Sabbats
“The Old Ways”
Samhain, Sahmhayn, Sowin, Sahvin
(Oct 29/30 12M-Nov 1st 12 M)
(Oct 29/30 12M-Nov 1st 12 M)
Has many meanings. Among these, it marks
the end of the third and final harvest, it is
a day to commune with and remember
the dead, and it is a celebration of the
eternal cycle of reincarnation.
It is also considered our New Year.
There are two possible sources for
the origin of the Samhain Sabbat’s
name. One is from the Aryan G-d
of Death, Samma, and the other
is from the Irish Gaelic word
“samhraidhreadh,” which literally
means “the summer’s end.”
Samhain marked the end of summer
and the beginning of winter for
the Celts, which the day after
Samhain begin the official
date of the Celtic New Year.
The reason the Celts chose this
point in time as their new year
rather than Yule, when the rest
of Western pagans celebrate it,
was because the sun is at its
lowest point on the horizon as measured
by the ancient standing stones of
Britain and Ireland.
the end of the third and final harvest, it is
a day to commune with and remember
the dead, and it is a celebration of the
eternal cycle of reincarnation.
It is also considered our New Year.
There are two possible sources for
the origin of the Samhain Sabbat’s
name. One is from the Aryan G-d
of Death, Samma, and the other
is from the Irish Gaelic word
“samhraidhreadh,” which literally
means “the summer’s end.”
Samhain marked the end of summer
and the beginning of winter for
the Celts, which the day after
Samhain begin the official
date of the Celtic New Year.
The reason the Celts chose this
point in time as their new year
rather than Yule, when the rest
of Western pagans celebrate it,
was because the sun is at its
lowest point on the horizon as measured
by the ancient standing stones of
Britain and Ireland.
In the European traditions, Samhain is the night
when the old G-d dies, and the Crone
Goddess mourns him deeply for the
next six weeks. the popular image of her
as the old Halloween hag menacingly
stirring her cauldron comes from
the Celtic belief that all the dead souls
return to her cauldron of life, death,
and rebirth to await reincarnation.
The crone Goddess has been an object of fear
and revulsion in modern societies, and this was
definitely not the way our pagan ancestors
viewed her, she was always revered as a
woman of power whose vast stories of
wisdom came with her great age and the
life-long practice of her many skills.
when the old G-d dies, and the Crone
Goddess mourns him deeply for the
next six weeks. the popular image of her
as the old Halloween hag menacingly
stirring her cauldron comes from
the Celtic belief that all the dead souls
return to her cauldron of life, death,
and rebirth to await reincarnation.
The crone Goddess has been an object of fear
and revulsion in modern societies, and this was
definitely not the way our pagan ancestors
viewed her, she was always revered as a
woman of power whose vast stories of
wisdom came with her great age and the
life-long practice of her many skills.
Popular Contradiction
Samhain is popularly known today as
halloween, a contraction of the word
“Hallowed Evening,” and it retains
much of the original form and
meaning it had long ago in Celtic
lands, despite the efforts of the
Church to turn it into an observance
of feasting and prayer for their vast
pantheon of saints. the Church began
by calling it Michaelmas, the feast day
of St. Michael, but the old Samhain holiday
proved to be too potent a drawing card for
one lone saint to combat. So it was renamed
the Eve of All Saints, or All Hallows Eve,
which precedes All Saint’s Day, and is
still one of the holiest days in Catholicism.
halloween, a contraction of the word
“Hallowed Evening,” and it retains
much of the original form and
meaning it had long ago in Celtic
lands, despite the efforts of the
Church to turn it into an observance
of feasting and prayer for their vast
pantheon of saints. the Church began
by calling it Michaelmas, the feast day
of St. Michael, but the old Samhain holiday
proved to be too potent a drawing card for
one lone saint to combat. So it was renamed
the Eve of All Saints, or All Hallows Eve,
which precedes All Saint’s Day, and is
still one of the holiest days in Catholicism.
