#eostra

[the-luvwitch]

[limoncats]

CoAD doodles i drew at school yesterday + Wadanohara!

image 1: Renn image 2: Torak at the start of Outcast 💔💔 image 3: kidostra image 4: pouty Seshru lmao image 5: Wadda!!!!!! <333

[medicinamountainmama]

A BLESSED EOSTRA TO ALL!!! Happy Astrological New Year & Spring Equinox!!! May this day we lovingly seed magnificent & wondrous magic in ourselves and radiate it to ALL!!!

[ihearhercalling]

New Ostara/Eostre theme for the upcoming spring equinox. I try to change my Tumblr theme to fit the WoTY period as soon as the energy shifts into that period, and the first of March definitely felt like the first day of spring, so I've been busy and am a week late, but oh well lol

Anyway I hate how everyone is a pedantic dick about Ostara/Eostre as a goddess because 'Oh well Bede may have made it up!!!' there are a bunch of dawn goddesses with names cognate to Eos/Aurora as descendants of the proto-Indo European *Hewsos all over Europe. And the parallels between Spring and Dawn are obvious. It's really not preposterous to assume she was a goddess who was worshipped at the time of Bede, but even if she wasn't, it doesn't discount her nature as a modern European spring goddess today, who has been referenced and beloved for over a century. Beliefs don't have to be ancient to be valid, especially if thousands of people are all experiencing the same deity.

[swirley1618]

[sapphirelotus]

a guide to the witch’s sabbats

This honestly took a lot longer than I thought but here’s my post on each of the Sabbats

POSTER’S NOTE: I will be posting the dates for each Sabbat when they are celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere

•Imbolc

Northern Hemisphere: February 1-2

Southern Hemisphere: August 1-2

Midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox

Fire Festival • Quickening

Animals: bears, ewes, goats, groundhogs, sheep, snakes, wolves

Beverages: beer, milk, spiced wine

Colors: blue, green, red, white, lavender

Gods: Aengus Mac Og, Eros, Faunus, Februus, Freyr, Innus, Lupercus, Pan

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, Brigid/St. Brigid, Diana, Gaia, Persephone, Selene, Venus

Foods: butter, cheese, garlic, grains, leeks, onions, peppers, shallots, yogurt

Gemstones: amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby

Incense: basil, cinnamon, frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, vanilla

Plants: acorns, crocus, grape hyacinth, primrose, snowdrops

Symbols: besom, Brigid’s Cross, candles, seeds, Shepherd’s Crook, sun wheel

Magickal Energies: agriculture, beginning, birth, cleansing, courtship, divination, fertility, growth, life, love, protection, purity, rebirth, return of the sun, spring

•Ostara

Northern Hemisphere: held between March 19-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between September 21-23)

Spring Equinox

Solar Festival • Growth

Animals: bears, bees, butterflies, birds, goats, rams, rabbits/hares

Beverages: milk, cream

Colors: gold, green, lavender, light blue, pink, white, yellow

Gods: Adonis, Attis, Dagda, Holly King,Oak King, Jesus, Odin, Osiris

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Cybele, Demeter, Eostra, Hera, Ishtar, Persephone

Foods: chard, dairy, eggs, honey, lemon balm, lettuce, marjoram, nuts, seeds, spinach, thyme

Gemstones: agate, amethyst, red jasper, lapis lazuli, moonstone, clear quartz, rose quartz

Incense: cinnamon, dragon’s blood, frankincense, jasmine, myrrh, orange peel, rose, strawberry, violet

Plants: daffodil, daisy, dandelion, honeysuckle, hyacinth, jasmine, lily, primrose, tulip, violet

Symbols: basket, cauldron, eggs, feathers, seedlings

Magickal Energies: balance, beauty, beginnings, birth, cleansing, duality, fertility, life, nurturing, rebirth, renewal, sex

•Beltane

Northern Hemisphere: May 1

Southern Hemisphere: October 31

Beginning of summer

Fire Festival • Rebirth

Animals: bees, bulls, cats, cattle, goats, rabbits, sheep, snakes

Beverages: milk, water, wine

Colors: green, light blue, orange, pink, purple, red, yellow, white

Gods: Apollo, Bacchus, Cernunnos, Cupid, Dionysus, Eros, Frey

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Bast, Brigid, Diana, Flora, Freya, Rhiannon, Venus

