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thejournallo · 4 months

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Explain the basic: The Sabbats

first things first! Happy yule to everyone who celebrate it!

Taking advantage of the fact that today is one of the sabbats, we are actually going to learn what exactly the sabbats are.

I will do part two with all the things associated with the Sabbats and what we can do to celebrate them.

Disclaimer: Not every witch celebrates the Sabbats or is forced to do so. Also, I will do some parallelism and example with the Christian's holiday, because some Christian traditions are "stolen" from the paganism and some are revisited. Christians and non-Christian religions have their own versions of every celebration for different reasons; let's respect each other because no religion is bad.

The pagan sabbats refer to the eight seasonal celebrations observed by many modern pagan and Wiccan traditions. These festivals mark important points in the solar cycle, celebrating the changing seasons and agricultural cycles. The sabbats are divided into two groups: the four Greater Sabbats, also known as the cross-quarter days, and the four Lesser Sabbats, which coincide with the solstices and equinoxes.

Greater Sabbats (Cross-Quarter Days):

Samhain (October 31st): This marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It's considered a time when the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is thinnest, making it a time for honoring ancestors and reflecting on mortality. This Sabbat is more popularly known as Halloween, and the association really changes depending on the costumes. For example, in Italy, in some restricted beliefs guided by ignorance, Halloween is associated with the devil and comes before the Day of the Saints (1st November) and the Day of the Dead (2nd November), and only the younger generation started to celebrate it.

Imbolc (February 1st or 2nd): Imbolc celebrates the return of spring and the growing light. It's associated with purification and new beginnings, often symbolized by the lighting of candles and the goddess Brigid.

Beltane (May 1st): Beltane heralds the arrival of summer and is a fertility festival celebrating life, growth, and the union of the god and goddess. It's a time of joy, dancing around maypoles, and honoring fertility. In Italy, we have Fogheraccia is a typical Romagna folklore celebration held every year on the evening of March 18th, on the eve of the spring equinox, when the Bacchanalia took place and the Dionysian rites to propitiate fertility as well as the beginning of the new Roman year, from which its pagan origin can be traced. With the arrival of Christianity, the event was renamed Saint John's Day.

Lughnasadh/Lammas (August 1st): This marks the first harvest, celebrating the fruits of labor and the bounty of the earth. It's a time to give thanks for the abundance of the season. The name Lammas is also used, taken from a later Christianized Anglo-Saxon festival that took place at the same time and may or may not have the same origin. As the name indicates (from loafmass, "festival of loaves"), it is a celebration of thanksgiving for bread, which represents the first fruit of the harvest.

Lesser Sabbats (Solstices and Equinoxes):

Yule (Winter Solstice, around December 21st): Yule celebrates the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. It signifies the rebirth of the sun and the return of light, often symbolized by the burning of the Yule log. In this modern day of celebrating Yule, it's like celebrating Christmas; the symbols are the same but the meanings are different. In Yule, it is used to decorate three with candlelight and sweet biscuits to keep Fae and Gnome away during the celebrations. The Krampus was transformed into a bad creature when in reality it was our "Santa Claus," but let me explain. It originated in Norway when the native pagans used to worship Thor, who was said to travel in a chariot that was drawn by two goats. During the Yule celebrations, the pagans would visit homes wearing goatskins and a goat head. When the country became Christian, the tradition was also absorbed into the new faith. Initially, the Julebukk was a goat slaughtered at Christmastime to celebrate the end of the agricultural work year. With time, it meant a person who led a costumed procession from house to house to entertain the residents and be rewarded with food and drink. In the early 19th century, the Julebukk also became the bringer of presents, the predecessor of the Julenisse, equivalent to Santa Claus in English.

Ostara (Spring Equinox, around March 21st): Ostara marks the vernal equinox, a time of balance when day and night are equal. It's a celebration of fertility, growth, and new life. Ostara is the Sabbat associated with Easter and celebrates the coming of spring. For Christians, it is the celebration of the coming back of Jesus.

Midsummer/Litha (Summer Solstice, around June 21st): This celebrates the longest day of the year when the sun is at its peak. It's a time for revelry, honoring the sun's power, and acknowledging the abundance of nature. The early Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St. John the Baptist [22], and the observance of St. John's Day begins the evening before, known as Saint John's Eve.

Mabon (Autumn Equinox, around September 21st): Mabon marks the autumnal equinox, a time of balance before the descent into winter. It's a time for gratitude for the harvest and preparation for the colder months.

These sabbats vary in how they're observed and celebrated, with rituals, feasts, ceremonies, and specific customs tied to each one. Different pagan traditions may have variations in the names, practices, and specific dates for these celebrations, but they generally revolve around honoring nature's cycles and spiritual significance.

As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). and have a wonderful day or night!

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copiousloverofcopia · 3 months

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Peepaw Lovers! Rejoice lol I have a new installment of Potpourri!

Hey there ghesties!

I am doing my best to make sure all of my chapter fics have a chapter released this month so that way everything is updated for the new year.

Thank you so much for your patience with me and all your support.

Special shoutout to @gothdaddyissues for the dividers 💗

**TRIGGER WARNING**

mentions of pregnancy loss, miscarriage

Potpourri

During his retirement, Papa Primo Emeritus falls in love with a new Sister of Sin who has suffered a tragic loss. While the new sister settles into the Abbey, Primo can’t help but grow more infatuated with her. Promising to give her everything she desires, but can he win her affections when she still can’t let go of the past?

Chapter 8: Forget Me Nots

Also available HERE on AO3! Haven’t started yet, start from the beginning HERE!

Definitely NSFW below the cut!

Chapter 8: Forget Me Nots

The soil felt smooth as Gwen finished patting it into place. The seeds pressed gently into the earth, with all the love and care she could give them. It had been weeks since her and Primo spent the night under the honeysuckle in the greenhouse. The garden, henceforth becoming a much-needed sanctuary for her. The one place in all the world she felt happy, if even for only brief moments at a time.

Primo had a mind to bring her there every day, though he wasn’t always able. He could from the moment she stepped into it that the garden awakened the joy inside her. Insisting she’d join him in his working of the land whenever she could. Slowly Gwen began to let go, allowing some of the walls she had built up to come down, caving whenever she ventured to the garden. Rolling up her sleeves and not afraid to get her hands dirty beside him. Creating something beautiful out of something so messy, a simple task that had come to mean so much to her.

She was sitting along the stone patch as she finished up her work. Her collection of seeds all beneath the soil as she began dabbing the small pearls of sweat. The embroidery of her handkerchief donning the ruby red initials of “P.E.I”. Turning to the sound of footsteps towards her and her eyes beginning to sparkle when she caught sight of Primo having just arrived.

He was returning from his meeting with his brothers in preparation for the Ostara celebrations. The annual celebration of the Spring Equinox—of new life would be quickly upon them and with that the Ministry had become busier and busier as the day drew near. The Equinox had normally been a time Primo was at his most jubilant. A chance to start anew and for things to grow—to share his love of flowers with the siblings.

This year however was different. The closer the time came, the more he worried more about how the celebrations would affect Gwen. Expecting that the festivities in on of this particular subject would set her back. Undo all the progress she had made.

