The word EASTER is thought to come from OSTARA , a celebration of the Norske Goddess “Eostre” .Not much information was kept about Eostre ( goddess of the dawn) but even today we offer her the reverence of using her name directly or indirectly in a number of ways connected to fertility. "Oestrogen" is an example, or "Easter"
She was a playful goddess , and was thought to bring gifts of eggs and buns to those she looked favourably upon.The Egg goddess would give her egg up to the world and the Sun God would open it with the heat of his new majestic rays.
Tradition and custom in Pagan times also involves sharing "cross" buns , the cross of Eostre possibly being the symbol of the moon and her four quarters. Christianity gave new meanings to the symbolism of these crossed buns, i.e. that the cross represented the crucifixion cross and superstitions arose that these buns kept away evil, so after Good Friday, people would keep one or two of them hung in their homes as amulets. During the festival season and afterwards, fishermen would carry these Easter buns in their boats for protection.
Druids used to dye the eggs around the OSTARA time to show the shades of the sun , and then share the eggs , even leaving them on graves to signify new life.
Her celebration starts from the spring equinox and the arrival of the new Sun God, and continues through to the end of the lunar cycle, her feast day is the full moon after the spring equinox ( Christians also celebrate this as Easter , choosing the first Sunday nearest the full moon after the spring equinox )
She is thought to have found a dying rabbit, and given it new life. She gave the rabbit "Spring" life and so it bore eggs ...that it gave her as gifts to celebrate life itself... click "read more" to see how we can still join in today.....
We can celebrate
NEW LIFE in a number of ways...in our thoughts, words and actions...
......THOUGHTS first..
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