Samhain is not, and never was, associated
with evil or negativity. It has always been
a time to reaffirm our belief in the oneness
of all spirits, and in our firm resolution
that physical death is not the final
act of existence. The idea that evil
spirits walk the earth at Samhain is a
misinterpretation of the pagan belief
that the veil of consciousness which
separates the land of the living from
the land of the dead at it thinnest
on this night.
with evil or negativity. It has always been
a time to reaffirm our belief in the oneness
of all spirits, and in our firm resolution
that physical death is not the final
act of existence. The idea that evil
spirits walk the earth at Samhain is a
misinterpretation of the pagan belief
that the veil of consciousness which
separates the land of the living from
the land of the dead at it thinnest
on this night.
Food
Food and drink is prepared
and served….
On Samhain night it is still custom in Ireland to
place candles in the windows and leave plates
of food for the visited spirits as well as
the Goddess. It was this custom of
leaving out food which evolved into our
modern trick or treat.
Candy should be
a part of this celebration may have
come from a long forgotten pagan
observance of wishing the dead
a sweet return to life in their next
incarnation. There are bonfires called
balefires in paganism, were once
lighted on every hilltop in Britain and
Ireland as soon as the sun set on October 30.
The fires serve the purpose of containing
the energy of the dead g-d, lighting
the dark night, warding off evil, ushering...
and served….
On Samhain night it is still custom in Ireland to
place candles in the windows and leave plates
of food for the visited spirits as well as
the Goddess. It was this custom of
leaving out food which evolved into our
modern trick or treat.
Candy should be
a part of this celebration may have
come from a long forgotten pagan
observance of wishing the dead
a sweet return to life in their next
incarnation. There are bonfires called
balefires in paganism, were once
lighted on every hilltop in Britain and
Ireland as soon as the sun set on October 30.
The fires serve the purpose of containing
the energy of the dead g-d, lighting
the dark night, warding off evil, ushering...
Unfinished.
Yule:
The Winter Solstice
(Dec 21/22)
The Winter Solstice
(Dec 21/22)
Is a time for mixed emotions for pagans. All
around us we see evidence of the Christmas
celebration, a religious holiday not a part
of our traditions, but one which we know
takes its form and meaning from
ancient pagan practices. Virgin births,
decorated trees, festive lights, feasting,
wreaths, bells, and fragrant fires, were
- and still are – at the heart of pagan
Midwinter observances. When the Wheel
of the Year brings us to Yule, the G-d (who
died at Samhain) is reborn of the Virgin
Goddess. the G-d is represented by the
sun which “returns” after this darkest night
of the year to again bring warmth and fertility
to the land.The profusion of lights on houses
and trees at Christmas is a modern version
of the pagan custom of lighting candles and
fires as acts of sympathetic magick to lure back
the waning sun. In Ireland and Norway it is still
custom to leave lights burning all through the house
on Yule night to not only lure back the sun, but also
to honor the Virgin Goddess who gives him birth.
around us we see evidence of the Christmas
celebration, a religious holiday not a part
of our traditions, but one which we know
takes its form and meaning from
ancient pagan practices. Virgin births,
decorated trees, festive lights, feasting,
wreaths, bells, and fragrant fires, were
- and still are – at the heart of pagan
Midwinter observances. When the Wheel
of the Year brings us to Yule, the G-d (who
died at Samhain) is reborn of the Virgin
Goddess. the G-d is represented by the
sun which “returns” after this darkest night
of the year to again bring warmth and fertility
to the land.The profusion of lights on houses
and trees at Christmas is a modern version
of the pagan custom of lighting candles and
fires as acts of sympathetic magick to lure back
the waning sun. In Ireland and Norway it is still
custom to leave lights burning all through the house
on Yule night to not only lure back the sun, but also
to honor the Virgin Goddess who gives him birth.
The word “virgin” is mistranslated and misrepresented
by the early church enough to make even people today
forget that the term had absolutely nothing to do
with the hymen. The term “virgin” was first
applied to priestesses in Mediterranean temples,
particularly during Rome’s pagan period.
the term identified a woman who was a
complete entity unto herself, who was
not bound by secular law, had no husband,
and was free to take all the lovers she chose.