“What was the hold up?” she asked him. Having grown just comfortable enough around him to start giving him a bit of grief, though Primo was so smitten he wouldn’t have noticed. Falling in love with her all over again with each passing moment. His heart warmed by looking at her—hands tinged with dirt and that sweet smile worn brightly across her face.

“Just some final decisions and preparations for Ostara. Terzo is arguing that he should be in charge of the fertility rituals with the new siblings…we beg to differ.” he told her, watching as the smile immediately fell from her face.

“Oh…” was all she could say. Primo reached out his hand to help her up. Gwen, quietly brushing off the dirt from her habit as he gently pressed a kiss into her forehead.

“Mio fiore… you know that we don't have to attend the celebrations if you don’t want to.” he assured her, pulling her closer to him. Gwen nuzzled against his chest. Taking in the scent of incense and dried herbs mixed with the faintest hint of rose. Feeling at ease as she listened to the beat of his heart. Comforted by him like no other.

“No.” she sighed, squeezing him tighter.

“No?” He pulled back to look at her. Her eyes were filled with tears.

“I know how much the celebrations mean to you. What kind of woman would I be to take something away that means so much to you?” she explained. Primo taking her lips onto his. The heat between them, manifesting in the well endowed outline within his slacks. The length of which pressed hard against Gwen’s thigh.

She hummed against his lips. No longer shy about her need of him, as she ran her fingers across it. Primo let out a shutter and a slight moan. Wrapping his arms around her as they lost themselves in their kiss. Deep and passionate as he slipped his hand up between Gwen’s thighs. Meeting quickly with her heated core.

“I need you.” she confessed, his fingertips already teasing at her panties. Gwen, shuffling where she stood in anticipation of him.

“I need you more.” Primo proclaimed, sinking his fingers into her gently. Her head fell back as a breathy moan escaped her. Her delicate hands, holding on tightly to him as he massaged her inside. Pressing intently into the soft, cushiony flesh of her walls. Primo burying his face in her neck, kissing her and whispering praises in her ear.

“Oh Primo… I…I.” she mewled, her lover’s talented digits already bringing her to the brink of ecstasy. Her body, coming undone quickly where she stood. Almost limp in Primo's arms as he worked her over.

“Cum.” Primo insisted. Biting his bottom lip as he felt her tightening all around his fingers. Using his other hand to try and steady her. He loved how beautiful she was this way. The pleasure between them, giving the most delightful flush to her cheeks. The relaxed look on her face was everything.

When he was done, he slipped himself from her. His lips quickly taking onto hers, when to his surprise Gwen dropped carefully down to her knees, undoing the button of his pants and allowing his cock to fall free. She blushed immediately, having never seen it in the daylight. Now laid out in its full glory, intimidating as she looked up at him. Taking a quick lick of the head before Primo ran his fingers through her hair.

“Mmm…” Gwen hummed as she began to tease him, stroking his shaft gently. Her eyes, never leaving him.

“You know you don’t have to do this.” Primo smiled, his cock pulsing with every slight move of her hand. Unwittingly finding himself carefully thrusting into her touch.

“I know, but I want to…wait, what's this?” she asked, her voice filled with concern but more so curiosity. Primo looked down, watching as she carefully traced his scar with her fingertip. It traveled around his shaft, something easily hidden in the dark, but quite obvious in the spotlight of the afternoon sun.

“War injury.” he smirked, watching as Gwen raised an eyebrow at him. He was incredibly funny when he wanted to be.

“Is that so?” she laughed. Moving once more with her fist. Up and down along his full length.

“Ah… a story for another time.” he assured her, breathless as Gwen moved forward with her intentions to please him. Primo had never felt such rapturous bliss. So in love with this woman. He would give her anything and everything she wanted, if she’d only allow him.

A few short days had passed, and the morning of the Ostara celebrations arrived. Primo, along with his brothers, was occupied from the moment the sun began to rise with the ceremonies. Readying for the likes of fertility rituals and blessings of rebirth. The whole of the Abbey grounds, covered in daffodils and wildflowers. The siblings and ghouls alike enjoying the warm weather and the sounds of children laughing already began to fill the courtyard.

The day was filled with activity. Everyone, buzzing from ritual to ritual. The Papas, presiding over them all in between bountiful feast and drink. It was amazing that there was any room left in anyone’s stomachs come midday.

Gwen drifted carefully through the day. Doing her best to ignore the happy siblings with their small children in tow. Or the group of pregnant sisters who sat before the newly constructed outdoor altar—surrounded by baaing lambs. All of them, waiting for the next ceremony where the Papas would bestow blessings for a safe delivery.

By the time dusk hit, she wished so badly she could run back to her room. Hide from the constant reminders that plagued her at every turn. She promised to try for Primo and was so proud she had managed to stay. Walking around dressed like all the other maidens, who had yet to bear a child, in a white muslin gown.

At some point she knew she would have been expected to participate, like all the others who were present on the grounds. Though she did everything she could to avoid it and successfully hid herself among them. Watching everyone else smiling and enjoying themselves as she greeted them wearing a thinly veiled mask of happiness on her face.

As the day went on she would catch him, more and more searching for her eyes. Smiling up at Primo when he’d see her. So handsome in his robes, all of them in their full Papal regalia, and so brilliant in his command of the rituals. The one saving grace for the day, was knowing that when it was over, she would be back safely in his comforting arms.

Primo and his brothers stood at the picnic tables, talking to the visiting clergy who had traveled for the festivities. The siblings had been finishing up their food as the ghoul began lighting up all the lanterns. The sun setting as the day was heading to an end, Primo noticeably distracted by his keeping tabs on Gwen. As the group continued to converse, Mr. Saltarian approached them. Placing his hand on Primo’s shoulder.

“Pardon the intrusion Papas, but everything is ready for the conception ritual.” he alerted them.

“Oh?” Primo asked, looking back over his old friend’s shoulder to see the altar, dressed in bouquets of yellow daffodils and lilies, ready for use. Primo knew this was the one ritual he was looking forward to. A few rites read by the chosen Papa and a blessing to the couple before they were allowed to consummate their intentions on the altar. Hoping to gain favor from Lucifer to help them conceive that night.

Primo decided to give it a shot, sending Saltarian a knowing look before heading off to retrieve Gwen from the crowd. The group of them, watching as Primo went running off opposite the altar. Saltarian, giving a hopeful smile as he tried to regroup the rest of the Emeritus brothers. Only then did Copia notice Primo was leaving them.

“Where is he off to? It’s time to start the rit—” Copia began before Secondo cut him off at the pass.

“You know exactly what he is going over there for stronzo.” he told him, Secondo rolling his eyes at Copia. The youngest Emeritus, finally beginning to understand the situation.

“Can’t blame him… it's the perfect opportunity.” Terzo smirked, wiggling his brows at Mr. Saltarian and Copia.

“Every opportunity for you is the perfect opportunity, now move.” Secondo hissed, shepherding them to the altar.

Primo found Gwen quickly, seated by herself on a bench in the far back of the yard. Her eyes were closed. She seemed to be mediating or finding a way to control her emotions— though Primo could tell she had just about had enough. Coming to sit down beside her and taking her hand in his, instinctively Gwen knew it was him.

“Is it over yet?” she asked him, the need to cry heavy in her tone.

