Pagan Festival Shout Outs!

The Celtic meaning of the Alder deals with giving and nurturing among the sacred Ogham for many reasons. Namely, its root system provides rich nutrients to the soil, more so than other trees. The alder can successfully restore poor soil conditions back to healthy Ph levels. Celts observed their roots serving as intricate shelter systems to fish, specifically trout and salmon. Further, the alder's leaves easily decompose in the water providing rich nutrients to all manner of water creatures.These acts of generosity and shelter against harsh conditions can be translated in our own lives. By simply standing firm in our own positive environment, we can affect those around us in positive ways. By emitting our signals of tranquility, and peace, we are enhancing the lives of others just be sheer association.Although it is primarily associated with the element of water, the alder gracefully crosses into the realm of air and fire as well. For example, ancient legend indicates the wood of the young alder is traditionally used for crafting whistles, pan flutes and recorders. This establishes the alder's claim to the air element.Within the realm of fire, the alder's coloring transmutes into a fiery orange after it is cut, indicating to the Celts that the alder secretly harbors sacred flame within its flesh. To prove the point, the alder (although a poor firewood) makes a pristine grade of charcoal, and was perfect for steadily hot conditions utilized to forge fine Celtic weaponry.

Celtic Zodiac sign : Alder - The Trailblazer

March 18 – April 14 If you are an Alder sign within the Celtic tree astrology system, you are a natural-born pathfinder. You’re a mover and a shaker, and will blaze a trail with fiery passion often gaining loyal followers to your cause. You are charming, gregarious and mingle easily with a broad mix of personalities. In other words, Alder signs get along with everybody and everybody loves to hang around with you. This might be because Alder’s are easily confident and have a strong self-faith. This self-assurances is infectious and other people recognize this quality in you instantly. Alder Celtic tree astrology signs are very focused and dislike waste. Consequently, they can see through superficialities and will not tolerate fluff. Alder people place high value on their time, and feel that wasting time is insufferable. They are motivated by action and results. Alder’s pair well with Hawthorns, Oaks or even Birch signs. (info from: What’s Your Sign and Wiki)
 

The festival is one of celebration of the renewed life of the Earth which accompanies the coming of Spring. It is a solar festival, marking the time when the length of the day and the night are equal, which has been celebrated throughout history; with each culture associating the festival with a particular deity: Aphrodite by the Cypriots, Persephone by the Greeks, Hathor by the Egyptians and, of course, Ostara of the Scandanavians. The festivities are generally associated with an increase in the powers of the God, and Goddess, through which the changes witnessed at this time of year are being manifest: the gods themselves often appearing in the guise of the Green Man, in his various forms, and Mother Earth. The festival of the Spring Equinox usually falls on the 21st / 22nd March, but this year, due to the recent leap year. While Pagans and Wiccans are celebrating  Ostara, and Christians are observing Easter, it's important to remember that the dawning of spring has been observed for a long time in many other cultures as well. Traditions vary widely from one country to the next. Here are some ways that residents of different parts of the world observe the season.

Egypt:

The Festival of Isis was held in ancient Egypt as a celebration of spring and rebirth. Isis features prominently in the story of the resurrection of her lover, Osiris. Although Isis' major festival was held in the fall, folklorist Sir James Frazer says in The Golden Boughthat "We are told that the Egyptians held a festival of Isis at the time when the Nile began to rise… the goddess was then mourning for the lost Osiris, and the tears which dropped from her eyes swelled the impetuous tide of the river."

Iran:

In Iran, the festival of No Ruz begins shortly before the vernal equinox. The phrase "No Ruz" actually means "new day," and this is a time of hope and rebirth. Typically, a lot of cleaning is done, old broken items are repaired, homes are repainted, and fresh flowers are gathered and displayed indoors. The Iranian new year begins on the day of the equinox, and typically people celebrate by getting outside for a picnic or other activity with their loved ones. No Ruz is deeply rooted in the beliefs of Zoroastrianism, which was the predominant religion in ancient Persia before Islam came along.

Ireland:

In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated each year on March 17. St. Patrick is known as a symbol of Ireland, particularly around every March. One of the reasons he's so famous is because he drove the snakes out of Ireland, and was even credited with a miracle for this. What many people don't realize is that the serpent was actually a metaphor for the early Pagan faiths of Ireland. St. Patrick brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle, and did such a good job of it that he practically eliminated Paganism from the country.

Italy:

For the ancient Romans, the Feast of Cybele was a big deal every spring. Cybele was a mother goddess who was at the center of a Phrygian fertility cult, and eunuch priests performed mysterious rites in her honor. Her lover was Attis (who also happened to be her grandson), and her jealousy caused him to castrate and kill himself. His blood was the source of the first violets, and divine intervention allowed Attis to be resurrected by Cybele, with some help from Zeus. In some areas, there is still an annual celebration of Attis' rebirth and Cybele's power, called the Hilaria, observed from March 15 to March 28.

