Blagoslovljena Ostara 2015.

Ove godine je Ostara za mene mnogo drukčija nego za druge i gledam je iz apsolutne drukčije perspektive nego što je bio slučaj prijašnjih godina. Danas, na dan proljetnog ekvinocija vrlo rano ujutro (ni manje ni više nego na noć tamnog Mjeseca), preminuo mi je djed. To je cijela obitelj očekivala već dva tjedna koje je on proveo vozeći se između bolnice i staračkog doma. S obzirom na njegovo fizičko i duševno stanje, svi smo se složili da se spasio što je preminuo i da je sada konačno miran. Ne planiram vas u ovom postu zamarati tužnim detaljima ove priče već iznijeti svoje shvaćanje Ostare potaknuto upravo ovim okolnostima.

Proljetni ekvinocij označava važan okretaj Kola godine i predstavlja poljoprivrednu Novu godinu. Ovo je prvi dan proljeća, dan kada sve već cvate, sjemenke već klijaju, kada su dan i noć jednake duljine, a time sile kaosa i kozmosa u ravnoteži. Meni ove godine ipak do izražaja najviše dolazi reinkarncijski aspekt ovog sabata. Hoću reći da proljeće predstavlja vrijeme buđenja zemlje, ponovnog rasta biljaka koje su drijemale sve donedavno i novi, važni korak u nadolazeću godinu. Ljudi znaju zaboraviti da kada nešto novo počne, često uz to bude nečemu drugom kraj. Da bi drvo raslo, njegovo lišće mora pasti da istrune i nahrani zemlju. Da novi hrast može izrasti iz zemlje, jedan žir se mora "žrtvovati" i pasti na zemlju koja će ga primiti u svoju utrobu.

S obzirom na sve što sam doživjela nedavno, naprosto ne mogu sagledati Ostaru kao blagdan strasti, plodnosti, seksualnosti i općeg veselja. Umjesto toga ga trenutno vidim kao predstavnika neminovnih životnih promjena koje su ujedno prirodne. Kolo godine je refleksija kola rađanja, smrti i ponovnog rađanja. U takvom kolu Ostara (rekla bih uz Yule i Imbolc) predstavlja jedan aspekt prije spomenutog ponovnog rađanja. Stoga trenutno razmišljam o ovom ciklusu koji pokreće biološki sat prirode. 

Svakako je lakše prihvatiti smrt ako ju se shvaća kao sastavni dio života ili čak nastavak života nakon čega slijedi kratki period odmora i onda ponovno rađanje. I tako iznova i iznova. Možda je reinkarnacija samo jedno od mnogih viđenja svijeta i ljudske egzistencije koje nam pomaže da ostanemo staloženi i pozitivni u najtežim životnim situacijama. Da ona i jest samo to i ništa više, opet sam sretna što mogu sagledati svijet i prirodu na takav način. Ona me podsjeća da su i oni najteži trenuci u našim životima tu da nas nauče nečemu ili da nas osnaže.

Pouka koju sam izvukla iz ovog iskustva (koje mi je, moram priznati, sasvim novo) jest da je sve ciklično i da je jedina konstanta u životu zapravo promjena. Ništa ne možemo vječno konzervirati jer je promjena prirodna.

Ove godine ću Ostaru obilježiti sa svojom najbližom rodbinom i voljenim ljudima iako u ponešto sjetnije raspoloženju nego što bih voljela. Zato želim da za vas Ostara bude puna veselja, blagoslova i strasti!

Do sljedećeg posta,

vaša Witch's Cat

Blessed Ostara 2015

This year, Ostara is very different for me than for other people and I see it from an absolutely different perspective than was the case in previous years. Today, on the day of the spring equinox, early in the morning (no less than on the night of the New Moon), my grandfather died. The whole family had been expecting this for the past two weeks which he spent moving between the hospital and an old people's home. Considering his physical and mental health, we all agreed that death came as a blessing for him because he is finally at peace now. I don't plan to exhaust you with the sad details of this story but rather to explain my understanding of Ostara which was prompted by these circumstances.

The spring equinox marks an important turn in the Wheel of the Year and represents the agricultural New Year. This is the first day of spring, the day when everything is in bloom, when seeds are sprouting, when day and night are equal in length and the forces of chaos and cosmos are in balance. Yet this year, the reincarnation aspect of this festival stands out for me. That is to say, spring represents a time when the earth wakes up, plants come out of their slumber and a new, important step is taken into the year to come. People tend to forget that when something new begins, something else often comes to an end. In order for a tree to grow, its leaves have to fall and rot to nourish the earth. In order for a new oak tree to grow from the earth, one acorn has to sacrifice itself and fall to the earth which will welcome it into its womb.