She needed nothing else and no one else for
completeness. In other words she was said to be
“intact” -a virgin. Some anthropologists believe Yule
was first celebrated as a religious festival 12,000 years ago,
and some claim it dates many millennia earlier.
by the early church enough to make even people today
forget that the term had absolutely nothing to do
with the hymen. The term “virgin” was first
applied to priestesses in Mediterranean temples,
particularly during Rome’s pagan period.
the term identified a woman who was a
complete entity unto herself, who was
not bound by secular law, had no husband,
and was free to take all the lovers she chose.
She needed nothing else and no one else for
completeness. In other words she was said to be
“intact” -a virgin. Some anthropologists believe Yule
was first celebrated as a religious festival 12,000 years ago,
and some claim it dates many millennia earlier.
In Norse tradition, Yule is a twelve-night-long
celebration, a concept which probably came
from the pagan Near East where it eventually
became incorporated into the Christian myths.
celebration, a concept which probably came
from the pagan Near East where it eventually
became incorporated into the Christian myths.
The first Eve of Yule (the night before
the Solstice) is called Mother Night, and is
a night when Norse pagans sit up and await
the rising and rebirth of their Sun Goddess,
Freya. It is also a night for spirit contact
and celebration with one’s ancestors in
much the same manner as the Celts
observe Samhain. The Norse Goddess,
Holde, guardian of the spirit world, opens her
doors at yule to all sincere seekers. The
final night of observance, called
“Twelfth Night,” became for a while a sort
of ninth Sabbat on the Norse pagan calendar.
The popular winter song “Twelve Days of Christmas”
no doubt has its roots in the blending of Norse
and Celtic Yule customs.
the Solstice) is called Mother Night, and is
a night when Norse pagans sit up and await
the rising and rebirth of their Sun Goddess,
Freya. It is also a night for spirit contact
and celebration with one’s ancestors in
much the same manner as the Celts
observe Samhain. The Norse Goddess,
Holde, guardian of the spirit world, opens her
doors at yule to all sincere seekers. The
final night of observance, called
“Twelfth Night,” became for a while a sort
of ninth Sabbat on the Norse pagan calendar.
The popular winter song “Twelve Days of Christmas”
no doubt has its roots in the blending of Norse
and Celtic Yule customs.
In ancient Egypt, the Winter Solstice was not
only a time to celebrate the rebirth of
their Sun G-d, Ra, but to
commemorate the creation of the universe
as well.
only a time to celebrate the rebirth of
their Sun G-d, Ra, but to
commemorate the creation of the universe
as well.
The Wheel of the Year is often symbolized
by the wreath. There is ample
archaeological evidence to support
the fact that wreaths have been used in
this symbolic way for more than
4,000 years. Its circle has no beginning
and no end, thus illustrating that the
Wheel of the Year is also like this, with
everything in its time coming back to its
point of origin and traveling onward,
over and over again. The wreaths came to
be used at Christmas through the influence
of Scandinavian pagans who hung them at Yule
(their New Year’s Eve) to commemorate a new
beginning of the ever-moving cycle of life.
by the wreath. There is ample
archaeological evidence to support
the fact that wreaths have been used in
this symbolic way for more than
4,000 years. Its circle has no beginning
and no end, thus illustrating that the
Wheel of the Year is also like this, with
everything in its time coming back to its
point of origin and traveling onward,
over and over again. The wreaths came to
be used at Christmas through the influence
of Scandinavian pagans who hung them at Yule
(their New Year’s Eve) to commemorate a new
beginning of the ever-moving cycle of life.
The Native Americans of the Southwest
called Yule “Soyalanwul,” which
means “to bring new life to the world.”
They aided the Sun’s birth with a birthing ritual
which consisted of having one person, masked
as the Sun G-d, crawling between the legs of the tribe’s women.
called Yule “Soyalanwul,” which
means “to bring new life to the world.”
They aided the Sun’s birth with a birthing ritual
which consisted of having one person, masked
as the Sun G-d, crawling between the legs of the tribe’s women.
The Druids decorated evergreen trees at Yule
with all the images of the things
they wished the waxing year to hold for them.
with all the images of the things
they wished the waxing year to hold for them.
