The Spring Equinox is the time when the day and the night are of equal length as we move through spring towards summer. It is an important festival in the Wheel of the Year, when pagans celebrate the balance of light and dark.It is sometimes called Ostara, which is similar to the festival of Easter, and is a time to celebrate rebirth in nature. The Spring Equinox is usually celebrated on March 20 or March 21, which this year falls at a weekend.
There are plenty of Spring Equinox pagan open rituals and events taking place across the country. Here are a few:
Friday 19 March; Ostara Open Ritual run by North East Pagan Fellowship. Venue: Durant Hall complex, (Unitarian Church) at Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8XG. Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Entry is £3.50, please bring food and drink to share. Website: http://www.freewebs.com/nepaganfellowship
Saturday 20 March; Spring Equinox/Ostara celebration at Ankerwycke, near Staines. Event starts at 8pm and is free, but bring food and drink to share. To find out details of the venue and reserve your place, call 07733 554321.
There are plenty of Spring Equinox pagan open rituals and events taking place across the country. Here are a few:
Friday 19 March; Ostara Open Ritual run by North East Pagan Fellowship. Venue: Durant Hall complex, (Unitarian Church) at Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8XG. Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Entry is £3.50, please bring food and drink to share. Website: http://www.freewebs.com/nepaganfellowship
Saturday 20 March; Spring Equinox/Ostara celebration at Ankerwycke, near Staines. Event starts at 8pm and is free, but bring food and drink to share. To find out details of the venue and reserve your place, call 07733 554321.
Sunday 21 March; Alban Eiler on Primrose Hill with druid Jeremy Morgan. The ceremony starts at 12.45pm and lasts about an hour. It will take place in the Hawthorne Grove on Primrose Hill, London NW1 8YH. Meet at the entrance opposite Rothwell St. Afterwards, people will go to the Washington Pub. This is a free event, no need to book a place, just turn up but do bring food and drink to share.
Sunday 21 March; Cauldron of Cerridwen Ostara Open Ritual at Avebury. A family-friendly open ritual at 12 noon at Avebury stone circle, in Wiltshire. For further details call Sian on 07746365980 or email info@valleywands.com.
Sunday 21 March, the Gorsedd of Bards of Caer Abiril is holding a Spring Equinox Gathering at the wonderful stone circle at Avebury, in Wiltshire. Muster at noon beside the cafe before making the God and Goddess walks to the Sun Circle. This open ritual welcomes all who come with good intent whatever their personal path. Bring your songs and poetry if you wish, as well as bread and mead to share. Call Morgan on 01458 835518 for more details.
Sunday 21 March; Anderida Gorsedd Druid group Spring Equinox open ritual at the Long Man of Wilmington, Sussex. To take part, meet from 1.30pm to 2pm near the Long Man of Wilmington car park, for a walk up the hill at 2pm. Afterwards, those who want to to will retire to the Giants Rest pub for a social drink. For more details, visit the website http://www.anderidagorsedd.org/Anderida_Gorsedd/Open_Rituals.html
Sunday 21 March; Cauldron of Cerridwen Ostara Open Ritual at Avebury. A family-friendly open ritual at 12 noon at Avebury stone circle, in Wiltshire. For further details call Sian on 07746365980 or email info@valleywands.com.
Sunday 21 March, the Gorsedd of Bards of Caer Abiril is holding a Spring Equinox Gathering at the wonderful stone circle at Avebury, in Wiltshire. Muster at noon beside the cafe before making the God and Goddess walks to the Sun Circle. This open ritual welcomes all who come with good intent whatever their personal path. Bring your songs and poetry if you wish, as well as bread and mead to share. Call Morgan on 01458 835518 for more details.
Sunday 21 March; Anderida Gorsedd Druid group Spring Equinox open ritual at the Long Man of Wilmington, Sussex. To take part, meet from 1.30pm to 2pm near the Long Man of Wilmington car park, for a walk up the hill at 2pm. Afterwards, those who want to to will retire to the Giants Rest pub for a social drink. For more details, visit the website http://www.anderidagorsedd.org/Anderida_Gorsedd/Open_Rituals.html
Monday 22 March; Spring Equinox book launch. Party to launch Journeys of the Soul: The Life & Legacy of a Druid Chief by Philip Carr-Gomm, with illustrations by Ross Nichols and a Foreword by Christina Oakley Harrington. Venue: Treadwell’s Bookshop, 34 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7PB. Time: 7pm. Free entry, but call the bookshop on 020 7240 8906 to book you place.
Thursday 25 March; Spring Equinox Open Ritual by Pagan Federation London. Venue: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn. Time: 7.30pm for 8pm start. Event ends at 10pm. Entrance: £5 (£4 to PF membrs & concessions). Just turn up, no need to book in advance, but bring seasonal food and drink to share.
For those who like to do something to celebrate the Spring Equinox but don't really fancy anything too pagan or ritualisitic, here are some suggestions:
20-21 March; Norouz: Persian New Year display at The British Museum's Iranian Gallery. See how the first day of spring and the new year was celebrated in ancient Persia. Museum address: 44 Great Russell St, London, WC1B 3DG. Time: 11am-4.30pm each day. To book, all 08445 791940.
Saturday 20 March, The Rite of Spring classical music concert at Hammersmith Town Hall. Fulham Symphony Orchestra under Marc Dooley, with Richard Hosford, clarinet are performing Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and other classical suites. Venue: Hammersmith Town Hall, King St, W6 9JU. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £8-£10. Tel: 07793 142 501Web: http://www.fso.org.uk/
Sunday 21 March; Spring Equinox walk in the Kirklees countryside from 1pm-3pm. For more details, contact Oakwell Hall, Nutter Lane, Birstall, Batley, WF17 9LG. Tel: 01924 326240. Email: oakwell.hall@kirklees.gov.uk
Sunday 21 March; Spring Equinox Morris Dancing by Loose Women Morris Dancers. Venue: Bowl Inn, Egg Hill Road TN27 0HG. The pub is near Maidstone, just off the A20 near the Charing Heath roundabout. Time: 12.30pm-3pm. For more details visit the Loose Women website: http://www.loosewomen.org.uk/site/index.php
If you want to do a Spring Equinox ritual yourself at home, there are some lovely ideas on the website Pagan Magic. One is an Ostara Ritual for harmony and balance, in which you light candles then carry herbs and wild flowers through the house to say goodbye to winter and welcome in the energy of the season. Link: http://www.pagan-magic.co.uk/shop/article_info.php/ostara-ritual-a-558?ad=badwitch
If you want to do a Spring Equinox ritual yourself at home, there are some lovely ideas on the website Pagan Magic. One is an Ostara Ritual for harmony and balance, in which you light candles then carry herbs and wild flowers through the house to say goodbye to winter and welcome in the energy of the season. Link: http://www.pagan-magic.co.uk/shop/article_info.php/ostara-ritual-a-558?ad=badwitch
1 comment:
Great Post!
Thought you might enjoy my Eostre machinima,
featuring Lisa Thiel's Ostara song,
and a poem I wrote for Eostre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lZ-YKIeXww
bright blessings ~
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