The vernal equinox
starts the spring of our calendar year.
This holiday is
most closely linked with the Christian Holiday of Easter.
In fact Easter is
a moveable feast and it is placed by figuring that
it is the first
Sunday after the first full moon that follows
the
Vernal Equinox.
I know that's a lot to remember, when I
first ran on to
this information I had to read it more than once
before it fell into
place.
Eggs have long been
associated with this time of the year since
they are a symbol
of universal rebirth and the renewal of the
eternal spirit.
The Rabbit was considered sacred to the
Goddess and as such
it was celebrated as a harbinger of the Spring
when all the new
bunnies were born. As far as I know
chocolate is a modern
thing that is wonderful but has
no spiritual meaning,
(no matter how great I feel when I eat it!).
This holiday is very
often rainy where I live and must be
celebrated inside.
I have only been able to enjoy
the entire day outside
once. Many of the things that
I will talk about
here are adaptable to the outside.
It is also
a popular day for bread making. In fact,
there is one
type of bread that
actually has dyed eggs arrayed on top of its
braided surface.
Flower-pot breads are popular, as well as any type
of food that uses
flowers in the recipe or as a decoration.
Plant new
trees and and flowers around you, plan a day that is centered
around the Earth,
and what you can do to assist the Earth
in taking care of
you.
We must remember
that the Earth has a finite amount of
available resources
and it is up to us to maintain good stewardship
of these resources
in our day to day living. You are a part of the
ecosystem,
you are culpable for your actions and your "in-actions". It is
this time of the
year when we are reminded most clearly that we are
guests upon this
earth not its master. The Earth will survive us, it
is up to us to maintain
our own survival.
Perhaps the
most positive statement I have seen in past years is the
idea of an "Earth
Day", using this day to bring home the idea of
sustaining the Earth
for itself and us as well.
FEASTING
I use a pudding
that has marigold petals in it and there is a
marigold cake that
is very popular that uses the petals in the same manner.
People have used
candied violets for a very long time as well as rose
petals for everything
from Rose flavored vodka to a desert that
is sort of an Italian
ice. The point is to bring into your home and
life the spirit
of the spring and all its new wonder.
CEREMONY
The Altar is often
adorned with plants that represent the
spring time most
clearly. As well as anything
that has an "egg"
connotation.
I can only
suggest that you take time out to be with one another
and that look into
popular celebrations that happen in your
area that might
fit into this time of reverence
for you and your
families.
Books to help you on
your quest
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