Awakening to Renewal: The Promise of Ostara
Rev Kurt Hohmann
Earth awakens from her slumber, bursting forth with life. Change is the very essence of existence!
- The Gateway of March (Dad’s birthday)
- Gentle embrace of the spring sun
- Biting cold and snow
- Back to sunshine
- Ostara Story
- Setting: spring is late, winter is still raging
- Eostre finds a small bird with frozen wings
- Takes pity upon the suffering bird, petting it gently and blowing upon its frozen feathers
- Since it can no longer fly, she transforms the bird into a magical hare
- Asks the hare to help her by carrying baskets filled with brightly colored eggs to the people of the village
- People are overjoyed by the gifts and associate the hare with Eostre’s springtime festival
- This is the spirit of Ostara!
- The wheel of the year turns once more
- Ostara is
- A time of rebirth, growth, and the promise of new beginnings
- A time of transition and transformation
- A time between
- Awakening, renewal, rebirth, and spring
- The departure of the old and winter
- Feeling the stirring of life all around us, even through the snow
- Existence as a tapestry
- Each individual story is a thread in the fabric
- We are part of a sacred web that binds us to the Earth and to each other
- Ostara
- Paints the world with vibrant colors
- Weaves together threads of rebirth and growth
- Invites us to shed the old and embrace the new
- Ostara teaches the nature of transformation
- As Earth awakens from slumber, bursting with life, we are reminded that change is the very essence of existence
- Every bud that blossoms
- Every creature that stirs from hibernation
- Reminder: transformation is not a solitary journey but a collective unfolding
- Our lives intertwine, shaping and reshaping the tapestry
- As Earth awakens from slumber, bursting with life, we are reminded that change is the very essence of existence
- Ostara
- Whispers of the potential for growth and renewal within each of us
- Compare:
- Seeds that lie dormant in the earth, awaiting the gentle caress of spring
- Souls yearning for awakening, for the light of understanding
- Each of us carries within us the spark of divinity, the seed of transformation waiting to blossom
- In the fertile soil of possibility, we planted the seeds of our dreams
- Ostara reminds us to nourish them
- With the waters of intention and the warmth of our hearts
- Ostara reminds us to nourish them
- In the sacred dance of the seasons, we are reminded of the ever-present opportunity for reinvention, for shedding the old and embracing the new
- Ostara is a time of balance
- Return of light and life to the land
- Light and darkness harmonize in perfect equilibrium
- Embrace our darkness
- Our vulnerabilities
- Our imperfections
- Find the courage to embark on a journey of transformation
- Honor the sacred interplay of opposites
- Through embracing the full spectrum of our experiences, we attain wholeness and fulfillment
- Ostara
- Calls us to embrace the transformative power that resides within and around us
- Teaches us that change is not merely inevitable but essential for growth and renewal
- As Earth sheds its winter cloak to adorn itself in the garments of spring, we shed layers of the past
- Release what no longer serves us
- Embrace the promise of new beginnings
- Like the cycles of nature, our lives ebb and flow, moving through seasons of growth, decay, and renewal
- As the caterpillar transforms into the butterfly
- We are called to shed the limitations of the past
- To spread our wings in flight
- Through the process of shedding our old skins, we discover the true essence of our being
- The radiant light that shines within us all
- In the embrace of spring, we find the courage to confront our fears, challenge our limitations, and embark on the journey of self-discovery
Self-Discovery
- Key for Personal Transformation
- Many people are unaware of crucial pieces of our own personal “self”
- Judgments, ideas, perceptions, assumptions, and feelings
- Pieces buried in the darkest corners of our consciousness
- We talk to people, make decisions, engage with life, choose work, and perform every other human interaction under the influence of those deeply buried pieces of ourselves
- Not consciously aware of their impact—and yet they impact us profoundly
- We do it unconsciously, making choices according to them
- “I don’t have the required level of experience or education.”
- “I am not good enough to do this.”
- “I am not worthy of this opportunity.”
- Self-awareness helps us move past this.
