blown ostara eggs~

we spent

time and patience

working on these

every year we get a little better

and

in return have a few more to decorate

poke a hole in each end

cover one side with your mouth

and

BLOW

all the inside come out

rinse

and

decorate how ever you wish

Here are some of the colours used on Ostara Eggs, and their meanings:

White: Purity
Yellow: Wisdom, a successful Harvest, or Spirituality

Green: Spring, rebirth, wealth, youth, growth, happiness

Blue: Good health, clear skies

Orange: Power endurance, ambition

Red: Happiness, hope, passion, nobility, bravery, enthusiasm, love

Brown: Enrichment, good harvest, happiness

Purple: Faith, trust, power

Pink: Success, friendship, love

Black: Remembrance

"uh~oh mama

i bwoke it...its such a  bootyiful egg...

please can we keep it?"

now how could  i ever toss such away

Decorated eggs, being symbols of fertility are symbolic of Ostara.

In days gone, Europeans gave gifts of decorated eggs to new brides, in the hope that they would bear many children.

Similarly, bowls filled with eggs were given to farm workers by the farmer’s wife, to ensure a rich harvest.

Most all cultures see the egg as a symbol of Life; the actual home of the Soul.

 In Russia, decorated eggs are still given as gifts to loved ones and buried in graves to ensure rebirth.

The women gathered the eggs only from hens which were around a rooster and decorated them, allowing no one to watch them work as they transferred the goodness of the household to the designs on the eggs, thus keeping evil away. Dyes were mixed to secret family recipes and special blessings placed on each egg.

http://hubpages.com/hub/DarkwingOstara_-_A_Pagan_Festival

Many of the myths hold that the egg is sacred to life on earth.

 It represents life just as a circle can represent eternal life. The golden orb of its yolk represents the Sun God, its white shell is seen as the White Goddess, and the whole is a symbol of rebirth.

Germanic lore

states that the rabbit so loved and revered the Goddess that he laid eggs, decorated them beautifully, and presented the eggs to the Goddess as a gift. Eostre was so delighted with the gift that she wished all people could experience her joy. In order to further please his beloved Lady, the rabbit roamed the world delivering the sacred eggs to humanity.

One of the Goddess Eostre's

chief symbols was the egg (representing the cosmic egg of creation).

Each year, on March 21, the ancient Persians

celebrated the festival of the solar New Year by presenting each other with colored eggs.

The ancient Egyptians

also celebrated the solar New Year by dyeing eggs and

offering them up to their gods.

The Jews

used eggs as a symbol of rebirth at the Passover.

During the Middle Ages

people not only gave up meat for Lent but also eggs. It was a very precious gift to be given an egg for Easter because of harsh winters making food scarce. Children would often go from house to house to beg for Easter Eggs.

In ancient days,

eggs were gathered and used for the creation of talismans and also ritually eaten.

The gathering of different colored eggs from the nests of a variety of birds is thought to have given rise to two traditions still observed today - the Easter egg hunt, and coloring eggs in imitation of the various pastel colors of wild birds

The beautifully decorated eggs from the Ukraine (pysanky)

are covered with magical symbols for protection, fertility, wisdom, strength and other qualities.

 They are given as gifts and used as charms.

http://crystalforest3.homestead.com/Ostarahistory.html

Alban Eiler/Ostara Egg Meditation
http://www.oaklight.org/node/2

(This is a meditation I wrote for my Druid Grove's Alban Eiler ceremony right before these words are spoke by the ritual leader hard boiled eggs are handed to each person. Try the meditation out it is a nice feeling meditation that really can help open your mind.)

Thank you for these gifts. Let us now take the time to quiet ourselves.

Let us close our eyes. Become aware of your breathing. In and out, the air cooling as it goes in, In and Out, the air gently warmed as it goes out.

Let us take this time to feel the egg in our hand, to see it with our mind’s eye and attempt to unravel its meaning. Feel your consciousness being drawn within the egg.

Safe, Secure, in darkness yet fully sustained.

Now feel yourself growing, your consciousness in the egg growing. Getting larger cramped yet still safe and secure.

Finally you break free from the shell and for the first time see the light. It is bright and may hurt your eyes but is still stunningly beautiful and warm. Though out of the safety of your shell you now are free to grow and see.

Take a moment to ponder the egg’s meaning, the egg’s message, and what special meaning it may have for you.

When you are ready become aware of yourself here and now and open your eyes.

(Now is a time to discuss our thoughts from the meditation and either ponder the eggs further or eat them if you wish to impart their gift in that way.)

~have you ever tried to blow an egg~