Messages In This Digest (7 Messages)
- 1a.
- Get Ready for Ostara!: Day 4: Ostara Ritual and Ceremony From: Cher Chirichello
- 2a.
- Get Ready for Ostara!: Day 5: The Magic of Spring From: Cher Chirichello
- 3.
- Monday's Correspondence ... March 19 From: Cher Chirichello
- 4a.
- A Spell for Clearing and Cleansing From: Cher Chirichello
- 5.
- Daily Aromatherapy Tip Kill dust mites From: Cher Chirichello
- 6.
- Minerva - or to call her by her other name, Pallas Athena From: Cher Chirichello
- 7.
- Goddess of The Day: ANAITIS Sacaea (Babylon) From: Cher Chirichello
Messages
- 1a.
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Get Ready for Ostara!: Day 4: Ostara Ritual and Ceremony
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:22 pm (PDT)
Get Ready for Ostara!: Day 4: Ostara Ritual and Ceremony
If you can't see this email, click here
Get Ready for Ostara!
Day 4: Ostara Ritual and Ceremony
From Patti Wigington, your Guide to Paganism / Wicca
For many people in the Pagan and Wiccan communities, Ostara is a time of great celebration. It's when we recognize the balance between light and dark, as well as the coming of the earth's fertile season. Try one of these rituals to help you connect to the ever-changing Wheel of the Year at the spring equinox.
Ostara Rite for Solitaries
Ostara is a time of balance. It is a time of equal parts light and dark. At Mabon, we have this same balance, but the light is leaving us. Today, six months later, it is returning. Spring has arrived, and with it comes hope and warmth. Although this rite is written for one person practicing alone, it can easily be adapted for a small group. Read About a Rite for Solitaries
Ostara Rebirthing Ceremony
Spring is the time of year when the cycle of life, death, and rebirth is complete. As plants bloom and new life returns, the theme of resurrection is ever present. As Ostara, the spring equinox, arrives, it's the season for that which has gone dormant to become revitalized, alive, and reborn. This ritual includes a symbolic rebirthing -- you can perform this rite either as a solitary, or as a part of a group ceremony. Read About a Rebirthing Ceremony
Ostara Labyrinth Meditation
The labyrinth has long been considered a place of magic and introspection. Labyrinthine designs have been found in nearly every major religion, and are an integral part of many ancient cultures. Labyrinths have been found all over the world. They are, in essence, a magical geometric shape which helps define sacred space. A labyrinth is not the same as a maze -- there is only one path in, and one path out.
You can set up a real labyrinth outside, or you can visualize one to walk the path of this meditaiton. Read About Labyrinth Meditation
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Chocolate Rabbit
Ostara is a time to celebrate spirituality and the turning of the earth, but there's no reason we can't have a good time with it as well. If you've got kids -- or even if you don't -- this simple rite is a great way to welcome the season using some things that are readily available in the discount stores at this time of year! Bear in mind, this is meant to be fun and a little bit silly. It's a lot of fun to perform this one with your family, but you can do it with adult friends as well! Read the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Chocolate Rabbit
Tomorrow: The Magic of Spring
Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal, and of the earth coming back to life. Tomorrow, we'll look at the magic of spring planting, gardening, herbalism, and how to plant a magical moon garden!
This email is written by:
Patti Wigington
Paganism / Wicca Guide
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- 2a.
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Get Ready for Ostara!: Day 5: The Magic of Spring
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:23 pm (PDT)
Get Ready for Ostara!: Day 5: The Magic of Spring
If you can't see this email, click here
Get Ready for Ostara!
Day 5: The Magic of Spring
From Patti Wigington, your Guide to Paganism / Wicca
Ostara falls on the Spring equinox, and change is in the air! This time of year, the ongoing cycle of life, death and rebirth become more apparent than usual. As the Wheel of the Year turns once more, it's a good time to stop and recognize the magic that comes with the seasonal changes. Take a few moments to get back in touch with the earth and the environment around you. Plan your garden, dig in the dirt, and embrace the new life growing around us.
