Mabon and Community

Mabon is a time of celebrating the abundance in our lives - we celebrate the rich harvest, emotional wealth, experiential wealth and social wealth. One of the messages that Mabon sends us is that you can have all the wealth of the world but it is all worthless if you have nobody to share it with. Because of this, feasts are a consistent practice which is particularly accentuated for this Sabbat. The entire yield that has been gathered up to this point is shared among the community which sowed them, cultivated them and finally harvested them. Those that have plenty give to those that have little. It is from this that the practice of donating and volunteering during this Sabbat stemmed.

But let's go back to community. This aspect of Mabon beckoned me this year for several reasons. More than ever, I have brought to consciousness that man is a social being and truly understood the importance of society and togetherness in it. But community is a complicated thing because relationships in it can be diverse. Community is not based solely on positive experiences and emotions; people can quarrel, not talk among each other but still be connected through their community. After all, togetherness strengthens if one is able to surmount and solve precisely these moments and emotions. Mabon reminds us of the importance of community; regardless of its size, it is always there for us. Our family, friends, partner(s), teachers and so on form us as people and are there for us through the good and the bad (albeit some more than others). Not everyone has to love one another inside a community, but what makes a community is that every link in the chain is necessary to keep the chain from breaking. That is to say, everyone in their own way contributes to the community's integrity.

The focus of my Mabon celebration was spending time with people I haven't seen for too much time and whom I missed dearly. The focus was on socialization, laughter, gaining pleasant experiences and memories with all of these people, which I did. However, in all of this, I didn't forget about the people that I see often. I reminded myself that I shouldn't take them for granted and contemplated our relationships; how they can be improved, what their good sides are, what their bad sides are, what they are based on. It is not always easy to find answers to these questions, but if you succeed, you can experience a sort of fulfillment.

I know that it is sometimes difficult to set aside time for the community taking into account our fast pace of life, but despite this, I hope that you managed to spend time with your loved ones during this Sabbat and enjoyed this time!

I wish you all a blessed Mabon! :)
Yours,
Witch's Cat

Welcoming Lammas

Justin Ashton - Super Moon AZ

While writing my Lammas ritual, I started asking myself: "What does this Sabbath mean to me?". After all, I had to start somewhere and find the basic idea which would serve as the groundwork for the ritual itself. I believe that clearly defining the goal and basic idea is extremely important for a quality conception of any ritual. In search of new cognition and inspiration, I recalled the mysteries behind this Sabbath, so here are the fruits of my thoughts (a fitting metaphor given that this is the feast of the first harvest, or feast of the first fruits).

This year, Lughnasadh/Lammas is special because July 31 is also the night of a full moon! And not any full moon at that, but a blue moon. This is truly a great time for magical work. The full moon is usually connected with water because of its effect on the tides (it "attracts" water towards itself  at certain times of the day because of its gravitational field which results in high tides), and water is in turn connected with cleansing and emotions (because of their fluidity). And so, in time, the belief developed that the full moon has purgative qualities and that it is best to use its energy to cleanse oneself, rid oneself of negative emotions and influences and meditate on this in order to become aware of what has to be discarded. The full moon also represents new beginnings and ends of cycles (when one chapter ends, another begins) and this characteristic is currently even more accentuated because of the three planets that are in retrograde (Venus, Uranus and Saturn). Therefore, their usual influences are reversed. I wouldn't like to go into any further detail on this subject, but I recommend you read this article if you are interested in recent astrological events. I mention this because both Lammas and the full moon are appropriate times for introspection, reflection on the past, responsible thinking about one's actions, facing fears, comprehending one's emotions and overcoming obstacles. All in all, this is a time of big changes. This is why I decided to incorporate a bit of everything in this sequence in my ritual - meditation on the past and its effects on the present, former actions and their causes, outcomes or perhaps the fruits of invested labor and so on.

Deeper research of Lammas mysteries (unrelated to the full moon) led to me conclude that, this year, at least for me, the most prominent aspects of this Sabbath are sacrifice, causality and reciprocity. To elaborate, sacrifice is a central theme of this Sabbath because this is the time of celebration of the first harvest. Pagans understand harvesting as the self-sacrifice of the crops which surrender themselves so that people may have something to live on in the oncoming colder months. Embodied in the crops, the God also sacrifices himself and so enters seniority at this Sabbath; he becomes the Wise Man and the Goddess matures into the her Crone aspect.

There is no better time to bring to consciousness our actions and draw out from the depths of our instinct and  past experience the necessary wisdom. This is what the Wise Man and Crone, who are themselves filled with wisdom and life experiences, teach us at Lammas. One of these pieces of wisdom is that everyone gets as much as they invest. That is to say, you reap what you sow (literally in the case of the crops, or metaphorically). A lot of labor, time, love, persistence, strength, energy, care and finally responsibility are needed for our actions to bear fruit. Lammas is a great time to meditate on this because the results of our several-month-old labor are finally becoming visible. For Imbolc we prepared the ground and cleansed it to make room for new seedlings, at Ostara we planted our seeds (turned ideas into actions) and to this day followed their growth into strong fruits which are finally ripe for the picking.

All of the listed ideas are closely connected to the other two mysteries of Lammas which I am putting emphasis on today - reciprocity and causality. Reciprocity signifies a mutual influence of different factors. Man has forgotten this and often acts very egoistically, forgetting that he shares everything with everyone else and that all his actions are reflected in the lives of others. Nothing is one-sided. In this sense, others' actions also affect us. If every person would keep in mind that they are not alone in the world and that all forces act reciprocally, life would be much easier and much more pleasant. The agricultural aspect of Lammas mirrors the mystery of reciprocity in that it emphasizes that man has to plant and feed a seed in order to get fruit. This fruit in turn sacrifices itself when the time comes and feeds man.

