~Book of Blotar – Festival of Ostara – Summer Finding

Warmer days, sowing seeds, celebrating life, this is the beauty of Ostara. As the official end of winter, the days are getting warmer, storms are getting shorter and we look towards the high point of Sunna at Midsummer! As a Folk, we feel the kindling and yearning to start anew. We feel the need to “spring clean” and begin our gardens. This isn’t just a coincidence, but rather an ancient kindling of Folk spirit. What are the meanings behind this ancient festival? From whence did Ostara come? Why bunnies, eggs, and babies? Let us discover the rekindling of our Folk Soul in the Festival of Ostara!

Ancient Tradition

Known most commonly by Easter, Ostara or Eostre marks the beginning of Spring with the official Equinox being on or near March 21st. Although Ostara is celebrated in March, the Germanic Folk called April—Ostara. Also, it is thought that this was celebrated on the first full moon after the equinox, which could possibly happen in April. On this special day the Earth sits “upright” on its axis and the day has equal light and dark hours. Everything is in balance. If one is to put an egg on a flat surface at the very minute of the equinox, it will sit upright. Ostara or Eostre literally means East—where the sun rises. It is also thought that it means Dawn or Morning light, which would be consistent with “East”. This was a day of celebration. In many areas of Europe, the winters were harsh. Although Yule is the rebirth of the Sun, Ostara is the victory of warmth over cold. The day when warmth and light would return and the days would be visibly longer. In the psyche of our ancestral Folk, this was a powerful time when the promises of Charming of the Plough would be fulfilled. The dormant Earth, lying asleep would be regenerated and spring forth with new life. The symbols of this time are in everything and everywhere.

The Hare
The March Hare is a rabbit native to Europe. With the coming of Spring, the female of the species becomes “superfecund”. The species can be found running wild all over the countryside in Europe. This powerful symbol of fertility ushered in the fertile season and became the consort of the fertility Goddess.

The Egg
The Egg is one of the most recognized symbols of Ostara. Eggs have always been traditionally associated with fertility, abundance and rebirth. In Alchemy the egg symbolized the Cosmos—the egg containing a “little sun” and the yolk holding all of the necessary material to create life. The egg is the visual symbol of all that lies within us. Ostara’s fecund Hare brings eggs as a message of fertility and new life.

Babies
Typically animals become pregnant in the fall, to give birth in the Spring. Often around the farm, babies of all species are bouncing around in the warm Spring mornings feeding on the new grasses and foods available. This of course makes sense since animals rely upon what nature provides, and in places that have harsh cold winters, spring promises life for their young. Life reborn! Ostara strides across Midgard with her procession of new life, a reminder of her care for new life in Spring!

Blossoms
After several months of cold, still regeneration, our natural world awakens. From fallen seeds buried deep in the Earth, to the fully matured trees life bursts forth in the continuous cycle. Decorations of new flowers adorn houses and Our People alike. It is Our connection and celebration of the beauty of the reborn season.

Ostara herself!
This lovely Goddess is depicted as a young maiden who strides gently on the seedlings of Spring. She represents the awakening after a long deep sleep. She is the beauty of life and rebirth which happens at this time of year. Flowers in her hair, babies in her arms, flowing gown, and bright smile, Ostara is the embodiment of the glorious reawakening after a long slumber, the new life after a cold dark, necessary winter.

Our Soul!
Although Our Ways are in harmony and unison with Nature, we are also a Way of spiritual enlightenment. Ostara is the time of awakening after a long sleep. Our time during Winter is still meditation. The Runes of Winter are Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Isa, the time to reflect, ponder, and meditate. As our minds awake, we take the regeneration and use it as a catalyst for change and growth. The rebirth of our Soul! Ostara aids in our rebirth with bringing us back to beauty, life and awakening with her gentle touch, like that of a mother waking her children from a long slumber. Hail the reawakening!