Magical Spring Flowers
As spring arrives, our gardens begin to bud and eventually bloom. For hundreds of years, the plants that we grow have been used in magic. Flowers in particular are often connected with a variety of magical uses. Now that spring is here, keep an eye out for some of these flowers around you, and consider the different magical applications they might have. Keep these in mind when you're planning your garden! Read About Spring Flower Magic
Magical Herbalism
Herbs have been used in magic for thousands of years. They've long been associated with healing, protection, love and other magical purposes. When you're planning your herb garden this spring, keep some of their magical properties in mind. Read About Magical Herbs
Plant a Magical Moon Garden
Many Wiccans and Pagans love to garden, but a lot of people don't realize you can grow plants and flowers that bloom at night. Cultivating a moon garden is a great way to get in touch with nature, and it provides a beautiful and fragrant backdrop for your moonlight rituals in the summer. If you plant these lovelies close to your house, you can open the windows and take advantage of their aromas as you sleep. Read About the Magical Moon Garden
Make a Mini Greenhouse at Ostara
Give your spring planting a head start by making this simple miniature greenhouse. By starting your seedlings in advance, they'll be ready to put in the soil when it's warmed up around Beltane. You can make this out of a few household supplies, place it in a sunny spot, and watch new life begin in just a few days! Learn How to Make a Mini Greenhouse
Tomorrow: Crafts and Creations
Spring is a time when many people like to get crafty -- and why not? After all, making things with your hands is a great way to reconnect with the Sabbat season. Tomorrow, we'll talk about making seed packet greeting cards to share, an Ostara tree, and how to color Ostara eggs using natural dyes!
This email is written by:
Patti Wigington
Paganism / Wicca Guide
Email Me | My Blog | My Forum
Missing a lesson? Click here.
About U. is our collection of free online courses designed to help you learn a new skill, solve a problem, get something done, or just learn more about your world. Sign up now, and we will email you lessons on a daily or weekly basis.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the About.com 'Get Ready for Ostara!' email. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.
About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy
Contact Information:
249 West 17th Street
New York, NY, 10011
© 2010 About.com
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- 3.
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Monday's Correspondence ... March 19
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:38 pm (PDT)
Monday's Correspondence ... March 19
Today's Influences: Luck, Religion, Healing, Trade And Employment, Treasure, Honors, Riches, Legal Matters
Today's Goddesses: Juno, Hera, Kwan Yin, Mary, Cybele, Tara, Mawu, Mlaba Mwana Waresa, Ishtar, Nuit
Aromas: Stock, Lilac, Storax, Aloes
Incense: Nutmeg, Henbane
Candle: White
Color: Silver, white, light blue
Planet: Moon
Metal: Silver
Deities: Thoth, Selene
Gemstones: Pearl, opal, moonstone
Herbs & Plants: Wintergreen and other mints, catnip, comfrey, sage, chamomile
Associations: Childbearing and family life, purity and virginity, healing, wisdom, intuition
Use for magick involving growth, expansion, prosperity, money, business, attracting more of what you have.
What's Happening Today:
Anniversary - Iraqi Freedom
Battle of March - Dominican Republic
Canberra Day - Australia
Chariot Races on the Field of Mars (Old Roman)
Day of Aganyu - Santeria
Day of Nemetona - Celtic
Dia de San Giuseppe - Italy
Eyvind Kinnrifi - Nordic, Odinist
Feast of Athena - Greek
Feast of Quinquatrus
Goddess Month of Moura ends
Mojoday (aka Dr. Van Van Mojo's Day) - Discordian
National Agriculture Day
National Chocolate Caramel Day
National Day of Oil - Iran
Poultry Day
San Jos - Peru
St. Joseph's Day - Brazil, Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, Vatican City State, Venezuela
St. Joseph Expression de la juridiction Legba - Haiti
Swallows Return to San Juan Capistrano Day
Zimber-Quattor's Revenge Week begins - Fairy
Nemetoma -Today is an observance for Nemetoma, the Celtic Goddess of the Sacred Grove.