Causality is a similar concept to reciprocity in that it also signifies an influence between different factors, except this time, this influence isn't reciprocal but rather causal. Essentially, every cause has an effect. Causality thus teaches us to be responsible because man will not get a yield if he doesn't plant any crops in the first place and doesn't take care of them. For them to grow, responsibility is needed, among other things.

If we take some time out of our busy, fast lives and stop to think about our actions, we can understand that we are not as passive as we may think. Human potential is vast because each of our actions causes ripples, even waves of reactions. All we need to do is make this potential and energy our own and take action. Although, in the process, we must not forget about the repercussions of our actions, but the mere consciousness of our potential, boldness to turn our thoughts into actions and the pride we feel after seeing the fruits of our labor immensely enhance the quality of our lives.

It is with these last thoughts that I wish you all a blessed Lammas! May it be merry and inspired!
Yours,

Witch's Cat

Litha as a Time of Confrontation

When we think of Litha, we think of the summer, sunshine, happiness and, for those of us that live near the sea and for those of you that travel to get to the beach, bathing season. But as is the case with every other Sabbath, Litha is much more complex than this.

It's true that the Sun is at the height of its power on Litha and that this is the longest day of the year because of this, but the summer solstice is also the day when the Sun (mythologically represented by the figure of the God) sacrifices itself so the Wheel of the Year could continue turning and the earth could regenerate itself after the intense heat. From this day onward, the forces of chaos grow and the forces of cosmos decline, the days become shorter and the Sun begins to lose its strength. But this sacrifice is necessary for the natural cycles to continue.

When you look at the Wheel of the Year, everything culminates on Litha - all of our plans and goals which we "planted" on Imbolc and watched grow through Ostara and Beltane to this point have now reached their full potential. So what is left for us to do? Look back at what we have done and see if we have achieved everything we planned to. Therefore, this is a time for introspection. This is not an easy task and it may lead to many emotions and facts coming to light, but it is necessary for further individual growth and evolution.

This Litha was precisely all that for me - a time of introspection. I have to admit that I have come to know a lot more about myself and my loved ones and that most of this knowledge was hard to take in. But obviously this was necessary and thanks to all of this, I now know what I have to do next and which goals to set myself.

It is normal for Litha to use the huge amounts of energy flowing around in order to face certain problems and solve them. This aspect of Litha was also present for me. Some use this energy to help others; be they humans, animals or plants. Nurturing is therefore another aspect of this Sabbath. I had some of the most touching experiences of my life in this respect. They restored my faith in people, their goodness and generosity. Generally, this period was very tumultuous for me, although I am becoming aware that these phases are also a necessary part of life. It is these shocking moments that really shake us and wake us up and point out (albeit sometimes in an indelicate way) so many novelties to us which are necessary for us to continue in life.

I urge you to stop, look back at the past few months and grasp something new! It may not be easy... This new knowledge may even be painful for you, but in the end, every why has a wherefore.

May this Litha be blessed and may it bring you wisdom, prudence, determination and courage!

Yours,

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

Yule - the Celebration of the Sun's Rebirth

(c) Anne Stokes - Spirit of Yule
(The Holly King)

Two kings fight for dominance - the Holly King and the Oak King. But this is not any usual battle as they do not have an army and they fight knowing that everything in nature is cyclical, as is their reign. They have been rivals since the beginning of time, yet they know that this is how it must be. The Oak King rules during the summer half of the year (from the winter solstice to the summer solstice) and the Holly King during the winter half (from the summer solstice to the winter solstice). Hence the Holly King is known to all as the dark king, he who rules during the waning half of the year, he who brings dark nights and who is followed by the fading of the Sun.

On the day of the battle - Yule, the winter solstice - the two kings are aware of their roles in the birth-death-rebirth cycle. It is now the Oak King's turn to once more govern over nature. The Holly King draws back, as does the darkness which cloaked the earth. The time comes for the Sun to regain its strength, for the lengthening of the days and the fertilization of the land. Yet, at the same time, this means the end of the resting and nesting period for people because there are no fruits without labor.

This year, Pagans celebrate the winter solstice (the first day of winter) a.k.a. Yule on December 21. For us, this day represents an important transition in the cycle of life. The winter solstice is marked by the longest night and the shortest day of the year. However, for Pagans, this is not a reason to grieve but rather for celebration because from this day on, the days become longer and the nights shorter...the Sun begins to regain its strength - it is reborn. It is precisely on this basis that many see Yule as the beginning of the new year. In Paganism, the Sun is personified by the God, just as the Moon is mirrored in the image of the Goddess. Thus the God, as the Sun, is reborn on this date. If it were not so, the natural cycle could not carry on.

For Lughnasadh, the God sacrificed himself, gave his body to Mother Earth and in this manner enabled the yield of crops. On Mabon, his vital energy quickly ebbs and he dies on Samhain. After this, the Goddess mourns him in the aspect of the Crone but both the Goddess and God are reborn at Yule. The Goddess undergoes a magical transformation from Crone to Maiden and gives birth to the God so they may continue to turn the Wheel of the Year together.

It is interesting that the very name of this festival, Yule, comes from the Nordic word iul/hjól which means "wheel". Based on this, we may understand Yule as the first spoke on the Wheel of the Year. As with any beginning, the first turn of this wheel is always the hardest and always lasts the longest. Thus nature in its entirety remains sedate during this time of year and in this resting phase prepares itself for the work that has to be done with the coming of spring. She warms herself up for the oncoming turns of the wheel.

(c) Anne Stokes - Oak King

Still, humans are a part of nature as well so they too take a part in all of this. This winter period of resting gives people the necessary time to reflect on their past, on themselves and their surroundings. Yule is also a wonderful time for thinking about the future and setting goals (which are also known as New Year's resolutions during this time of year). Cleansing, be it physical, emotional or spiritual, also doesn't hurt because nobody wants to enter the new year with a burden, a head full of doubts and a messy house.