Foods: butter, dairy, oat/barley cakes, fresh fruit, herbs

Gemstones: amber, carnelian, emerald, garnet, malachite, rose quartz, pink tourmaline

Incense: vanilla, jasmine, lilac, rose, peach

Plants: daisy, honeysuckle, ivy, mint, primrose, rose, violet

Symbols: bells, bonfire, candles, cauldron, chalice, faeries, flowers, may basket, may doll, may pole, may queen, sun, wool, yggdrasil

Magickal Energies: bounty, commitment, community, divination, divine marriage, fertility, fire, fruition, good fortune, growth, handfasting, happiness, healing, health, joy, life, light, love, lust, mating, maturity, prosperity, protection, sex, summer, sun, vows, warmth

•Litha

Northern Hemisphere: held between June 20-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between December 20-22)

Summer Solstice

Solar Festival • Fire Festival • Culmination

Animals: bees, birds, cattle, donkeys, horses

Beverages: fruit juice, herbal teas, mead, milk

Colors: gold, green, orange, red, white, yellow

Gods: Bel/Belenus, Lugh, St. John the Baptist, Holly King, Oak King, Apollo, Dagda, Helios, Ra, Ares, Mars, Zeus

Goddesses: Artemis, Isis, Vesta, Diana, Freya, Aphrodite, Venus, Inanna, Epona

Foods: barbecue chicken, barbecue pork, cheese, cinnamon, eggs, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, ginger, honey, lemon, lime, mint, nuts, oranges, turmeric, yogurt

Gemstones: amethyst, emerald, jade, lapis lazuli, malachite, gold topaz

Incense: jasmine, lemon, lotus, rose, sandalwood

Plants: basil, chamomile, daisy, dogwood, lavender, mint, mistletoe, oak, rose, saffron, sage, sunflower, thyme, verbena, vervain

Symbols: bonfire, candle, circle, dagger, feathers, oak leaf, sun dial, sun wreath, sword, wreath

Magickal Energies: abundance, blessing, blooming, divination, faery work, feasting, fertility, fire, fulfillment, good health, growing, life, light, love, luck, marriage, maturity, passion, pregnancy, prosperity, protection, repelling evil spirits, success, summer, transformation, unions

•Lughnasadh

Northern Hemisphere: August 1

Southern Hemisphere: February 1 

Midpoint between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox

Fire Festival • Harvest Festival • Decline

Animals: calf, phoenix

Beverages: beer, cider, herbal tea

Colors: gold, green, red, orange, yellow

Gods: Adonis, Hermes, Jesus, Lugh, Mercury, Osiris, Vulcan

Goddesses: Ceres, Corn Grandmother, Demeter, Isis, Persephone, Rhiannon

Foods: apples, breads, fish, fruit, grains, honeycomb toffee

Gemstones: amber, aventurine, carnelian, citrine, obsidian, peridot, gold topaz

Incense: chamomile, rosemary, sandalwood

Plants: apples, barley, corn, garlic, marigold, myrtle, onion, sunflower

Symbols: candles, corn dolly, scythe, wheat sheaves

Magickal Energies: agriculture, competition, cultivation, fertility, gardening, growth, harvest, hope, preparation, rebirth, reflection, resurrection, transitions

•Mabon

Northern Hemisphere: held between September 20-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between March 20-22)

Autumn Equinox

Solar Festival • Harvest Festival • Harvest

Animals: goose, swan

Beverages: beer, cider, mead, wine

Colors: blue, brown, gold, green, orange, red, yellow

Gods: Adonis, Arwan, Bacchus, Cernunnos, Dagda, Dionysus, Freyr, Hades, Odin, Osiris, Pluto, Saturn

Goddesses: Ceres, Demeter, Freyja, Gaia, Isis, Persephone, Proserpina, Terra

Foods: apples, corn, grain, nuts, pears, pomegranates, pumpkin, sweet potatoes

Gemstones: amber, citrine, sapphire, tiger’s eye, gold topaz

Incense: frankincense, myrrh, pine, sage

Plants: acorns, apples, corn, grain, grapes, gourds, nuts, pinecones, pomegranates, pumpkins, wheat