In the Scandinavian traditions Yule trees
and other greenery were brought inside,
not only for the reasons previously mentioned,
but also because they had wanted to provide
a warm and festive winter’s resting
place for the tree elementals who inhabited
their woodlands.
and other greenery were brought inside,
not only for the reasons previously mentioned,
but also because they had wanted to provide
a warm and festive winter’s resting
place for the tree elementals who inhabited
their woodlands.
The Yule log, another ancient symbol
of the season, came to us from the
Celtics. The logs, a phallic symbol,
is usually cut from the G-d-related
oak tree and carved into a small
section which can be easily brought into
a dwelling to be placed on a table or alter.
Originally these logs, made of oak,
were brought into homes with much
dancing and ceremony before being
lit in fireplaces. Later they became
smaller alter relics sporting three
holes, one each to represent the
Triple Goddess. These holes were
bored into the top, and the log
was “impregnated” with three candles.
Sometimes the candles were all
virgin white, or G-d red. Most
often they were the Goddess’
triple-aspect colors of white, red, and black.
The entire log was then decoratively
covered with holly, mistletoe, and evergreens to
represent the intertwining of the G-d and
Goddess who are reunited on this Sabbat.
of the season, came to us from the
Celtics. The logs, a phallic symbol,
is usually cut from the G-d-related
oak tree and carved into a small
section which can be easily brought into
a dwelling to be placed on a table or alter.
Originally these logs, made of oak,
were brought into homes with much
dancing and ceremony before being
lit in fireplaces. Later they became
smaller alter relics sporting three
holes, one each to represent the
Triple Goddess. These holes were
bored into the top, and the log
was “impregnated” with three candles.
Sometimes the candles were all
virgin white, or G-d red. Most
often they were the Goddess’
triple-aspect colors of white, red, and black.
The entire log was then decoratively
covered with holly, mistletoe, and evergreens to
represent the intertwining of the G-d and
Goddess who are reunited on this Sabbat.
Foods, especially ones traditional to
the Yule Sabbat, were of central
importance at this holiday.
the Yule Sabbat, were of central
importance at this holiday.
Music is another important part
of Yule, and Christmas carols
are yet another idea taken
from paganism.
“Carols” are from an Old
French word meaning “joyous songs,”
and were also the name of
round dances celebrating the
rebirth of the Frankish
pagan g-ds.
The English Christmas Carol
“Deck the Halls with Boughts of Holly”
contains no Christian religion image.
In this carol, we sing of decorating
with holly, singing Yuletide carols,
dancing (“merry measure”), and
the telling of pagan myths (“Yuletide treasure”).
Another example of such a song
is the Old French carol
“I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.”
the third verse contains the line,
“Three pretty girls were in them in….”
which clearly is a reference to the
return of the Triple Goddess after
her crone-age and period of mourning.
of Yule, and Christmas carols
are yet another idea taken
from paganism.
“Carols” are from an Old
French word meaning “joyous songs,”
and were also the name of
round dances celebrating the
rebirth of the Frankish
pagan g-ds.
The English Christmas Carol
“Deck the Halls with Boughts of Holly”
contains no Christian religion image.
In this carol, we sing of decorating
with holly, singing Yuletide carols,
dancing (“merry measure”), and
the telling of pagan myths (“Yuletide treasure”).
Another example of such a song
is the Old French carol
“I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.”
the third verse contains the line,
“Three pretty girls were in them in….”
which clearly is a reference to the
return of the Triple Goddess after
her crone-age and period of mourning.
Imbolg/Embowlg/Imbolic/Oimelic
(Feb 2)
(Feb 2)
Was not originally a Sabbat as we think
of one today, but a special day set
aside to honor the Goddess who
was slowly turning the Wheel
of the Year back to spring. Winter
was a harsh season for our pagan
ancestors, one during which many
died of disease and malnutrition.
Therefore, it is not surprising that
most of the customs surrounding this
Sabbat are designed as acts of
sympathetic magick to lure
back the sun, and speed up the
coming of the balmy warm of
spring. In Ireland where much of
our lore originates, this was a
holy day for honoring the
Great Mother Goddess, Brigid,
in her guise as the waiting
bride of the youthful Sun
G-d who was now returning to
her.
of one today, but a special day set
aside to honor the Goddess who
was slowly turning the Wheel
of the Year back to spring. Winter
was a harsh season for our pagan
ancestors, one during which many
died of disease and malnutrition.