The only mess you may have to put up with is a bunch of pine needles on the floor. And yes, even Pagans can decorate the Christmas tree during Christmas time. Actually, Christmas and Yule have much more in common that you might expect. An in depth comparison would require looking into the pasts of these two holidays which most definitely were intertwined, but I will only mention a few common traditions and basic ideas here. What Christians call the Christmas tree, Pagans call the Yule tree. Sometimes a Yule log is used in stead of a tree, but they both represent the same idea really - eternity. Evergreen trees such as pine, or sometimes just the stronger trees (for example oak from which the Yule log is most often made) as symbols of everlasting life because they at least seemingly ever die. The pine tree remains green throughout the entire year and in this represents the prevalence of life over death. The oak tree can live up to a few hundred years and is well known for its hardness and the durability of its roots. It's no wonder that these trees and all those similar to them are taken as symbols of eternal life! A number of other evergreen and seasonal plants and fruits can also be used for decorations - holly, mistletoe (and other berries), pine cones, acorns and so on. All of these materials are used to make wreaths, table decorations, decorations for the Christmas/Yule tree or the home in general.

Another tradition that is dear to everyone in this time of year regardless of their spiritual/religious beliefs is staying home with loved ones, enjoying the warmth of the home, nice food, warn tea, or mulled wine. The atmosphere becomes all the nicer when the time comes for exchanging presents. Although this practice has been reduced to something merely material nowadays, the ancient Romans had a habit of giving candles to one another for this occasion. In the beginnings of this solar festival, presents didn't even exist, but were introduced as a symbol of caring and love, but also protection. The candle is a symbol of light which is also given to somebody in the very act of giving the candle. In this context, light has multiple meanings - banishing evil forces and protection from them (which is similar to the symbolism of bells which are yet another appropriate symbol of the season) as well as solar symbolism (by lighting candles, one represents the growth of the Sun's strength which occurs in this time of year and, according to some beliefs, the Sun is actually stimulated by this act). Perhaps this season is a good time to recall that the main point of presents aren't the gifts themselves and their material value, but rather the intention that goes with them.

With all of this  - loved ones, warmth, food, drinks, presents and so on - good fun is guaranteed! After all, Yule is one of the eight Pagan Sabbats and is therefore a cause for celebration. This month, we celebrate the return of the Sun and say welcome. It is only fitting that you too begin to emanate light and warmth and, with it, fill your own lives and the lives of your loved ones.

I wish you all a joyous and blessed Yule!

(c) Rick Landry - Winter Solstice Sunrise

Samhain - Beyond This Reality

The days pass by and the Wheel of the Year turns, as it always does. Samhain is just around the corner. Maybe you, as I, have been preparing for it. Some are already making seasonal meals, others have been busy making decorations, while others have been reflecting on their lives and the lives of their ancestors. If you haven't started preparing yet, or if you need some additional inspiration, perhaps this post will be of some help.

Samhain (pronounced /sauin/) is one of the eight Pagan Sabbats, or annual celebrations. It is also the one that, among other things, marks the beginning of the New Year for Pagans. This is a time of grieving and celebration, however paradoxical that may sound. Namely, for Pagans, Samhain begins on Samhain Eve (the night of October 31) and the celebration continues until November 1. You may know this days as All Saints' Day during which it is quite normal to honor and remember our ancestors. Although this holiday is a Christian one, it shares many mysteries and aspects with the Pagan festival of Samhain. They even share a date (although this varied in history). Anyway, Samhain has another, not so dark side for Pagans which is focused on celebrating the New Year, new beginnings, on antics, feasts and other forms of amusement. But the story of how these traditions came to be has its roots in the distant past.

Most Neopagan traditions acknowledge a calendar which is called the Wheel of the Year. This wheel represents the cycle of birth, death and rebirth as well as the eternal interchange of seasons, deity aspects and the regeneration of nature. It is believed that the ancient Celts had the most influence on the formation of this calendar. It is important to not here that the Celts divided the year into two seasons - summer and winter. For them, summer began on Beltane (May 1) and winter began on Samhain (November 1). It was obvious to them, as it was to all cultures at the time, that the Sun gives life. Therefore, as the Sun grows and the days become longer, new life comes to existence. The Sun grows and regains its strength during winter. It is because of this that Samhain is taken as the date for the "birth" of the year. For then one, it would continue to grow, come to its peak at Beltane and then slowly start to decline and, figuratively speaking, die. 

The ancient Celts also believed that each of these two seasons lasted 180 days. The remaining 5 days of the year (April 30, Beltane, Samhain. November 1 and November 2) did not belong to either this or that side of the calendar; they were somewhere "between" the two realities (this visible one that we live in and the other invisible reality). Because of this, we say that the "veil between the worlds" is as thin as it can be on these days, or rather these two Sabbats. According to this, Samhain does not belong to this reality and does not have to conform to its standards and rules. And so this festival came to be the ideal time for antics, mischief and disorder of any kind (this is also where the popular tradition of trick-or-treating comes from; children go from house to house on Halloween and ask for treats; if they don't get them then they perform tricks). Spiritual, as well as mundane barriers were also broken on this day. This is why Pagans believe that the thin veil between worlds enables entities (and also spirits) from the other, invisible reality to pass into this reality. Divination, communication with one's ancestors and other entities make a lot more sense if we take into consideration the almost non-existent border between the two worlds.

Awareness of spirits inevitably reminds us of our ancestors. The other reality, which some refer to as the afterlife, also undeniably brings to mind what awaits us after this life. Therefore, although Samhain has its happy side, it also has a certain mystical, darker side which Pagans equally accept. 

From the Pagan perspective, death isn't necessarily bad, although it is upsetting for everyone. For us, death is just another step in the birth-death-rebirth cycle. This is also reflected in Pagan mythology. Namely, on Mabon (the Sabbat which is celebrated on September 22/23 i.e. the autumn equinox), the God dies and the Goddess grieves for him in her aspect of the Crone. For Samhain, the dark night and time of chaos, the God goes through a process of regeneration and the Goddess takes the form of the Dark Goddess which embodies chaos and the dark aspects of the female polarity. But right after this, she undergoes another metamorphosis in which she again takes the form of the Maiden which gives birth to the God at Yule (the Sabbat which is celebrated on December 21/22/23 i.e. the winter solstice). With this, the cycle of regeneration is complete.

