this beautiful painting is by Wendy Andrew – Goddess-Artist Extraordinaire!
visit her site at www.paintingdreams.co.uk
Eostre is the Teutonic goddess of fertility, whose symbol is the egg, and animal is the rabbit. It is from Eostre that we get the word “Easter”…not to mention the Easter egg and the Easter bunny. She represents the coming of Spring and the birth of new life after the stillness of Winter.
The following is one of my favorite songs often performed at Spring celebrations in honor of this Sabbat…
Morning Has Broken
original lyrics & melody by Cat Stevens
lyrics slightly revised
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing, fresh from the world!
Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where Their feet pass!
Our is the sunlight, ours is the morning
Born of the one light, Goddess saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
Her re-creation of the new day!
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing, fresh from the womb!
I’m not sure what’s the right term to say here. But merry Ostara!
Chuckle…
I don’t think there is any one and true “right term” to be used – this is one of those things where intent is the important thing.
Merry Ostara, Happy Ostara, Blessed Ostara…
Not only that, there are a number of different names for this Sabbat – some refer to it as Ostara, some call it Eostar, some prefer to say Spring Equinox, and others say Vernal Equinox.
If all else fails, just put a big smile on your face and say…
“HAPPY SPRING!”