Deities Of The Spring Equinox



Spring is a time of great celebration in many cultures. It's the time of year when the planting begins, people begin to once more enjoy the fresh air, and we can reconnect with the earth again after the long, cold winter. A number of different gods and goddesses from different pantheons are connected with the themes of Spring and Ostara.

Asasa Ya (Ashanti): This earth mother goddess prepares to bring forth new life in the spring, and the Ashanti people honor her at the festival of Durbar, alongside Nyame, the sky god who brings rain to the fields.

Cybele (Roman): This mother goddess of Rome was at the center of a rather bloody Phrygian cult, in which eunuch priests performed mysterious rites in her honor. Her lover was Attis (he was also her grandson, but that's another story), and her jealousy caused him to castrate and kill himself. His blood was the source of the first violets, and divine intervention allowed Attis to be resurrected by Cybele, with some help from Zeus. In some areas, there is still an annual three-day celebration of Attis' rebirth and Cybele's power.

Eostre (western Germanic): Little is known about the worship of this Teutonic spring goddess, but she is mentioned by the Venerable Bede, who said that Eostre's following had died out by the time he compiled his writings in the eighth century. Jacob Grimm referred to her by the High German equivalent, Ostara, in his 1835 manuscript, Deutsche Mythologie. Eostre's name is the root of our present day spring celebration of Ostara.

Flora (Roman): This goddess of spring and flowers had her own festival, Floralia, which was celebrated every year between April 28 to May 3. Romans dressed in bright robes and floral wreaths, and attended theater performances and outdoor shows. Offerings of milk and honey were made to the goddess.

Freya (Norse): This fertility goddess abandons the earth during the cold months, but returns in the spring to restore nature's beauty. She wears a magnificent necklace called Brisingamen, which represents the fire of the sun.

Osiris (Egyptian): This lover of Isis dies and is reborn in a resurrection story. The resurrection theme is popular among spring deities, and is also found in the stories o
f Adonis, Mithras and Attis as well.
Saraswati (Hindu): This Hindu goddess of the arts, wisdom and learning has her own festival each spring in India, called Saraswati Puja. She is honored with prayers and music, and is usually depicted holding lotus blossoms and the sacred Vedas.

You can find this information and more over at http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ostaracustomstraditions/ss/Deities-of-the-Spring-Equinox.htm

Comments

Post a Comment

Remember if You can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Popular posts from this blog

Ears-OLD WIVES TALES, SUPERSTITIONS, OMENS AND FOLKLORE

EARS While the superstition of burning ears dates back years, there is no real indication of where it came from. Many superstitions that still exist today date back to the medieval days and are often rooted in pagan religions or the church. In the case of the burning ears, it is said that if your ears are burning, someone is talking about you. Now if you want to know if they are saying good things or bad things, remember this " Left for love, Right for spite! ". If your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you. If your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you. Pinch your ear, and the person talking of you will bite his own tongue. If the right ear burns, it is a sign that some one is thinking well of you; if the left ear burns, it is a sign that some one is thinking unkindly of you; but if both ears burn, friend and foe are fighting about you. - Pennsylvania. If your ears burn, people are talking well of you; if your ears are cold, the contrary. -...
Read more

Medicinal Pickled Garlic

Image
  I have been making this wonderful Medicinal Pickled Garlic for years Here is the original recipe that I use. I want to share with you. I use this in recipes when I need some healing magick or just on it's own for real strength and healing. It is so good and so good for you. It takes awhile to peel all those garlic but it's well worth it, I separate each garlic into pieces and then I take a large knife and slightly smash each clove. makes it so much easier to peel each clove, I use each and every clove small and large and sperate them into the jar. Any honey will work and I buy Apple cider vinegar by the gallon because we use it for so many things. Medicinal Pickled Garlic  According to Gladstar’s book, “Garlic is the herb of choice in treating colds, flu, sore throats and poor or sluggish digestion… makes a potent internal and external antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial agent effective for treating many types of infection.”   That is some powerful stuff!...
Read more

Medicinal Pickled Garlic

Image
With cold and flu season coming up soon once again I am thinking ahead this year so I am making some medicines to have ready to fight back fast. According to Gladstar’s book, “Garlic is the herb of choice in treating colds, flu, sore throats and poor or sluggish digestion… makes a potent internal and external antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial agent effective for treating many types of infection.” That is some powerful stuff!  There is much more information in the book, it is a wonderful addition to your homesteading or prepping library. Peeled garlic cloves (enough to fill a jar) Raw apple cider vinegar Raw Local Honey Fill a mason jar with garlic cloves; use any size jar you like.  Fill the jar with apple cider vinegar to cover the garlic completely.  Place the jar in a warm place for 3-4 weeks. Medicinal Pickled Garlic ~ After 3-4 weeks, strain off the liquid(this is when you will add the honey).   Set ½ the liquid aside to use as you wis...
Read more