As a modern witch I'm always tickled when I find witchy supplies in unlikely places. For instance, Pottery Barn is selling Easter Egg Candles. What could be better on the Ostara altar than egg-shaped colored candles?

Our focus at Ostara is on the return of Spring and the abundance it brings. This is the time when the great Mother Goddess welcomes the young Sun God and conceives the child who will be born again at Yule, the Winter Solstice. The Great Rite, symbolic of the sexual union between God and Goddess, became a tradition to be enacted on Ostara. The positive effect of this rite, a form of sympathetic magic, helped to bring fertility to the land and people and the animals.

Pottery Barn's Easter Egg Candles

Easily recognized as symbols of fertility, eggs are rich with significance for the celebration of Spring. In ancient times the return of the birds meant an important protein source had returned. The ability to find eggs in the fields and forest often meant the difference between health and hunger in the lean days before the harvest.

Eggs were an important part of the festival of the Thesmophoria - sometimes called the Eleusinian Mysteries - which honored Demeter and Persephone and focused on manifesting the return of Persephone, the return of Spring. A highlight of the festival was a procession of children carrying sacred objects, including colored eggs. Celebrants ate Ostara eggs in an attempt to assimilate the spirit of the goddess. The idea was to produce an incarnated blessing of fertility, both of the crops and of children.

The most common colors associated with Ostara - and therefore for colored eggs - are lemon yellow, pale green and pale pink. Other appropriate colors include grass green, all pastels, Robin's egg blue, violet, and white. Pottery Barn's egg candles come in a set of four - one each of sage green, periwinkle blue, ivory and white. Besides being delightfully egg-shaped, the candles handily have the following correspondences:

Green: Promotes prosperity, abundance, and success; stimulates rituals for good luck, money, harmony, rejuvenation and fertility.

Blue: Primary spiritual color; for rituals to obtain wisdom, harmony, inner light, or peace; confers truth and guidance; helps with dream interpretation - using your dreams in a magickal way to solve problems, find answers, etc.

White: A balance of all colors, effective for spiritual enlightenment, purification, protection, cleansing, clairvoyance, healing, truth seeking; rituals involving lunar energy; may be substituted for any other candle color

Ivory: While I haven't found a specific correspondence to the color ivory, we could, by its similarities to yellow, gold and silver, consider the correspondences for those colors. Yellow is about activity, creativity, drawing, pulling, compelling, and unity. Yellow brings the power of concentration and imagination to a successful ritual: used in rituals when you wish to gain another's confidence or persuade someone or in rituals that require solar energy. Gold fosters understanding and attracts the power of cosmic forces; beneficial in rituals intended to bring about fast money or riches. And silver removes negativity and encourages stability; helps develop psychic abilities; attracts the influence of the Mother Goddess.

All correspondences with particular usefulness at Ostara and for our work to manifest abundance in our lives, whatever form we need that abundance to take.

Pagan News has a nice overview of Ostara, which provided some of the information for this post, and has a great discussion of colored eggs and how to incorporate them into Ostara rituals and other celebrations of Spring.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 6:32 PM | Comments (2)

I hear so many pagans talking about how we, as followers of earth-based religions, should be at the forefront of the environmental movement. It should be a no-brainer, and I know there are many who already are doing what they can.

I'm promoting Isaac Bonewits' call to see how many thousands of Pagans we can get to support Al Gore and his work to stop global warming. Isaac passed along this message from Al Gore to the members of Spells for Democracy:

When the producers of An Inconvenient Truth first approached me with the concept for the film, I was skeptical. Could we really take a slideshow about the climate crisis and turn it into a compelling movie? Davis Guggenheim's Oscar win for best documentary and a second one for Melissa Etheridge's beautiful song "I Need to Wake Up" was a testament to their ability, but it was also a testament to you.

It was you who packed the theaters and got your friends to go see this film, greatly increasing the audience. And then this past December, it was you who connected through MoveOn.org and AlGore.com to attend An Inconvenient Truth viewing parties. At those parties and in the weeks that followed, nearly 200,000 of you wrote to Congress, demanding that they address the climate crisis like the planetary emergency that it is.