Therefore, it is not surprising that
most of the customs surrounding this
Sabbat are designed as acts of
sympathetic magick to lure
back the sun, and speed up the
coming of the balmy warm of
spring. In Ireland where much of
our lore originates, this was a
holy day for honoring the
Great Mother Goddess, Brigid,
in her guise as the waiting
bride of the youthful Sun
G-d who was now returning to
her.
(Unfinished).
Ēstra/Ostara
The Spring Equinox
(March 21)
The Spring Equinox
(March 21)
Ēostre/Ostara was the name of the
Virgin Goddess of Spring
in ancient Germany. It is for her
that this Sabbat is named.
Ostara was a Sabbat of great
importance in Greece, Rome,
and in Nordic and Germanic lands,
and it is from these traditions
that the vast majority
of out current Ostara customs
come. Many of the equinox
myths from these cultures
concern trips by deities into
the underworld, and their struggle
to return from the Land of the
Dead to earth. When they eventually
do return to the world of the living,
they have a new life, both
literally and figuratively, and
this idea if new life renewed
plays heavily on the symbolism
of the holiday. Some of these
resurrected deities include Odin,
Attis, Osiris, Dagda, Mithras,
Orpheus, Hear, and Persephone.In keeping with the Church's
early practice of grafting saintly
feast says onto any pagan festival
they could not eradicate, it
assigned St. Patrick his feast
day near the time of the equinox.
After being repeatedly being
driven out of Ireland, Patrick's
reformed procession was said to
have arrived at Tara, the sea
of government, to present
his new faith to the High King
on Easter Sunday.
Easter itself falls near Ostara, and
celebrates yet another resurrected
deity.
Virgin Goddess of Spring
in ancient Germany. It is for her
that this Sabbat is named.
Ostara was a Sabbat of great
importance in Greece, Rome,
and in Nordic and Germanic lands,
and it is from these traditions
that the vast majority
of out current Ostara customs
come. Many of the equinox
myths from these cultures
concern trips by deities into
the underworld, and their struggle
to return from the Land of the
Dead to earth. When they eventually
do return to the world of the living,
they have a new life, both
literally and figuratively, and
this idea if new life renewed
plays heavily on the symbolism
of the holiday. Some of these
resurrected deities include Odin,
Attis, Osiris, Dagda, Mithras,
Orpheus, Hear, and Persephone.In keeping with the Church's
early practice of grafting saintly
feast says onto any pagan festival
they could not eradicate, it
assigned St. Patrick his feast
day near the time of the equinox.
After being repeatedly being
driven out of Ireland, Patrick's
reformed procession was said to
have arrived at Tara, the sea
of government, to present
his new faith to the High King
on Easter Sunday.
Easter itself falls near Ostara, and
celebrates yet another resurrected
deity.
At Ostara, the Teutons honored
their Goddess of Spring, Eostre
for whom the Christian holiday
of Easter is named with feasting
and a ritual. the Norse also
honored their Virgin Goddess
and celebrated her maiting
with the young G-d, an
event most pagan circles have
moved to Beltaine. Sexual
relations were almost obligatory
on Ostara Eve, as was a communal
meal featuring foods associated with
fertility such as cake, honey, and eggs.
their Goddess of Spring, Eostre
for whom the Christian holiday
of Easter is named with feasting
and a ritual. the Norse also
honored their Virgin Goddess
and celebrated her maiting
with the young G-d, an
event most pagan circles have
moved to Beltaine. Sexual
relations were almost obligatory
on Ostara Eve, as was a communal
meal featuring foods associated with
fertility such as cake, honey, and eggs.
The Greco-roman tradition would celebrate
Ceres, their Grain Goddess, from Ostara
until first harvest. she was believed
to go from field to field at the equinox,
blessing the newly-sown crops.
Ostara rituals in these traditions seek
to urge her special blessing on their
freshly-tilled lands. The lily, appropriated
as a Christian symbol of death, was a
symbol of life in pagan Greece and Rome,
where it adorned Ostara alters and
temples. You men, playing the role
of the lusty young G-d, would present
them to the young women they were
courting. Accepting the lily meant much
the same thing as accepting a diamond ring
does now.