“Almost amore… almost.” he assured her, bringing her closer to rest against him. He could hear her sniffling. Bringing his hand up to wipe the warm tears that rolled down her cheeks. He couldn’t ask her now. The idea would only make things worse.

“Don’t be… you know I was going to wait until a bit later to show you something, but I think now would be a good time. Get you away from all this, spend some time just the two of us before bed, si?” Primo asked as Gwen brought her eyes to him.

“I’m sorry.” she told him. The weight of the day had been too much and now she was unable to hold back the emotions bubbling up inside.

“Ok… ok.” she sniffled, taking Primo’s hand as he led the way. To Gwen’s surprise he led her to the garden.

“It’s just over here.” he told her as they passed the roses and the newly bloomed poppies, hellebores, and bloodroots. Finding a small section of flower bed that was covered in the tiniest little sprouts, still lacking their blooms.

“What are these?” she asked him. Primo smiled, sneezing tightly to her hand.

“These are Forget Me Nots.” he began, watching as Gwen’s eyes began to tear up once again, “...I thought it would be nice for you to have a place to come when you need to think about them—the baby you lost.” he explained, his mismatched eyes roaming her face, watching her reaction. He wondered what she was thinking. Her eyes staring into his as if she could see directly into his soul. The tears balancing themselves on her lashes.

“Thank you.” was all she could say before the floodgates opened and Gwen began to weep into Primo’s chest. The stress of the day, coupled with his sweet gesture, hitting her full force. Unable to control her sobs.

“Of course… You know grief isn’t something we forget or get over. It's something we grow around. I know that I could never give you back, and I never expect you to forget them.” he told her. Primo, hoping that this small place just for her as a memorial to her baby would be able to help her heal.

“I know amore… I know.” Primo said, as he held her close. Rubbing her back gently as she continued to cry in his arms. No matter how much time would pass, Primo knew that a part of her would also ache for what she lost. He only hoped she’d allow him to help carry the burden and to allow herself to heal.

“I was so happy.” Gwen cried, holding on to Primo for dear life as she felt her heart crushing inside her chest. The pain flowing through her as inside she recalled that day. The worst day of her life.

Notes:

This chapter features a head canon involving a scar on Primo's *ahem* lol anyways I want to give credit to NYDELIDE on twitter and thank them for allowing me to include this in the chapter.

#Potpourri #Primo x gwen #primo x oc gwen #primo x sister of sin #Primo x Guinevere #Primo #papa i #papa emeritus i #ren writes #ghost #the band ghost #ghost fic #ghost fanfic #ghost fanfics #ghost fanfiction #the band ghost fic #the band ghost fanfic #the band ghost fanfiction

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introvert-celeste · 18 days

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Easter is such a ridiculous holiday bc it's about as pagan as a Christian holiday can get, and yet it's one of the most celebrated Christian holidays, after Christmas. The day is literally the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, and the day revolves around eggs and rabbits, both obvious fertility/rebirth symbols. Like, if that isn't pagan tradition to a tee, I don't know what is. But also Jesus is involved in there. I get that it evolved like this bc the two events--the original Pagan festival and Jesus' resurrection--take place around the same time, but it's still kinda crazy.

Anyway, happy trans day of visibility 🏳️‍⚧️

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sourdoughservitor · 3 months

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Imbolc - Spring's Beginning

Originating from Gaelic tradition, this sabbat recognizes winter's gradual decay into spring. Snow melts, days begin to get longer, and plants spring up from the fresh soil. Animals become more active and the world begins to brighten. As a whole, Imbolc signifies a time for rebirth, rejuvenation, and new growth.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

This is the first festival of the Wheel of the Year, and marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara). It is held on February 01 each year. It is a powerful time for a witch to get in tune with the Earth and its natural cycles, and to align oneself with nature's processes.

Witchy practices for Imbolc:

show gratitude for the Earth, for nature, and for the coming of spring

plant seeds for your indoor or outdoor garden

care for and fertilize your plants

eat mindfully and thankfully

clean your home, both physically and spiritually (spring cleaning & cleansing)

make concrete, actionable plans to reach your goals

reaffirm love to loved ones, friends, companion animals

create blessed/holy water, and use it to bless one's home and loved ones

Brigid

Although I am an agnostic witch, Imbolc is closely associated with the deity Brigid (or St. Brigid). Brigid watches over and protects Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, and as such many witches, pagans, and even Christians feast or celebrate Imbolc as a method of worship and reverence.

The Brigid's Cross is a decoration woven traditionally from corn reeds and hung over doors and windows to protect from negative entities and unwanted spirits.

˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚⋆˚✿˖°˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚⋆˚✿˖°˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚⋆˚✿˖°

Happy Imbolc, witches! Rejoice as today marks the last day of winter. Spring awaits, and with it good tidings. Take care of yourselves and stay warm.

see my Year of the Wheel masterpost for more!

#witchblr #witches of tumblr #witchcraft #witchy things #witches #online grimoire #wheel of the year #year of the wheel #digital grimoire #sabbat #imbolc

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thehumanexperience8b · 1 month

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March 19th, 2024: Happy Ostara, Hello Spring!

Hello lovely!! Today is the first day of Spring and the official equinox time is right now, 3/19/24 11p.m. (EST). It’s the official start of Spring so if you celebrate Ostara you better start tomorrow if you haven’t now! I was productive today, I was so excited to come home from school and have fun with some Spring festivities. Of course, if you don’t celebrate Ostara, you can still welcome the coming of Spring, as most people (especially on the east side where it’s always unpredictable weather), are excited to hear that today is the first day of the new season. Now that spring is here, the plants will grow again, we will get lots of fresh fruits, and the weather will become warm and breezy. Ostara is a simple celebration of the rebirth of the Earth, new starts, and fertility. This is what I have in my grimoire for a few ways to celebrate Ostara:

Plan new projects

Plant seeds (if it’s not still freezing like in New England!)

Do some Spring cleaning

Do some plant identifying

Spend time outside

Feed the birds

Meditate outside

Decorate with plants, leaves, and flowers

Divination (won’t go into to much detail but you can do sabbat specific divination)

Create a sabbat altar (or a decorative spring piece). I’ll show you a picture of mine tomorrow!

Color eggs

Dance and listen to music (you can find Ostara playlists on YouTube)

Generally symbols of Spring will be eggs, rabbits, flowers, or the sun. Would you like to know the story of the Easter bunny? The story goes, the goddess Eostre (controversial, look it up) finds an injured bird, so she turns it into a hare to save its life. But now the bunny lays eggs! The eggs are used as an offering of appreciation to the goddess. And that’s the magickal connection between bunnies and eggs!

Today I did egg coloring outside; the colors associated with different meanings, and I fed the birds (I only do on special occasions), I also raked the yard and piled the leaves on some flowers to keep them warm. So I spent a nice amount of time outside. My mom made corned beef hash with eggs so I got to use my dyed eggs. I picked two black ones, which are to help me advance my magickal practices. Remember to crush up the egg shells so you can use it as fertilizer! I also did some decorating and I made my altar, which is a small shelf, that I will show you tomorrow. I did a little bit more painting but it’s not finished yet, luckily I still have tomorrow! I also experimented with pagan Ostara songs and chants, my favorites so far being Celtic Woman’s The Sky and The Dawn and The Sun, and Tjarda’s Ostara’s Golden Sky. I love these women’s voices, and the violins!