- Increasing self-awareness and gaining greater self-knowledge shifts those pieces
- From darkness into the light
- From unconscious into the conscious
- Self-awareness helps us
- Experience self-development
- Exercise self-control
- Produce creative accomplishments
- Experience higher self-esteem
- Increase self-care and decrease burnout
- Greater acceptance of ourselves and others
- Become psychologically healthier
- Many people are unaware of crucial pieces of our own personal “self”
Increasing Self-Awareness: Practical Steps
- Learn New Skills
- When you learn a new skill, you learn about
- Your personal boundaries
- Your comfort zone
- How to move beyond it
- When you learn a new skill, you learn about
- Classes
- Courses, workshops, retreats, and other experiences that invite self-awareness
- Need to have introspection woven into their teaching
- Read
- Some books are written with the intention of inviting self-observation
- Trigger questions and insights that lead to greater knowledge of yourself
- Therapy / Coaching
- Working with a therapist, psychologist, coach, etc.
- Provides a healthy environment for self-reflection
- Allows you to observe yourself without judgment
- Working with a therapist, psychologist, coach, etc.
- Friendly Feedback
- Other perspectives can provide interesting insights
- Should come from someone close to you or someone who knows you well
- Ask questions about yourself and begin by stating that you are truly open to hearing any reflections they can offer
- Their insights may not be 100% accurate, but they provide valuable food for thought
- Meditate
- Meditation invites you to meet yourself
- If your attention is not wandering, it has to sit still and observe your thoughts and emotions in the present moment
- Connect with Nature
- Nature reduces cognitive “noise”
- A peaceful state of mind creates an excellent space to truly meet yourself
- Tree preaching… passion!
How to Transform?
- How to Change by author and researcher Katy Milkman (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania)
- Value
- 40% of premature deaths are caused by behaviors that can be changed
- Remember the Power of Fresh Starts
- Humans naturally organize time around milestones and transitions
- Recognizing opportunities for fresh starts—even small ones like a new week—can encourage lasting behavior change
- Even simply recognizing an upcoming birthday encourages people to save more for retirement
- Change Isn’t “One and Done”
- There is no quick fix if you want change to last
- Lasting change requires lasting attention
- Flexibility
- Too much rigidity is the enemy of lasting habits
- People with flexible workout schedules formed stronger long-term exercise habits than those following rigid schedules
- Procrastination
- “Present bias” causes us to value immediate rewards over future rewards
- Create restrictions for yourself
- Time deadlines improve performance
- Financial commitments or penalties encourage follow-through
- Sumbel oath example
- Accountability
- Making commitments public is a powerful motivator
- Use accountability partners to help enforce commitments
- Sumbel oath example
- Value
Ways for Self-Improvement and Self-Growth
- Read every day
- Pick up a new hobby
- Take a course
- Overcome a fear
- Learn public speaking
- Create a weekly exercise routine
- Set big goals
- Acknowledge your flaws
- Learn from people who inspire you
- Quit a bad habit
- Cultivate a new habit
- Learn to deal with difficult people
- Avoid negative people
- “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
- Start a journal
- Reduce the time you spend on messaging apps
- Let go of the past
- Take a break
- Commit to your personal growth
- Whenever we think we are good, we can become even better!
Closing Remarks
- As we stand on the threshold of spring, let us embark on this journey of transformation together, guided by the wisdom of the ages and the eternal rhythms of the universe.
- Let us release
- The burdens of the past
- The doubts that hold us back
- The fears that keep us small
- May we sow the seeds of
- Love
- Compassion
- Understanding
- Nurturing them with the waters of empathy and the light of wisdom
- May we become vessels of transformation, radiating the light of love and healing into the world.
- Remember the swinging gate
- Transformation means changing back and forth a little at a time.
- Richard Bach wrote:
“Here is a test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t.”
- And you are alive.
- So keep looking into the mirror.
- Look closely.
- You might be surprised by what you find.
- May we be guided by
- The wisdom of the ancient ones
- The whispers of the wind
- The song of the Earth
- As we journey ever deeper into the mystery of our own becoming
- In the spirit of Ostara, let us embrace the sacred art of reinvention
- Each new beginning is an opportunity to rewrite our stories
- Redefine ourselves
- Step into the fullness of our power
- May this season be
- A time of renewal
- A time of transformation
- A time of transcendence
- May we dance in the light of the returning sun, celebrating the magic of new beginnings and the infinite possibilities that await us.