Ostara Basket
In Medieval Germany, children had to leave out nests for Oschter Haws—Ostara’s Hare. This magical Hare would lay colored eggs for the good children that left out a nest for her. Echoing of Yule, this ancient practice lived on even during the Christian dominance over Europe. Ostara again depicted with a fecund Hare that visits the homes of her Folk bringing fertility and joy.

Ancient wisdom, New Ways
Although our Folk honor our Folkways in many ways, there is a common theme that is present in all our celebrations. As modern Odinists, we keep alive many of our ancestral way through modern practices. This begins with the Blot. We honor Ostara and the turning of the wheel into the light half year. Now is a time for light and warmth. We call on Ostara to not only fulfill the promise of a new Spring, a new Dawn, but also awaken our minds and souls, to bring a new dawn in the hearts and minds of our Folk! With her gentle, yet powerful energy she enters our souls and warms it with her embrace. The loving Goddess answers the call of her Folk.

Next we gather to celebrate the coming of a new dawn. This includes many traditional games. The Egg Hunt, ever present in so many celebrations, children hunt for the colorful bounty that Ostara’s Hare has left for them. With each egg found, the light and life for the year is renewed! The Egg Toss is the epitome of a Fertility Rite. Typically, couples gather to slowly toss raw eggs to each other being careful to not drop and break it. The winner never breaks their egg and ensures their prosperity for the coming year.

Although we purposely have these activities at our celebrations, there are many things that also bring good fortune into our lives at this time of year. This was the time to sow seeds into the land. At Yule, we honor the rebirth of the Sun. Next at Charming of the Plough, we prepare Mother Jorth to accept our seed at Ostara. We continue the chain of life and turning of the wheel. Today the reality of our existence is that many of our Folk do not have the land to have gardens and animals, so we honor Nature and her bounty by bringing in flowers for our Altar and perhaps keeping house plants. There are many ways to maintain the connection we have with Mother Jorth and Honor her daughter, Ostara. Families grow small gardens for food, or flower gardens that attract bees and/or butterflies. Others choose to create window gardens or container gardens. It is the intent in these life affirming activities that tie us to our ancient Mother.

This Ostara, as we hunt for eggs, play fertility games as the egg toss, or put lovely flower wreaths in our young girls’ hair. When we work Mother Jorth, plant our gardens, honor our ancestral Folk at our Altars, or nurture our children and animal friends, know that we are reawakening the ancestral spirit. We are exercising our Souls and honoring our Elder Kin at the dawn of the year!

Fair and awesome Ostara, your radiance warms and rouses us. Hail the glory of light, for we are the people of the light and proud shall we be. As you awaken the Earth, so awaken our folk. Hail the new awakening.

~Book of Blotar – Festival of Ostara – Summer Finding
Hail Ostara! May Her gentle touch awaken Our Folk!
Faith, Folk, Family!
Hyndla OR

Do you have any Ostara related articles, information or activities? Please share them with us.

Sources:
The Odinic Rite Book of Blotar, Summer Finding – Festival of Ostara
Circle of Ostara, Ostara available at : http://www.odinic-rite.org/Ostara.htm
About.com, Secret Language of Symbols
About.com, The pagan origins of the Easter Bunny
Wikipedia, Easter Bunny
D.L. Ashliman, Ostara’s Home Page The Germanic Goddess of Springtime

General

• The Story of Mistletoe
• AH PNW Yule Booklet
• Yule Coloring Pages
• Yule Activity Packet
• Yuletide Dough Ornaments
• Wrapping paper:
  The Sparkling Deceiver

Iceland

• The Legend of the Yule Cat

Belgium

• Speculoos

Scandinavia

• Make a Julbock
• Julbock Coloring Sheet (pdf)

France

• Yule Log Cake
• Twelfth Night Cake

Germany

• Legend of the Acorn
• Legend of the Bird Nest
• Legend of Silver Pinecones

Switzerland

• Toblerone Chocolate Fondue

Canada (French)

• Sucre à la Crème (Fudge)
• Playing the Spoons

Do you have any Yule related articles, information or activities? Please share them with us.

