At the spring equinox, Gaia broadens her palette from the monochrome of snowscapes and the winter garden's dark greens, reds and browns to the profusion of colors in flowers. Hyacinths, cherry blossoms, daffodils and crocuses explode into reds, pinks, purples, blues and yellows; grass and leaves unfurl green against grey rain. We change the hues of our clothes and inner landscapes to match, and at Oestara many of us color eggs to greet the Spring Goddess and her lusty God.
This issue of Widdershins reflects this burst of color with a rainbow of stories. Freya romps through the palette giving you color associations galore, and I've inserted a meditation on how to find the color associations most personal to you. Janice suggests ways to use color in your rituals. Catherine weighs in with a piece on the foods of the season, eggs and spring herbs, and an April fool brings us surprising news about our national government. We have the sounds and stars of spring in Genevieve's music column and Thea's astrology column, and Mark delves into the pagan past to discuss the work of Doreen Valiente and Dion Fortune. We round out the spectrum with Bronwynn's book review and her pagan compeers' vehement reaction to what seemed a simple seascape shower curtain... little did she know what evil lurks in the aisles of Wal-Mart!
May the flowers of spring bloom bright for you and yours this Oestara.