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Ostara Meditation
Introduction
Ostara is the Goddess of Spring and the Dawn, whose worship goes back to
ancient Pagan Teutonic/Saxon cultures. Contemporary Pagans of many paths
honor Her at Spring Equinox time.
Also known as Eostre, the Christian festival of Easter was named for
Her, and the Easter Bunny, baskets, and colored eggs that are part of
Springtime and Easter celebrations in America, Europe, and other parts
of the world are rooted in Her lore and symbology.
Over the years, I have created and guided Ostara meditations as part of
our Welcome Spring Festival at Circle Sanctuary at Spring Equinox time.
This form of my Ostara meditation which I present here can be done as
part of a group ritual or as a personal meditation. It can be a ritual
itself or included as part of a longer ritual. In guiding this
meditation for others as part of a group setting, pause between
paragraphs and include longer pauses indicated by ...... In guiding this
meditation for yourself, you may find recording it on a tape first and
then playing it can deepen your experience.
Meditation
Find a comfortable, safe, and quiet place to be for this meditation.
Close your eyes. Relax and center yourself by taking deep slow breaths.
Now journey inward.
Imagine that you are in a hilly countryside. It is just before dawn at
the beginning of Springtime. The land is nearing the end of its
Wintertime slumber.
You face the East and watch the Sun as it begins to rise. Rays of light
shimmer onto the land and into the sky. Experience the beautiful colors
of light that is the Dawn.
Now, as the glowing disc of the Sun becomes visible above the hills, you
see the Goddess Ostara appear on the land in the distance in the East.
She is beginning to move toward you. As She moves, the land awakens with
new life.
You see Her coming toward you in the form of a Beautiful Maiden. You see
Her radiant face and flowing gown. She is carrying a golden basket
filled with colored eggs. Beside Her is Her companion, a frisky magical
Rabbit.
As They come closer to you, you see that with each step that They take,
the land around them bursts into new life and grows green. New grasses
sprout from the ground. Herbs flourish. Trees grow new leaves.
You call out a welcome to Them and to the Spring they bring. As you meet
face to face, you see that the Goddess Ostara and the Rabbit are both
smiling a welcome to you. Ostara then holds Her golden basket toward you
and invites you to chose one of the eggs in it as a gift of Spring.
You notice that each egg has a different color. You see the beautiful
array of choices. You feel more drawn to one of the eggs than the others
and choose it. Now you hold the egg that you have selected in both of
your hands.
You first focus on its color and reflect on what that color means to
you. .....
Then Ostara invites you to ask this Sacred Egg to give you a message
about personal growth. You ask this and then are quiet as you pay
attention to whatever words, symbols, sensations, impressions, and/or
other forms of message emerge. ......
Ostara now invites you to take this Sacred Egg and its power of new
growth into yourself. You hold it to your heart and as you do this, you
absorb it into your being. You experience the renewal of Springtime. You
radiate vitality. Be immersed in this experience. ......
Continuing to experience vitality within you, you prepare to end this
meditative journey. You reflect once more on the color and message of
the Sacred Egg. .....
You bid Ostara and Her Rabbit companion farewell for now, knowing that
they continue to live within your consciousness to guide you in your
Springtime growth. .....
When you feel ready, take several deep, slow breaths to aid you in
returning to waking consciousness. ....
Then slowly rise, stretch, and orient to the here and now, as you carry
with you the memory of your experiences on the journey you have just
completed.
Take a few moments now and note down your experiences, including
guidance your received for personal growth. .....
Now, let the vitality of Spring renewal continue to be with you as you
go about your daily life.
© 2001, Selena Fox, PO Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA; (608)
924-2216. | | | |