For those of us living in the so-called developed world, it is difficult and perhaps impossible, to ignore the current focus of both the secular and Christian world. Those of us within Paganism and the Craft however, may hold a different perspective on current trends.
Much of the secular world and indeed our own Christian friends have been focused upon the Eastertide, the great observance and celebration of renewal and the promise of new life. Although falling this year in April and later than what is perhaps usual, the associated symbolism is still decidedly spring-like.
We in the Hearth have a somewhat different calendar. Our own spring observance, a celebration of the mid-point rather than the beginning of spring, was some weeks ago. Our focus now is very much on the coming of the May.
Many today know the spring equinox as Ostara or Eostre, the name of a Saxon Goddess of the Spring, a balance to the autumn equinox known by the name of a Celtic God, Mabon. For many years now, I have been uneasy using these names, preferring to call the equinoxes as exactly that, the equinoxes. It is a personal choice.
If ones’ practice is influenced by one culture or another, be it Saxon or Celt, then there is an argument for using one of these titles. I myself lean perhaps more towards the Saxon than the Celt and find admittedly, Ostara somewhat more acceptable as the name of a festival than Mabon, even though I rarely use it.
The adoption of these names for our contemporary festivals by many, without a close examination of their origin, reflects that sad mid-Atlantic and perhaps “Wiccanesque” standardisation of practice prevalent in contemporary Paganism. I for one prefer to celebrate our regional differences.
Ostara or Eostre is an enigmatic Goddess whose origin is unknown and if it was not for some brief mention by Bede, her name would be lost to us. We know so little about her historically, that it is luck that her name has survived to lend itself to both the Pagan and Christian spring festival. We could so easily be calling both festivals by very different names.
However, it is not the name that matters but the associated symbolism and the related meaning. Ostara or Eostre, is most likely a localised manifestation of the Goddess of Spring, celebrations in whose honour can be deduced from history and based on the evidence available to us, calling this spring festival Ostara, may have more validity than calling the autumn equinox Mabon.
Ostara is a Goddess with a meaning that is cross-cultural and universal, as are the symbols associated with the spring. The egg as a symbol of renewal and birth, crosses the same cultural boundaries. The Easter Bunny, a well known corruption of the Sacred Hare, leads us to draw comparisons with other “Hare Goddesses” and is yet another symbol with a wealth of meaning. Neither the egg nor the hare uniquely belong to the new religion but have been grafted on through folklore and tradition to become elements of a Christian Easter.
The second focus that the world currently appears obsessed with is quite obviously the wedding of the future heir to the English throne. The close proximity of Easter, with the feast day of Saint George falling between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, followed by a second Bank Holiday for the wedding at the beginning of the May Day weekend, has given many of us the opportunity to celebrate everything quintessentially English.
While on the one hand the spring like elements incorporated within the symbolism and celebration of Easter might appear somewhat out of season. The celebration of the marriage of a future king so close to May Day, with all its royal associations linked to the Oak King and the romantic and indeed sexual nature of Beltaine itself, merely seeks to emphasise the forcefully energetic elements found within these inter-related events.
The Maytide is near upon us and it is a time of celebration. It is a time to honour whichever royal house you favour, whether it is the House of Windsor or the House of the Greenwood.
FFF&F. Magpie.
