Eostre was originally a Pagan festival, with it’s roots in the Norse and Germanic ritual of the Vernal Equinox, or Spring. It’s heartening to know that ancient man had an instinctive respect for Mother Nature, thousands of years before the spread of Christianity. It’s only comparatively recently in our history that the traditions of Eostre were adapted by modern religions.
The Rites of Spring and also Harvest show an understanding of the planet which sustains us, and the Sun and the Earth were worshipped as the givers of life. As we pollute and over-populate our world and regard our own planet with cynicism, I wonder if a return to a more spiritual innocence might be the salvation our ecology needs. Organised religions become increasingly redundant as they fail to embrace the human condition. True spirituality means a respect for the planet, and for each other, and yet distracted religious figureheads still make astonishingly ill-judged comments about contraception. If that energy could be focused on our future on Earth rather than the obsessive, hand-wringing preoccupation with the sex lives of others, then we might actually be able to sustain the planet we live on.
Stephen Hawking says that if we continue to expand at our current rate, then our future lies only in the stars and our window for the colonisation of other planets is less than two hundred years. Is our tenancy on Earth due to end? Is it impossible to reverse the damage that we’re doing? In the spirit of Eostre, fertility and rebirth, we need to consider renewable clean energy, such as Solar Power, stop poisoning the bees with chemicals and seriously consider the size of our population.
I don’t want to be one of the last of the Earth-dwellers: Easter should be about the celebration of nature and awareness of our position in the ecology of Earth. Not zombies in diapers.
the vibes 
Wonderful article! Happy Eostre! Love the Earth today.
Thanks, Bernadette. Happy Eostre to you too!
i only just got that line about zombies in daipers! u naughty tree hugging hippy!
Thanks, Stevo. I display my hippy plumage with pride! Happy Eostre 😉
Well said, Sir. From another happy hippie! If religious orgs can’t embrace peace, love, freedom, and care of the earth, then somebody’s got to do it! 😉
Kathryn
Absolutely, Kathryn. Peace and flowers!
I agree that true spirituality means a respect for the planet and for each other, yet it seems to be so hard for people to learn for some reason. I’ve often wondered about all that’s been lost along the way toward “progress.” Beautiful post and picture.
Thanks Sheila, I’ve had a few enquiries about the picture which I modified from three ‘found images’ which you can see below. I was getting a bit sick of all the airbrushed religious iconography on the WordPress Topics page so I tried to supply a bit of Pagan balance!
I think people are finally coming to the conclusion that we are all connected and are connected to the earrth as well, at least that is my hope.
Great writing.
Thankyou! It’s the feeling you get when you watch a sunset, telling you that you’re part of everything. I love your harbour picture by the way, it’s where I want to be… 🙂
Thank you, and anywhere there is water and trees, and flowers, well you get the idea, outside, is where I want to be.