Symbols: cornucopia, double spiral, scales, scythe, sun wheel

Magickal Energies: acknowledge hard work, agriculture, balance, bounty, completion, crone, harvest, reflection

•Samhain

Northern Hemisphere: October 31

Southern Hemisphere: May 1

Midpoint between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice

Harvest Festival • Death

Animals: bats, cats, spiders, owls

Beverages: cider, mead, mulled wine

Colors: black, green, gray, orange, purple, white

Gods: Anubis, Cernunnos, Odin, Osiris, Mercury

Goddesses: Baba Yaga, Hecate, Demeter, Pomona, Hel, Ishtar, Isis, Lilith, Morrigan, Persephone, Rihannon

Foods: allspice, apples, cinnamon, corn, gourds, meats, pumpkins, root vegetables, rosemary, sage, turnips

Gemstones: apache tears, carnelian, smokey quartz, onyx, obsidian

Incense: copal, rosemary, sandalwood, sweetgrass

Plants: calendula, gourds, grains, mugwort, oak leaf, pumpkins, rue, wormwood

Symbols: ancestor photos, bat, black cat, broomstick, cauldron, coffin, crossroads, faeries, ghosts, ghoul, jack-o-lantern, mirror, pumpkin, skeleton, mirror, skull

Magickal Energies: ancestors, astral travel, changes, chaos, courage, crossroads, darkness, death, divination, harvest, honoring the deceased, life changes, memorials, mortality, scrying, séance, shadows, souls, spirit contact, transformation, transitions

•Yule

Northern Hemisphere: held between December 20-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between June 20-22)

Winter Solstice • Longest Night

Solar Festival • Rebirth

Animals: goats, pigs

Beverages: mead, mulled cider, mulled wine, wassail

Colors: green, gold, white, red, silver

Gods: Bacchus, Dionysus, Holly King, Oak King, Jesus, Mithras, Odin, Ra, Saturn, Thor, Sol, Apollo, Baldur, Cronus

Goddesses: Ceres, Frigga, La Befana, Ishtar, Skadi, Lachesis, Brigid

Foods: cookies, fruits, pork

Gemstones: bloodstone, orange calcite, citrine, diamond, garnet, ruby

Incense: bayberry, cedar, cinnamon, clove, frankincense, myrrh, pine, sandalwood, spruce

Plants: balsam, evergreens, fir, holly, ivy, mistletoe, oak, pine, pine cones, poinsettias*

Symbols: bonfires, candles, caroling, coal, evergreens, fire, garlands, gifts, lights, mistletoe, ornaments, poinsettias*, reindeer, sleigh, stars, stockings, Sun Wheel, trees, wreaths, Yule Log

Magickal Energies: beginnings, birth, daylight, death, divination, feasting, fertility, good health, good luck, growth, life, life cycle, light, luck, miracles, rebirth, resurrection, return, sacrifice

*The name “poinsettia” is the colonized name of the plant cuetlaxochitl, a plant native to Mexico that has roots in Aztec culture. It was introduced to the United States in the 1820s by Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was a U.S. ambassador to Mexico at the time.

[loveartformyself]

Flexi-Shield (Eostra), 2019

Amy Brener (b. 1982, Victoria, Canada)

[theelkmaiden]

Interesting comment I found on a video about the origins of Easter and the goddess Eostra.

Melissa Marsh

"Fun fact: it’s not nearly this simple. The celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is based on the date of Passover because that is a calendar-based Jewish holy day from thousands of years before Jesus and the time when the crucifixion supposedly happened.

So, you know, not based on a pagan spring deity.

When it began to become more widespread in Rome, it was never called Easter. It was derived from the word Pascha which came from “Passover”. In fact, many countries today still call it something that derives from Pascha. It is called Pâques in French, for example.

Where did this Eostra thing come from, then?

Welp, the Venerable Bede wrote that he thought there was a pagan goddess named Eostra that was tied to the Easter celebrations of that time (800AD if I’m not mistake ) but there is literally no other text extant that mentions this goddess. And no other proof.