Even though I have been a life-long movie fan, I didn't really understand how big of an audience a movie could reach. And of course I never would have imagined in a million years that a movie that I was a part of would receive two Academy Awards—or one—or would have ever been made in the first place! As humbling as this moment is, An Inconvenient Truth will only succeed if it drives all of us to take action. That's why I'm asking you to join me in the next stage of our fight. On March 21st, I'm going to hand-deliver the messages you signed when I testify at Congressional hearings on the climate crisis.

This is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate to Congress that we demand immediate action. And I need your help to really make this moment count. Can you commit to getting 10 friends to send their message to Congress through AlGore.com before March 21st? The more voices I can bring to Washington, the more powerful our message will be.

To get your friends involved, just forward them this note or direct them HERE.

There is no longer a debate about the fact that global warming is real. We're causing it. The consequences are serious, and could be headed towards catastrophe if we don't fix it. And it's not too late. I don't want to imagine a future in which our children say, "What were our parents thinking?" "Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?" And I know you don't either.

The hundreds of thousands of you who signed messages to Congress showed me what's possible. Working together we can unite millions of people and build support for real action on a scale that has never been seen before.

Help me take the first step and fill up that hearing room with your signatures. That picture alone will send a powerful message.

Can you commit to getting ten more people to send messages to Congress demanding action to stop global warming?

SEND YOUR MESSAGE TO CONGRESS

I'm looking forward to working with you on this monumental task.

Thank you,
Al Gore

In addition to answering the call to get ten friends to send messages to Congress, Spells for Democracy is planning a special Equinox spell for the day of the hearings to "make the Congresscritters pay attention." I'll pass along the spell once it's posted.

As you plan for your Ostara rituals and celebrations of the arrival of Spring, why not lend your energy to those who are trying to save Mother Earth?

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 9:17 AM | Comments (0)

Forget wimpy noise makers - the way to welcome in the Chinese New Year is with a bang. And sparks. Fireworks are not just for July 4th! The Chinese believe that letting off fireworks at the front door of the home scares away evil spirits and paves the way for an auspicious beginning to the new year. The Chinese New Year is a celebration of change ... out with the old and in with the new! The celebration of Chinese New Year is all about securing abundance for the upcoming year: happiness, health, togetherness, luck and prosperity.

Party favors - including custom fortune cookies and the traditional mandarin oranges - at my Chinese New Year party.

Chinese New Year began at the New Moon on February 17 and Asian communities around the world are celebrating the beginning of Year of the Boar - also referred to as the Year of the Pig (Year 4705). I meant to write about Chinese New Year in time for the 17th but I was too busy getting ready for my Chinese New Year party to write. (BTW, it rocked!)

Chinese New Year always starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year - which is why it always begins on a different day each year - and ends on the Full Moon 15 days later. The first day of the Lunar New Year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth." The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. In the Far East, this is also the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Farmers take this opportunity to welcome spring as they plant for the new harvest. Thus, the Lunar New Year is also called the Spring Festival.

San Francisco hosts the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia, which will be culminating on Saturday with their Chinese New Year Parade. The San Francisco Chronicle is a great source for information and stories about the celebration and its traditions.

The Year of the Pig will be a year of plenty and good will for all, imbued with a feeling of abundance, contentment and security. Pig Year is a time of fun and self-indulgence. Ease and enjoyment of life are valued more than power and status. We can be kinder to each other in our everyday interactions and feel little need for competition. Harmony, peace, understanding, and good fellowship drive our actions this year. People make new friends and entertain a lot, and are involved in charitable and social functions.

Business and industry thrive, but, given the Pig's indecisive nature, people may hesitate to take full advantage of opportunities presented. Professionals and the self-employed will do better this year and small business enterprises will prosper. This is a year that favors teamwork. General living standards will improve greatly and material lives will see much help from technology, gadgets, the ever-expanding communications network and easily accessible internet.