Origins of Yule

Although the ancient origins of Yule are lost in the annals of time, we, as a Folk, can determine from the lore several constants. Yule was at the end of the year and heralded in the rebirth of the Sun. Held on the Winter solstice (around the modern Dec. 21st), Yule, which literally means wheel, was the ending of the cycle of the year. There is no specific reference in texts of 12 days, but there is reference to a several day celebration extending beyond, at least 7 days. The first night is dedicated to Mothers, called The Mother night Blot. The last night is called the “Twelfth Night” where oaths are sworn for the coming year. The ancients first believed the year to be split into halves: light half and dark half. Later the year progressed into thirds and finally fourths. The year was also viewed as a ring that passed in cycles. (Grimm) There is some confusion regarding the actual date. Some believe that Yule was in what is now January from either the 7th to the 19th, or the 13th to the 25th. Regardless of the ancient origins, Yule (or a very close variation) has been, and still is, the most celebrated holiday across European/Western Civilization.

Spiritual Foundations

To understand the spiritual foundations of this Folk Celebration, one must understand our Northern Folk. Our Folk lived in a harsh environment that saw anywhere from 15 to 20 hours of darkness during the winter months. They had no outside distractions being confined to only their longhouses or close surrounding land. This was the time to develop their minds through meditation and mind challenging games. Through mediation they became synchronized with the Gods and Goddesses within them and their kin. During this time Oðin wanders Midgarð visiting His faithful Folk. Being the God of wisdom through meditation, it makes sense that our Folk would meditate and challenge their minds during these dark and cold months. Baldur the shining God is said to be born on the Solstice to Frigga and Oðin. This birth of light also coincides with the rebirth of the sun. Up until Mother’s night, the sun was waning. From Yule till Summer Finding the sun waxes, after which Baldur diminishes into Hel to only be reborn again on Yule in the great cycle of the year. Here lie many intriguing myths that hold the spiritual truths of our Folk.

As related in myth, Oðin goes wandering during the winter months. Beginning with Winterfinding and possibly ending on Walpurgisnact, Oðin leaves Asgard, to Ullr the hunter, to wander Midgard. During this time Oðin visits the homes of His Folk. Leaving a gift for the gifts left for Him by the household. It is said that there was a great war (referred to in the Edda as the First War between the Aesir and Vanir) and Oðin was dethroned. Ullr is said to take the throne and rule Asgard till Oðin’s return. Ullr is considered the Winter King. Although not definitively known, Ullr could be another face of the All-father. Traditionally children would leave out hay and sugar for Sleipnir (Oðin’s eight-legged steed), in return Oðin would leave a gift for the children.

This is also the time that the Folk would celebrate the return of the sun. They would go into the woods and bring back a large tree to burn all night. This fire was tendered all night—the longest night of the year—to welcome back the sun from her slumber. The remnants for the log were carefully gathered and put aside to kindle the flame of the next Yule. This was a tradition that was continued unbroken. It was believed that if the fire did not burn all night that the sun would be weak or non-existent the light half of the year. The sun Goddess Sunna would not bless the land with her life-giving rays. It could also symbolize the flame of the Folk, and its importance to continue the ageless traditions of the Folk. The perseverance to stay with the flame and never letting it go out all night showed the dedication to the good of the Folk.

The Yule tree, representative of the Great World Ash (Yggdrasil) would be decorated and honored. The tree chosen was left alive outside to honor the endurance of life in the coldest, darkest of nights. As to is the symbol of the wreath made with fresh sprigs from the evergreen, is a enduring symbol of life.

Continuation of Traditions

Since Christians couldn’t get rid of this holy celebration, they decided to absorb it. Instead of Oðin visiting, it was a Saint who rewarded faithful followers of the Christian God. Since celebration of heathen traditions were punishable by torture and death, the Folk kept the Folk way alive in their homes by bringing a fresh cut tree to decorate. Instead of Baldur’s birth or the birth of a God (as in Mithra), Christ was born on Christmas. Although frustrating with all the bastardizations, these absorptions have ensured the continuance of the traditions of our ancient Folk till now. The folkway never died, it was only taken on a 1500-year + detour to be saved for future generations to re-ignite. Much like Ragnrok and the ensuing fimbulwinter, our Folkways are shrouded in a thin veneer of alien doctrines. The Folkway is just now coming out of the cold alienation to the warm home of the True Folkway.

