SPRING EQUINOX

Ostara is one of the Sabbats that have some Pagans wondering how to handle it. It is the second Spring Sabbat and it is celebrated with color eggs and rabbits. It about the return of the SUN GOD. Traditionally it was a holiday that had a sunrise ritual as part of it. Some Pagans feel that this is too much like Easter and we shouldn't celebrate it this way. Well let see the eggs and rabbits (or hares) can be traced to the Pagan rituals of this time - what do they have to do with the Christian Easter - in fact why is Easter celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox? The early Christians wanted the celebration of the "Son of God" return to be around the time of the the Sun Gods return, but they didn't want it on the same date, nor did they want it on a full moon. It made it easier to convert early Pagans to this very similar holiday. We should celebrate it very much like Easter in many ways - with all the eggs and bunnies out, this part is easy to come upon. Flowers should be on the alter and this is also a fertility festival - a time for the Great Rite. (The Witches Bible tells of a symbolic way of doing the Great Rite)


DISCUSSION:

Ostara - night is equal to day - the sun is reborn.  Compare Ostara to the Christian holiday.

QUESTIONS:

1. What Christian holiday is a reworking of Ostara.

2. Eggs were originally form what animal.

Read pages 93 - 101 WITCHES BIBLE PART 1