Pig Year brings about many changes: career changes, moving out of homes and offices, shifting to a new school/college, sudden change in governments, etc. Inter-country immigrations will rise drastically. It is a great year for traveling. Pig Year is also a good year for marriage and child bearing. Ruled by feminine Yin energy, Pig Year is an especially auspicious year for women.

A kumquat tree, a leafy pomelo and red money packets represent prosperity and good fortune in the Chinese New Year.

The tolerant, sensual and indulgent Pig fills everyone with a sense of well-being, extravagance, generosity and chivalry. Life is for living, and living well. Money is spent on luxuries such as extravagant vacations, sumptuous meals, and fine clothing. It is easy to become content and satisfied, ignoring the bills that accumulate during Pig year. People may also find themselves regretting impulsive acts of generosity. Money will come in more easily and unexpectedly, but will ooze out porously. It is a year to be wary of excess and to exercise prudence in money matters. The following Rat Year in 2008 will be time to face reality after Pig year indulgences, so enjoy now while the enjoying is good.

Oh, and about that fertility thing. Many people believe that this is the year of the "Golden Pig" and many Asians across the world are eager to have a child born under this particularly lucky sign. According to legend, a "Golden Pig" year happens once every 600 years and children born during this year are destined for great fortune and prosperity. Most Chinese astrologers and mystics say this legend is pure bunk, but that hasn't stopped the baby race.

People born in Pig year are kind, honest, peaceful in nature and dislike arguments or conflicts. They are optimistic, fun-loving, and don’t hide their emotions. Pig people are creative and have exquisite taste in the arts. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Pig is not a slob. Pigs pay much attention to hygiene and appearances. Pigs make great friends because of their capacity for giving and forgiving.

One challenging trait for Pig people is the tendency to be overly sensual and indulgent, especially with food and drink. Being artistic, Pigs can overspend on luxuries and be impractical about reality.

Your Fortune in Pig Year

Rat
Expect a year of planning instead of achieving. Pig year is a time for Rat to rest, recoup from past losses, and maybe even join the crowd and indulge a little bit. It is best to reserve energy for next year 2008, the year of the Rat, when you start a new fortunate twelve-year life cycle.

Ox
Anticipate much activity at home and business. Ox is stimulated by extra work and succeeds. New contacts and opportunities appear throughout Pig year that are beneficial. No major difficulties are foreseen. Maybe Ox can stop working long enough to join the party and experience some fun and romance too.

Tiger
Your good fortune continues from the previous Dog year. Pig year can bring good business, wild luck, easy satisfaction, and contentment because Pig is Tiger’s dear friend. Pig’s influence brings enjoyment of the finer things in life, but be aware to not overspend or overextend. Think before you pounce and not act on impulse or whim, especially in romance. 

Hare
Expect a very very nice year because Hare is compatible with Pig (and Sheep). Appreciate the good times, experience emotional security, and feel social contentment. Hare is less nervous and edgy. A good year for marriage or having children. But keep your business expectations low, and accomplishments may be negligible, because Hare would rather enjoy life. 

Dragon
Life stabilizes after the challenges of the previous Dog year. Easy travel, light entertaining, and amusing recreation are enjoyable. But caution with finances is recommended because Dragon can overspend. Work tends to be slow, mundane, and perhaps a bit frustrating. So wait until Rat year 2008 when you experience a very fortunate work cycle.

Serpent (Snake)
Accomplishments may be limited because Pig is opposite Serpent. Plans may be delayed or not manifest at all. Perhaps Serpent can enjoy the leisure and indulgence that Pig year brings, but now is time to lay low and hibernate. Avoid conflicts or lawsuits which will not end in your favor. It may be better to look forward to auspicious new beginnings in Rat year 2008 or Ox year 2009.

Horse
Enjoy the parties and passions of Pig year when you can. But Horse and Pig are very different, so Pig year could bring some uncomfortable circumstances for independent Horse. Difficulties with lazy coworkers and not-to-the-point miscommunication can delay success. And Horse could overspend on nonessential and luxuries.

