Witchvox Article

Author: CatDancing
Posted: March 7th. 2010
Times Viewed: 948

We're probably all familiar with the old saying about March coming “in like a lion and out like a lamb”. As I sit here writing this it still remains to be seen if that will hold true for us here in the east Kentucky mountains this year, although if the long-range forecast is on track it sounds as if we'll be off to a more than chilly start! One thing can be counted on – that March will be a fickle and unpredictable month with days when freezing temperatures let us know that winter has not given up just yet, and days when Spring will seem to have conquered all the cold and dreariness that the previous season could muster.

These are the early days of the strengthening sun when it's light is brilliant in the sky, but it's warmth seems not to be quite able to touch our skin, when winds send cumulus clouds sailing across skies shining with a fresher, clearer blue, and every tiny sign of green captures our attention. Walks through the garden bring a sense of the earth lying in wait for the fertile time that approaches. Emily Dickinson wrote that “March is the month of expectation, the things we do not know”, and so it is with this feeling of growth and renewal that we know a surge of energy and a need to plan for the season ahead.

Now is the time to plant the seeds of new projects for home and garden as well as personally. Any new directions that you may have meditated on throughout the cold months of winter are ripe for being acted upon. The approaching Ostara sabbat, the Vernal Equinox, is a time of beginnings. At this point in the solar calendar, the length of daylight equals the length of the night – symbolized by the male Sun and the female Moon. From this point the balance shifts in favor of increase and growth. It is as if we are given a fresh Spring breath to fill our lungs and clear out the staleness of the past season in anticipation of possibilities and roads yet to be traveled.

The Vernal Equinox signaled the beginning of the season of rebirth for thousands of years before the Christian era. Nature's resurrection has been celebrated along with the rebirth of many an ancient Pagan God, one of the first recorded being the Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris. In the land of Sumer a similar story of Ishtar, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, and Tammuz, the God of Grain was being told. She was known to the Phoenicians as Astarte and as Aphrodite to the Greeks. In Rome the cult of the Mother Goddess Cybele flourished, yet another story of resurrection involving the youth Attis, with whom the Goddess had fallen in love, but could not marry as he was promised to another. Upon his death from a self-inflicted wound violets sprang up from where the blood had touched the ground. Cybele is said to have gathered the violets and used them to adorn a pine tree, which was later used in a ritual of mourning by her priests. On day three of the festival the high priest slashed his arm allowing the blood to drop onto the tree. Mourning turned into joy when Attis rose, giving promise to his followers of also being able to triumph over death.

All of the resurrection myths and others from various religions, including the one of Jesus in the Christian faith, share the common thread of love as the key element for rebirth. This commonality makes Ostara the one celebration that is most similar to those of other faiths. Indeed, it is the name of the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, Eostre (or Ostre) , for whom the Christian celebration of Easter is named. She was believed to sometimes take the form of a white rabbit and rabbits were sacred to her. Offerings of colored eggs and cakes were made to her at the Vernal Equinox. It is interesting to note that both the Anglo-Saxons and Egyptians placed eggs among the items at burials for their deceased loved ones – probably as a charm of rebirth due to the potent magick of the egg.

Today the magick of eggs is still an important part of our Spring rituals, for just as in the time of the ancients, they represent protection and fertility. The colored and speckled eggs of birds were most likely an inspiration for our ancestors and they no doubt made use of plants and other things from nature to produce the dyes to color the eggs they used for rituals, amulets, etc. We can follow in that tradition today by using natural dyes and processes for our Ostara egg coloring and can decorate them by inscribing with magickal runes and other potent symbols.

Here are some tips and suggestions for coloring your eggs using natural food and plant materials as dye sources. Rich colors can be coaxed from the most unassuming items in your vegetable bin, spice rack or from gathered natural plant materials. Humble ingredients--such as red cabbage, onionskins, paprika, and coffee--can produce elegant and often unexpected colors when used for dyeing. The longer you soak the eggs in the dyeing liquids, the more intense the colors will be. You'll want to start with hard-cooked eggs and refrigerate until ready to use. If desired, before dyeing the eggs, draw symbols, pictures, inspiring words or runes on them with crayons or a piece of wax. The surface of the egg will absorb the dye leaving the waxed area of the design showing through. Or you can draw your designs on after the eggs are colored and dried using natural inks.

For a textured look dab eggs with a sponge or wadded piece of tissue paper while still wet.

Rubber bands can be used to make tie-dyed eggs. Use a collection of different sized rubber bands. Wrap the rubber bands, one at a time, around the eggs. Make sure to leave some of the eggshell exposed so it can be dyed. Once the eggs are dyed to the color you like, remove them from the water and let them dry. Once dried completely, pull the rubber bands off to reveal your banded design.

HOW TO:
For the dye, in general, use four cups of chopped fruit, vegetable or plant material (or one tablespoon spice) to four cups of water. Add two tablespoons of vinegar. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. Strain the dye and allow to cool slightly until just warm. Remove your cooked eggs from the refrigerator and then dip them for five to ten minutes, until the egg has reached the desired color.

When eggs are dyed to the color you desire, lift them out with a slotted spoon. Let them dry on a rack or drainer. NOTE: An egg carton works nicely as a drying rack. Be careful to handle the eggs gently and minimally as some of the colors can easily be rubbed off before the egg has dried.