In celtic lands the Ostara Sabbat was virtually
overlooked until the Norse invaders brought
it into the prominence and it became
another cherished festival. In Celtic
Cornwall and Wales, Ostara was
renamed "Lady Day," and was
the time of the official return of the
young Goddess after her winter
hibernation. On this day of balance,
they believed she was able to meet
her youthful G-d on equal terms,
mate with him, and become
impregnated with not only the
G-d who will be reborn at Yule, but
with the autumn harvest as well.
It was also the customary day for
farms to change hands even if
the purchase had been made months before.
Ceres, their Grain Goddess, from Ostara
until first harvest. she was believed
to go from field to field at the equinox,
blessing the newly-sown crops.
Ostara rituals in these traditions seek
to urge her special blessing on their
freshly-tilled lands. The lily, appropriated
as a Christian symbol of death, was a
symbol of life in pagan Greece and Rome,
where it adorned Ostara alters and
temples. You men, playing the role
of the lusty young G-d, would present
them to the young women they were
courting. Accepting the lily meant much
the same thing as accepting a diamond ring
does now.
In celtic lands the Ostara Sabbat was virtually
overlooked until the Norse invaders brought
it into the prominence and it became
another cherished festival. In Celtic
Cornwall and Wales, Ostara was
renamed "Lady Day," and was
the time of the official return of the
young Goddess after her winter
hibernation. On this day of balance,
they believed she was able to meet
her youthful G-d on equal terms,
mate with him, and become
impregnated with not only the
G-d who will be reborn at Yule, but
with the autumn harvest as well.
It was also the customary day for
farms to change hands even if
the purchase had been made months before.
In England the youthful deities are honored
as the Lord of the Greenwood, a version of
the Horned G-d, and the Greek Goddess,
a fertile young virgin/mother.
Other celebrations of pagan deities that
took place at or near Ostara were
the Fest of Isis, the Feast of Cybele,
Aphrodite Day, and Hilaria. All
these deities are still worshiped
by pagans today; their holidays and
customs are well-incorporated
into the modern Ostara celebration.
In Salvic pagan traditions this was believed
to be a day when death had no power
over the living. In their tradition, a
personification of Death is
symbolically killed by throwing him
into moving water to drown. Flowers,
symbols of life re-newed, are tossed
in after Himand he is sung to as he floats
down river. People who died on Ostara
were thought to be favored by the
deities, and would be accorded princely
treatment until the time they reincarnated.
After Death's drowning, brightly-painted red eggs
were passed around during a procession to the
ritual site, where the new life of
spring was celebrated with food, dance
and strong drink.
as the Lord of the Greenwood, a version of
the Horned G-d, and the Greek Goddess,
a fertile young virgin/mother.
Other celebrations of pagan deities that
took place at or near Ostara were
the Fest of Isis, the Feast of Cybele,
Aphrodite Day, and Hilaria. All
these deities are still worshiped
by pagans today; their holidays and
customs are well-incorporated
into the modern Ostara celebration.
In Salvic pagan traditions this was believed
to be a day when death had no power
over the living. In their tradition, a
personification of Death is
symbolically killed by throwing him
into moving water to drown. Flowers,
symbols of life re-newed, are tossed
in after Himand he is sung to as he floats
down river. People who died on Ostara
were thought to be favored by the
deities, and would be accorded princely
treatment until the time they reincarnated.
After Death's drowning, brightly-painted red eggs
were passed around during a procession to the
ritual site, where the new life of
spring was celebrated with food, dance
and strong drink.
The idea of wearing new clothes at Easter
and other spring festivals also came from
earlier Teutonic pagan traditions. It was
considered the worst of luck to wear one's
prong clothing before Ostara, and the
Teutons would work through the
winter in secret to prepare elegant
finery for the Sabbat celebration.
The lamb is another symbol of the Ostara,
and was sacred to virtually all
the virgin goddesses of Europe, the
Middle East, and north Africa. This
symbol was so ingrained in the
mindset of the people of that region
that it was carried over into the spring
religious rituals of the Jewish Passover
and Christian Easter.
and other spring festivals also came from
earlier Teutonic pagan traditions. It was
considered the worst of luck to wear one's
prong clothing before Ostara, and the
Teutons would work through the
winter in secret to prepare elegant
finery for the Sabbat celebration.