Sheep
Now is one of the easiest and best years for lucky Sheep. Everything Sheep touches can turn to gold. Good fortune is seen in romance and business. Sheep could even inherit or win money. An excellent year for marriage, engagement, or having children. Take advantage of all opportunities this year.

Monkey
Expect some improvements in your life after the difficulties of the past two years. A fun year to Monkey around and have a good time. Good business advancement, travel, and possible change of resident are foreseen. Still, Monkey’s plans could be thwarted or delayed. Rat year 2008 will be far more fortunate for Monkeys in business and finance. 

Phoenix (Rooster)
Pig year is a banquet so join the feast. Lighten up when you can, stop worrying, and try to enjoy life. Your values and Pig’s values are very different so avoid arguments in general. A time to be realistic and more conservative. Anticipate extra work, some challenging responsibilities, and minor career setbacks. But dedication to a career can relieve a financial slump.

Dog
Good fortune continues from the previous Dog year. Focus turns to family concerns and friendships. Now is an auspicious time to begin new relationships and expand your circle of friends. Dog can have a great time at all the social events during Pig year. Life is good and Dog can easily enjoy a calm and peaceful Pig year.

Pig
Finally! Expect the best year of a twelve-year life cycle. Pigs benefit greatly from the energy of their own year. Good fortune is foreseen in romance, family affairs, and business endeavors. New ventures bring success. Pigs could inherit or find money. An excellent year for marriage, romance, or having a child. Luck is with you throughout the year.

Thanks to Susan Levitt for her Chinese New Year fortunes.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 6:02 PM | Comments (0)

Everyone knows by now that the famous prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, thereby predicting an early Spring. After spending my day yesterday indoors looking at hours of fluffy snowflakes falling, falling, falling, I was not feeling inclined to agree. Imagine my delight, then, when today it is a balmy 40 degrees in Boston and hardly any evidence of all that white stuff remains. I'm hoping for Spring.

Woody

An interesting twist to all this woodchuck weather wisdom is that a female groundhog from Howell, Michigan has been gaining popularity as news of her better record for accuracy has been making the rounds of the internet. Woody has been right in predicting when spring would come for six of the last eight years, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The intuitive groundhog lives at the Howell Nature Center. She competes for the spotlight with other famous groundhogs like Gen. Beau Lee in Georgia, Sir Walter Wally in North Carolina and Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania.

Her accuracy has often been attributed to the fact that she's a female and is therefore more responsible, the newspaper said. Others are not convinced that gender even plays a role though.

"I don't think there would be a difference," said John Griffiths, one of Punxsutawney's co-handlers. "As far as we're concerned, there is only one true seer of seers."

We can hardly expect the Punxsutawney camp to be unbiased. Are any of us really surprised to learn that a GIRL is better at predicting Spring's arrival?

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 1:25 PM | Comments (1)

Lately it seems that some of the witches I know are growing weary, myself included. For those of us who have been working with Christopher Penczak, we recently completed an intense period of study. Then there are Sabbat rituals to attend; Moon cycles to acknowledge. We try to maintain constant diligence to a daily practice. After a while it seems to be too much. We need a break, we say.

But this is when I realize that if this my true spiritual path, then there is no break. If I'm not just dabbling in shamanic journeys and spells, then my practice of witchcraft is not something I can set aside when life gets too busy or the dedication required seems overwhelming. Either I'm a witch, or I'm not. There must be moments when people of other faiths feel the way I do. They get too busy to go to church or they begin to skip that daily prayer because their belief is shaken. What, then, do they do to find their way back to their path?