Nature, as a key element of the Pagan faith, finds its place at the center of this Sabbat also. Death also exists in nature, but within it resides new life. Let me elaborate; Samhain announces the oncoming winter for which many preparations used to be needed. Cattle were taken into stables for shelter, the crops were gathered and everything was stored for the cold months ahead. People had to survive the harsh winter and feeding a large number of cattle was an unnecessary complication. This is why it was normal (and still is in some rural areas) to slaughter a certain number of livestock just before Samhain; usually it was the weakest animals that were slaughtered because they would most likely die during the winter anyway. This was necessary in order for people to have meat, fat and fur and, ultimately, survive. It is unnecessary to mention that Pagans show gratitude for this in their rituals.

Samhain is also known as the third harvest. The first harvest, Lughnasadh (August 1) is marked by the gathering of grains. The second harvest, Mabon, is the time for gathering fruit, vegetables, berries and nuts. As the third harvest, Samhain is the deadline for gathering any leftover fruits of the earth. So the crops have been gathered, meat and other food and drink have been stored and are now ready for consumption. This can lead only to one thing - feasts! If is completely logical that people will want to celebrate their effort and labor during the previous months and allow themselves a period of rest.

I hope that the paradox of life and death and the parallel celebration and grieving are somewhat clearer after my explanations. But it is necessary to summarize the focal points of this fest day in order for this whole story to be complete. So, what is the focus of this Sabbat? Surely, on death, but also on the soon-to-come rebirth, gratitude, donation/sharing, ancestors, the other reality and through it on our Shadow (everything that we keep in the deepest parts of our consciousness, or rather all the things which we are not aware of, or that we refuse to be aware of - our fears, wishes, desires, flaws and sometimes even virtues etc.). 

Each Pagan will celebrate Samhain in a different way and put more emphasis on a different aspect. It all depends on what you find necessary at that given time. If you feel that you don't have to look into death, the unconscious mind, communicate with your ancestors in any way or explore the darker side of this Sabbat in general, then feel free to just enjoy the feasts, share what you have with your loved ones and enjoy the New Year's atmosphere. Some Pagans try to be aware of and recognize both aspects of this festival. Perhaps this approach will suit you better. In any case, find a system that makes sense to you, that you like and that is preferably also useful.

If you don't have any ideas on how to honor this Sabbat outside of the ritual circle, here are a few ideas. Surely some of the following traditions are familiar to you, at least from American movies. These include wearing masks and making Jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins. Both customs have ancient roots which you can try to revive on this day. Namely, people used to wear masks resembling all sorts of beings, but not in order to scare anyone,  but instead to fit into the spirit world. They believed that by doing so, they were less likely to become a victim of a malevolent spirit and also less likely to run into the spirit of a deceased person with which they have unresolved issues, unpaid debts and other disputes. Since the Samhain celebration begins on Samhain night, some sort of lighting is necessary. Lanterns used to be made of seasonal plants such as pumpkins or gourds which were perforated to let the light out. Human imagination went a step further and cut these holes to resemble faces (some believe that these lanterns then began to symbolize the spirits of the deceased which lead us through the night). As Samhain was originally a night of chaos and mischief, you can always allow yourself a bit of fun and joke at the expense of yourself or others. Feasts are always welcome and even more so if they serve the function of getting a family together. In this case, family should also include our ancestors, regardless of when they have left this earth. Some people take their deceased loved ones so much into account that they even leave a spare place for them at the dinner table. This practice is called the Dumb Supper (because speaking used to be forbidden while it lasted). Oftentimes, the deceased were also given a plate and full meals and candles were left on doorsteps/windowsills to show spirits that they are welcome into the home. If you are the creative type, try to make your very own gourd/pumpkin lantern (oranges are a satisfactory substitute), or another type of decoration, such as a garland for your home. Use your imagination and the fruits of the earth you see around you in this time of year. Apples, nuts, gourds, pumpkins, pomegranates...you can use all of these for both aesthetic and practical purposes. Surround yourself with brown, orange and red tones and you can even use this time to rid yourself of any prejudices toward the color black. If you want to combine "business with pleasure", then try fixing up a nice nutritious, seasonal meal for your loved ones. Many Pagans use this day for divination and contacting their ancestors. Some explore themselves in depth and, through introspection, try to get to know themselves, their past and their needs better as well as face their fears (especially fears and misconceptions regarding death). Divination can also be of great assistance in this process.

Ultimately, the New Year is a symbol of new beginnings. Get rid of your fears, prejudices and complexes, get to know yourself and your loved ones better, renew relationships, overcome old arguments and celebrate the abundance in your life no matter what form it may be in. Just be aware that this abundance does exist and that rebirth and new life come after death. Make the most of this opportunity and get ready for it.

Blessed be and a happy Samhain to you all!

Yours,

Witch's Cat

Reflections on Mabon

And so autumn arrived at our doorstep yesterday. I have to admit that this didn't surprise me all that much because our summer was very rainy and the temperatures here have been lower than usual the past few weeks. But honestly, I didn't fully feel autumn until yesterday at you Mabon celebration.