Overall everyone should celebrate the coming of Spring! It’s a fun holiday everyone can get behind, and doesn’t have to have any religious significance at all. I was celebrating on my own as I only have my family and my mama is the only one that entertains my ideas! But someday I wish I can find my people and I could celebrate with someone together. Have a happy Spring! I’m excited for this year!

#ostara #spring #spring equinox #flowers #nature #love #existence #holidays #celebrations #life #i love you #paganism

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birdsofvalhallablogs · 1 year

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Spring has Sprung in the Studio!

Happy Ostara Birds of Valhalla! Celebrating the Spring Equinox has been a tradition dating back many centuries. With the start of Spring, flowers begin to bloom and cause allergies everywhere. Life is coming back into the world after the cold and harsh winter. The Norse people knew Spring was coming when the Oak, Ash, and Thorn trees would begin to have their foliage return and buds formed on the boughs. These three trees were the first signs of life in the northern regions and it truly symbolized that Spring was coming soon. Ostara is the festival of new beginnings. We always talk about Spring Cleaning, why not put the New Year’s Resolutions into this time as well. Most people make resolutions to be better than they were the year before, so it only makes sense to begin those around the same time that spring breaks into the year.

And what better way to clean up than to look at your bathroom and revitalize the soaps in there. Everyone needs new hand soaps so why not take a look at our selection. A honey bee soap made with real Tupelo Honey from Florida that looks like pure honey that’s just been collected is a great start to the spring awakening. Sometimes it looks a bit creamier, but that deals with temperatures when it’s being made and setting up. As with everything handmade, you have variations and no product is ever one hundred percent identical. This scent will get your buzzing around in no time at all with its natural ingredients. Or if you want something a bit sweeter, how about a chocolate bunny? Easter baskets are famous for the chocolate confectionary rabbit, but now you need to remember that the baby bunny in the bathroom cannot be eaten. Yes, it will smell divine and just like chocolate, but you cannot ingest the soap. As the soap studio always reminds us, “Nope, nope, nope, I can’t eat the soap.”

If chocolate and honey aren’t your jam for the season, why not look into some of our more floral scents. Four Florals-Freya’s Garden, a combination of four floral fragrances in the studio is a great place to start. With a honeysuckle base followed by lily of the valley, botanical bliss, and then a final touch of red ginger saffron, this complex floral soap will make you feel as if you’ve dropped into the garden of Freya herself in Asgard. As the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, battle, and death, Freya was always known to have some of the best tributes so that lands would be blessed, warriors would be brought home safe, and love and beauty would fall upon children and the women. This garden of flowers truly wraps you in the smells of the exotic petals and blooms, without the pollen and allergy side effects. One thing Freya is known for is her chariot drawn by huge cats. With the CEO having a cat of her own, she decided to make something special this spring. Hand soap is always better when you get a surprise inside, right? So, the Birds of Valhalla team decided they would put little cat figurines in some hand soaps. And cats always go nuts for catnip so it was decided that these hand soaps would smell like spring catnip tea. Being part of the mint family, catnip smells bright and fresh like any mint plant. A nice cup of mint tea has been said to be a great way to start off your mornings when you aren’t feeling the best. With the time change to spring forward an hour, many people are having a bit of a hard time adjusting so using this soap might just give you the jumpstart you need in the morning to say “Today is my day. I will make sure I get this cat out of the bar of soap!”

But if honeysuckle isn’t your favorite, there are still more springtime scents to enthrall your senses. Two bars in the studio are made with lemongrass and make sure to brighten your day with their crisp and fruity scent. Spring Awakening, an almond oil based bar instead of the traditional olive oil base, was suggested by a follower in England. Dani suggested the scent profile of lemongrass, lemon, and peppermint and since it smells so invigorating and will wake you right up, the CEO gave it a very fitting name. The fragrance oils will be sure to make sure you’re wide awake and ready for anything the day has to throw at you. The other bar, found only on the Etsy site, is a lemongrass bar. This essential oil fragrance blends beautifully with the activated charcoal to make for a bar that customers say is delightful and beneficial for the skin. Fruity scents don’t stop there though. Grapefruit Mint is another bar in studio that has the perfect mix of both grapefruit and mint, and it’s been said to make your skin tingle from the citrus inside. It’s a fun addition to your collection and the colors will brighten up any bathroom it sits in.

Many people always ask Debra “What do you do with the soap scraps?” because there are always a lot. After peeling the bars of soap that have been cut, the scraps are all put together with some of the soap batter and made into this fresh bar named Baba Yaga after the mythical figure that is all knowing and all powerful. Grandmother is wise and beautiful, always making deals for time out of the other person’s life. Baba Yaga knows what you seek and it’s only fair that the minty, herby, spicy, sweet, and rosy bar is mixed with bits of every other soap bar made in the BIrds of Valhalla studio. This bar is a fast seller along with the other soap scrap bar Aurora Borealis, but that fragrance isn’t very spring-time so that’s something for another day.

While the company is known for the soaps made with all natural ingredients as well as ethical mica powders for coloring and phthalate free fragrances, there is another hidden gem inside the walls of Birds of Valhalla. Sure it’s great for you to smell amazing, but why not spread that scent all around your home? With the wax melts made by the Birds of Valhalla team, you can have your home smelling like spring whenever you want. The wax cubes come in a variety of fragrances. For spring, it’s recommended you look at the Spring Berries, Lily of the Valley and Blueberry, White Magnolia Peony, Strawberry Guava, and Starry Skies (scented in Lavender Lemonade). These wax melts are best stored in the fridge to prolong their quality. One cube can be melted and have fragrance last for at least a week which is something not many wax melts will accomplish. These wax melts are even pet safe, especially birds. By using the wax melts, there will not be any smoke from a candle or even open flames that could injure a pet or a young child.

When you’re looking to do some Spring Cleaning, don’t forget to clean yourself. By shopping for the items on the website here or on the Etsy store here, you won’t miss out on anything. Sign up for the emails on the website to be notified of specials and even what’s going on in the studio. Time for new beginnings for us all and that means facing the day ahead. Best wishes this Ostara and this spring season from everyone at Birds of Valhalla.

#birdsofvalhalla #handmade soap #soap #natural soaps #small business #norse #norse pagan #norse theme #handmade soaps #soapmaking #spring #ostara

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appleatcha · 1 year

Note

What's ostara

Quid pro quo, anon.

Ostara is historically a celebration of the Germanic goddess Eostre, a fertility goddess. Its a common celebration for modern-day pagans and witches as its been integrated into the Wheel of the Year which is basically the calander of neopagan festivals which was popularized by the Wicca movement of the 60s/70s. Ostara is celebrated on/around the spring equinox. I personally see it as a "we made it through winter, now it's time to shake off the dust and prepare to get some work done" vibe. Spring is my favorite season anyways, so its an especially happy day for me.

Ok. Quid pro quo. I see my activity page and I know I'm basically a dead blog, and I feel like the 3 or 4 blogs that interact with me regularly either know this or wouldn't ask me on anonymous.