In fact, it is much more likely that the specific word “Easter” which comes way way waaaaay after the Resurrection (Pascha) was celebrated in the first centuries after Christ, more likely is derived from the Old Germanic word “eostarun” which simply means “dawn.” Not the goddess of dawn. Just, you know, the word for the sun coming up. Which is why Easter is “Ostern” in German. Why did they call it this? A lost in translation snafu between Latin and Old High Germanic.

Were there spring deities and rituals being celebrated by many cultures at the same time? Obviously. Were people of newly Christianized countries highly encouraged (and often forced) to celebrate Easter/Pascha rather than other pagan spring deities or rituals? Absolutely! Religion has always been used as a convenient way to manipulate the masses and wield power.

Is there a much stronger argument to be made that Christmas was established to forcibly supplant local winter pagan celebrations? Also yes. There’s no actual confirmed date for Christ’s birth like there is for his death, since his death is tied to Jewish Passover. So it was a convenient way to get people celebrating how you wanted them to by swapping one holiday with another. Et voilà! Jesus was apparently born in December!

But the whole goddess Eostra thing is a fun, attractive load of conjecture with little more than vague references behind it.

Celebrate pagan spring rituals, or the Christian version of Easter, or just have fun with the Easter bunny and eggs. Or do a mix! We should all enjoy the day as we see fit. Just wanted to clarify the actual history of the holiday and the terminology, in case anyone wanted to know. 😉

Sincerely, someone with two master’s degrees focused

in Anglo-Saxon and Celtic literature, language, and history.

Because I kind of love this stuff."

[clearblazedaze]

Von Ostara zu Ostern

April 2025

Meistens blüht um den 21. März (Tagundnachtgleiche), wenn die Tag- und die Nachtstunden gleich lang sind, die Schlehe, auch Schwarzdorn genannt. Das sperrige, schwarze, dornige Gehölz, das bei den Kelten der Winter- und Totengöttin geweiht war, bricht, noch vor den grünen Blättern, in einer weißen Blütenpracht aus: Die Göttin legt sich ein weißes Gewand an, hieße es dann.

Für die Mitteleuropäer (auch für die Römer) fing jetzt das Bauernjahr an: »Im Märzen der Bauer die Rösslein anspannt ...«. Zuerst aber, ehe gepflügt wurde, weihte man die Äcker und Wiesen, noch vor Sonnenaufgang, mit Flurumgängen, Umzügen und Umritten. Der Huftritt eines Pferdes, so glaubte man, gibt der Scholle Fruchtbarkeit – so wie ein an die Tür genageltes Hufeisen dem Haus Glück bringt. Kinder, Jungfrauen und auch dasVieh begleiteten die Umrundung der Felder; dabei machten sie viel Lärm, sangen Lieder und trugen grüne Zweige, Blumen und Radkreuze.

Der Palmwedel, der den Einzug Jesu in Jerusalem darstellen soll, ist eigentlich die Weiterführung dieses alten, bis in die Megalithzeit zurückreichen- den Brauchs. Im Allgäu trägt man den auf einem Haselstab gesteckten Palmboschen. Dieser besteht aus einem Radkreuz, geschmückt mit Weidenkätzchen, Fichte, Weißtanne, Wacholder, Eibe und anderem Grünzeug. Die vier Speichen des Rads bestehen aus geschälten Holunderzweigen.

Die Dorfbewohner haben zwar längst die ursprüngliche Bedeutung vergessen, aber das einst der Frau Holle geweihte Holunderholz wurde geschält, »damit sich keine Hexe, also unholdes Astralwesen, zwischen Rinde und Holz verstecken kann.« Der Haselstab vermittelt die Kraft der Anderswelt. Im Ganzen sind es neun (!) Pflanzen, die für den Palmwedel verwendet werden.

Tacitus, der römische Germanenforscher, beschreibt den Umzug der germanischen Erdgöttin Nerthus (auch Herda oder Erda) in einem von Kühen gezogenen Wagen-Schiff. Auch Freya und Freyr, die friedlichen,Freude und Fruchtbarkeit spendenden Wanengötter, dargestellt von einer jungen Priesterin und ihrem Begleiter, hielten Umzug von Hof zu Hof. Wenn die junge Priesterin während dieser Zeit schwanger wurde, galt das als ein gutes Omen.

