professionals dealing with wild bears.

Team Profile:

The Honest guys are a team of three (Rick, Kevin and Sían) based in the United Kingdom and are one of YouTubes most beloved meditation channels, with a library of over 450 videos containing high-quality guided imagery, meditations and relaxation content. They also specialize in fantasy visualizations and sleep meditations, all designed to work in harmony with your mind, body and spirit to promote greater health and wellbeing.

VIEW MORE

Celtic Living:

Heading off for a long over due holiday this summer? Here's a travel tip: Stop buying stupid junk. Do you really need that inflatable dolphin or those throw away flip flops? Buying cheap towels and toys on hols is often touted as a way to lower your luggage weight, but its a false economy in environmental terms. Bring your own, rent or avoid if at all possible. Think of it as one less thing to "Marie Kondo" this summer.

Celtic Shop:

If you like the artwork and style of Celtic Whispers we also offer our designs on physical products as well. We invite you to visit our shop and see if any of our Celtic Designs would look good on a t-shirt, mug or sticker.

Celtic History:

The word Celt was first used by the Greeks to refer to the peoples who lived in Gaul, just north of the Greek colony at Massalia, which is now the French city of Marseilles.

Beannacht :

Wishing everyone a really wonderful full moon and spring equinox as the vibration continues to rise.

If you feel out of flow it is good to sit under the moon and by water and call on the Divine Mother to help you let go and release back into the Divine Flow of life again.

Love and blessings to everyone!

Slán agus Beannacht!

Ostara Newsletter

LEAVE US A MESSAGE

Celtic Whispers 2022 © All Rights Reserved.