The ten of us got together and went to celebrate the autumn equinox in nature. Some traveled more to the meeting point, while others traveled slightly less, but everyone made some sort of sacrifice to be there. Some had to let go of their children for that afternoon, and others had to think of some excuse for their jobs. But one of Mabon's aspects is sacrifice, right? The Horned God dies on this day, just as to the fruits of the earth, only to be born again soon (and in the process revive the earth, enable the fruits of the land to grow once more and the land to thrive). But despite all of the obstacles, we got together! There wasn't a cloud in the sky, but the many previous rainstorms did their share; the earth was flooded, soft and wet, the paths were impassable (partly due to the floods) and dry wood was nowhere to be found. But we persevered and managed to get to our destination, light a small fire to warm our freezing hands and we also managed to do a beautiful ritual which was filled with laughter, tears, dancing, singing, much insight and love. Everyone got the best they could from it in that moment. We had such a nice time that we changed the well-known "Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again" into "Merry meet, merry part and merry meet as soon as possible". :)

The reason why I say that I truly understood what autumn is all about just yesterday is the following. Up to now, autumn was, at least for me, just that season marked by a lot of boring rain, the beginning of the academic/school year and a general feeling of lethargy. But yesterday, I realized that rain is essential to the land which is in desperate need of respite after the summer-long scorching Sun. The "working" half of the year is needed for there to be a time of rest. Even lethargy brings with itself a certain dose of relaxation and enables us to just slow down a bit. Yesterday, we all had the chance to stop for an hour or two and reflect on our lives - something we don't really have the opportunity to do in our everyday lives which are just so full of mundane obligations.

Surrounded by people with which we weren't connected to in the usual way, but rather in a special, spiritual way, we had the chance to see ourselves in a new light, behave the way we wouldn't usually behave, dance and yell the way we wouldn't typically dance or yell and release our emotions and thoughts the way we wouldn't normally dare to.

I hope that you too celebrated Mabon in a special way, one that has meaning to you and also that you were able to achieve balance in yourself as balance is just one thing that this equinox encourages. I know that this wasn't one of my typical posts in which I give advice, ideas and theories, but sometimes, some reflection on past events is necessary for us to fully absorb their meaning in our lives. After all, this is also an important aspect of Mabon - appreciating our past efforts and seeing their results in the present moment. 

A blessed Mabon, autumn equinox, Alban Elfed, Svarog's day or whatever you call this festival to you all! :D

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Happy Lughnasadh!

Although some people celebrated Lughnasadh/Lammas on July 31, or perhaps on August 1, some people are celebrating it today and some may have chosen to celebrate it in a few days' time. Well for those of you that have decided to celebrate a bit later this year, I wanted to sympathize with you and say that I myself haven't yet adjusted to this time of year. But we're in luck because, astronomically speaking, Lammas occurs on August 7 this year. Of course, the traditional dates should be taken into consideration, which is why most people celebrate Lammas on the last day of July, or the first day of August. But in my opinion, tradition can sometimes be disregarded.

In this case, the reason for disregarding tradition is astronomy. To elaborate, the dates of most Pagan celebrations are compliant with the movement, or that is to say the position of the Sun in correlation with the Earth. Lughnasadh is celebrated at the midpoint of summer and this day is astronomically marked by the Sun reaching 15° Leo (that is to say, the astronomical date of Lughnasadh is when the Sun reaches 15° Leo). Let me explain further. If you look at this chart, you will notice that the zodiac is actually a circle of 360° which is divided into 12 zodiac signs. Each sign takes up 30° (e.g. Leo is situated between 120° and 150°). Of course, the position of the Sun as well as the position of the stars in correlation with the Earth changes throughout the year. So the Sun "moves" across the signs of the zodiac/the constellations. The day when the Sun "reaches" 15° Leo, the midpoint of summer (Lughnasadh) is celebrated. This year, that date is August 7. So you still have a chance to celebrate if you haven't yet! :D

There several reasons why I postponed my celebration. I expected this summer to be like any other; sunny, a lot of time spent on the beach (since I live near the sea), time spent with friends (since there is not college), plenty of vacations for my working friends and some R&R in general from the rest of the hectic year. It seems like nature is a bit indecisive this year because, at least where I'm from, it starts raining, then the Sun comes out again and it's like being int he desert, and then, before you know it, it starts pouring again. This just goes on and on. In addition to this, a surprising amount of people are still at work, a lot of my friends and colleagues still have to study for autumn finals and I feel as though I personally didn't have enough time to relax up to now. All in all, I'm having trouble getting into the summer mood. This is why I decided to mark the traditional Lughnasadh dates with small things and actually celebrate this Sabbat in a few days.

If you have decided to do the same, or if you're reading this post simply for information, I would like to suggest a few things that you can do for this festival. :)

As Lughnasadh is primarily a harvest festival (more specifically the grain harvest), this is the time to celebrate the crops. Nature sacrifices itself at this time of year so that we may eat its fruits and continue to live. So basically, plants die so we may survive. This is why this festival also has a sacrificial aspect. Pagans celebrate the God who sacrifices himself. At Mabon (the autumn equinox), he returns to the Goddess' womb, dies at Samhain (October 31) and is reborn at Yule (the winter solstice).

The name Lughnasa is translated as the commemoration of Lugh, or as the games/assembly of Lugh. I have already mentioned Lugh in a previous post so I won't go into too much detail here. There are several theories regarding the etymology of this deity's name. Some think that it comes from the Latin word lux (light), others believe it comes from lucus (grove), or perhaps the Celtic word lugio (oath). Recent theories are mostly in favor of the last etymology which points to Lugh being the god or perhaps the patron of oaths, rather than a deity of light and fire as was presumed up to now. This is connected to the meaning of the festival's name. The aforementioned assemblies reflect the old tradition which included the people coming together on this day (it is worth noting that Lughnasa used to be celebrated only in Gaul, Britain and Ireland). During these assemblies, it was customary to resolve any tribal problems, organize business (and therefore enter into contracts, which then implied giving oral oaths rather than signing written documents), race, practice other sports, performs rituals which will ensure a good harvest in the following months, gather the fruits of nature (grain, seafood, different types of berries, apples, or basically any fruit which is ripe at this time of year) and so on.

These meetings were also huge celebrations when fairs were held so that people may show off their products and skills as well as simply socialize. People also gathered in special locations, most notably on hilltops and around sacred wells. They celebrated in many ways; with food, drink, games, competitions and even "trial marriages" that lasted a year and a day were performed on this day (though they could be annulled after this period). People had time to celebrate because most of the crops had been gathered up to this point and the cattle had been taken out into the fields. Finally, the time to enjoy the fruits of labor had arrived. Fests were the most logical result of the huge amounts of food that were stocked up, but they were and have remained the most popular way of celebrating any important event.

