Kate Braun: Vernal Equinox Seasonal Message

Vernal Equinox Seasonal Message
By Kate Braun / The Rag Blog / March 12, 2009

Friday, March 20, 2009 is the Spring/Vernal Equinox. Lady Moon is in her 4th quarter, gently retreating as Lord Sun continues his advance. This festival is also called Ostara, for the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the spring, Eoster. Eoster is very like Freya in her attributes. Friday is Freya’s day, making this year’s celebration even more of a “special event”.

Pink, yellow, green and all pastels are appropriate colors to wear and to use in your altar and table decorations. Use living plants for a centerpiece, not artificial ones. Living plants represent Mother Earth‘s reassurance that life continues its cycle and all is well on the planet. You may incorporate artificial rabbits, animals sacred to Diana, and/or eggs into your centerpiece. A solar cross, one with 4 equal arms, is also appropriate; it represents the totality of the Zodiac as well as the solstices and equinoxes and the balance of all things.

Eggs, whether real or artificial, are an important part of the celebration. They represent the beginning of life. Serve your guests eggs and foods such as custard and quiche that use eggs as the main ingredient. Leafy green vegetables, cheeses, ham, sprouts, and a variety of nuts will also be appropriate. Hard-boiled eggs, whether dyed or not, can be given to each of your guests and the following ritual may be observed: As you crack the shell, say aloud: “Now is winter’s ice cracking”; as you peel the white away, say aloud: “Now is the snow melting”; as the golden yolk of the egg is freed, say aloud: “The Sun is free to grow in strength”. Then each guest gives a bit of the yolk and a bit of the white to the persons sitting on either side and all guests toast each other saying “Welcome Spring” or “Goodbye Winter” or some similar phrase. Eostra was fond of sweets, so ending your meal with a dessert is encouraged. Chocolate is not at all out of place.

Other rituals that can be observed to honor Eoster include: planting a real egg, cooked or raw, in the east corner of your garden (this brings fertility to the garden); making a “God’s Eye” (a solar cross with ribbons or yarn in colors appropriate to this season twined around the cross-arms), which may then be placed on your altar or hung outside; decorating hard-boiled or artificial eggs using stickers, paints, colored pens, dye, paper, cloth, ribbons, whatever you have on hand or strikes your fancy. The decorated eggs may be kept as party favors, or exchanged among your guests. Artificial eggs may be kept and used in next year’s decorations.

Reminders: April 4 & 5, 2009, is the next Metaphysical Fair at the Radisson Hotel, 6000 Middle Fiskville Rd. between Highland Mall and Lincoln Village in Austin. Saturday, April 4, hours are: 10 AM – 6 PM; Sunday, April 5, hours are: 11 AM – 6 PM. There is a $7 entry fee, good for both days If you come to the fair because you read about it here, please stop by the Tarot by Kate table and say “Hi”. If you choose to get a Tarot reading from me at this fair, mention this Seasonal Message and get 5 additional minutes free.

Wednesdays April 8, 15, & 22, 2009, I will be teaching a Beginning Tarot class at UT Austin as part of the Informal Classes program. If you are interested in taking this class you may get more information and enroll online by going to www.informalclasses.org. The course number is 9338.601; the course title is Beginning Tarot.

Saturday and Sunday, April 11 & 12, 2009. I plan to participate in a Spirit Fair in Oklahoma City, OK. For more information about this event, go to www.spiritfair.com.

The Rag Blog