Unser Osterfest, benannt nach Ostara (auch Eostra oder Austra), der Göttin des neuen Lichts, der Morgenröte und der Frühlingssonne, wurde umgedeutet zum Auferstehungsfest des Heilands, des »Lichts der Welt«. Trotzdem hielt man an vielen heidnischen Elementen fest, wie etwa dem Osterei. Zwar sagt man, das Ei erhielte seine Bedeutung, weil das Essen von Eiern während der Fastenzeit verboten, nun aber wieder erlaubt war. Aber der Eierkult reicht viel weiter zurück.

Das Ei ist Sinnbild der Erneuerung. In der vedischen Mythologie legt der Schöpfergott Brahma in Gestalt eines Ganters ein goldenes Ei, aus dem das Universum schlüpft. Schon in vorchristlichen Zeiten färbten und verzierten die Germanen und Slawen Eier. Eierspiele, wie das Eierschlagen (Antupfen,Tätschen, Picken), Eierläufe, Eierrollen oder Eierverstecken sind ebenso alt.

Warum in unseren Breiten gerade der Osterhase die Eier legt, haben Volkskundler noch nicht geklärt.

Ich wünsche euch gesegnete Ostern und ein lichtvolles Frühlingsfest,

Euer Wolf-Dieter Storl

[cielospeaks]

2024 summary of stuff ive made (ficwise and etc)!

rewrites/retouches:

not really conventional rewrites because they literally had nothing completed and were basically just story concepts, mostly fully fleshed out, in my head. uh.. from like 10 years ago abouts.

-traveling ben: i still want to do something absolutely epic with it, like a vn style thing or whatnot. but that takes a lot of coding which i dont have lol. anyways it was really nostalgic, as tb is one of the first things i got really into writing/making as a story. focusing more on tb1, i also really love that it was my first real brush with time travel and making an absurd but also fanservice-for-me story. which is always good. i think its fun to make it make thematic sense in retrospect, and i feel like the themes (that being family + one-sided but unconditional love) really fit it and are good in general.

-plateaubottom: still wip. it just sorta yknow... swooce. swooced in there. its very cliche young adult fiction-style fic and universe, but i think it can be fun too. the thing is, however, theres a lot of concrete pb stuff and until i can find and salvage what essentials i can, i dont wanna write something that either contradicts or veers really off course canon. i feel like the writer of an anime thats caught up with its canon manga. its filler time.

-winner adventures: back on it with gelert family! luckily sosh is so solidified tbh, its a pretty understandable plot. i still havent completely finished it but hey, 90 percent done is pretty ok. adgcc is so good too but i think the logistics of it (and any other christmas carol thing) are a bit tricky lol.

new stories!

-book 8: honestly i think its more coherent than b7 lol. however i still havent finished it. goal is before the 7th now ig??? i think theres a lot all at the end, thats why (partly at least). eostra and eadgyth are fun characters, if a bit incidental. but idk they cant help that lol. the plot is ok, not any big character breakthrough moments (for the main cast at least) but the supporting cast have some nice parts, and lutdel sibling bonding is always you love to see it.

-golden week record: the pre-golden week story, very chaotic very crossover. it was fun to make a return for jojo marie, clonethoven, and katerina, and it was a bit of a tribute to dor aemon movie which lives rent free in my head!

-witches of the golden night: fun story, but ig bc golden week canon events have diverted from the trend of torturing my faves ive been less fired up to do spinoffs of them. however its nice to see magic girls becoming friends and saving jeekins together.

and various lore stuff too!

-golden ration backstory: a fun addition/continuation. its your fault for me getting back into continuing plateaubottom ration! (actually no its losh. obviously). anyways its a cute story, ration is actually really wholesome, and pb academy is fun! a taste of the level of crossover to come!

-moyashi backstory: i love the added backstory with professor sequoia, its both wholesome and like. shameless fanservice for me. the tie in to dog guides one of all things is so fun tho! and like. explains a good part of dog guides 1's bizarre plot. but i dont think it feels too forced either also, so thats really nice.

