Friday, March 20, 2009

Ostara Bunnies Everywhere



I have this little canon elf and I sometime use it to take pictures of Pagan imagery and totems (various) that I find in the dominant culture. I discovered this little faux chocolate egg wreath over at Pier One yesterday. Do you love it? I love it. (1)

I've spent the last week placing images of bunnies (and some lovely hares) all over the house. There are bunnies in clay, bunny candles, soft, fluffy bunnies (absolutely necessary, ask any green witch), pictures of bunnies and bunnies made from wood, metal and glass. There are eggs, too, all kinds, and some birds, as well, not to mention baskets, but it is bunnies who bless the home just now.

I got up at sunrise this morning to the sound of bird song in the trees and frogs croaking in the creek below me. Dog went with me as I filled our bird feeders and she sat quietly during ritual. (Good girl). It was simple and brief, as many of my rituals are. At the end of it, dog and I spread some apples and carrots in the lower meadow for the deer who will visit us later on, and yes, dog got some, too. Unlike me with chocolate, dog has some restraint, she will eat a few carrots and let the others lie. I don't often see rabbits in our field (they prefer the berry patch at the top of our road) but we do get regular visits from our mountain deer. I've already seen several of our does followed closely by last year's daughters. Blessings, friends. May you find safety here during the hunting season.

While filling the bird feeders (or should I say squirrel feeders?) in honor of the day, I got my Ostara gift: the words I needed to write a difficult letter to someone who is behaving badly.


I've been asked for guidance and support in this situation, and that I will give. Then I will hold my peace. Measured, firm compassion does not come naturally to me. I was raised in a family of verbal combatants; people who would far rather burn the village then save it, and that is sometimes my first and worst instinct. So, I'm grateful this morning for the access to my better self and, I hope, my better voice. It doesn't change what I have to say, but sometimes the how is just as important as the why.

Blessed Ostara to you and yours,

She who binds to herself a joy
Does the winged life destroy
But she who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sunrise
- William Blake

Sia

Endnotes:

(1) Attention Pagan shoppers - this is $25.00 I, for one, am going to wait for the after the Easter sales and if I can snake one, I'll use it next year. But do check out their little acrylic flower plates ($7.00 each) and the candle sales. Oh, and try Cost Plus as well. My gods, what a Pagan heaven that is. And don't forget to support your local earthwise shop - they need you now, more then ever.

Related Articles:

Ostara and Spring Equinox

The Moon & Hare

Sex and Scent in Ancient Times

Ostara from the Green Soul Guide
She offers some lovely ideas for ways to celebrate this holiday.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only thing wrong with that wreath is the faux part!

Pax

(Who is now craving some chocolatey decadence...)

Dj Connell said...

If it was real, I couldn't leave it alone.

Make mine dark chocolate, please, so dark that light cannot escape it's surface.

Sia