I have spring fever! How can one not? Of course it does not help that my mom keeps sending me pictures of her early blooming garden, which I am sharing here with you in this post. Mother Earth is stirring from her slumber, and we too feel the need to shake off the winter’s state of inertia to get up, get out and do something! As I watched two beautiful hummingbirds dance their way around my backyard this morning, the squirrels in the treetops, and birds searching for nesting material, I felt it was finally here. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it is rapidly approaching and will be marked by the spring/vernal equinox on 20 March. The following day is Ostara, Good Friday and a full moon, called The Seed Moon. Then on Sunday is Easter. What do all of these have in common? Let’s take a look.
Spring/vernal equinox (“equal night”) occurs when the sun is positioned above the equator and thus day and night stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. It marks the beginning of spring, when light conquers darkness (also symbolized as life overtaking death). It appears to be the oldest celebration in the history of the world. The earliest reference to which comes from Babylon, 2400 BCE. Also, the early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox.
Ostara is the Pagan fertility celebration in honour of the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility, Eostre (from which we get the word estrogen, and most likely the word Easter). The young Sun God now celebrates a sacred marriage to the young Maiden Goddess, who now conceives, and in nine months will become the Great Mother. There are a few theories about how she became associated with the hare and eggs. The reference most commonly found is that her worshippers saw a hare in the full moon and the eggs symbolize her fertility. The legend I find sweet says that while entertaining a group of children, she turned a bird into a rabbit. To the amusement of the children, the bewitched animal laid colored eggs. (Ohh ho ho, you see how it’s all coming together now, right? It gets better!)
Setting Eostre’s story aside, let us take a quick look at the symbolism of eggs, which have been the symbols for rebirth and fertility for so long, it could easily date back to the beginning of time. It was certainly used by the Ancient Romans and Greeks. The egg white represents the all-encompassing nature of the Goddess, while the yolk symbolizes the virile qualities of the Sun god. The two are bound together by the symmetrical outer shell, sealing their fertility and perfect love for each other. Let us then take the symbolism one step further and suggest that seeds, being embryonic and shell-covered, are egg-like in nature. Pretty interesting considering that the full moon in March is called The Seed Moon. 
It has been well documented that the Christian church incorporated Pagan practices into Christian festivals. Easter, which is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon, is one of those holidays. I know that some Christian groups have denounced Easter specifically because of its Pagan roots. I personally do not feel comfortable equating the rebirth of Jesus with the rebirth of Mother Earth alone. It is up to you readers to have your own interpretations. I will say that the concept of the Easter bunny was brought over to America from Germany. On the German celebration of Oschter Haws, a bunny brings colored eggs for all of the children to discover the following morning.
It is very rare that the equinox, full moon, Ostara, and Easter all fall together so closely. Whatever your religious beliefs, I hope that you will welcome spring by doing something special. Whether you choose to utilize this renewed energy by attending a church service which inspires your spiritual side, by plant seeds and new life into your garden, or expressing your creative energy in your favorite artistic endeavors, I hope that you focus upon an expression which betters your life and brings you more into harmony with nature and humankind. Many blessings to you all.
Spring Equinox/Ostara/Easter has 19 Comments
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March 16th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
mmmmm you are sharing priceless gifts
mmm thank you
this is perfect
i love this part
The young Sun God now celebrates a sacred marriage to the young Maiden Goddess, who now conceives, and in nine months will become the Great Mother.
March 16th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Thank you, River! I appreciate that.
March 16th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
This is a wonderfully thoughtful piece, Antonia. Thank you for directing our attention to the deeper roots of the holidays we take at face value. They are ever so much richer when we acknowledge the multi-cultural collaborations. Well done! And thanks for showcasing some of my spring photos!
Love, Mom xoxo
March 16th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Hallelujiah sweetheart! That was awesome. We celebrated Ostara with our community today. The ground here in NYC is softening, the shoots of my bulbs have popped up from the ground, the buds on the trees are just about bursting open with flowers and you can feel the quickening of the grass and the new life in the Earth.
The more years I pay close attention to the cycles of nature, the more I become attuned to them and the more it all feels like something I”m an intimate part of.
Blessings of rebirth and may the seeds you plant now my friend, manifest in abundance later this year!