So if you have time and are willing to celebrate Lughnasadh in an appropriate way, here are some ideas:

• celebrate the yield and food that you have (you can even donated some food to those who are less fortunate than you)
• celebrate harvest deities and especially grain deities
• meditate on the concept of sacrifice and be thankful for the sacrifice that Nature gives every year in order to keep the natural balance
• play games and hold contests (especially in sports)
• gather fruits of the earth such as apples, berries, grain etc. and spend some time in the kitchen (an emphasized part of this Sabbat is the practice of baking bread since this is the what harvest after all)
• make decorations from what and other gifts of the earth that you can find this time of year; typically, corn dollies are made, or Lughnasadh berry bracelets (although these were usually made by young men who gave them to the women they were courting)
• light a bonfire; this was a popular custom back in the day, it was usually lit on a hilltop from where everyone could do some stargazing (another nice idea)
• wish a wish in a wishing well, or basically any well that is of meaning to you, or is an important part of the local history
• perform an appropriate protection ritual because these are very nice for this time of year
• organize a picnic or some other kind of nature gathering with your loved ones; Lughnasadh is a holiday after all which, like any other sacred day, is best celebrated in nice company with nice food

There really are many other ways in which you can celebrate this Sabbat, but I will leave further brainstorming to you. If you are having a hard time coming up with ideas, I recommend a book called Lammas, Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest by Anne Franklin i Paul Mason and I also give you some wonderful pictures for inspiration. 

I wish you all a happy and blessed Lughnasadh! :)

Wreaths are an appropriate decoration for
any Sabbat; it is just a matter of which
plants you will choose for them
(the one in the picture is made of
lavender and wheat).

Drying herbs (especially spices) is another
normal practice for this time of year when
everyone gathers as much of the earth's gifts
 as they can for the oncoming winter.

You can always try to make a corn dolly. It can
be a simple one like in these drawings...

...or quite a complicated one like this if you
have the time and patience to make it. :)

You can pick fruits (remember, this is also the
beginning of grape season) and enjyo them....

...or bake bread if you feel like carbs. ;)

And you can always have a bit of fun with decorating you altar if you decide to set some time apart for a ritual. :) So here are some ideas:

And here's a nice song to end with...

Why Pagans Can Also Celebrate Easter

Paolo Veronese - The Resurrection of Christ (cca. 1570)

I had no intention of writing an Easter post, but I got more than enough encouragement from the people I love who have really proven themselves to be tolerant and open-minded. The first stimulus I got was from a dear friend of mine who texted me to wish me a happy Easter in the sweetest way possible! The second was a basket full of colored eggs and other Easter decorations including an Easter bunny figurine and some butterfly figurines. When I asked my mother (who arranged the basket) why she put butterflies in it since they do not have any direct connection to Easter, she simply said that they do because they symbolize the spring! This sentence delighted me because it proved that Catholics perceive Easter in a deeper way; one that goes beyond religious doctrine.

In my previous post on Ostara, I talked about the similarities between the Pagan celebration of the vernal equinox and Easter, but I would like to go into a bit more detail in this post. In researching this, the biggest help was James Frazer's book The Golden Bough. In his own research, he came to the conclusion that many Catholic holidays were inspired by Pagan ones. This was in the Church's best interest as they wanted to get as many followers as they could on their side and get them as far away as possible from Paganism. As Frazer says:

"When we remember that the festival of St. George in April has replaced the ancient pagan festival of the Parilia; that the festival of St. John the Baptist in June has succeeded to a heathen midsummer festival of water: that the festival of the Assumption of the Virgin in August has ousted the festival of Diana; that the feast of All Souls in November is a continuation of an old heathen feast of the dead; and that the Nativity of Christ himself was assigned to the winter solstice in December because that day was deemed the Nativity of the Sun; we can hardly be thought rash or unreasonable in conjecturing that the other cardinal festival of the Christian church - the solemnisation of Easter - may have been in like manner and from like motives of edification, adapted to a similar celebration of the Phrygian god Attis at the vernal equinox." (pp. 283-284 in the pdf)

The motives of the Church are not important here. Maybe it really did believe that Pagan beliefs were heretical and that many innocent souls would end up in Hell if they were Pagan, or maybe it was just an issue of popularity, politics or something else. What is important is the synchronicity that occurred and because of which I believe Paganism and Christianity should not drift apart but rather learn to tolerate one another (if not love each other). Whose belief/tradition came first isn't worth fighting over because, in the long run, all motifs that are celebrated in the world have long ago been embedded into the human psyche. People have been celebrating more or less the same things since the dawn of man, except they have changed the names every now and then. Frazer was apparently also aware of this and commented on past conflicts caused by this in his book:

"...Christians and pagans alike were struck by the remarkable coincidence between the death and resurrection of their respective deities, and that the coincidence formed a theme of bitter controversy between the adherents of the rival religions, the pagans contending that the resurrection of Christ was a spurious imitation of the resurrection of Attis, and the Christians asserting with equal warmth that the resurrection of Attis was a diabolical counterfeit of the resurrection of Christ. In these unseemly bickerings the heathen took what to a superficial observer might seem strong ground by arguing that their god was the older and therefore presumably the original, not the counterfeit, since as a general rule an original is older than its copy. This feeble argument the Christians easily rebutted. They admitted, indeed, that in point of time Christ was the junior deity, but they triumphantly demonstrated his real seniority by falling back on the subtlety of Satan, who on so important an occasion had surpassed himself by inverting the usual order of nature." (p. 284 in the pdf)

These discussions have been going on for centuries and it would be unrealistic for us to expect them to end now. Questions like this are eternal. This is why my intention is not to answer the question of whose holiday came first but rather to point out the similarities between the celebration of Easter and certain Pagan practices which some people still practice today and which have existed since antiquity. These similarities should be able to connect people and not to separate them. It is precisely because of these similarities that Pagans also can experience and celebrate Easter, or at least some of its aspects.