Quinquatrus - In Rome this was the beginning of a five-day festival honoring Minerva, goddess of arts and crafts, probably because her temple was dedicated on this day. Blackburn, Bonnie and Leofranc Holford-Strevens, Oxford Companion to the Year, Oxford University Press 1999
Greece: The biggest social event in ancient Greece, the Lesser Panathenaea, was held annually this day to celebrate the birth of the Goddess Athena. The five-day Spring competition featured events in athletics, music, poetry, and satire. Crowns of olive branches and flasks of olive oil were given to the winners of each event.
Babylon: The Akitu, an annual Babylonian New Year Festival celebrating the marriage of Heaven and Earth, begins this date and lasts for ten consecutive days.
India: The Hindu festival of Holi is held in India to celebrate Spring and to commemorate the burning death of a mythical attempted-murdress, Holika.
http://hinduism.about.com/ library/weekly/ aa031400a. htm?once= true&
Voudun: St. Joseph's day, a Christianized celebration dedicated to the loa Legba.
721 B.C.: According to the Roman historian Ptolemy, Babylonian astronomers noted history's first recorded eclipse: an eclipse of the moon.
1563 - The Elizabethan statute against witchcraft was enacted.
First Lunar Eclipse - The first recorded lunar eclipse was in Babylon, 721 BC.
Eyvind Kinnrifi Day (Norse/Teutonic) - Martyr, tortured to death with hot coals for refusing to convert to Christianity. Eyvind Kinnrifi is a martyr for Odin.
Feast of Quinquatras (Roman) - Four-day and main festival to the protective deity of artists and craftsmen, celebrated with games, which are bloodless on the first day. In Greece, this is known as the Micra (lesser) Panathenaea in honor of Athene. This became the Quintania or Quinquatrus in honor of Minerva in the hands of the Romans. The Panathenaea is the most ancient and most important of Athenian festivals. The Lesser Panathenaea is celebrated every year, with the Megala (greater) Panathenaea held every fifth year and in the third year of every Olympiad. Only later was the Micra Panathenaea moved to spring, perhaps by Roman influence to make it correspond to the Quinquatrus of Minerva. The date of the Micra Panathenaea in the earlier Greek period was May 5th.
In the lesser festival, there are three games conducted by ten presidents. On the evening of the first day, there is a race with torches. On the second, there is gymnastic combat and trials of strength and bodily dexterity. The last is a musical contest, instituted by Pericles, and concerts are performed. The poets compete in four plays, called the tetralogia, the last of which is a satire. The victor in any of these games is rewarded with a vessel of oil and a crown of olives (which are sacred to the goddess), which grew in the grove of Academus.
Other ceremonies were added, such as a procession in which Minerva's sacred peplos, or garment, is carried. Woven by a select number of virgins called ergazika, from ergos, “work,†the peplos is white or saffron and sleeveless with gold embroidery detailing the achievements of the goddess. Two of the arrephoroi, young virgins between the ages of eleven and seventeen, attend the ergazika. The arrephoroi wear white with ornaments of gold.
In the ceramicus outside the city near the Hill of Ares, a ship is built. From this, Minerva's peplos is hung as a sail. The ship is taken to the temple of Ceres Eleusinia and then to the citadel where the peplos is placed upon Minerva's statue. The statue lies upon a bed (plakis) woven or strewed with flowers.
The Quinquatrus or Quinquatria in honor of Minerva continues for five days. The first day of the festival commemorates her birth and the founding of her temple, the Minerva Capta. All those whose employment fall under the protection of the goddess celebrate Quinquatria. Students have a holiday during the festival, and begin a new course of study when it is over. Teachers receive their yearly stipend at this time - the minerval. Women and children (as spinners and weavers), artisans and artists, and poets and painters observe the festival of Minerva.
Feast of Minerva - Today is the festival for the birth of the Roman Goddess Minerva, the patroness of medicine, weaving, sewing, painting, teaching, dyeing, spinning and wisdom.
Feast of Athena - Today is the festival of the Greek goddess Anthena, for war, wisdom, industry, art, Justice, and skill.
Day the Dragon Raises It's Head - On the second day of the second lunar month, the Chinese eat dragon-scale cakes and dragon-whisker noodles. . Earlier this day was called Mid-spring) Harmony.
Sitala - The Goddess who reigns over smallpox and death, is honored on this day in India as part of the Hindu New Year ritual.
