Inspiration of Spring

Another over cast, chilly and yes snowy day outside but Spring does whisper her presences. She whispers her inspiration and isn’t Spring full of inspiration? Yes, even when the day is cold, gray, and snowy we can choose to see the tiny snowflakes as Spring’s sprinkling of powder sugar, white confetti, or maybe even her tiny fairies coming to bless the earth for planting. We can choose to revel eachtime the clouds part and expose the sun. It is my desire that as you read these words today, you will learn something about the maiden of Spring, her history, the connectedness of ‘the whole’, but mostly I hope you will allow Spring, Ostara the goddess of the dawn, to bring a renewal of light, hope, and inspiration to you; that you will hear her whispers.

Ostara is only one of the ancient goddess names for the Spring Equinox. Early Saxon cultures called her Eostre. From this goddess’ name we have the word Easter. Esther is also inspiration for Easter. Her story is quite beautiful; it is a celebrated story of deliverance. If you read her story in the Hebrew Text (Old Testament) you will notice how often she is referred to as a maiden, she is strikingly beautiful, brave, strong, true to herself and her heritage, worthy of being a queen. The question asked of her is a question we all should ask ourselves at some moment(s) in our lives, “…who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

It is from Ostara’s story we get the Easter Bunny. Now, I have read many accounts of this story, so as I usually do, I kind of make it my own maintaining, hopefully, respect and honor. As I have mentioned Ostara is the maiden/goddess of Spring, the coming Dawn. She would arrive in her season bringing renewed life, by emerging from a cave. One season, she arrived a bit late and lying before her on top of the snow, was a bird. The delicate bird had frozen to death. Upon seeing the tiny creature her heart filled with great sorrow and a sense of responsibility. Had she arrived on time this small bird would be alive. Through her grief and her compassion she brought life back to the little bird, but not as a bird, as a rabbit. She chose the form of a rabbit because of its agile and quick speed and also its ability to be a great companion to her. She held such esteem for a bird’s ability to lay and nurture eggs as well as the symbolism of the egg to the season of Spring, she decided to allow the rabbit to lay eggs but only once a year. Since it was but once a year she decided the eggs would not be ordinary but extraordinary, colorful eggs. What other colors would Ostara choose but the colors of the great rainbow.

Spring offers an abundant amount of symbolism to life and from her we can be renewed and restored especially following a long, dark winter. As the season unfolds I know I will have many things to share as Spring has provided many of my life’s lessons along this my 49^th year journey. Today, along with my desire that these stories have opened your mind to seek the symbols of the season; I’d like to also encourage you to grab a few plastic Easter eggs, as many as you’d like, and place inside each an affirmation. Also, keep one empty, I'm sure you know why and what its affirmation is. Then, each day, with the approaching Easter celebration, take one, ‘crack’ it open, and embrace the affirmation you receive.

Below are a few of the affirmations I’ll be putting into my eggs. Don’t shy away from creating your own as they are simple to write. Just remember to be positive, addressing yourself using “I” or “me” and not “you”, being aware of your specific desires and needs, and mostly remember to keep it so simple.

Here are a few of mine -              

                I am a child of God who is loved and I will feel His love throughout this day

Today, I will plant seeds of creativity, love, hope and all good desires within my heart. I will nurture and manifest these seeds to bring forth new life from within.

I will greet this day, facing the dawn, allowing the Sun to fill me with warmth, knowing I have a place on this great earth.

I am enough right where I am and where I am is enough.

Today, I will be awakened to know I hold a marvelous, purposeful place in this universe.

I will choose openly and freely to be a blessing to someone else today knowing by doing so I will bless my Creator, my God, myself.

Just be inspired by Spring, celebrate Spring, learn of Spring and by doing so, as the wheel of the year turns, you will find the inspirations, celebrations, teachings of each season. Regardless of your position or station in life, they are simply there for you to enjoy, partake, and grow.