The lamb is another symbol of the Ostara,
and was sacred to virtually all
the virgin goddesses of Europe, the
Middle East, and north Africa. This
symbol was so ingrained in the
mindset of the people of that region
that it was carried over into the spring
religious rituals of the Jewish Passover
and Christian Easter.
The Egg As New Life
The most pervasive symbol of Ostara is,
without a doubt, the egg. Since
antiquity, eggs, the universal arch type
of new life, have been held in
reverence as sacred objects of
eternal life, carried as fertility amulets,
decorated to honor the deities, placed on
spring altars, and given as cherished
spring gifts. The modern belief that these
eggs are delivered by a rabbit
knows as the Easter Bunny, comes
from the legend of the Goddess Eostre.
So much did a lowly rabbit wish to please
this Goddess that he laid the sacred eggs in
her honor, gaily decorated them, and then
humbly presented them to her. So
honoring her wishes, the rabbit
went through all the world and
distributed these little decorated
gifts of life. Many pagans like to use natural
dyes that come from flowers and
herbs for te eggs, rather than relying
on the commercially-packed kits.
To get the natural dyes, boil a large handful of
an herb or flower until the water is
well colored. Place the water in a heat-resistant
glass cup, mug, or other non-metal container.
Stir in a teaspoon of vinegar and a
pinch of salt, then place a hard boiled
egg gently into the mixture. Getting the
color to "take" requires a good bit longer
than with the commercial dye kits.
but most pagans feel it is worth the
effort to have this connection with the
old ways. However, the dyes do tend to be
less stable, so protect the eggs from
being scratched.
without a doubt, the egg. Since
antiquity, eggs, the universal arch type
of new life, have been held in
reverence as sacred objects of
eternal life, carried as fertility amulets,
decorated to honor the deities, placed on
spring altars, and given as cherished
spring gifts. The modern belief that these
eggs are delivered by a rabbit
knows as the Easter Bunny, comes
from the legend of the Goddess Eostre.
So much did a lowly rabbit wish to please
this Goddess that he laid the sacred eggs in
her honor, gaily decorated them, and then
humbly presented them to her. So
honoring her wishes, the rabbit
went through all the world and
distributed these little decorated
gifts of life. Many pagans like to use natural
dyes that come from flowers and
herbs for te eggs, rather than relying
on the commercially-packed kits.
To get the natural dyes, boil a large handful of
an herb or flower until the water is
well colored. Place the water in a heat-resistant
glass cup, mug, or other non-metal container.
Stir in a teaspoon of vinegar and a
pinch of salt, then place a hard boiled
egg gently into the mixture. Getting the
color to "take" requires a good bit longer
than with the commercial dye kits.
but most pagans feel it is worth the
effort to have this connection with the
old ways. However, the dyes do tend to be
less stable, so protect the eggs from
being scratched.
Cascarone
In Mexico and the American southwest,
there is a beautiful Easter custom,
also pagan in origin, revolving around
cascarones.
Carcersones (cahs-cah-roe-nays)
are eggshells that have been
carefully hollowed out, painted,
filled, and then resealed with tape.
Traditional fillings for them include
perfume, confetti, lavender and sage-all
pagan symbols of spring. The
cascarones are taken out on
Easter morning, when the object
is to catch your loved ones
by surprise and hit them over the head
with an egg. As the insides rain
around you, you are blessed
with the love, luck, and
new life of the season.
there is a beautiful Easter custom,
also pagan in origin, revolving around
cascarones.
Carcersones (cahs-cah-roe-nays)
are eggshells that have been
carefully hollowed out, painted,
filled, and then resealed with tape.
Traditional fillings for them include
perfume, confetti, lavender and sage-all
pagan symbols of spring. The
cascarones are taken out on
Easter morning, when the object
is to catch your loved ones
by surprise and hit them over the head
with an egg. As the insides rain
around you, you are blessed
with the love, luck, and
new life of the season.
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