This weekend is the Spring Equinox in North America -- it arrives here in Alberta late tonight, while in more easternly time zones, it arrives early tomorrow morning.
In ancient pagan terms, the fertility goddess of the earth -- Eostre -- stirs and awakens after a long winter's sleep. She infuses everything with new life and the energy of rebirth and regeneration. From Her name, we get the English words estrogen, estrus and Easter.
Her intimate connection with sex, reproduction and new life is shown in Her two central symbols -- the sacred rabbit and brightly coloured eggs.
Flowers from the awakening earth also spring forth in a burst of much welcomed colour after winter's monochromatic whites and greys. Eostre is busy colouring in her book with every crayon She can lay Her hands on!
May you all enjoy the blessings of rejuvenation this Spring! Happy Eostre, everyone!
33 comments:
I NEED color in my life! Bring it, girlfriend!
our equinox is scheduled for 12:30a tomorrow morning, as is 2-4 inches of snow. WTeverlovinF?
Happy Eostre! Happy spring! Yay! We made it!
Happy Eostre to you! ♥
that last one seems like a fun colouring book to have fun with :) I'm torn when it comes to spring, happy because it's goodbye to heating bills, and sad because I'm a polar walrus
Happy Happy Happy !!! (Except that means summer is getting closer ... UGH)
Debra, you make 'things' make sense!
Thanks for this and Happy Eostre!
Happiest Spring Equinox to you, dearest Debra! May you find many deliciously colored eggs (under the snow). You are getting snow, too, right? Because if I'm the only one getting snow, I'll bit pissed. Just kidding. If the blooming Eostre wants it snowy, she should have it. ♥
I remember my son asking about the word "Easter" and wondering where it came from...one of the very good priests at church did a great sermon on it, that the best ideas from those before Christianity were combined with Christianity, they didn't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater! Some of my Fundamentalist friends would not have liked his sermon! Happy Spring Equinox to you!
Happy Spring! I love her symbolism!
Happy Eostre! Happy equinox! Damn xtians trying to steal another holiday rather irks me, but maybe I can celebrate by doing things that upset them.
Keep Christ in Eas... never mind LOL
Eostre... Easter... whatever, as long as I still get to grill some lamb.
Blessed Ostara my friend.
Wishing you the best, Debra. For me, it's New Year's weekend.
Thanks for the reminder - I had forgotten - one day I would love to see hares boxing as in your first image.
I love this.
Wonderful, appreciate you sharing.
The Wheel turns, and we gladly open our hearts to Eostre. No reproduction in this house of post-menopausal lesbians, but we do love the rebirth of all things natural.
Egg salad for everyone!
and happiness to you and yours.
This is a special time for my wife and I, as many years ago we made the choice to get married on equinox: a time of new life and new beginnings.
the Ol'Buzzard
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Happy Eostre, Debra! I love these posts. They're so appealing to me. And so is spring; my favourite time of the year :)
Lovely - and happy Eostre to you too.
Happy Eostre to you Debra. Great post.
Woot! Happy Eostre to you as well. :)
Happy Eostre, dear Debra! And a wonderful spring time!
Happy Spring to you to Debs! Probably my favorite season. It's amazing how it just seems to start all over again. And like my friend Esther Gin, she too is all about reproduction.
Thanks for all that info..never knew that or had forgotten..Happy Eostre to you too!
SUPER! :)
...btw, i'm back in facebook, but still posting in blogger, too
Happy Eostre! Easter is coming a bit too early this year, but there you go.
Happy Eostre! Beautiful post Debra! My friend, I felt like an idiot, after I read your comment! Of course the largest Ukrainian egg is in Vegreville, Alberta! I have been there several times too! I was looking at my pictures, before I posted everything on my blog! My mind must have blanked! Opps!!! Glad you were there! I told mom what I did and she yelled at me! In a good way! LOL! I would love to see your Rare One's Ukrainian eggs!!
DANG! I popped over thinking you were writing about estrogen. Ha! I'll return soon, (smile).
Thanks as this makes much more sense than the "Easter" I was raised with. I rejected that so many years ago (they rejected me) I never looked into the possibility that the symbols may not have had anything to do with that religion.
I had no idea how the words estrogen, estrus and Easter were related. I think it's kind of funny since the Christian church seems so anti-women. The images are lovely too. I didn't even realize spring was arriving, here in the land of Ever Summer. Terry just told me that Denver is under a blizzard warning, so I'm really appreciating the lovely weather here. Take care!
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