-dog guide extended lore: i guess phoenix, lhdg, and technically jack and maybe pizza are all new this year? dog guides should come back, theyre fun. dog guides are also fun because canonically they have no lore set.

-tsubastien next part?: still wip i guess? but it would be cool if it ends up being canon! i love tsubastien, its so weird, but i think it could also be really fun.

anyways heres hoping for stories w good vibes and productivity in creating stuff this next year!

[thepete77]

Its been a two and a half decade process of study and practice for me to develop the spiritual views that I have. There were some definite negative times and slow times and significant emotional alignment and adjustment to even the basics of witchcraft that started with very much excitement to be able to buy a lot of cool stuff from the local occult shop in town, that I was not even half way aware of the application of the stuff I was getting. Dried herbs, oil burners, statuary and decor, and books on a regular basis, tea light and other candles, and other items that were mainly just entertaining to get. Contemplating on the significance of every symbolic meaning later and my application of my own path, has really ingrained some points that I am easily able to refute Christian nonsense with all around.

First, the universe works in a way that is not in the Christian way it works. The early Jews were antagonistic as slaves in the societies and culture of the Egyptions and Babylonians, and during the initial writings of their documents they stole pagan concepts of spiritual practices and integrated them. This can be seen in major ways of the inquisitions and crusades era and before, when the church built cathedrals replacing the central and publically known temple areas of early people of Gaul and the British Isles. It can be seen about the identification of the fictional story of the Nazarene with the winter solstice, and the seasonal adaptation of spring and the Germanic deity Eostra for developing their non existent resurrection to replace the earlier held beliefs of Reincarnation. It as well can be seen in their theft of the African symbolical meaning of the serpent, and the application of the different names of their so called singular God in use of Canaanite deities like El Elyon and Adonis, into Elohim and Adonai, and their direct theft of the Roman Italian deity Lucifer as their adversary.

Offerings were a major practice of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians who gave food, beverages, items of worth, and burned incense and candles and poured drink offerings to invoke favor and blessings from them. The Hebrews separated themselves, supposedly, from these practices, and went through long eras of spiritual confusion and doubt about their own god, trying to establish their nation of Zion, Israel, in lieu of their appearing theocratic warrior priest king to rule a refurbished earth with his non-existent spiritual authority. Until Christianity was established as the Roman authorized religion, Christians stuck with the unintelligent lower orders of non-aristocracy in small private groups, knowing exactly the non-favorable and displeasing responses they would receive.

Studies of the ancient Greek practices revealed a strong legal structure of politics and citizenship and enforcement of punishment upon criminals. A major method of punishment was a large hollowed iron oxen, that criminals would be placed in to experience the heated iron from sunlight and possibly even flames. The complaining, whining, and bickering Christians more than likely took this activity and slandered this ancient law enforcement custom, writing that they sacrificed children to the flames of Moloch.

Thus the first passages of traditional commandments to the slave nation was “thou shalt have no other gods before me.” with their theft of Babylonian legends of their priests upon the mountain of Sin, turning it to the mountain of Sinai. The original mountain of Sin was attributed to the Babylonian moon god by the same name, affiliated heavily with the Babylonian moon goddess Innanna.

This is important material to know aforehand, not only because of the Christian use of the word sin and the way that they inaccurately think, but also to understand and crystallize the principles and concepts of polytheism and the mindset of traditional pagan worship of the gods. God, Gods, and Goddesses, are title nouns. They are not the pronouns declared by the gods as how they refer to themselves. Starting in the Christian faith with a standard modern world view, one can see the preaching and declarations about the word God like God is the actual word their deity goes by, treating their so called creator and ruler of the universe commonly, like they just have to pray using their words to have a conversation about even the most trite and basic topics of interests. The consecutive manner of this focus can lead to grandeur failures of recognition of reality, thinking they can walk on water and raise the dead and cast out demons, speak in tongues, prophecy, and heal the sick and other miraculous events, and fall flat on their faces looking entirely foolish.