The Etymology of Easter

The word "Easter" is familiar to almost everyone in the world. The origins of this name don't have any connection to the Bible and are thus often used as "proof" by Pagans that the "celebration of the equinox predates the celebration of Easter" (notice the quotation mark because this is almost a quote, and it is also not the main topic of this post so I won't be getting into this issue, although it was worth mentioning). The roots of the word can be found in the Old English phrase Easterdæg (Easter day). This day was dedicated to the goddess Eastre/Eostre (the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility, the spring and originally of dawn) which was celebrated on the vernal equinox. Some believe that the words "Easter" and "east" have the same background, which would be logical as east is where the Sun rises (and Eostre is, among other things, the goddess of dawn/daybreak). Also, the symbolism of Easter fits very nicely into this story too. In this context, the Teutonic goddess Ostara, another fertility goddess, is also often mentioned. The German name for this holiday, Ostern, is very similar to the English "Easter" and can be seen as proof that these two Germanic languages were both inspired by their Anglo-Saxon history and mythology.

In Croatia (where I come from), we call Easter "Uskrs". A similar term exists in Serbia - Vaskrs. Both names are really an exception to the rule but they are also the most direct of all the names. The noun "Uskrs" comes from the verb "uskrsnuti" which means "to be resurrected". Obviously, it is a direct reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ which is celebrated on this day.

Another interesting term worth mentioning here is Vazam. This term doesn't only refer to Easter but to three days: Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. In several countries, these days are called "great" or "big" days (in Croatian for example, we call Good Friday "Veliki petak" i.e. "Large Friday" and we call Holy Saturday "Velika subota" i.e. "Large Saturday"). The idea of these days being so "large" and important can also be seen in the Greek name for Easter - μεγάλη ἡμέρα (megálē hēmera) which translated into "large night". Of course, these days are so important and large because this is the day when Jesus Christ was resurrected. Several languages have accepted this etymology, including Czech (Velikonoce), Polish (Wielkanoc), Slovak (Vel`ka noc) and Slovenian (Velika noč) which all refer to this holidays as an important night. In other languages, Easter is called the big day, such as in Macedonian (Велигден), Bulgarian (Великден) and Ukrainian (Великдень).

Nevertheless, the most widespread name for this holiday stems from the Hebrew word pesah ("passing over") which in turn comes from the word pasah ("he passed over"). The aforementioned passage over something refers to the Old Testament passage of the Jewish peoples through the desert, which is commemorated on the Jewish holiday of Pasha. Similar names for Easter can be heard all around the world: Pâques in French, Pasqua in Italian, Pascua in Spanish, Pessach in Portuguese, u Pasen in Dutch, Påske in Danish, Paskha in Russian and Pészah in Hungarian. It is believed that a Middle English name for Easter was Pasche. In addition to this, in the 16th and 17th century, Easter eggs were called pace eggs, or pasch eggs in England and Scotland. The term pasah and its translation (he passed over", "to pass over") is also the origin of the Passover, as it is called in English. The name for the Passover supposedly comes from the Hebrew phrase ha-pesah which has the same meaning - the passing over of something/somebody. In this case, it refers to God's passage over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he killed all the first-born Egyptian children. I'm sure you know this story as it is one of the most famous Biblical stories. 

Certainly, Pasha and Easter are inevitably connected because Jesus is equated with the paschal lamb. In Exodus, the Israelites had to draw symbols over the doors of their houses with the blood of the paschal (sacrificial) lamb so that God would know that he had to simply pass over these houses and harm nobody in them. Jesus himself is, in a sense, the paschal lamb because his death on the cross is seen as a sacrifice for the sake of humanity's salvation. And not to mention all the other connections between Jesus and lambs which you are surely familiar with.

The Resurrection Motif in Other Traditions

Resurrection is obviously the central theme here. But Christianity isn't the only religion in which this motif is present. Many other mythologies, religions, spiritual paths etc. celebrated with phenomenon (if it can be called that) and understood it to be an important symbol of the spring.

Returning to the previously mentioned connection of Easter and spring, it's worth mentioning that the Pagan "Easter" (i.e. the spring equinox) is in its essence a celebration of the return of the Sun after the long and tiresome winter months. Or rather, the Sun is reborn, just as Jesus is reborn on Easter. We must also keep in mind the linguistic connection between the words "Easter" and "east" (east being the place where the Sun rises).

It is obvious that spring was of great importance to all cultures and religions because both Pagans and Christians alike celebrated the return of the Sun (whatever they called it) and thus of warmth, longer days and favorable living conditions.

Many deities throughout mythology were resurrected in some way (although I will not go into too many details): the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (or the Sumerian Innana), the Egyptian god Horus, the Indo-Iranian god Mithras, the Greek god Dionysus and others. Frazer believes that two myths had the greatest influence on Catholic practices; the resurrection of the Greek god Adonis and the resurrection of the Phrygian god Attis. 

The Resurrection of Adonis

Adonis was actually born out of a plant (as Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, turned his mother into a myrrh plant). She saved/found the young Adonis and left him with the goddess Persephone (the Greek goddess of the underworld) so she could raise him. This is what Persephone did, but as he grew older and more handsome, she fell in love with him. Aphrodite came back wanting Adonis for herself (it seems that she also fell in love with him), but Persephone didn't want to let him go. Adonis was soon after killed by a wild boar and there are many theories as to which god sent this beast on him, but this is not important right now. What is important that Aphrodite held him in her arms as he died. She sprinkled his blood with nectar and from it sprung anemone flowers. This is the first motif of resurrection in this story. But both goddesses felt they had the right to his body after he died, but Zeus decided that they would have to share him. It was thus decided that Adonis would spend half the year with Persephone in the underworld and the other half with Aphrodite in the upper world (or rather one third with Persephone and the other two thirds with Aphrodite since he was allowed to choose where he would be for one third of the year and he always chose Aphrodite). His return to the upper world from the underworld each year is another symbol of resurrection. 