So, who are you anon? No need to hide around here, I'm open to having conversations with anyone, new to me or from my old life.

2 notes · View notes

nj-stone · 18 days

Link

Lynn Hayes - Sunday inspiration: Happy resurrection holiday https://www.lynnhayes.com/sunday-inspiration-happy-resurrection-holiday/

0 notes

brookston · 1 year

Text

Holidays 3.20

Holidays

Alien Abduction Day

American Diabetes Association Alert Day

Atheist Pride Day [also 6.20]

Bibliomania Day

Big Bird Day

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Day

Dietitians Day (Canada)

Dogs in Yellow Day

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day

Festival of Extraterrestrial Abductions

First Day of Spring [Vernal Equinox, Northern Hemisphere] (a.k.a. …

Akitu Festival begins (Ancient Sumeria)

Alban Eiler (a.k.a. Ostara; Celtic, Pagan) [2 of 8 Festivals of the Natural Year]

Bed in For Peace Day

Chunfen (China)

Dísablót (Honoring the ancient Norse Goddess Dís)

Earth Equinox Day

Festival of Dumuzi (Return of god of life & death to be with goddess of life which brings the Spring; Sumerian)

Festival of Iduna (Goddess of Spring, Keeper of the Apples of Youth; Norse)

Fragrance and Flower Day

Free Cone Day (Dairy Queen)

Great American Meatout Day

Haru-no-Higan (Japanese Buddhist)

Harvest Festival and Coming Forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra (Ancient Egypt)

Higan (Japan)

International Astrology Day

International Earth Day

Jare (Old Slavic)

Kōreisai (Japan)

Kuulcan Snake God in Chicken Itza (Yucatan)

Mabon (Old Anglo-Teutonic)

Maslenitsa (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Méan Earraigh (Pagan)

New Year's Day (a.k.a. Equinox of the Gods; Thelema)

Ostara (Wiccan Fire Fertility Festival)

Pacha Pucuy (Earth Ripening; Ancient Inca)

Passaround (The Season of Fertility; Church of the SubGenius)

Plant a Seed Day

Proposal Day

Shunbun no Hi (Japan)

Snowman Burning Day

Summer-Finding (Asatru)

Sun-Earth Day

Taoist Festival of Shen (Water, East & Spring)

Vernal Equinox

World Storytelling Day

French Language Day (a.k.a. International Francophonie Day; UN)

Ghode Jatra (Horse Festival; Nepal)

Great British Spring Clean Day (UK)

Hufflepuff Pride Day

International Day of Happiness (UN)

International Francophonie Day

Kiss Your Fiancé Day

Lajos Kossuth Day (Hungary)

Legba Zaou (Haiti)

Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Awareness Day

Macaron Day NYC

Mesopotamian/Sumerian Grain Festival (Honoring Ashnan)

Mister Rogers Day

National Arts Advocacy Day

National Backyard Bird Photography Day

National Cherry Blossom Festival begins (Washington DC)

National NativeHIV/AIDS Awareness Day

National Jump Out! Day

National Marketing Day

National Vanessa Day

National Westie Day

Nowruz (New Year) [Day 1, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ...

Bahá'í Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í)

Naruz (Afghan New Year)

Navruz (Tajikistan, Ukbekistan)

Novruz Bairam (a.k.a. Persian New Year; Azerbaijan)

Nowrūz (Persian, Gilaki, Kurdish, Zoroastrians; California)

Oil Nationalization Day (Iran)

Pigeons Return to City-County Building (Ft. Wayne, Indiana)

Smile Rejuvenation Day

Very Hungary Caterpillar Day

Won't You Be My Neighbor? Day

World Behavior Analysis Day

World Day of Theater for Children and Young People

World Frog Day

World Head Injury Awareness Day

World NIDCAP Day

World Oral Health Day

World Rewinding Day

World Rights to Water Day

World Sparrow Day

Zipper Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bock Beer Day (New York) [also 2nd Monday]

Crawfish Cravers Awareness Day

Macaron Day

National Ravioli Day

Oberon Day (Bell’s Brewing)

World Flour Day

3rd Monday in March

Act Happy Day [3rd Monday]

Benito Juarez Fiestas Patrias (Mexico) [3rd Monday]

Dangerous Dan's Annual Coffee Cup Washing Day [3rd Monday]

Dribble to Work Day [3rd Monday]

Wellderly Day [3rd Monday]

World Folk Tale and Fable Day [3rd Monday]

Independence Days

Blackland (a.k.a. Kingdom of Blackland; Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Conzorica (a.k.a. Federal Republics of Conzorica; Declared; 2014)

Otango Province Anniversary (New Zealand)

Qootärlænt (Declared; 2008) [unrecognized]

Rezaxia (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Tunisia (from France, 1956)

Feast Days

Alexandra (Christian; Saint)

Big Bird (Muppetism)

Blessed John of Parma (Christian; Saint)

Clement of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (Christian; Saint) [maltsters]

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of the Supreme Ritual (Thelema)

Festival For Driving Out All Evils (Inca)

Festival of Isis (Ancient Egypt)

Herbert of Derwentwater (Christian; Saint)

John of Nepomuk (Christian; Saint)

Józef Bilczewski (Christian; Saint)

María Josefa Sancho de Guerra (Christian; Saint)

Martin of Braga (Christian; Saint)

Michele Carcano (Christian; Saint)

Philo of Alexandria (Positivist; Saint)

Quinquatria, Day 2: Wrestling Day (Pagan)

Vernal Equinox Festivals [see “First Day of Spring” above]

Wulfram (Christian; Saint)

Xena Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Zagmuk (Festival celebrating the Resurrection of Marduk)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 79 [22 of 72]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [17 of 60]

Premieres

After Hours, by The Weekend (Album; 2020)

Back Off Boogaloo, recorded by Ringo Starr (Song; 1972)

Basic Instinct (Film; 1992)

Both Sides Now, by Joni Mitchell (Album; 2000)

Duplicity (Film; 2009)

Hollywood Shuffle (Film; 1987)

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, by Sinead O’Connor (Album; 1990)

I Love You, Man (Film; 2009)

Insurgent (Film; 2015)

Knowing (Film; 2009)

Lady Chatterly’s Lover, by D.H. Lawrence (Novel; 1928)

Man of La Mancha (Broadway Musical; 1965)

Meet the Temptations, by The Temptations (Album; 1964)

Newman Laugh-O-Grams (Disney Cartoon; 1921)

Noises Off (Film; 1992)

The Pink Panther (Film; 1964)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (Film; 1981)

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Novel; 1850)

Straight, No Chaser, by Thelonious Monk (Album; 1967)

Symphony Hour (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Wild Things (Film; 1998)

Zombeavers (Film; 2015)

Today’s Name Days

Claudia, Wolfram (Austria)

Ivan, Nicet, Pavao (Croatia)

Světlana (Czech Republic)

Gordius (Denmark)

Malve, Malvi, Malviine (Estonia)

Aki, Jaakkima, Joakim, Jooa, Kim, Kimi (Finland)

Herbert, Printemps (France)

Claudia, Wolfram (Germany)

Claudia, Rodi, Rodianos (Greece)

Klaudia (Hungary)

Alessandra,, Claudia (Italy)

Irbe, Made, Magda, Magdalēna (Latvia)