- 4a.
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A Spell for Clearing and Cleansing
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:39 pm (PDT)
A Spell for Clearing and Cleansing
.
Just a few days before Spring Equinox is a good time to cleanse our altar
space and the ritual objects placed there. This is also a good time to
cleanse our own body and spirit in preparation for a new turn of the
seasons. To prepare, gather a smudge stick of sage or cedar, a clear
glass bowl, pure water, and sea salt. To cleanse the objects on your
altar, it is good to take them one by one and remember what they are
for. Light the sage stick and blow some of the smoke over the object.
Call out its name and its power to you. Thank the object for helping you in your ritual and magical work. Ask for the object to retain its power and continue to support your work. Do this for all of the objects on
your altar. After you are done, continue to smudge yourself all over
your body and ask for help in cleansing and purifying your body, mind,
and soul. Then pour pure water into the glass bowl and add a little sea
salt to the water. Sprinkle dabs of water all over your body, on your
altar, and the area where you do ritual work. While you do this,
visualize a cleansing ray of white light enveloping your body and your
ritual space and clearing it in preparation for future magical work.
Source: Jonathan Keyes
- 5.
-
Daily Aromatherapy Tip Kill dust mites
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:40 pm (PDT)
AromaThyme.com
Daily Aromatherapy Tip
Kill dust mites and other allergens in the laundry Add a few drops of
Eucalyptus essential oil to the final rinse water then dry clothes in
the dryer.
- 6.
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Minerva - or to call her by her other name, Pallas Athena
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:41 pm (PDT)
Minerva - or to call her by her other name,
Pallas Athena - was thinking to herself
about the connection between praise and virtue.
Praise, she thought, is what we offer when
we think someone has acted for the highest good.
But is that enough return for actions of that sort?
And if it is, why do we not praise ourselves?
Why, she asked, do I not praise myself, my dignity,
my special virtue? All excellence, Minerva thought,
demands respect and praise - even our own.
~Ovid, Metamorphoses
On this day in Imperial Rome, the feast of the Quinquatrus was celebrated
in honor of Minerva, the Goddess who the Greeks called Athena. She was
Goddess of Wisdom and of healing, for how can true healing not be tied
to wisdom? Healing requires balance, which comes in turn from wisdom.
Healing also requires self-knowledge and self-development, both forms of wisdom.
There is no way to truly heal the body without also healing the mind and
soul. Our bodies' difficulties tell us a great deal about the condition
of our inner life. As we learn to attend to ourselves and out body's
messages, we grow toward wholeness. Minerva's wisdom can guide us as we
strive toward that wholeness.
by Patricia Monaghan
- 7.
-
Goddess of The Day: ANAITIS Sacaea (Babylon)
Posted by: "Cher Chirichello" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM chic0411
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:45 pm (PDT)
Goddess of The Day: ANAITIS
Sacaea (Babylon)
Themes: Spring; Relationships; Equality; Fertility; Sexuality
Symbols: Green Branches; Water
About Anaitis:This Babylonian Goddess of fertilty embraces the attributes of
fruitful, warm waters that flow from the celestial realms into our
lives, especially as the earth is renewed. Her name translates as "humid immaculate one," and art shows her as a strong maiden who creates life
and pours out blessings. During the height of Babylonian civilization,
she was also the patroness of civic prostitutes.
To Do Today:This day marked the Babylonian new year, during which time heaven and
earth were considered married. Therefore, this is an excellent date to
plan a wedding, handfasting, or engagement, or just to spend time with
someone you hold dear. Bring them a small green branch from a tree to
extend Anaitis's love and equality into your relationship.
Traditional roles are often reversed today to emphasize fairness between people.
So, if you are normally passive in your interactions, become a little
more agressive. As you do, feel how Anaitis's passion and energy flow
through you.
To increase passion or sexual confidence, take a warm bath before meeting
your partner. Perhaps add some lusty aromatics to the water (cinnamon,
vanilla, mint or violet) to put you in the right frame of mind. Let
Anaitis's water stimulate your skin and your interest, an enjoy!
)0(
By Patricia Telesco
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