One should be cautious of this potential failure even in witchcraft, that there are legends of very severe reputation of blighting crops, causing tempests, destroying livestock, and other activities that have very significant different meanings and beginnings. One can fade out from interests in magical practice with a standard sane mindset having severe doubts about being able to summon and evoke demons, even doubting their very basic existence. A general rule of thumb that I've read, is that sorcerers/witches should strive practically according to mundane efforts at all costs and use magic only as a last resort when things aren't working. This basic premise makes very much sense to me on many accounts, and is a very wise way to begin in choosing the discipline of witchcraft.

One should not feel disheartened however, about the existence of spiritual entities and deities, thinking all is fraudulent and their is no hope at all. Or try and misuse science of different types trying to debate about foregone conclusions in ignorance and false authority. During my spiritual practices as a Christian, having former views from the Mormon church, I valued the Bible as being at least more authentic from actual ancient manuscripts that still exist in museums to this day, rather than the obviously non-existent and suspiciously disappearing plates of brass, and the so called required faith it takes to have the spiritual wisdom from them and the little blue book. The history of printing having central texts like the Guetenberg Bible, and the idea of the king James Bible being published initially in 1611, at least has a length of more intellectual history. Still, the original writings of the initial documents and history of the slave nation is corrupt even in that context. Within standard rational thinking of the content, thinking of the related ancient cultures involved and the bits and pieces of names and principles listed, the Bible can be used to put things together in combinations. Knowing titles like Asherah, Baal, Amun, Belial, and Leviathan, and the practices of burnt offerings and libations, invocations, and following Greek roots of words like Sheol, Word, and practices like meditation and ascension, can prove to be beneficial.

Getting adjusted to the modern occult practices of witchcraft when coming from a judeo Christian background of any sort takes patience, courage, honor, and rationale. When you have the right attitude about even basic items like offering candles and spell kits, they can be most powerful and intriguing in the way they impact a persons life. Just be sure to keep your records about your activity, even in basic mundane non spiritual terms for review, you'll be surprised of what can happen even in a year.

[mr-holzark-and-co]

Eostra

an Easter themed character I made

[limoncats]

Why does Eostra lowkey remind me of Elluka clockworker

HELP ???????? OH MY GOD???????

[medicinamountainmama]

I saw this on my tea tag this morning, then immediately after I see the same quote in this picture.

[wandering-wizardry]

Time for the Annual Eostra post

"Easter is a stolen pagan holiday" No it's not. It's a split off from the Jewish holiday Passover that has had 2000 years of drift and official state doctrine piled on top of it. It is now a completely unique holiday all it's own, and only has the barest trappings of it's roots such as the date.

"The eggs are pagan!" Eggs are associated with spring and rebirth because chicks hatch in the spring. This is a thing that happens literally everywhere.

"The rabbit is associated with Eostra!" We have 2 attestations for Eostra's existence, Bede's account and the name of a month on the Saxon calendar, neither of these mention any animals. The association with rabbits was made by one of the Grimm brothers in the 19th century.

"Bede hated pagans we can't trust him!" Boy do I have some bad news for your about the entire discipline of history.

"Eostra was a major Germanic goddess!" Then why do we have 0 archeological evidence for her? Charms? Pendants? Poems? Folktales? Carvings on a rock? I no longer think Bede made her up, I do believe she was a goddess that was worshiped. I believe she was a small local or obscure dawn goddess that got a month named after her on the Saxon calendar. Honestly I think she'd make a lovely goddess of things forgotten in a revival practice, but I highly doubt she was a major goddess.

"But what about [insert practice here that may be pagan]?" No culture lives in a vacuum and each barrows and molds with it's neighbors naturally. This does not automatically make something stolen.

"But what about [cites something written from 1880-1950 in Europe]?" are you 100% sure you want to cite that source? I want you to be really really sure you are alright with the person who wrote that, because there is a pretty good chance they were a fucking monster.

[thecatsandthecrone]

The Wheel of the Year: Ostara

Photo by Anna Bratiychuk on Unsplash   ☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

In Wicca as in witchcraft, festivals and festivities are held in high regard as important occassions to reflect on ourselves, on the universe and on goals at large. They are also a moment to take a pause and partake in nature, celebrate and spend time with loved ones (or with yourself, if you are a solitary witch), or to communicate and honour your deities. Every witch festivity celebrates a season or the middle point between two of them, and that is how we have a festival roughly every month and a half.