Filomenas, Imgarda, Irma, Tautvilė, Žygimantas (Lithuania)

Joakim, Kim (Norway)

Aleksander, Aleksandra, Ambroży, Anatol, Bogusław, Cyriaka, Eufemia, Klaudia, Patrycjusz, Ruprecht, Wasyl, Wincenty (Poland)

Víťazoslav (Slovakia)

Alejandra, Daniel, Martín (Spain)

Joakim, Kim (Sweden)

Dillan, Dillion, Dillon, Drew, Dru, Dylan, Dylon (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 79 of 2023; 286 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 12 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Yi-Mao), Day 29 (Ding-Chou)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 27 Adar 5783

Islamic: 27 Sha’ban 1444

J Cal: 18 Ver; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 7 March 2023

Moon: 1.5%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 23 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Philo of Alexandria]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 1 of 90)

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 29 of 29)

Calendar Changes

Spring [Season 2 of 4]

#calendar #Holidays

0 notes

brookstonalmanac · 1 year

Text

Holidays 3.20

Holidays

Alien Abduction Day

American Diabetes Association Alert Day

Atheist Pride Day [also 6.20]

Bibliomania Day

Big Bird Day

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Day

Dietitians Day (Canada)

Dogs in Yellow Day

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day

Festival of Extraterrestrial Abductions

First Day of Spring [Vernal Equinox, Northern Hemisphere] (a.k.a. …

Akitu Festival begins (Ancient Sumeria)

Alban Eiler (a.k.a. Ostara; Celtic, Pagan) [2 of 8 Festivals of the Natural Year]

Bed in For Peace Day

Chunfen (China)

Dísablót (Honoring the ancient Norse Goddess Dís)

Earth Equinox Day

Festival of Dumuzi (Return of god of life & death to be with goddess of life which brings the Spring; Sumerian)

Festival of Iduna (Goddess of Spring, Keeper of the Apples of Youth; Norse)

Fragrance and Flower Day

Free Cone Day (Dairy Queen)

Great American Meatout Day

Haru-no-Higan (Japanese Buddhist)

Harvest Festival and Coming Forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra (Ancient Egypt)

Higan (Japan)

International Astrology Day

International Earth Day

Jare (Old Slavic)

Kōreisai (Japan)

Kuulcan Snake God in Chicken Itza (Yucatan)

Mabon (Old Anglo-Teutonic)

Maslenitsa (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Méan Earraigh (Pagan)

New Year's Day (a.k.a. Equinox of the Gods; Thelema)

Ostara (Wiccan Fire Fertility Festival)

Pacha Pucuy (Earth Ripening; Ancient Inca)

Passaround (The Season of Fertility; Church of the SubGenius)

Plant a Seed Day

Proposal Day

Shunbun no Hi (Japan)

Snowman Burning Day

Summer-Finding (Asatru)

Sun-Earth Day

Taoist Festival of Shen (Water, East & Spring)

Vernal Equinox

World Storytelling Day

French Language Day (a.k.a. International Francophonie Day; UN)

Ghode Jatra (Horse Festival; Nepal)

Great British Spring Clean Day (UK)

Hufflepuff Pride Day

International Day of Happiness (UN)

International Francophonie Day

Kiss Your Fiancé Day

Lajos Kossuth Day (Hungary)

Legba Zaou (Haiti)

Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Awareness Day

Macaron Day NYC

Mesopotamian/Sumerian Grain Festival (Honoring Ashnan)

Mister Rogers Day

National Arts Advocacy Day

National Backyard Bird Photography Day

National Cherry Blossom Festival begins (Washington DC)

National NativeHIV/AIDS Awareness Day

National Jump Out! Day

National Marketing Day

National Vanessa Day

National Westie Day

Nowruz (New Year) [Day 1, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ...

Bahá'í Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í)

Naruz (Afghan New Year)

Navruz (Tajikistan, Ukbekistan)

Novruz Bairam (a.k.a. Persian New Year; Azerbaijan)

Nowrūz (Persian, Gilaki, Kurdish, Zoroastrians; California)

Oil Nationalization Day (Iran)

Pigeons Return to City-County Building (Ft. Wayne, Indiana)

Smile Rejuvenation Day

Very Hungary Caterpillar Day

Won't You Be My Neighbor? Day

World Behavior Analysis Day

World Day of Theater for Children and Young People

World Frog Day

World Head Injury Awareness Day

World NIDCAP Day

World Oral Health Day

World Rewinding Day

World Rights to Water Day

World Sparrow Day

Zipper Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bock Beer Day (New York) [also 2nd Monday]

Crawfish Cravers Awareness Day

Macaron Day

National Ravioli Day

Oberon Day (Bell’s Brewing)

World Flour Day

3rd Monday in March

Act Happy Day [3rd Monday]

Benito Juarez Fiestas Patrias (Mexico) [3rd Monday]

Dangerous Dan's Annual Coffee Cup Washing Day [3rd Monday]

Dribble to Work Day [3rd Monday]

Wellderly Day [3rd Monday]

World Folk Tale and Fable Day [3rd Monday]

Independence Days

Blackland (a.k.a. Kingdom of Blackland; Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Conzorica (a.k.a. Federal Republics of Conzorica; Declared; 2014)

Otango Province Anniversary (New Zealand)

Qootärlænt (Declared; 2008) [unrecognized]

Rezaxia (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Tunisia (from France, 1956)

Feast Days

Alexandra (Christian; Saint)

Big Bird (Muppetism)

Blessed John of Parma (Christian; Saint)

Clement of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (Christian; Saint) [maltsters]

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of the Supreme Ritual (Thelema)

Festival For Driving Out All Evils (Inca)

Festival of Isis (Ancient Egypt)

Herbert of Derwentwater (Christian; Saint)

John of Nepomuk (Christian; Saint)

Józef Bilczewski (Christian; Saint)

María Josefa Sancho de Guerra (Christian; Saint)

Martin of Braga (Christian; Saint)

Michele Carcano (Christian; Saint)

Philo of Alexandria (Positivist; Saint)

Quinquatria, Day 2: Wrestling Day (Pagan)

Vernal Equinox Festivals [see “First Day of Spring” above]

Wulfram (Christian; Saint)

Xena Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Zagmuk (Festival celebrating the Resurrection of Marduk)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 79 [22 of 72]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [17 of 60]

Premieres

After Hours, by The Weekend (Album; 2020)

Back Off Boogaloo, recorded by Ringo Starr (Song; 1972)

Basic Instinct (Film; 1992)

Both Sides Now, by Joni Mitchell (Album; 2000)

Duplicity (Film; 2009)

Hollywood Shuffle (Film; 1987)

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, by Sinead O’Connor (Album; 1990)

I Love You, Man (Film; 2009)

Insurgent (Film; 2015)

Knowing (Film; 2009)

Lady Chatterly’s Lover, by D.H. Lawrence (Novel; 1928)

Man of La Mancha (Broadway Musical; 1965)

Meet the Temptations, by The Temptations (Album; 1964)

Newman Laugh-O-Grams (Disney Cartoon; 1921)

Noises Off (Film; 1992)

The Pink Panther (Film; 1964)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (Film; 1981)

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Novel; 1850)

Straight, No Chaser, by Thelonious Monk (Album; 1967)