Love & blessings,
MA/Autumn
March 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Thank you, mom! I really appreciate the photos.
I Love that: “acknowledge the multi-cultural collaborations”
What a beautiful outlook! I love you!
March 16th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Thank you, Mari-Anne! Wow! Thank you for painting such a beautiful picture!
Yes, I completely agree about the attunement increasing intimacy. It’s such an awe-some experience. I find it helps remind me of who I am as well.
Love and Blessings,
Antonia
March 16th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
The fact that Christian Easter is linked to pagan roots is not an accident.
When Christianity began, since the early stages of Christianity there were two tendencies: one tended to be more true to its Jewish roots, another tended to more to pagan feasts. For instance, one sector of Christians still worshiped in the Sabbath, another on Sunday. One sector celebrated Jesus’ birth in December 25, another one in April, and another in January 6 (the day of the Epiphany). Finally, one sector celebrated Easter in Passover time, following the solar calendar (true to Jewish roots); and another sector celebrated Easter using the lunar calendar.
So, at the very beginning, contrary to what people usually think, Christianity was diverse. We have testimony from St. Justyn Martyr of the practice of celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays as early as the second century BC. It occurred because of a social phenomenon called “syncretism”, the adoption of certain customs foreign to a culture into that culture. In religion happens often in pagan religions and in Christianity as well (and it did happened to Judaism too). It began with St. Paul’s use of certain images of the gods and certain philosophical doctrines he knew and applied them to the Christian faith (apparently this practice was already been carried out before St. Paul in Antioch’s Christian community). To be able to convert gentiles, what Christianity did was to adopt the same days where pagans celebrated the holidays, *but give them different meaning*. So, Sunday would not be a pagan week holiday anymore, but a Christian holiday: the day when Christ resurrected.
Why was the lunar calendar adopted officially in Christianity in general (and Catholicism in particular)? This happened in the Council of Niscea. There was a debate on whether Christians should follow the solar calendar or the lunar calendar. The decision was to follow the lunar calendar: why? One of the reasons was that they did not want to have anything in common with the Jews because they were the “murderers of Christ”. That was a statement made by Emperor Constantine.
This was not an accident. Most people hold that Constantine “was Christian”. As a matter of fact he seemed to be more pagan than Christian, since he worshiped the Sun-God (Sol Invictus). Previous to the Council of Niscea, he established Sunday as a feast day, because it is the day dedicated to the Sun-God. This coincided with gentile Christians’ belief that Sunday should be a feast day because it was the day of Christ’s resurrection. Also, it seems that in order to standardize the Roman Empire’s holidays (and help Christians unify the empire), Constantine found more convenient that Easter would be in the lunar calendar. As you point out, this is significant to solar religions, so Christians and pagans would celebrate the same holidays, but for different reasons. It is my personal conviction that Constantine was not a Christian at all during his lifetime (and probably there is a possibility that he might have been at the very end of his life, when he was senile). But he did have a decisive influence over Christianity, not only in terms of holidays, but in terms of legalizing Christianity, and giving Christians some political power within the Empire.
So, there is the link.
March 16th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Pedro, thank you SO much!!! I Really appreciate all of this fantastic information! Wonderful! Many blessings to you, my friend.
March 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Yes,
Everything is Auspicious, but this is auspicious, and has led to an updated understanding of Hare-Rabbit in world mythology, thank you.
Not only Saxon…
Julius Caesar is the historical source for the idea that Britons believed that hares are sacred and he also claimed that Boudicca took omens from the running of a hare before battle. Boudicca was a female queen of Britons who nearly drove out the Romans from Britain.
BBC Radio –
The search for the meaning and origin of the ancient symbol of the three hares.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/hares.shtml
The three hares seem to mirror the triskele, triskelion, as well as the ears forming a Yantra type triangle, the triangle (yoni) common to Kali, Saraswati and Lakshmi. Curiously saw some more ancient Saraswati Yantras which had kind of arm like spinning extensions on triangle, which indicates rotation, and reminded me of running rabbits. Shakti-energy-motion…
Three Hares Photographic Project (seems related with Green Man)
http://www.chrischapmanphotography.com/hares/index.html
Curiously the Islamic link in this, would somewhat relate to Green Man as well, for in at least Sri Lankan Islamic prophetic tradition, the Green Man (Al Khidr) is equivalent with the Messiah. But really the pagan and natural observation holds supremely considering origin.
