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...is that you get all the leftovers.

My festive First-Day-of-Spring breakfast:

• Steamed asparagus
• Toasted sesame egg bread
• Fresh farmer's cheese with garden chives
• Ostara eggs with hot sauce
• Fresh strawberries

Osterfeuer in Rugen, Wikimedia Commons

While the word Easter has long been used to denote the Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Christ, I see no problem also using it to refer to the pagan holiday celebrating the return of spring. Aside from the secular aspects of contemporary Easter traditions that are less focused on resurrection and salvation and more on fertility – eggs, rabbits, chicks, etc. – the very word Easter is pre-Christian in origin (the original Christian holiday name is the Hebrew Paschal).

The first day of spring is sneaking up fast. Along with the urge to undertake various spring cleaning projects in the homestead, there is also the need for other renewal of a more personal nature. When is the last time you treated yourself to a meditation class, massage, Reiki, or other natural pampering experience? If you are like me and hard-pressed to answer, it is high time you checked yourself in for a treatment. In fact, make a day of it. Inform anyone else who may routinely depend on you that they will simply have to take a number.

When looking to book, it is always a good idea to go by word-of-mouth that you trust for a good experience, particularly when it comes to massage. If you don't already know someone that you trust or who can be referred by someone that you do, at the very least, do some research and read reviews. Once you've got your appointment booked, get a good solid 8-hours of snoozing in the night  before. Likewise, don't indulge in any partying of the hardy kind. You want to truly be able to luxuriate in the experience. If you are about to rid your body of any pent-up toxic energy, you might as well shed as many toxins as possible leading up to it.

On the day of your appointment, don't schedule any other activities. Wake up in a leisurely, unrushed manner. Take the time to do a crossword puzzle or get artsy with an adult coloring book. Enjoy some fair trade coffee or green tea and a light, healthful breakfast, such as fresh mashed avocado on whole grain toast. Garnish with a few red pepper flakes and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If you want to partake in a little yoga or other low-impact workout before heading out, definitely do so. Listen to some pleasantly relaxing tunes, too.

I realize that some of you may be morning people, but for the optimum experience, I would recommend a mid-day appointment, around noon or one. A good one-hour minimum is a sure bet to enjoy the best possible benefits. Some spas even offer private nap rooms to continue relaxing after your treatment. If there is no nap room available, head home and take that lengthy siesta. Later, enjoy a home-cooked meal and a quiet evening at home. Play some mellow records like Joni Mitchell, Pentangle, or Cat Stevens. Watch activity out the window. Read a good book. Write in a journal. At all costs, unplug and let the hustle and bustle pass you right by. After all, you've earned it. When Monday rolls around again, consider your inner spring batteries fully recharged.

REFERENCES

Photo by marin, from freedigitalphotos.net

https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/avocado-toast

For the past 6 months or so, I have been hosting a weekly Goddess Meditation at my healing centre. Using the beautiful and insightful Goddess Oracle by Amy Sophia Marashinsky (gorgeous artwork by Hrana Janto) has quickly become a touchstone in the week for many of us who gather on a Wednesday afternoon to see which Goddess will present Herself to us and listen to what She has to say of where we are or what we may need address at this particular time in our lives. It has been an interesting process to observe which Goddesses appear and to see a pattern emerge. There have been times when we have had a slew of challenging Crone Goddesses and the past couple of weeks seen such a trend. But this is not a surprise. These are challenging times for many of us and, though these Goddesses can be a bit unnerving, they reflect a connection to the inner resolve and inner strength that can help see us through. 

Recently, Baba Yaga (Russian/Slavic) came to join us in the meditation circle. Baba Yaga, who rides in a mortar and lives in a cottage that runs through the forest on chicken legs, is certainly one of those Goddesses to make you sit up and take notice. Perhaps the best known of Her tales is the story of Vasilisa, a Cinderella-type tale.

There’s something about that first whiff of spring in the air that makes one hopeful. Even if you don’t normally consider yourself an optimist, it’s hard not to smile more often or sing to yourself when the sun shines a bit brighter and the birds sound a bit chirpier. This is the optimum time to start either a new project, exercise plan, or go for a new job. Here is a simple but effective ritual to assist in welcoming spring:

Decorate your altar with some fresh bright yellow daffodils. Fill your chalice with a sunny beverage offering such as orange juice or lemonade. Set out some eggs or images of eggs. In fact, get one boiling on the stove. An optimum hard-boiled egg should be brought to a rolling bowl, submerged in a small pot of water. Once the boil is full, turn off the heat but leave on the burner, cover and let sit for 12-15 minutes. Eventually drain out the hot water, rinse the egg in cold h2o, dry and set aside.

If you don’t already own some runic stones, I highly recommend "The Healing Runes," by Ralph H. Blum and Susan Loughan. Any set will do – however this one specifically for healing is apropos for new beginnings and the like. Light some incense and draw five runic stones from the bag and lay them out in a row vertically, going toward you. This is also fun because the stones are shaped like little eggs.

The first stone runic symbol that you draw symbolizes “heart in the past (overview),” and how that can be influencing your current situation. The second will represent the present, and what you will most likely be grappling with right now. The third stone represents “surrender” or an obstacle for you to overcome. And much like a tarot reading, the last rune will be the future, if you continue on this current path.

Decorate your now boiled egg with the symbol of the last rune of your reading. Peel, eat, and meditate on what you have learned. When you are done, toss the remainders of the shell into a planter outside that should bloom when spring gets fully underway.

Photo credits:

Today is the Spring or Vernal Equinox, also known to ancient Anglo-Saxons Pagans as Ostara, from which the word Easter is derived. For many, today marks the beginning of spring. For others, it is its midpoint. Either way however, everyone is in agreement that winter is over and summer not too far off. It is a time of change, renewal, and fertility as the natural world awakens from its cold slumber in the temperate parts of the northern hemisphere.

As always we’ve gathered all of our related posts as well as those we found across the internet that we thought you might enjoy . We hope you have a great time this spring!

I offer what I offer
I give what I give
I share what I share
I am who I am…

When planning a ritual involving children, I always have to remind myself to keep it short and simple! This simple ritual of spring welcome is perfect for family or a small group of friends. It can also be adapted to enjoy alone. This ritual is designed to be done at night around a campfire and to be followed by a drum circle, but can easily be adapted to day time (perhaps with a fresh flower mandala to gather around instead of a fire). It can take place anytime between March 21 and mid-May and still feel seasonally appropriate.