Eostre – Lady of the Dawn – ancient goddess of spring.

She is known as the Goddess of the Rising Sun, Spring, Dawn, and Fertility!  She prepares for the sun’s arrival every morning.  She is young and beautiful.  She is fierce, as she drives back the shadows of darkness.  She is sometimes celebrated at the Spring Equinox or the first full moon after.  She is also celebrated during the time when “finding summer” means the first blossoms and birds of the spring.  Since this is not a fixed day, April has been historically designated, by the English and German, as “Ostara-Month.” She is often depicted in white, near a running spring.

What are her super powers?

A Goddess who brings with her the promise of warmer weather.  Winter stores are almost depleted and yet the milking and summer harvest are still in the distance.  Eostre brings hope.  Hope of good weather.  Hope of fruit on trees.  Hope for rain at the right time.  Hope that winter has been slain.  Hope that dawn is victorious over the shadows.  Hope is fierce.

Let’s go hunting for Easter Eggs!

Ducks and geese lay eggs in March through May.  Chickens lay eggs when there are 14 or more hours of sunlight.  Eostre, as a Goddess of Fertility, brings with her an abundance of eggs to eat after the long winter has subsided.  The eating of eggs gives strength, growth, and health.  Eggs are a sign of new life.  Painted eggs have been dated as far back as the 4th Century, having been found in Worms, Germany.  The hunting of Easter eggs is now common throughout America and Northern Europe.  From coloring eggs, hiding them, or hollowing them out and painting them, Easter eggs are synonymous with April!

Sowing the seeds.

Eostre represents the planting of seeds.  She is after all, a fertility goddess.  To get ready for May Day, plant your seeds now so you can gift them May 1st.  Take your used k-cups and empty them out.  Fill the cups with potting soil.  There’s already a punctured hole for water to drain.  Go to your local farmers’ market and get your favorite plant seeds or flower seeds.  Place one seed in each soil filled k-cup.  Add water and place in the sun.  You should have some seedlings to give away in a month!

(Bender, Sierra. Goddess to the Core. Llewellyn Worldwide, 2009.)