Interestingly especially in Devon, where alot of these three hares figures are found, you will find also the horned diety Cernunnos carved into Christian pews! The Dialect spoken in Devon is Kernew (sp?) which likely is related to Cernunnos. There is an esoteric link between Cernunnos (antlers as crown), Corona (Crown in spanish) and a mystical realization beyond time (Cronus-Phoenician Hercules, and Chronos-time).
In North West spain is a sea port called “A Coruna” which was formerly called “Brigantia” and certainly this was a port which was anciently linked with tin mines in Devon.
Pedro Barbosa, well met, interestingly Celtiberian Spain has some keys which actually unlock alot of Western European mythos, including the link between Nodens/Lydney and the Pedro Formosas (or ritual saunas). These connections have been largely overlooked due to the Northern Eurocentric emphasis on pagan motifs. I’ve corresponded with Alfredo González-Ruibal and he emailed me an Oxford paper of his “Between two seas” on phoenician-semitic colonies in s-west spain, and possibility of rich mining area, Tartessos, being Tarshish. Did Jonah spend three days in a three chambered Pedra Formosa?
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol6/index.html
Om Mani Peme Hung
may all sentient beings be free
through contemplation on the female quality of wisdom
March 21st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Oh interesting, was listening to the Buddhist portion of the 3 Hares symbolism…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/hares.shtml
And it mentions the 3 Hares symbolism in the city of Ladakh, this is where a Lama friend of mine studied for years!
http://www.myspace.com/druponsangye
After studying about Mug Ruith (slave of the wheel), the famous blind Druid of Munster, and seeming antagonist to the early Christian Church, I’ve noted his association with supposedly the killing of John the Baptist (who was beheaded). Have always wondered if this “slave of wheel” (chakra also has meaning of wheel, so does dharma) in Gaelic tradition might have known some kind of tantric equivalents of Buddhism/Hinduism. The “headless” theme is within the tantric goddesses the ten Mahavidyas, primarily in the figure of Chinnamasta. Some of the Mahavidyas are also associated with Magic.
Curiously Mug Ruith (blind druid of munster) is also associated with Simon Magus, and Simon Magus was revered amongst the Templars or Cathars, I forget. Secret tantras?
March 21st, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Oh Pedro,
One more comment. Of course most NorthWestern European Males are Haplogroup R1b, including Irish, Scots, Welsh, Brythonnic, and Spaniards. During ice age they all huddled down in spain south of Pyrenees. So at least by male lineages we all Hispanic dude.
The one thing fascinating about Antonia’s grandpa is he is Haplogroup J2, which “may” mean either Phoenician tin trader from way back, or possibly Border Reiver ancestry which means his male ancestor was posted on Hadrian’s wall, or along the Welsh march. After initial research have concluded that most likely he was from Thracian auxiliary.
What is interesting about this is the bagpipe was introduced to the British Isles no earlier than Roman occupation. Of course there were Spanish Auxiliaries as well in Britain, but what is curious is the Bulgarian / Thracian word for bagpipe is
GAIDA (related to greek gedos, goat skin)
And the Northwest Spanish word for bagpipe is
GAITA (similarly related to goat)
So it could be that Antonia’s grandfather is descended from the very fellow who helped bring the bagpipe to Scotland.
BULGARIAN (THRACIAN) GAITA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlqcEYa6yiU
ASTURIAN (NORTHWEST SPAIN) BAGPIPER, JOSE ANGEL HEVIA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qxF5OjCsvg
JOSE ANGEL HEVIA (TANZILA, filmed in Jordan)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfHerG8s29k
Though also Syrians may have had bagpipes, and many of them are Haplogroup J2 as well, incidentally the first Christian (unorthodox) Missionaries to make it to Britain were likely Syrian.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 am
Thank you, Bill! The three hares is fascinating!
Little wonder why the hare was chosen as a symbol
for fertility.
Gosh, I suspect you now know more about my grandfather’s
lineage than I do! Bagpipes, you say?