Much of my Wiccan blogging over the past several months (besides tinkering with site design) has focused on the practical aspect of the craft, describing techniques I've been learning and delving deeper into better spellcrafting. While I believe those issues deserve attention, I greatly admire those bloggers who address the philosophical side of Pagan and Wiccan faith. Perhaps for a while what I need to do is take a more theoretical approach to my spirituality. I've always thrived in academic life, loving the intellectual stimulation that classwork provided. Since I've decided to stop taking classes - psychology turned out not to be my cup of tea after all - I'll create my own "class" and devote my intellectual self to exploring and writing about ideas that interest and intrigue me. Exploring spiritual life from a slightly different point of view. We'll see where this takes me.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 8:57 AM | Comments (3)

I took the "I'm Your Venus?" quiz on gURL.com
		I am... Oshun Do you experience love as a sensual journey? If so, that might be because seductive Oshun has seeped into your heart and soul. Oshun is a West-African orisha--a Santerian goddess who rules over fresh water and sweet honey...Read more... Which love goddess are you?

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 9:52 PM | Comments (0)

Tomorrow, Mercury goes Retrograde in the sign of Pisces and will travel through Aquarius before it goes Direct on March 7. Lately I've been seeing Mercury Retrogrades as opportunities to revisit old potential and to return to things that deserved another look. But this time, I'm inclined to see Mercury Retrograde as the force that tends to fuck everything up. We're expecting a big snowstorm tomorrow night and that's just the vehicle Mercury could use to put a monkey wrench into air travel. I've been experiencing programming problems lately, so it seems that Mercury is just getting in a warm-up for the effects that it tends to have on computers and any other technology. Things just don't work the way they're supposed to during a Mercury Retrograde. Boyfriend stuck on the other side of the country for Valentine's day? Yep, Mercury is in Retrofuck. Time to hide under the covers and not come out until the New Moon on March 18th when Mercury will have itself sorted out again.

As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde tends to breed a certain level of confusion. Mercury rules our "lower" mind - how we perceive and interpret information that we receive from our environment, and how we relay that information to others. Mercury has rulership over such things as speaking, negotiating, buying and selling, listening, formal contracts, documents, travel, the mail and shipping, etc. All of these areas of life are affected when Mercury is functioning in a sluggish state. Decision-making is challenged during Mercury retrograde. Needless to say, it is not advised to sign contracts, engage in important decision-making, or launch a new business. Delays and challenges are more probable with Mercury retrograde. This period is best used for re-organizing and reflecting.

During this upcoming Mercury Retrograde, Pisces' influence may make it difficult to distinguish between fantasy and reality. It's important to stay level headed and avoid following whims or impractical ideas. Keep an eye on your wallet, keys, or important papers. Be prepared to experience travel snafus. Communication may be challenging. Your friends may want to communicate their chaotic feelings, so be prepared to be the proverbial shoulder to cry on. Patience is the way to make it through the next few weeks. A good bottle of Scotch, perhaps?

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 8:20 PM | Comments (3)

What is it that Rosemary Clooney sang about coming over to my house? Well, I think the Fey have decided they like it here.

One particularly mischievous fellow has settled on my keyboard, I think, because whenever I type code to fix buggy things with my site something entirely other than what the code I type is supposed to render actually shows up on the screen. The Fey is the only possible explanation for this.

I was very grateful, however, when one of the Fey returned my favorite bobbie pin. Yes, I know, it's of questionable sanity to have a favorite bobbie pin in the first place, but I do. It's smaller than most and I can't find any more like it anywhere. So I'm weird. And it was missing and now it's back, about which I am happier than I suppose a hair implement should make a person.

Moving right along ...

Queen of Wands, The Fey Tarot

Some interesting developments have been happening on the home and work fronts lately. I decided it was time to check in the Fey Tarot to see what today in particular had in store, generally speaking.

They're telling me that I'm going to want to fall back on old habits and sources of security, but the source of current happiness lies in confronting fear and transforming bad into good. The Queen of Wands is Magic for me today; to manifest this transformation I must be a creator, cultivator, healer and all-around generative soul.

On the heels of Brigid's day, that makes perfect sense to me.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 8:15 AM | Comments (1)

Today is Imbolc, the first celebration of Spring in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. It is a day that belongs to Brigid, Celtic goddess of art, creativity and inspiration, and a day when we rejoice in nature's first signs that winter is waning and the warmth and abundance of Spring is on its way.