Old ways, New times

Such is the variety of our Northern folk, so to is the variety of celebrations for the return of the Sun. The way one celebrates is completely individual, and individuality is a trait of our Folk, so the following modern celebrations are only a sketch of the myriad of way to honor the High Ones and Sunna’s return. This is a good time to meditate on the years activities. It is also a good time to call on the powers of the Gods and Goddesses as well as the ancestors. This is a time when the veil between the worlds is thin and the ancestors can more readily share their wisdom.

The Yule Tree/Log

Many chose their Yule tree on Mother’s Night (Yule eve) and decorate that day. Although it is still a strong tradition to bring the tree in from the cold to the warmth of the Family Hearth, others still decorate a tree outside their homes. It is hoped that this small step will herald in the reawakening of our Folk and victory over the desert God. The Tree is topped with a shining symbol, either a representation of the Polar star (Tyr’s Nail) or of the Irminsul (the World axis, appropriate for Yggdrassil). Also, the tree is decorated with red and white symbols in either lights, red berries, or tinsel as is the Yule wreath. On New Year’s Eve, the gathered Folk swear oath’s on the Yule log for the coming year. This tree or log is burned on New Year’s eve and is lit with the previous year’s Yule log. Remnants from the Yule tree/log are kept for the next year. This tradition can be mirrored with a piece of the trunk of the Yule tree to represent the Yule log and placing three candles: red, white, and green, atop it, thus re-igniting our Folkway.

The Wanderer’s Visit

To honor the Wanderer, Oðin, the children (and parents) leave out their stockings accompanied with milk and cookies, or whatever gift they wish for Oðin and Sleipnir, to refresh the wanderers on their long journey. Oðin in turn leaves gifts in the stockings. This is celebrated each of the 12 days, representative of the 12 months of the year. Often a candle is also left out each evening to light Oðin’s way to the home.

The Sun Reborn

To honor the sun reborn, a Blot is performed to usher in the victory of the Sun. It was believed that the Winter and Summer battled and at each respective Solstice one or the other won. The Winter prevailed in Summer and vice versa. (Grimm) To ensure victory of the Summer, Heathen Folk now kindle a fire to be tended all night until sunrise. This not only symbolizes the return of the sun, but also, it is a testament to our Folk and their ancient ways. Candles can be in place of a fire. It is what that flame symbolizes, that is important.

Feasting

This has never died out among our Folk. The Yule Feast, often some form of pork, is celebration of kinship and comradeship. This is the time when kith and kin gather to partake in the warmth of family and friends. There is a great celebration with several Folkways continued. The ritual meal is often pork and late harvested crops such as squash. The Boar, sacred to Frey, sacrifice and eaten to partake in the fertility of Frey and His ability to grant fine crops. Some Folk also swear oaths on a representation of a boar. During the feast a sumble is performed in which the gathered Folk boast, oath, and even sing/read poetry. It is also a time to play mind challenging games such as chess, charades, etc… with the gathered Folk.

Yule is the victory of the light over darkness, the turning of another year, and to enjoy the warmth of kith and kin. The enduring Will of our Folk and the High Ones has kept these ancient traditions alive. This Yule when one is opening gifts from family and friends, raising a glass toasting the greatness of our comrades, eating the Yule feast, pondering the waning year and making plans for the next, singing carols, and decorating the home and tree know that it is these simple acts that keep the Flame of our Folk alive for future generations.

Hail Baldur! Hail the Return of the Sun!

For our collection of Yule articles please click here.

FFF
Hyndla OR

References:

Teutonic Mythology, Grimm.
Mother Night Blot, Odinic Rite: Book of Blotar
Poetic Edda, Larrington Translation