Celebrating Sabbats: Ostara
One of the life lessons I learnt a few years ago was a small mantra: Awareness, Acceptance, Action. Although I have been Aware of the gift which has run down the female side of my family ever since I was a child, I was raised by my Father and Step-mother (a psychiatric nurse), who treated the issue with contempt and derision, making it appear as a curse which needed to be avoided at all costs. A curse which was actually a mental illness, and one which would get me committed if I wasn’t careful. So for many decades I treated this as a disaster zone and stepped around the edges, running whenever it threatened to take a grip – fearing ridicule as I had learnt to ridicule others who believed in this nonsense – but knowing, deep down, that I wanted to explore it, and embrace it.
Luckily attitudes are changing. Society is opening up to different cultures and beliefs. We now see this in the departure of the word “Easter” from our beloved chocolate eggs. I was saddened when I first saw the removal of Christian celebrations from our schools and our Christmases. But then I started to Accept that there is nothing wrong with being different. That I am not going to be burnt at the stake or bound in a straight-jacket (seriously, that was my biggest fear). I had to Accept this was real.
As a result of that Acceptance, I was able to start taking Action. For me, that action has been attending Psychic Awareness courses, learning the Tarot, joining TABI to interact with others who share my beliefs and gifts, and researching Paganism. It turns out I have always held Pagan beliefs, and it has been a relief to find that a huge part of society has shared my beliefs, dating back thousands of years at least. So, this is the first year in which I have been able to give a name to each of the eight points of the year when I have always noted changes in the season. And Ostara seems to be a special one.
Coming at the point in the calendar when the light becomes stranger than the dark, the promise of new life we saw at Imbolc is now in full blown swing… and for me this feels super special this year, since it seems to be where I am with my Spiritual development. The buds which I identified are now coming into bloom, and the beauty of this new life is overwhelming. My everlasting garden flower display is becoming brighter, as the snowdrops make way for crocii and irises, reflecting the world around me as Spring flowers come into full force.
So, I need to make a spread to celebrate!
I have chosen to use an Egg for this one, since I cannot think of a better symbol for new growth. I’ve laid three cards. Starting with the yolk, to represent what’s at the heart of the matter. Then we have the albumen (I just learnt that word – it’s the scientific name for the egg white, which provides protection and nourishment for the yolk’s growth), where I have laid cards which I asked for insight and advice:
The Yolk
1: What is at the centre of my life?
2: What is crossing my path?
The Albumen
3: What is nourishing me?
4: What am I reaching for?
5: Where did I come from?
6: Where am I going?
7: What has my world given me to guide me here?
8: What will my spirit give me to help me grow?
9: Which old habbit should I let go of to improve my progress?
10: What new practise should I adopt to help me on my way?
So, just quickly, let me read the spread which I just drew for this. I used the self published Whispering Tarot by Elizabeth Hazel, mostly because the backs make such a pretty pattern against the Golden Egg I made for the purpose!
At the heart of my life is the Princess of Cups, suggesting I may need to start afresh with my spiritual beliefs, which is exactly what I have already said is happening in my life. She is crossed by the Ten of Swords, which perhaps talks about an end to my previously held religious understanding of what is behind it all, educated into me by attendance at Church of England Schools, but which has never really felt right.
The 7 of Swords reversed claims to be nourishing my spiritual growth. This one tells me to take what I want and leave the rest – and its inversion suggests that I may have had some trouble letting go of my previously held beliefs. So no surprise there! And what am I reaching for? The Moon it seems. Although this card is widely believed to be a rather deceptive card, I believed for a long while that it was indeed the card of meditation – and indeed I do spend a LOT of time now looking to the Moon, following her cycles, and taking her phases into account when sending my own energy out there.
The 9 of Swords, which would be about right, tells me where I am coming from… I tend to think of this as the card of nightmares, advising us to wake up and let those oppressive thoughts go… for after all when we awaken from those fears, they no longer have the power to oppress us. And where I am heading to? The Star! The card of dreams coming true! I love it when this card appears!
To guide me here, Death has transformed my life. Out with the old, and in with the new I suppose! I have indeed undergone a massive transformation since embracing this path, and I am not sorry to be able to let go of the old ways. And to help me grow the Princess of Pentacles is telling me to keep at it, to continue this path of study and keep throwing my energy into what I’m doing.
The Knight of Pentacle is inverted in my path. I think of him as slow and steady wins the game, so reversed I would think he means I have been holding back far too much indeed. It’s time to let go of my caution and just fly with the wind! And here’s an interesting one – what practise should I adopt moving forwards? Well, if the six of cups inverted talks to me about looking at the world through rose coloured spectacles, then how odd is it to come up in a position of advice? Is she telling me to take off those specs, or to put them on? I would see that I do tend to see only the positives in my life – am I supposed to stop doing that? Or keep it up? My intuition is blocking me here – so please, if you have any ideas about this, do let me know!!!
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