“The great gift of Easter is hope”
– Basil C. Hume
Whatever your religious beliefs, we are entering a global celebration of rebirth!
Winter is gone. We can let die that which no longer serves us and look towards a joyful rebirth in the months to come. Each year in Winter the Earth appears to die and then is born again in Spring. It is blossoming into life in front of our eyes! Just as we did by standing still and incubating our intentions at Imbolc, we can take our inspiration from natures unwavering cycles and rhythms and once again nurture that which we want to grow in the coming year.
Christians celebrate Easter at this time of year by remembering the death and sacrifice that Christ made for mankind and his subsequent resurrection.
Passover is where Jewish people remember at this time of year that their ancestors left behind slavery and were led out of Egypt by Moses.
The seasonal celebrations and honouring of traditions surrounding death and rebirth, however, predate organised religion. Their remnants can be seen in the symbols such as eggs, lambs and bunny rabbits.
Easter is celebrated in many varied ways around the world including pot throwing and deep dyed red eggs in Greece, a Halloween style dance of the dead with a re-enactment of the Passion of the Christ in Spain, dressing up as witches in Sweden, drenching each other with buckets of cold water in Poland and mixing Christian tradition with Voodoo in Haiti with loud, colourful celebrations and offerings.
The Pagan celebration that gave way to Easter but is still observed today is Ostara. Some ways to honour this turning of the wheel might include planting seeds, baking bread, Spring cleaning, decorating eggs and most importantly fertilizing the ground for the nurture of intentions.
This holiday is a festival of the senses. Birdsong is jubilant! New shoots and buds are appearing everywhere. Spring lambs frolic in the fields. Fragrant blooms from Spring bulbs are abundant. The weather is warmer (or at least it will be!)
And all this, without even the mention of chocolate!
Try this:
Chocolate Mindfulness
Do this exercise slowly, taking time with each step.
Take a piece of chocolate in wrapping.
Hold it in your hands.
Allow your breath to slow and deepen.
Sit for a few moments allowing a sense of calm to settle over you.
Look at the chocolate.
Is it shiny in its wrapper?
Colourful?
Bright?
Take your awareness to your sense of touch.
How does the paper feel in your fingers?
Turn the wrapping and chocolate.
Explore it.
Notice how it feels.
How does it sound?
The crinkling of the paper between your fingers?
Sit with it.
Now begin to slowly unwrap the chocolate.
Notice the feel of the wrapper and the sweet.
How does the chocolate feel in your fingers?
Soft?
Warm?
Hold it for a few moments, unwrapped.
Now lift it to your face.
Take your awareness to your sense of smell.
Inhale!
How is the scent?
Is your mouth watering?
Spend a few moments enjoying the scent of your treasure!
Now put it in your mouth.
Can you taste it immediately?
Savour it!
Let it melt on your tongue.
What does that feel like?
Does the taste change with time?
Is it spreading across your mouth?
Does it reach all the corners?
Can you still recognise Scent as well as taste?
Inhale through your nose.
Now begin to work your tongue and jaw.
What are the sensations here?
In terms of texture?
Warmth?
Finish your chocolate.
Take a few moments to savour the experience.
How do you feel now?
Sit with it in stillness.
Repeat as many times as necessary!
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