Eggs colored with natural dyes have a dull finish and are not glossy. After they are dry, you can rub the eggs with cooking oil or mineral oil to give them a soft sheen.

THE COLORS:

Blue
Canned Blueberries
Red Cabbage Leaves (boiled)
Purple Grape Juice

Brown or Beige
Strong Coffee
Instant Coffee
Black Walnut Shells (boiled)
Black Tea

Brown Gold
Dill Seeds

Brown Orange
Chili Powder

Green
Spinach Leaves (boiled)
Liquid Chlorophyll

Greenish Yellow
Yellow Delicious Apple Peels (boiled)

Grey
Purple or red grape juice or beet juice

Lavender
Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice
Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice
Red Zinger Tea

Orange
Yellow Onion Skins (boiled)
Carrots
Paprika

Pink
Beets
Cranberries or Juice
Raspberries
Red Grape Juice
Juice from Pickled Beets

Red
Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled)
Pomegranate juice
Canned Cherries (with syrup)
Raspberries

Violet or Purple
Violet Blossoms
Hibiscus tea
Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins (boiled)
Red Wine

Yellow
Orange or Lemon Peels (boiled)
Carrot Tops (boiled)
Chamomile Tea
Celery Seed (boiled)
Green tea
Ground Cumin (boiled)
Ground Turmeric (boiled) or Saffron

When your Ostara eggs are being eaten, ask everyone to save the shells! They can be used to create mosaics, or to cover a terra cotta pot for holding a plant or starting seeds. For this last project, paint the pot using acrylic craft paint in the color of your choice. Using a glue that will be water resistant, attach the colored pieces of shell placing them closely together until the surface is covered. When the glue is dry seal the finish with 2 or 3 coats of spray varnish or brush on a clear polymer sealer. You can also crush the shells very finely and work them into your garden to enrich the soil or add to a compost heap.

Other projects and activities for this season include:

Performing rituals to ask for balance in your life, and to honor both the dark and light.

Burning pairs of white and black candles to symbolize balance.

Planting early garden seeds such as peas, lettuce, spinach, and others, which like to grow in the early cool days of spring and summer.

Do a spring-cleaning rite and cleanse your home of negativity and any energies that might prevent you from taking advantage of prosperity in your life.

Perform seed magick by planting a seed to grow with your spell. Empower it by visualizing how you wish to grow and change and use the energy of this time of year to fuel your new projects and goals.

Have each member of your family or circle select a summer flowering bulb that they wish to plant. Write your own bulb blessing or find one in a book - invoke each of the four elements necessary for the plants' growth and visualize it in full bloom. Plant the bulbs outside, or if it is still too cold place them in a pot of soil to start indoors. Plant a few extras to give as Ostara gifts to family and friends.

Take a nature walk in the woods, through your yard, or a local park to look for signs of emerging life.

Create you own oils and incenses that are appropriate to the Spring season (see recipes below) .

Set aside some time to look through seed and nursery catalogs to plan your herb or vegetable gardens or perhaps begin a new project such as a faery garden!

Participate in projects that help to rejuvenate the Earth, such as community clean-up day at a park or lake, or get involved in recycling efforts.

A couple of weeks in advance fill a basket with soil and plant with grass seed. You can then use it to display colored eggs as a table centerpiece for your Ostara celebration or to decorate your altar.

Bake or cook foods that correspond to the season, such as the bread given below.

OSTARA OIL

5 drops Bergamot essential oil
5 drops Geranium essential oil
5 drops Grapefruit essential oil
3 drops Orange essential oil

Mix with ½ ounce carrier oil of your choice.

OSTARA INCENSE

1 part Rose Petals
1 part Jasmine
1 part Strawberry leaves
1 part Lemon Balm
1 part copal
5 drops rose essential oil

OSTARA EGG BREAD

The eggs that are the colorful surprise in this braided bread are symbolic of new life, and the grain itself, which yields flour for the loaf, is a life-sustaining symbol. In Italy, the two are combined as a reminder of rebirth and renewal in the Spring season.

This decorative bread has uncooked eggs baked into it! They will bake at the same time that the bread does, but if you want them colored, do that in advance. Those you celebrate with will be sure to be impressed!

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-teaspoon salt
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
5 whole eggs, dyed if desired
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine 1-cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted. Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well.

Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) . Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden.

Makes one, 1 pound loaf (about 10 servings.

Spring is Nature's way of saying, “Let's celebrate!” As you plan your own ways of welcoming the season and gather with friends and loved ones, I wish you many special blessings and moments to remember and will leave you with another quote from Emily Dickinson who said...”A little madness in the Spring, is wholesome even for the king”!

ABOUT...

CatDancing

Location: Mayking, Kentucky

Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MountainWitchsCottage

Bio: CatDancing is a solitary eclectic green/hedge witch practicing in the mountains of eastern Kentucky where she shares a mostly quiet lifestyle with her husband, 5 cats, 4 dogs, 1 ornery goat, and a small flock of hens and noisy roosters! When she is not tending hearth,
home and herb garden she enjoys reading, writing, designing pagan-themed needlework, painting and photography. She is currently the
owner of the 'Mountain Witch's Cottage' group on Yahoo, co-owner of 'The Mother's Magickal Herb Garden' and assistant manager of 'Stormy's Book of Shadows', also on Yahoo. She can
be reached at catdancing@fastmail.fm.

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