Symphony Hour (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Wild Things (Film; 1998)

Zombeavers (Film; 2015)

Today’s Name Days

Claudia, Wolfram (Austria)

Ivan, Nicet, Pavao (Croatia)

Světlana (Czech Republic)

Gordius (Denmark)

Malve, Malvi, Malviine (Estonia)

Aki, Jaakkima, Joakim, Jooa, Kim, Kimi (Finland)

Herbert, Printemps (France)

Claudia, Wolfram (Germany)

Claudia, Rodi, Rodianos (Greece)

Klaudia (Hungary)

Alessandra,, Claudia (Italy)

Irbe, Made, Magda, Magdalēna (Latvia)

Filomenas, Imgarda, Irma, Tautvilė, Žygimantas (Lithuania)

Joakim, Kim (Norway)

Aleksander, Aleksandra, Ambroży, Anatol, Bogusław, Cyriaka, Eufemia, Klaudia, Patrycjusz, Ruprecht, Wasyl, Wincenty (Poland)

Víťazoslav (Slovakia)

Alejandra, Daniel, Martín (Spain)

Joakim, Kim (Sweden)

Dillan, Dillion, Dillon, Drew, Dru, Dylan, Dylon (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 79 of 2023; 286 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 12 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Yi-Mao), Day 29 (Ding-Chou)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 27 Adar 5783

Islamic: 27 Sha’ban 1444

J Cal: 18 Ver; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 7 March 2023

Moon: 1.5%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 23 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Philo of Alexandria]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 1 of 90)

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 29 of 29)

Calendar Changes

Spring [Season 2 of 4]

#Holidays

0 notes

judyconda · 2 years

Photo

All Hale Beltane! A festival of celebration An ancient Celtic religion May Day, the Spring equinox The Summer solstice Happy heathens, pagan pride! Honoring Nature, the Seasons, The Elements, Spirit! Gods, Goddesses And deities of our hearts Childlike, we are, dancing around The May Pole of bright colorful ribbons. Weaving up and down, as above so below Offering flowers, acknowledging fertility and abundance Communing together in the Woods. Feasting with our friends, our families Our Tribe! May you never know hunger May you never thirst! We are many and we are of one heart A sacred bon fire blazes in the night of the Forrest, emitting its protective. powers as we leap the flames and dance around the fire of our souls. 💃💐 : #fairytaletuesday #fairytale #poetry #poet #poetic #poets #poetsofinstagram #poetryofinstagram #beltane #maydayeve #mayday #spring #springsummer #springseason #Spiritique #mindfulness #Spiritual #Spirituality #mystical #mystique #MysticArt #mystic #mysticisim #folk #folklore #folkspirits #folkmystic #fantasy #pagan #paganism https://www.instagram.com/p/Cczfo8gpv_I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

0 notes

haunted-meatsack · 4 years

Text

Happy Easter I guess.

#Easter #Futurama #Farnsworth #Jesus #zombie #Zombie Jesus #Happy spring equinox and fertility festival

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unarosagialla · 2 years

Text

OSTARA

Ostara is one of the eight sabbats on the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. It’s one of the four minor sabbats which fall on the equinoxes and solstices.

The day hangs in perfect balance with equal amounts of light and dark, bringing with it all the hope and promise that spring signifies. It falls between March 19th and March 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere. It is not necessarily a one day celebration, you can celebrate all week long.

→ HISTORY

Ostara is an ancient festival of Germanic origin celebrating the Goddess of the dawn. This name came from the Goddess of spring and the dawn, Eostre.

She was traditionally honored and celebrated during the month of April with feasts and celebrations focused on fertility, new beginnings and rebirth.

The first writings we have on Ostara come from the English monk Venerable Bede, who wrote of an ancient festival that has died out, though some of the traditions had been incorporated into the Anglo Saxon Christian customs.

It was a fertility festival in honor of the Goddess and the dawning of the new year.

The biggest influence Ostara traditions have had that we still can see in modern times is the Christian holiday Easter. The name Easter is a derivative of Ostara (Eostre – just change the “o” to an “a” and invert the “er” at the end).

→ SYMBOLS

The hare is strongly associated with the Goddess. A popular myth includes her finding a wounded bird and healing it by turning it into a hare as it could no longer fly. The hare retained its egg-laying abilities and laid colored eggs. It then gave these eggs to the Goddess as gratitude. The hare represents the graciousness of the Goddess and fertility, given how many young ones they have.

Eggs represent both fertility and birth. Worshippers also bring them gifts for the Goddess and eat them at feasts. They also represent abundance and the sun.

Baking is essential during this festivity and hot cross buns are a primary feature. The four cross points represent the four elements of Fire, Earth, Water, and Air.

Springtime also sees flowers emerge, which symbolize the end of winter. They are a symbol of hope and life.

The Ostara period is also the start of the planting season. The seeds have the potential for new life and represent hope in the abundance to come. They are also associated with fertility and nature’s rebirth.

→ COLORS

Colors hold plenty of meaning when associated with sabbats. Each Sabbat has its colors to go with its central themes. For Ostara, you can use the following colors in your decorations and rituals:

green represents all the newly growing plants. It represents the abundance of nature, hope, and new life. It also represents earth, growth, new opportunities, fertility, and forgiveness;

light blue represents healing, fairness and truthfulness, honest communication, trust, and patience. It is a virtuous color that also represents innocence and purity;

lavender is associated with romance, love, and healing;

pink’s soft and tender nature represents romantic love, good relationships at home and with friends, empathy, self-care, and healing the heart;

yellow celebrates the returning sunshine, which keeps getting stronger each day. It represents persuasion, protection, self-control, self-confidence, happiness, abundance, and self-empowerment;

white represents a blank slate to start over. It is the fresh start that spring offers so you can pursue new ideas and opportunities. It also signifies cleansing and purification, peace, and connection to divinity.

→ CELEBRATIONS

A ritual bath to clear away the dark lethargy of winter can be a great idea. Pick soaps with bright citrus or floral smells to wake your mind or remind you of flowering fields. Something with exfoliation to it wakes up the skin while scrubbing away what is no longer vital. Candle meditations embrace the fire and heat of the sun and place it at the tips of your fingers.

Take time to meditate or journal and think about your intentions for the next few weeks as it relates to the goals you want to achieve.

Create an Altar by yourself or with friends and loved ones, decorate an altar for spring. Make it a beautiful, colorful, celebration of life and new beginnings.

Get crafty: decorate eggs with dyes, decoupage or paint. You can purchase plastic or wooden eggs to decorate and use year after year as well (a vegan option).

Plant seeds for a vegetable or flower garden.

Reconnect with animals by taking yourself to the zoo or to a farm. Spend time with the small creatures and gaze into their beautiful, big eyes. Additionally, if there are new babies in your family, spend time with them. Take a picnic, a walk, or do whatever you are drawn to.

Feast with a nice and vibrant meal: have a picnic and try to find a place by water to represent the flowing energy of life and invite everyone to bring a dish that shows the vibrant colors of the season. It is not only a time for new beginnings, but for new friendship, adventures, atmospheres, and traditions. Take a nature walk.