Considering everything I have experienced recently, I simply cannot see Ostara as a festival of passion, fertility, sexuality and general merriment. Instead, I currently see it as the representative of unavoidable life changes which are natural nevertheless. The Wheel of the Year is a reflection of the birth-death-rebirth cycle. In this wheel, Ostara (I would say along with Yule and Imbolc) represents one aspect of the aforementioned rebirth. And so I am currently thinking about this cycle which sets nature's biological clock into motion.

It is surely easier to accept death if you understand it as an integral part of life or perhaps as an extension of life after which comes a short period of rest and then rebirth. And this goes on and on and on. Maybe reincarnation is just one of many perspectives on the world and human existence which helps us to stay composed and positive even in the most difficult of situations. Even if it is only this and nothing more, I am still happy to be able to understand the world and nature in such a way. This reminds me that even the hardest times in our lives are there to teach us something or to make us stronger.

The lesson that I got from this experience (which, I have to admit, is something completely new to me) is that everything is cyclical and that the only constant in life is change. We cannot preserve anything forever because change is natural.

This year, I will mark Ostara with my closest family and loved ones albeit in a somewhat sadder mood than I would prefer. This is why I wish that happiness, blessings and passion fill your Ostara celebration!

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Imbolc - the Celebration of Light

Imbolc (also known as Imbolc in Old Irish) is one of the four Celtic fire festivals which are celebrated in the Neopagan Wheel of the Year. The festivals are called fire festivals because a part of their tradition is lighting up bonfires which symbolize a certain aspect of the festival being celebrated. During Imbolc, fire doesn't represent warmth but light which fire gives us. Many don't take this into account, but for our ancestors, fire symbolized life and was the manifestation of the Sun on Earth. Therefore, fire also represents the Sun's light which we truly miss during these winter months. We have had enough of long winter nights and somber skies. By lighting a fire we evoke light to return into our lives.

Traditionally, Imbolc is celebrated on February 1. But, since this festival represents winter's midpoint, its date can be determined by the astrological arrival of the Sun at 15°of Aquarius (which in itself represents the midpoint of winter). This is why we celebrated Imbolc on February 4 this year.

Since Imbolc marks the midpoint of winter, it announces the imminent arrival of spring for which we should now prepare. Therefore, it also marks the beginning of the sowing season and the necessary preparation of earth. It is also the time of lambing and thus the time when ewes begin to lactate. To our ancestors, these were the first signs of oncoming warmer and more pleasant days which brought with them a time for work (further sowing, taking care of the crops and harvesting them). Nowadays, not everyone practices farming, but this is why work manifests itself in other ways. Either way, we all have to wake up from our winter sleep sooner or later and begin to actively work. It's interesting that the very name Imbolc can be translated as "in the womb" which alludes to the warming of the earth, melting of snow and the awakening of the  earth in every respect.

Using the analogy of sowing, we can say that before every planting, regardless of whether the seed is real, conceptual, emotional or of another sort, it is necessary to prepare the land for this. We have to plow the field and somehow cleanse it (i.e. loosen it up) and enrich it so it is as fertile as possible. Since most planting is done in spring, we have to use these last winter days for preparations. If we plan to start off a new project, get into a new relationship (friendly/romantic), or plant any other type of seed, we have to cast away anything that inhibits us and anything that is superfluous. It is best to free ourselves from any baggage so that we may continue to walk along our path calm, poised and optimistic.

This time of year, the Celts especially celebrated the goddess Brigit which is known as the goddess of fertility (especially that of the crops), fire (it was believed that she melted snow with her fiery staff and thus pushes on the Wheel of the Year towards spring), inspiration, wisdom, knowledge and healing. One of her main symbols is Brigit's cross which is known as a solar symbol (the Sun wheel) but also as one of the possible representations of the Wheel of the Year. The emphasis is most definitely on the hastening of the wheel's rotation so that the warm spring days awaiting us may come as soon as possible.

Still, this year, at least for me, the light aspect of this festival is most prominent. Light can represent many things - inspiration, purity, innocence (which reminds us of the Goddess this time of year who is in her Maiden aspect as well as the God who is still a young child awaiting his time of ripening before he reaches his full potential and strength), new opportunities, rationality and so on. But of course, everyone will experience this festival in a different way.

Regardless of how you decide to celebrate it or how you experience it, I suggest you ask yourselves two questions. Before you look ahead to your future, steer your vision inwards and ask yourselves what you want to achieve in the months to come and how you can make this happen. Springtime brings fertility, accomplishments, new ideas, sources of energy and inspiration. Try to harmonize yourselves with these vibrations and bring fertility into your lives.

Finally (and with a small delay), I would like to wish you all a happy and blessed Imbolc! May you be filled with light and purity!

Yours,

Witch's Cat