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
These are all very interesting data, very important information. Thank you
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
By the way, the other day I was watching Terry Jones’ “Barbarians”, and it’s a big eye opener regarding the distorted way Romans portrayed the Celts, how little we still know about them, and how Celts are completely different than what traditional history has been portraying them. In many ways, the Celts have been portrayed as savages with rudimentary technology. Today we know they were far more advanced, and that the Romans were the real “Barbarians” of the story, making up these stories about genocides committed by them in order to have gold and dominate other natural resources.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Thank you, Pedro! I’ll have to check that out.
Sounds interesting!
March 25th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
As Pedro said…
“By the way, the other day I was watching Terry Jones’ “Barbarians”, and it’s a big eye opener regarding the distorted way Romans portrayed the Celts, how little we still know about them, and how Celts are completely different than what traditional history has been portraying them. In many ways, the Celts have been portrayed as savages with rudimentary technology. Today we know they were far more advanced, and that the Romans were the real “Barbarians” of the story, making up these stories about genocides committed by them in order to have gold and dominate other natural resources.”
Pedro,
No true, but most early Eurocentric history and even anthropology did not fairly treat any culture fairly, look at dismissal of Egyptian Hieroglyphics and deity dismissed as “superstition of death”.
While most Celts were advanced culturally, there was not nearly the same technological sophistication and classical organizational ability as the Romans (although the hundreds of thousands of warriors gathered by Vercingetorix at Alesia was impressive). And the fact is though the Celtic charioteers were likely as skilled and nimble as today’s skateboarder x-gamers, honestly they only had ponies and a vast majority of North British and Irish Gaelic celts only had spears & javelins and no swords.
From…
http://vindolanda.csad.ox.ac.uk/tablets/
see TABLET 164
nenu…[.]n. Brittones
n 2 nimium multi · equites
n 3 gladis · non utuntur equi-
n 4 tes · nec residunt
n n 5 Brittunculi · ut · iaculos
n 6 mittant
TRANSLATED IS….
“… the Britons are unprotected by armour (?). There are very many cavalry. The cavalry do not use swords nor do the wretched Britons mount in order to throw javelins.”
But you can also see the pattern of arrogance and colonial mentality of Romans, eventually became same arrogance of White Europeans from 1400’s onwards.
Another way Romans were able to colonize Gaul and Britain was that actually the Druids, though holding together pan-Celtic traditions and all meeting someplace every 12 years (like Kumbh Mela, India), they kept their traditions secret from lower class peasants and not written down. Although one can say that some of the bardic colleges survived, (via the Irish and even Irish Catholicism, forming basis of today’s university system), all the Romans had to do was break up the druid centers, and buy loyalty of regional kings, and voila, colonialism.
Taking Iraq as an example, the Roman strategy would be to eliminate Saddam & sons, and maybe 5 generals at the top, leaving structure intact and put their own folks at the top, like what CIA did with central & south america from 50’s to 70’s.
So called “classical civilization”, glad were inching beyond the narrow views!
March 25th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Oh, but yes, in all areas with metals, Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Cumbria there was more sophistication, and in Caesar’s Conquest of Gaul, he was most frightened of the Belgics (a celtic people with some germanic influence) as they were extremely sophisticated with their water systems & towns, and even then were huge 6′4″ as they ate alot of cheese.
But yah, check out the E-Keltoi links on Spain. If you look at the mines of SW Spain and realize that the Roman Empire really only took off after taking these mines from Phoenicians, you can see the “pillars of hercules” was essentially the finance center of trade and empire in the mediterranean. And this area retained much of the mediterranean goddess/mystery traditions.
Bows.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:44 am
[...] we are tilted away from the Sun, and thus have cooler months. On the vernal eqinox, also known as Ostara, the Earth tilts towards the Sun, bringing warmer days and new growth. While the word [...]
March 19th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
[...] It’s remarkable to me that so many cultures around the World over the ages have celebrated this auspicious time. The Egyptian Sphinx faces the March equinox, allowing the Sun’s rays to hit it just so, marking this special time of year. It marks the first day of various calendars, including the Iranian and Bahá’í calendars. It’s a holiday in Azerbaijan, India, Afghanistan, and other countries in the Middle East and central Asia. The Jewish Passover usually falls on the first full Moon after the vernal equinox in the Northern Helisphere. The Christian church calculates Easter as the first Sunday after the full Moon on or after the March equinox. This equinox is also known as Ostara. [...]