Sources:

#witchcraft #witchery #wicca #wiccapedia #wheel of the year #sabbats #sabbat celebration #wiccan sabbat #paganism #pagan wicca #pagan holidays #ostara #spring #eostre #easter

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jeffreystewart · 2 years

Photo

Norsery Rhymes from A to Z Happy Thorsday - Eostra (Easter), The Shining Light of the Dawn - V1 Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters. This week it’s a first crack at Eostra / Eastre / Ēostre / Ēastre, Ēastro / Ostarâ / Oastre / Ostara / Aestre, and now Easter mentioned in the De Temporum Ratione, by the Monk historian Bede, and many votive inscriptions and place names dedicated her. Her name has been translated to ‘shining’, ‘light from the east’, ‘mornings first light’, red light of dawn’ and other variations on that theme. Here name has many different spelling depending on region and time, but all essentially break down to likely all deriving form a later form of the Proto Germanic Goddess Austrō or Hausos, meaning essentially the same things as Eastre, ‘shining’, ’eastern sunrise’ and ‘morning light’,’ red sky of the morning’ and ‘dawn’. All referring to Eastre the start of Spring. In the fact pre Christian name for the month “Ēosturmōnaþ” in Old English, and Ēosturmōnath / Ôstarmânoth, in Old and High Germanic name for the “Month of Ēostre”, that would be known as April. It’s thought that the word ‘East’ where the sun rises is derived from her. Known as the Goddess of the Dawn, the Goddess of the Shining Light, and the Goddess of the New Spring.

She was a Goddess of new beginnings dawn, renewal, fertility, growth, and the transition from child to adult. Her most defining role is as the Goddess of Spring, where she was celebrated during April and the Vernal Equinox.

The Vernal Equinox being connected to an Anglo Germanic Easter / Spring festival. With it’s unique customs, feasts, bonfires, Easter egg decorating, egg hiding, egg throwing, bunnies, full moon celebrations, sunrise viewings, fertility rites, sword dancing, and pastries.

As symbols of rebirth and fertility, eggs and rabbits are sacred to her, as is the full moon. It’s thought that one or more of her magic hares would lay an egg to birth the new season of growth. Throwing decorated eggs up into the air was done in fields as to fertilize them both literally and as a prayer offering.

Some have linked her to a Germaic Sun god as well. Meaning that the Eostre celebration would be to welcome the new Spring and the Sun god that would follow it. As another nod to her role as a fertility goddess.

Some have asserted similar traits to Freyja in some areas. The most interesting being that Eastre also has a chariot pulled by Cats. While others have asserted that it’s more likely that her chariot would be pulled by her hares.

Interestingly there was much very vocal debate that she was an invention of Bede’s. Even though there are many other similarly named goddesses in neighbouring regions, and hundreds of pre Christian place names in England and Germany dedicated and related to her. Eventually in the 1950’s hundreds of supporting votive inscriptions related to her and Matronae Austriahenae goddesses were discovered that should at this point put any questions of her invention to rest.

#easter #eostre #sunrise #fertility #dawn #spring #norsemythology #moon #sketch #lineart #conceptart #characterdesign #norse #myth #germanicmythology #eastre #oastra #east

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Grimoire Entry for Ostara

Ostara: (Mar 20-23)

The spring equinox rebirth, fertility, and revival. End of the dark half of the year. Marriage and love, rebirth, revival, resurrection (Year of the Witch, pg. 123-24)

History: (https://www.learnreligions.com/history-of-ostara-the-spring-equinox-2562485) -Roman: Thought to have been created by Cesar to mark the beginning of the tropical year, “In ancient Rome, the followers of Cybele believed that their goddess had a consort who was born via a virgin birth. His name was Attis, and he died and was resurrected each year during the time of the vernal equinox on the Julian Calendar” -Persian: “A dynasty of Persian kings known as the Achaemenians celebrated the spring equinox with the festival of No Ruz, which means "new day." It is a celebration of hope and renewal still observed today in many Persian countries, and has its roots in Zoroastrianism. In Iran, a festival called Chahar-Shanbeh Suri takes place right before No Ruz begins, and people purify their homes and leap over fires to welcome the 13-day celebration of No Ruz. -Maya: “The indigenous Mayan people in Central American have celebrated a spring equinox festival for ten centuries. As the sun sets on the day of the equinox on the great ceremonial pyramid, El Castillo, Mexico, its "western face...is bathed in the late afternoon sunlight. The lengthening shadows appear to run from the top of the pyramid's northern staircase to the bottom, giving the illusion of a diamond-backed snake in descent." This has been called "The Return of the Sun Serpent" since ancient times.” -Anglo-Saxon: “According to the Venerable Bede, Eostre was the Saxon version of a Germanic goddess called Ostara. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the vernal equinox–almost the identical calculation as for the Christian Easter in the west. There is very little documented evidence to prove this, but one popular legend is that Eostre found a bird, wounded, on the ground late in winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But "the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs...the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre."”

Myths: (Year of the Witch, pg. 125) -Eostre: anglo-saxon goddess of spring -Pan: incarnation of the horned god, waking of animals -Triple Goddess: the triple goddess takes the maiden form in this time -Persephone (Kore): Returns to her mother and leaves the underworld to bring the light half of the year

Correspondences: (https://thewitchesbox.com/correspondences-for-ostara/) -Colors: Pink, Yellow, Grass Green, All Pastels, Robin’s Egg Blue -Plants: Celandine, Cinquefoil, Jasmine, Rose, Tansy, Viole, Acorn, Crocus, Daffodil, Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Iris, Lily, Strawberry

Rituals: -Spring Cleaning (Modified from the Spring Cleaning and Decluttering Ritual, Year of the Witch, pg. 126-27) Cleansing of the space lets the old out and the new in Tools: White candle, broom, mop, florida water or cleansing essential oils, trash bags, incense. Begin by meditating and lighting your candle with the intention of renewal and cleansing. You can add a sigil to the bottom of the candle if you feel this would help. Begin cleaning in a clockwise circle, beginning at your altar. Move from top to bottom cleaning items off the floor first. Place all items you intend to keep in a central location (bed or table), and place items to be donated or thrown away in trash bags. After tidying, sweep the room in a clockwise circle, then mop in the same way, using the florida water or essential oil in the mop water. After the room is clean and the items you intend to keep are gathered, cleanse the items (this can be done with smoke, or a cleansing spray. Finally return items to their places and cleanse the room with your incense of choice.

-Egg Dying: Using natural dyes to dye eggs is a great way to appreciate the newly available produce and foliage! Resource on natural dyes: https://www.ediblela.com/news/natural-food-dyes

-Manifestations: I personally wear charmed jewelry as part of my practice so one way to carry a manifestation with you is to charge a piece of jewelry with your intentions. To do this you simply need a container or plate that you can store the jewelry in. Begin by grounding, then write your manifestations down on a slip of paper and meditate with it. Put this paper at the bottom of your container and cover with salt. Add stones and herbs that align with what you are manifesting (i.e. rose quartz for love, lavender for peace ect.). Make sure to cleanse the piece of jewelry you want to use, then every night when you take it off put it in the container.

A happy Ostara to all, and may this next season treat you well!

#witchblr #Ostara #eclectic witch #witch #holiday #sabbat #cleansing #spring cleaning #manifesting #ritual #wheel of the year

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