Artist on the Beach

Gaea
Creator
Earth Mother
Master Potter

your moist fingers
gently mold the clay
mixing earth and water
into a new creation

unceasingly
patiently
you lovingly caress
the clay
shaping it
changing it
to suit your needs
careful
to not let it dry out
repairing
any flaws that appear

keep me firmly on your
Potter's Wheel
spinning slowly
becoming
your Heart's desire
always in contact
with your firm
moist
loving
Hands
feeling your caress
knowing you are

Master Potter
Earth Mother
Creator
Gaea

c. 1993 Bansagart

Happy Ostara

All around us, the Earth sings of Spring. The birth waters have broken open and the rainy season is upon us. Early flowers are blooming, and the animals are bringing forth their young. The Sun has reached the day of balance, with equal hours of light and dark. We celebrate resurrection and rebirth in all its manifestations.

In many traditions, the stories of this time revolve around eggs and their hatching. It is said that Hathor, in the form of the Nile goose, laid a golden egg that was the sun. In Hawai'i it is said the the Big Island hatched from the egg of a giant water bird. The Chimu of Peru clain they are descended from the original egg, the moon. In Hindu mythology, Prappati, the creator, hatched from the great golden egg of eternity. It is also said that Brahma burst forth from a golden egg.

The egg is a symbol of birth, fertility and eternity. It has long been a symbol of Life. The egg holds the complete potential of the creative energy of life. The giving, receiving and decorating of eggs is a symbol in many modern religious traditions: in Christianity, it is the Easter Egg; in Judaism, eggs are a symbol of Esther and Purim; eggs have also long been a symbol of spring in pagan traditions.

In natural situtations, hens lay eggs only from the spring equinox to the autumn equinox; egg-laying is controlled by the amount of light stimulating the retina of the eye. (The amount of light also controls the blooming of most flowers.) At the exact moment of the Vernal Equinox, an egg will stand and balance on its end, an icon of equlibrium.

It is believed that Ostara, the festival of the Vernal Equinox, was first celebrated about 12,000 years ago. In Teuton and Anglo-Saxon tradtions, the goddess of the dawn was named Eostre. She was also called the Queen of Heaven, titles attributed to Andraste, Astarte, Ishtar, Queen Esther and Isis, all of whose names appear to have similar origins.

With the balance of day and night at Ostara, we leave the winter behind. We come out of our hibernation, our months of reflection and inner work, and begin to reach for balance in our lives: the balance of reflection and action, of thought and will. In our gardens and in our lives, we till and turn the soil and plant the seeds of our desires. As the days lengthen, our seeds will sprout and grow and lead us to the harvest at summer's peak.

Where are you reaching for balance in your life?
How are you moving toward greater light?
What seeds are you planting at this time?

c. 2007 Bansagart

The Temple at Denderah

Denderah is about 50 km north of Luxor, on the west bank of the Nile River. The extant Temple of Hathor, built around 54 BCE, still stands in fairly good condition. It was built on the site of several previous temples, and was added to in the first century CE. Inside the hipostyle temple were shrines dedicated to Isis, Sokar, Hathor's sistrum, the gods of Lower Egypt, and Re, among others.

According to Anu tradition, Denderah was the birthplace of Isis and Osiris. There are several wall carvings depicting Isis throughout the Temple, including the one pictured here, which depicts her with the solar disk and horns which are also associated with Hathor.

Who is Kwan Yin?

Kwan Yin is revered in Buddhism as the Bodhisattva of Compassion. She is also known by the names Guanyin, QuanYin and Kannon (the Japanese company Canon derived its name from this). A bodhisattva is one who was once human and achieved enlightenment, but chose to remain close to the human condition in order to provide guidance, rather than enter into Nirvana as a buddha. Kwan Yin is said to have been a student of Amitabha Buddha.

Kwan Yin is also known as the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. She is sometimes seen as a Mother Goddess and a patron of sailors and fishermen. She is known as a protector of women and children, and one to approach when you desire children. She is a source of unconditional love, and a savior who frees humans from karmic woes. Some call her the Buddhist Madonna, and compare her role to that of Mary in the Christian tradition. Among some esoteric and new age groups, she is referred to as one of the Ascended Masters.

In some depictions, she is shown with many arms, reflecting her desire to reach out to as many as possible. Sometimes she is seated on a white lotus, or holds one in her hand. She is also often depicted holding a small vase, sometimes held upright and sometimes turned on its side, pouring out the "Waters of Life", a symbol of Her mercy and compassion.

Kwan Yin Day

Today is Kwan Yin Day, honoring each soul's ability to become a buddha.