Lamb in a coat ©2005-2007 foolhound at deviantART

Historically, in agrarian cultures, Imbolc - a word which refers to the lactation of ewes, the flow of milk that heralds the return of the life-giving forces of spring - is the time when lambs were born and soft rain brought new grass. Ravens began to build their nests and larks were said to sing with a clearer voice. In Ireland, the land was prepared to receive the new seed with spade and plough; calves were born, and fishermen looked eagerly for the end of winter storms and rough seas to launch their boats again. In Scotland, the Old Woman of winter, the Cailleach, is reborn as Bride, Young Maiden of Spring, fragile yet growing stronger each day as the sun rekindles its fire, turning scarcity into abundance.

Brigid is among the oldest and most worshipped of the Celtic goddesses, whose cult may have extended over the entire empire of Brigantia, including parts of the British Isles, Spain and France. She is also known as Brigid, Bridget, Brighid, Brighde, Brig or Bride and some scholars consider her name originated with the Vedic Sanskrit word brihati, an epithet of the divine. She is patroness of poetry, arts, crafts, weaving and inspiration. She is usually depicted as a triple goddess, with her two sisters, who also govern smithcraft and medicine. Collectively they are known as the "three mothers" or the "three blessed ladies of Britain," and carvings of the three goddesses are common throughout the Celtic lands.

Candle ©2005-2007 chaosdesignz at deviantART

The Romans later identified Brigid with Minerva, also a goddess of wisdom and handicrafts. Both also possess a warlike aspect, for Brigit's more active followers became known as brigands, from the old Irish briga or "warfare." The name Brigid appears to mean "bright one" or "bright arrow." At her temple in Kildare in Ireland, an eternal flame was guarded by a group of nineteen priestesses. This place later became a convent famous for learning.

Christians were not fully able to eradicate her worship and were forced to canonize her as the famous Saint Bridget or Bride. Brigid's ancient festival on February 2, Imbolc, became known as Candlemas in the calendar of the Christian church. Worship of the great goddess Brigid still survives in folk magick and popular belief, and she holds a revered place for most Wiccans.

For a wonderful overview of the Celtic history of Imbolc and the role of the goddess Brigid, read The Wheel of the Celtic Year: Imbolc

Not only is today Imbolc, but it also happens to be a Full Moon in Leo. What lovely synchronicity to have our first Spring festival fall on an Esbat whose astrological sign is ruled by the Sun and whose energy brings enjoyment, warmth, kindness and generosity of spirit!

The Full Moon is a time of culmination and the promise of fulfillment of that which was started at the New Moon. It is an emotional time—a time of romance, fertilization, and relationships. Particularly under the influence of Leo, it is a time when people crave affection and recognition. The energy of the Leo Moon is creative self-expression and the boost to the individual ego that we receive through pleasure and romance.

For more information about the Full Moon in Leo, and the other astrological influences that are affecting us today, see Cafe Astrology's This Week in Astrology.

Imbolc is traditionally a time of purification - clean your house! If you have any Christmas greenery lingering, burn it now. Make your own Brighid’s crosses and hang them up, especially in the kitchen where her influence can bless your food. Put out food - cake, buttered bread and milk will do - outside your door: Brigid and her cow walk through the neighborhood tonight, and will appreciate your offering. Leave a silk ribbon on your doorstep for Brigid to bless; it can then be used for healing purposes. Meditate upon what you would like to see grow in health and strength this year, for yourself, your family, your community, the Earth, and ask for Brigid's blessing upon your prayers.

With Brigid's creative inspiration and Leo's energy for self-expression, this should be an extremely fertile time for the imagination, resulting in wonderful poetry and works of art. And under the influence of this romantic Full Moon in Leo, it is the perfect time to be with someone you love and let Brigid stoke the fires of passion.

Wishing you a blessed Imbolc!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 8:58 AM | Comments (3)