After the new year, the first one we encounter is Imbolc, while the second in Ostara. Ostara is celebrated often from the 20th to the 22th of March (or 20th to 22th September in the Southern hemisphere) and it celebrates the Spring Equinox. As Ostara celebrates the beginning of spring, it carries with it meanings of renewal, of new beginnings, birth, and new life and hope rekindled.

In origin, this festivity celebrated the goddess Eostre, an ancient goddess of dawn, spring and fertility. Her name, and the images we associate with her, gave us much of the folklore surrounding Ostara and the festivities that derived from it (Easter bunny and Easter eggs, anyone?).

Eostre and Ostara both have associations to new beginnings, renewals and fresh starts. Likewise, they also are associated with births, new life, fertility and change. Ostara is a good moment to reflect on the past and prepare ourselves for the future, to set new goals and to start over. It is also an occassion to overview the past, come to terms with it and be at peace with change. This is the season to plant your seeds to have a bountiful harvest in summer, and the moment where animals are born. The Earth is coming alive again.

This festival is often associated with the maiden aspect of the triple moon, and with youthful deities. It is a good moment to honour Persephone or Cybelles, Freya, Osiris, Ceres... but also those associated with beauty such as Venus or Aphrodite.

As you can probably guess there are plenty of traditions associated with Easter, a lot of them fairly well known after being popularized by christianity: some meditate, reflect or pray to their deities, while some fast (or refrain from eating meat) and others feast (particularly on foods related to fertility, such as milk, eggs...)

If you'd like to celebrate Ostara, here are some good traditions to do so:

-Fast: Fasting can be a good way to keep in touch with yourself, and truly reflect on how scarce food can be to some. Fasting or refraining from eating certain types of food can be a show of devotion to deities, but also a great way to appreciate the sacrifices made for the food you eat and to truly become grateful for food and for the way it nourishes your body.

-Feast: Just like with any other witchy festivity Easter is a lovely time to enjoy food and partake in merrymaking. Eat well, share your meal with your loved one and rejoice in foods associated with fertility, spring and new beginnings: eggs, milk, cheese, meat, anything that includes flowers... Don't forget the chocolate ! -Easter egg hunt: Egg hunts are perhaps one of the most well known activities of Easter/Ostara. They are fun and lovely for both children and adults, and while they are best practiced in a group, you can absolutely enjoy them alone: take a walk in the woods and notice athe offerings that nature might have left for you there: flowers, feathers... Make sure to ask nature before you take anything, and thank it profusely after you do !

-Give it a witchy spin: Not a fan of searching for chocolate eggs? Vegan? That's not a problem. Turn your easter egg hunt into an even witchier affair: hide crystals, bundles of flowers or herbs, incense or cool rocks for your group to find. If you are doing this in a public space make sure to clean up afterwards!

-Spring cleaning: What better time to cleanse and make room for new beginnings than Easter? Clean up your house thoroughly, perhaps with some Ostara herb infused cleanser? Don't forget to protect your house and yourself afterwards!

-Fertility and love rituals: Spring is a time associated with births, so if you are looking for one of your own what better time to pamper yourself and throw yourself and your significant one a little party? The rituals can be as complex as a full blown, hour long complex spell or as simple as taking a rose water infused bath, whatever fits your schedule and needs best.

-Self love rituals: Self love is love all the same, and since Spring is associated with love this sort of ritual is also fitting for this season. Buy yourself some chocolate dipped strawberries and drink some champagne in the bath, oh my!

-Offerings for your deity: Your deities always appreciate proofs of devotion and those related to Spring will be particularly happy to receive some love for Ostara. Some offerings that are particularly fitting for the season might be flowers, decorated eggshells or small feathers.

-Decorate your altar: Deck your altar in the colours of the season, and add some fitting decorations. For Ostara, green, white and any sort of pastel colour will work perfectly. Effigies of baby animals are another excellent decorations and so are flowers, eggshells or eggs, feathers and crystals related to the season.

Colours associated with Ostara: White, green, pastels Crystals associated with Ostara: Amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, moonstone Food associated with Ostara: Egg, dairy, grains, meat I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !