~Jay~
20-03-2007, 07:49 PM
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/welcomespring/OstaraMeditation.html
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.
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.