Judaism:

One of Judaism's biggest festivals is Passover, which takes place in the middle of the Hebrew month of Nisan. It was a pilgrimage festival, and commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt after centuries of slavery. A special meal is held, called the Seder, and it is concluded with the story of the Jews leaving Egypt, and readings from a special book of prayers. Part of the eight-day Passover traditions include a thorough spring cleaning, going through the house from top to bottom.

Russia:

In Russia, the celebration of Maslenitsa is observed as a time of the return of light and warmth. This folk festival is celebrated about seven weeks before Easter. During the Lent season, meat and fish and dairy products are prohibited. Maslentisa is the last chance anyone will get to enjoy those items for a while, so it's typically a big festival held before the somber, introspective time of Lent. A straw effigy of the Lady of Maslenitsa, is burned in a bonfire. Leftover pancakes and blintzes are tossed in as well, and when the fire has burned away, the ashes are spread in the fields to fertilize the year's crops.

Scotland (Lanark):

In the area of Lanark, Scotland, the spring season is welcomed with Whuppity Scoorie, held on March 1. Children assemble in front of a local church at sunrise, and when the sun comes up, they race around the church waving paper balls around their heads. At the end of the third and final lap, the children gather up coins thrown by local assemblymen. According to the Captial Scot, there's a story that this event began ages ago when troublemakers were "scoored" in the Clyde River as punishment for bad behavior. It appears to be unique to Lanark, and does not seem to be observed anywhere else in Scotland.
 

Spring Goddess of Fertility and bouncy bunny girl Ostara:

She has her own festival on 21 March, the Spring Equinox, in which bouncing springy behavior is encouraged.
OSTARA was very popular with the Anglo-Saxon pagan brigade who worshipped her under the name EOSTRE.
OSTARA's sacred animal is a cute rabbit — an obvious symbol of fertility — and the egg is her symbol of fertile purity. So Easter Egg hunts are actually packed with symbolic meanings of rebirth and renewal.
In case you think we're being flippant, recent research suggests that OSTARA herself was actually invented during a mischievous moment by the Venerable Bede. This well-known monk mentioned her in connection with the pagan festival Eosturmonath in a book written in 750 A.D. — but extensive research has failed to find a trace of her prior to that. Could he possibly have been fibbing?
Rabbits and hares are ubiquitous in mythology. Every culture seems to have a Rabbit God — and they're nearly always trickster spirits.
 

Festival of Isis
This ritual celebrates Isis in all her forms, and is a formal Ritual, which consists of all members giving an offering to the Great Goddess and asking for a gift in return.
Cast Sacred Space in your usual manner but substitute another Goddess in place of Isis if she is a Cardinal Point Goddess. Once Sacred Space has been cast, and you are protected, start the music of Isis. (chant of Isis, from band Incubus and Succubus ). Once members become familiar with the chant, they should join it.
If you have a Priestess of Isis to receive the offerings, then she should do so. She would stand next to the balefire and accept the offerings of each person, draw an ankh of Holy oil on the forehead of the member and place their offering within the balefire. If you do not have a Priestess of Isis, then the High Priestess or Priestess should perform this duty.
As this is going on, each Temple member holds the hand of the person next to them and forms a circle around the balefire. All members begin to move in a clockwise direction in a dance. It is a simple dance involving small steps, and is a good way to focus energies upon the work at hand.
Everyone’s right foot and leg crosses their left foot and leg, to the front. Then everyone steps with their left foot out to the left, then step with the right foot behind the left foot, and then steps with the left foot to the left. Repeat till HP speaks.
Great Goddess of the words of power
Join us now in strength by the hour
Everyone stops moving, raises their hands to the skies, and continues to chant, but does so quietly, so that the sounds is a background whisper.
The Priestess of Isis says:
Thank you great Goddess for joining us here.
We honor your name with these offerings
which we have placed within this fire.
All members stop chanting and say:
We honor you
We honor you
We honor you
All members move to benches or chairs within the sacred space, and the Priestess of Isis moves to the work table. She stands behind the table and says:
As each is willing to give, so to should they be able to receive.
This is as it was promised since the dawn of time.
Please come forward and speak of your desire
I shall help you bring your offerings and request
To the Great Goddess Isis.
Each member steps up to the work table and writes their desire on a piece of paper. They then wrap the paper around their gift and toss it into the balefire, then resume their place within the circle.
When all spells have been done, some type of group activity should be done. Such projects as making a coven oil, incense, etc and best. It should be something which can be made by the donations of all people. Silver candles can be inscribed with symbols and lit from the balefire by each member so they will have a consecrated Isis candle for their own altars.
Once all work has been accomplished, close your circle or begin your feast. Have the food set up buffet style and allow everyone to fill their plates and sit casually around the balefire. When the meal is finished and you have not as yet closed your circle, do so now and ground all energies.