Is the celebration of the first day of spring a Pagan thing?
All my life I've been celebrating the first day of spring, every year. It's just something people do in my country regardless of faith. Everybody goes out in the mountains, celebrates the nature, the arrival of spring; we make meals outdoors that day, sing, dance, hang around. It's fun! :)
It only struck me a few days ago that this surely must have its roots in Paganism. Does anyone know if it's true?
2008-03-19T06:04:48Z
Ostara eve, I have to look it up, thanks! :)
Yay! For some weird reason I'm so happy about this LOL
My favorite is Beltane by far. The Earth is blooming and growing. Everything seems so fresh and new. The days are bright and warm and just feels "right". While I celebrate Samhain as my New Year, somehow I always feel Beltane is a rebirth for me personally. I am able to burdens and stress and be "free" so to speak. I also always take part in dancing the May Pole, which is something very special to me because it was my first ever ritual. I guess it always reminds me of shedding my old self, and being brought back into my new life as a pagan. It is very hard to explain in a way that others will understand. Anyway! Great question! Bright Blessings! Edit: "These two times of year are when I seem to be most energetic and optimistic, and simply "high on life." Why do you think this is? I would say Beltane and Yule, but thats just me.
The Baha'i New Year is the first day of spring. The New Year ends a 19-day Fast during which Baha'is refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset for the last month of the Baha'i calendar to prepare spiritually for the New Year.
It is New Year; the rounding of the cycle of the year. A year is the expression of a cycle (of the sun); but now is the beginning of a cycle of Reality, a New Cycle, a New Age, a New Century, a New Time and a New Year, and brings forth new and fresh fruits for humanity. Therefore it is very Blessed.
Baha'is around the world celebrate Naw Ruz differently according to the culture from which they come.
Yes, absolutely... many Pagan cultures celebrated the equinoxes and/or the solistices, as well as the planting, harvesting, rain/dry season cycles native to their region.
Modern NeoPagans generally accept Gerald Gardener's reconstruction/reinvention of these festivals in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. Ostara is the first Spring Fertility festival.
Hey, we celebrate the first day of spring in my country too. Here, in Bangladesh, we dress up in orange/yellow Saris. Decorate with flowers, sing and dance! It's a very old tradition. Although some Muslims don't join the celebration because to them it's a "Hindu ritual". I think you are right. Almost every celebrations have a pagan root.