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The Easter Snake

11/4/2014

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Picture
As I was creating my spring altar at home, a large stuffed snake declared that she wanted to be the centerpiece of my sacred altar for Ostara. When I was finished, my entire dining room was exploding with decorative eggs, flowers, bunnies, and three snakes. I posted the photo on the left to facebook and entitled it "The Easter Snake." I was surprised when several people wanted to know the story.

I had no story. I began to think about spring holidays and spring symbols and St. Patrick came into my awareness - then I knew the story of the Easter Snake and why this lovely animal is important at this time of year. St. Patrick forcefully Christianized Ireland in the 4th century AD and part of the story of this aggressive, although much loved, priest was that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. That aspect of the story has been taken to mean that the native Celtic and Druid culture was violently suppressed. Spiritual suppression is a common story in the history of religion; all religions are an amalgamation of the beliefs of the invaders and the native population. Ireland still has much of its pagan roots very much in evidence.

So, why not encourage that earthy side of Celtic spirituality and celebrate "All Snakes Day" sometime in spring? It is the time of year that the little and big crawlers slither out of their dens and bask on a warm rock in the spring sunshine. "All Snakes Day" is actually the idea of Archdruid Isaac Bonewits, and I, for one, support it. Let's bring back the love for one of the divine goddess's familiars: the snake that is at home above and in the earth. Let your own out grown skin fall away this spring and transform with the celebration of "All Snakes Day!"















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April is the Month of "Opening"

4/4/2014

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The name of this month, April, comes from the early French and means "to open." How appropriate! It is in this month that so many flowers open; the trees leaf out in most places in the Northern Hemisphere, and we have the experience that spring has surely arrived. It feels like life is opening to a new beginning from the rebirth that was the Winter Solstice.

It is in April that birds nests and eggs appear. What an amazing blessing for our ancestors, who had endured a cold winter and had eaten all or most of their stored food, to find these delicious little packages of protein. No wonder that Ostara's hare was inspired to decorate eggs for his beautiful goddess. After all, the world was already ablaze with colored flowers, so a bouquet would not stand out as a special gift. The little hare carefully decorated eggs for Ostara, and that is how bunnies and eggs got all mixed up with the resurrection.

Isn't it all about opening at this time of year? Opening to fresh breezes. Opening to beauty. Opening to love. Opening to new beginnings. Even the eggs open with the little pecks from the chicks on the inside, if not found and eaten or painted.


I am opening to new expressions and new possibilities, myself. This website and blog are my new expressions this spring and I hope you like both.
I encourage you to do the same. Perhaps you already have an idea of what wants to happen through you this spring season. All it takes is a "Yes, Life! I am willing to open!" And you will; I promise. Use the energy of the rising sap and the opening flowers to begin something new.

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