Since Adonis is the god of corn and primarily of fertility, he is also seen as the herald of spring. His resurrection is simultaneously an announcement of the upcoming spring and the nicer, warmer months when the fertile aspects of spring are most visible. Frazer connects this myth with the celebration of Adonis' resurrection in Syria which occurred at about the same time as Easter.

The influence of the cult of Adonis is most visible, according to Frazer, in Greece, Sicily and in the south of Italy (basically the Greek-speaking parts of the ancient world). He mentions the "gardens of Adonis" in this context which were most popular on Sicily. They were baskets or flower puts filled with earth in which wheat, barley, lettuce or flowers were planted. The plant was allowed to grow for eight days and then thrown in the sea or a stream along with depictions of Adonis. The plant itself was seen as an unanthropomorphic representation of Adonis or as manifestations of his power, while the other depictions were anthropomorphic. Speaking from personal experience, a remnant of this tradition is still present in Croatia (my home country) where wheat is sown for Christmas. It is also a symbol of fertility in Christianity and it is believed that the following year will be bountiful if the wheat grows well (although it isn't sown near Easter bur in stead on the holiday of St. Lucy which is on December 13). 

The aforementioned gardens of Adonis used to be placed on Adonis' grave, and this practice is still visible today in some countries when gifts (often wheat, Easter cake or other gifts) are left on Christ's grave on Good Friday in both Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. Frazer believes this tradition to be the strongest on Sicily but is also visible in other countries (Croatia included, although the gifts are more commonly placed on Christ's grave on Holy Saturday).

Some have also noted the iconographic similarities between the depictions of Adonis' death where he is usually shown in Aphrodite's arms and the famous Pietà motif in which Mary holds Christ in her arms.

Michelangelo - Pietà, St. Peter's Basilica,

Vatican (1499)

Giovanni Bellini - Pietà (1505)

Anton Losenko - The Death of Adonis (1764)

Thomas Willeboirts - The Death of Adonis

(after 1642)

Adonis is often compared to, or even confused with the Phrygian god Attis who also holds an important place in the iconography of resurrections.

The Resurrection of Attis

I have already told the story of Attis' death in a previous post, but I will retell it here. So this is how it goes:

Zeus fell in love with Cybele but she rejected him. He, of course, didn't know the meaning of the word "no" so he decided to simply spill his seed on her while she was sleeping and in doing so have his way with her. Cybele got pregnant and soon gave birth to Agdistis - a hermaphroditic demon who all the other gods feared. In one of their rushes of fear, they cut his penis off (here's the sacrifice motif) from which an almond tree sprouted. A new figure enters the story now - Nana, who ate an almond from this tree and thus got pregnant. She gave birth to a wonderful baby boy who ended up in the hands of a caring shepherd couple who lived nearby (or rather Nana wanted to get rid of him since he didn't have a father, which was thought to be shameful). Now this boy grew up to be so handsome that Cybele herself fell in love with him (his grandmother, in case you don't feel bothered to do the math). This boy was called Attis and he was in love with another woman, but Cybele didn't really care much for that. She wanted him all to herself and became much too jealous. He, of course, wanted to protect his beloved and started hunting Cybele down all over the mountains but in the process went mad. So one day, while standing next to a pine tree, he decided to commit suicide. From his blood, the first violets sprung, but the pine tree took his soul and Cybele his body, which she resurrected with Zeus' help.

Frazer explains that Attis' resurrection was celebrated in Rome on the 24th and 25th of March i.e. around the date of the vernal equinox. Another similarity between Attis' and Christ's resurrection is that both lay in their tombs for three days before being reborn. This myth, in contrast to that of Adonis, influenced the Latin-speaking countries of the ancient world (so basically Rome and most of the West).

It is obvious that the motif of resurrection and its symbolism were familiar to almost all cultures. Even the myths are very similar to one another when you look at the details (for instance, both Adonis and Attis were killed by a wild boar, both Attis and Christ lay for three days in their tombs before being resurrected and so on). The only difference is the name of the protagonist. But then again, too many books have been written on the topic of Jesus' resurrection as the symbol of the returning Sun. This is why I will leave further research on the topic to you, although you will find much more information in Frazer's book. And now we move on to the next topic.

Defining the Date for Easter

Many people refer to the very way in which the date of Easter is defined as being "Pagan" because it is based on the phases of the Moon. As you may know, Easter has no fixed date; it actually falls on the first Sunday after the first full Moon following the spring equinox (which the Church has a fixed date for - March 21). This year, the first full Moon after the spring equinox was on April 15 which means that Easter couldn't be before April 20 (which was the first Sunday after the 15th this year). It's worth mentioning though that this only the Catholic way of defining the date for Easter.

There are many more comparisons that could be made, but I believe that the main aspect of Easter is the celebration of new beginnings. The fact that Christians celebrate this in the form of Christ's resurrection and Pagans celebrate it a few days earlier in the form of the spring equinox and the rebirth of the Sun is of no great importance. There are too many similarities in the symbolism of new beginnings for these two familiar traditions to be fighting. 

This is why I wish all my loved ones a happy Easter even though I am not Christian, and my loved ones also wish the same to me even though they know I don't believe in it in the same way that they do. But seriously though, why not accept another person's blessing or nice wishes? In my opinion, the religious background of these wishes/blessings does not matter as long as the intention is good. I just thought of a dear Pagan friend of mine who once told me that she will never refuse a house blessing from a Catholic priest because any blessing is a welcome blessing no matter what religion it comes from.

So I wish you all a happy Easter (both to those of you that celebrate it, and to those of you that don't) as well as a pleasant time with your families. Remember to be tolerant towards others whose beliefs differ from your own and to focus on the similarities rather than the differences. 

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat