The Goddess Eostre

A very happy and splendid day to each of you. Spring is a trickster having many different days where she officially begins, whether we call it the Spring Equinox, Eostre or Easter or we don't name the yearly occurrence and instead observe a shift in the weather, plants or behaviors of animals, such as the ground hog.

Whatever name we choose for the Season, we welcome her with open arms as we transition from a cold dreary winter to a landscape filled with vivid colors, scent of flowers and birdsong. The transformation takes place on both an exterior and interior level as we defrost and emerge from a dark cocoon of reflection. Renewed by a period of deep reflection, we birth ourselves anew to the brightness and warmth of the extended sunlight.

"Eostre is generally said to be an Anglo-Saxon Goddess associated with the renewal of life: Spring (season), fertility and the hare (for its quick and numerous reproduction). Eostre has been made to be a "goddess of Dawn" by modern writers, improvising on the theme of Eos; there is no sanction for this aspect in any historical document or ancient tradition. Though it has been said that she was sometimes depicted with a hares head, no authentic animal-headed deities appear in Germanic or Celtic cult objects. And, perhaps for good reason, there is no Celtic depiction of an Eostre whatsoever. Most likely the name of the Spring Goddess was lost and the name "Eastre" was substituted in the transcriptions of the 8th century. Other names given to her include Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Estre, Eostre, Eoster, Eostra, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron, and Ausos."
- edited from Wikipedia

I tend to like to explore words and associated mythologies that humans have chosen to attribute to different days, festivals, etc. Any of you who are regular readers of this journal or my work have most likely already sensed my exploratory nature in those realms. And, again, you may have already noticed, I have an affinity with the roots of things and more ancestral & pagan traditions when humans lived in harmony with nature.

A re-occurring theme that author Leonard Schlain writes about in his book The Alphabet and the Goddess is the patriarchal trend on usurping a female deity with a masculine one. For example the attributes of the ancient Goddess Eostra have clearly influenced traditions, such as Christianity who adopted the Springtime symbols to denote the Easter Resurrection of Christ.

Symbols, the Pink Moon and the Tree Ogham of Willow

Attributes associated with this Eostre, Spring, and Easter are:

Colors: White, green, pastels
Symbols: Rabbit, egg
Suitable offerings: hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season
Associated Planet: Moon

Along with Eostre we had a glorious full moon a few nights prior in the astrological sign of Libra, called The Pink Moon. The name is in reference to the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring season.

Beginning April 15th we entered the Tree Ogham phase of the Willow, botanical family is the Salix. According to the modern neopagan Ogham calendar, it is the fifth month of the cycle falling between April 15th through May 12th. The Willow, termed Saille in this system of Tree Lore, is associated with flexibility and patience with an emphasis on femininity.

Like me, you may find yourself interested in ceremony and ritual, if so then I suggest venturing off to find a grove of Willow in your area and ask for a wish to be granted. We begin this little ritual by tuning into the imprint and hive mind of the willow spirit and the individual tree, asking for permission and sharing your desire.

If permission is granted, select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it while holding the desired outcome in your mind and heart. When your wish has been granted, return to the site and untie the knot while remaining in a state of gratitude and love. In some traditions a gift is left for the Willow, such as tobacco. I suggest asking the willow what gift it would like from the start, as I have noticed the trees are more interested in an intentional gift like LOVE rather than a physical endowment.

Here in New Mexico we have the red willow, Salix laevigata, also called the polished willow, which grows in abundance near sources of water. The plant is currently threatened by invasives such as Tamarisk trees, which are equally thirsty and difficult to eradicate. The ancestral roots of this tree are related to basket weaving by the native people. In Santa Fe we find a plethora of red willows in Dale Ball Trails in Upper Canyon. The photo below is in Fall when the red willows turn red.

"The Tiwa (or Tano) are a linguistic group of Pueblo American Indians who speak the Tiwa language and share the Pueblo culture. Tiwa (also known as Tano) is one of five Tanoan languages spoken by the Pueblo people of New Mexico. The name Taos is derived from the Tiwa word for “place of red willows.” The red willow is a variety known for its reddish or purple twigs and bark rich in tannin. It is also known as the basket willow, having pliable twigs used in basketry and furniture."
- NMHistoricPreservation.org

SPRING "Illuminated" Perfumes

Floral perfumes are the most aligned with the energetics of Eostre, Spring, and Easter but fragrances in the green family also work nicely. From our illuminated line I suggest either Vera (fresh, herbal, fougere), Hedera helix (Deep, rich forest green) or one of the many fresher florals such as Lyra, Fleurish and Aurora, find them all in their varied formats as well as sample sets here.

The EGG

Of all the different symbols associated with Spring, the one that has me most inspired today is the egg. The origins of the word Easter are found in the ancient Saxon Lunar Goddess known as Eostre and Norse Goddess Ostara. In both these traditions, as well as those of the Greeks and Egyptians we find the symbolic use of the egg and a theory of the Cosmic Egg as the source of all creation.

In contemplating the symbol of  the “egg” as a popular thematic image in our modern Spring rituals and archetypes there is the world egg in Vedic mythology related to an egg shaped Universe, but most interesting to me is the Upanishads where the universe divides into two halves, which alludes to the duality principal in Alchemy as well as the Ouroboros, symbolizing the unity of all things through the eternal process of change.

In August of 2003 when Greg and I attended the Visionary Art workshop titled Old Masters, New Visions in Austria, I learned a deeper meaning to the symbolism of the egg, specifically in reference to the Mishe technique where we use the whole egg for this painting procedure that has its roots with the Flemish brother painters Jan and Hubert van Eyck.

By utilizing a whole egg in combination with a specific layering of different colored glazes light is able to pass through the painting to produce a glass like appearance, resulting in fantastical depth to a two dimensional painted image. Go to a museum which has a Van Eyck painting in their collection and you will experience what I am typing about. Assuming of course, that the painting is the original, and not a reproduction.

Opening photograph: Mia from Alice of the WonderLand, Dale Ball Trail, Hedera helix collage and Eggs in Next photos ©RoxanaVilla, The Orphic Egg on parchment, original by Jacob Bryant, 1774
References: Desert Wild Flower
Copy ©RoxanaVilla

Trees, a re-occuring theme

As a freshman in high school I was encouraged to join the Speech club, so I did. I chose to memorize and tell the Shel Silverstein story the Giving Tree. Fast forward, approximately forty years later I presented the Tree of Life at the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy conference at Bastyr University.

Gosh, I realized I've bee telling the same story since high school not only speaking to groups but also with the fragrances I make. Perhaps you've come to the same realization at one of those rare moments when we see ourselves beyond the veils of this illusionary world we live in.

We have just entered the Celtic Tree Ogham of the Ivy which makes it an auspicious time to anoint ourselves with the green, mossy, forest fragrance Hedera helix, now back in stock as both a liquid and a solid.

Here is a YouTube video with Shel Silverstein reading the story:

The video Greg created of The Tree of Life presentation delivered at the Beyond Aromatics conference at Bastyr can be found here. I'm presenting "Scent and the Honey Bee" at this years conference, please join me on Sunday, October 23rd. My presentation will be soul enriching and you will have the opportunity to surround yourself with an inspiring community. Find details here.

Celtic Tree Month of Oak

I've been diligently finalizing my paper for the proceedings of my presentation titled "The Tree of Life: A mystical approach to the art of botanical perfumery" for the Beyond Aromatics conference up in Seattle this Autumn.

The paper is due today which happens to be the first day of the Celtic Tree Month of Oak. Thus, the scent of this auspicious Tuesday is Q for Quercus agrifolia, the California native oak.

Read more about the Celtic Tree Ogham, the oak and Q at these posts here at the journal:
Celtic Lunar Month: Oak
Tree Ogham
Q Review
Q, Queurcus agrifolia
The Duir Way

Find Q liquid and solid at the site here.

The Month of the Spring Goddess

A very Happy Veneralia: Day of Venus to each of you on this first day of April the month which was named Eostre Monath by the Anglo Saxons after "Eastre or Eostre" the Goddess of Dawn or Spring.

"Eostre is generally said to be an Anglo-Saxon Goddess associated with the renewal of life: Spring (season), fertility and the hare (for its quick and numerous reproduction). Eostre has been made to be a "goddess of Dawn" by modern writers, improvising on the theme of Eos; there is no sanction for this aspect in any historical document or ancient tradition. Though it has been said that she was sometimes depicted with a hares head, no authentic animal-headed deities appear in Germanic or Celtic cult objects. And, perhaps for good reason, there is no Celtic depiction of an Eostre whatsoever. Most likely the name of the Spring Goddess was lost and the name "Eastre" was substituted in the transcriptions of the 8th century. Other names given to her include Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Estre, Eostre, Eoster, Eostra, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron, and Ausos."- edited from Wikipedia

Many of the attributes associated with this Goddess which I have listed below appear to be from contemporary Western neopagan traditions. I suggest working with what "feels" right to you and honoring the many varied festivals and traditions on our multifaceted planet. Here in the wooded hills we begin to see the bunnies at this time of the year, thus, the mythology that the Goddess of Spring was associated with rabbits fits quite nicely.

I'm rather liking the idea of Alice of the WonderLand as a modern icon of the Spring Goddess Eostre. She's fesity, very brave, smart, witty and has a great sense of adventure. And Mia of course, portrays her so perfectly.

Colors: White, green, pastels
Associated symbols: Rabbit, egg
Best day to work with: Monday
Best Moon phase: Full Strongest around Ostara
Suitable offerings: hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season
Associated Planet: Moon

The full moon for this month arrives on Friday April 6th, it will be in the astrological sign of Libra and is called The Pink Moon. The name is in reference to the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month’s celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.


This month we are wondering in a forest of Alder wood. According to the modern neopagan Ogham calendar, it is the fourth month called "Fearn" (Alder) falling between March 18 - April 14. The Alder is associated with protection and courage. Steve Blamires, my favorite Ogham scholar, refers to the Alder period as one to find the strength to face things you have been avoiding.

The Song of the Alder Fairy
by Cicely Mary Barker

By the lake or river-side
Where the Alders dwell,
In the Autumn may be spied
Baby catkins; cones beside —
Old and new as well.
Seasons come and seasons go;
That's the tale they tell!
After Autumn, Winter's cold
Leads us to the Spring;
And, before the leaves unfold,
On the Alder you'll behold,
Crimson catkins swing!
They are making ready now;
That's the song I sing!

Reference:
Pagan News
Pagan Book of Hours
Farmers Almanac

Images:
Mia Wasikowska as Alice in Wonderland
Alder Photo by Phillip of Halifaxlight on Flickr

Heralding in Hedera Helix

This page has been created to list all the reviews and testimonials that come in for Hedera helix, the new, green chypre natural, botanical perfume for Ivy, one of the sacred plants of the Celtic forest and part of the Tree Ogham. Get your sample set here.

"I have been rolling in Hedera Helix ~ sweet green chili peppers surrounded by leaves of ivy and oakmoss and lightly sprinkled with powder. Um, am I crazy? Absolutely love this perfume!!!"
~ Customer

Hedera helix Review at London Perfume Girl
For the Love of Ivy by Donna over at Perfume Smellin' Things
Hedera helix Review at Indie Perfumes
Gaia at The Non_Blonde Reviews Hedera helix
A Complex Dark Green Chypre by Victoria at EauMG
Roxana Illuminated Perfume Hedera Helix at Perfume Shrine

"SOTE: After a hot shower, the wonderful new Hedera Helix in solid perfume from Roxana Villa - a green lover's idea of paradise, and so calming too. Aaahhhhhh.... :-)"
~ Donna Hathaway

Roxana Illuminated Perfume Hedera Helix: Wouldn’t you love to receive the lovely compacts pictured above? I certainly would as they’re filled with Roxana Villa’s newest fragrance, Hedera Helix, an olfactory ode to ivy. Not surprisingly, this perfume is a leafy green chypre that has a dense and addicting note of oakmoss as its foundation. Both incarnations of Hedera Helix, solid and liquid, are a complex blend of nearly forty different essences, but I prefer the solid’s focus on the effervescent top notes of clementine, orange blossom, and grapefruit. (The liquid is much more resinous and inky and also very beautiful). The heart is full of warm beeswax and woods and the drydown is dappled with sweet rose and jasmine petals. I find this progression from chypre green to pale pink to be quite compelling and all together lovely.
~ Trish of Scent Hive

Tree Ogham: Ivy

Greenest of the pastures, sweeter than grasses.

Ivy, the twelfth letter in the Tree Ogham goes by the letter G and the name Gort, meaning green field or garden. According to Blamires some legends and poetry refer to honeysuckle and woodvine interchangeable with Ivy.

We interpret the message of a plant by observing where and how it grows. Ivy is a very tenacious, evergreen which uses another plant as a host eventually smothering and/or killing it. Ivy in the physical world is witnessed growing as a ground cover, on trees, and the side of a building. The deep green waxy leaves have four or five pointed lobes growing from long vines which rapidly cling and wrap themselves spiraling upwards. Paul Rhys Mountfort in his book Ogam, The Celtic Oracle of Trees calls this a basic archetype of growth and endurance which we can witness in the structure of our DNA and the patterns of the

The survival instinct of the Ivy is fierce with the ability to grow in adverse conditions, exploiting anything found in its trail in order to prevail. Ivy is a ruthless parasite prepared to use what might appear unfortunate as a benefit. The lesson of the Ivy in our physical world is related to a aggressive warrior spirit. There are moments in our lives when an indomitable will force is needed to move forward, this is the positive aspect of the Ivy spirit which we can tune into. In doing so clear mindfulness is needed so that we do not choke others or ourselves in the process.

For the Tree Ogham of Ivy I have created a liquid and solid natural perfume title Hedera helix. Originally created in April of 2007 as a liquid perfume, I have duplicated the original formula with a few minor additions for the solid. When this fragrance was first created I began by making a list of essences which smelled green and Ivy-like. I then created five different versions labeled Ivy 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Number five in the end prevailed, like Coco Chanels first perfume.

The list of essential oils, C02 extracts and absolutes is quite vast
including thirty three individual essences from a variety of families:
Resin
Wood
Moss
Root
Leaves
Boronia
Flowers
Herb
Parsley
Seed
Root
Citrus










The structure of the fragrance has the characteristics of a Chypre with a very classy air. The oakmoss and resins in the base give the liquid perfume some powerful longevity. The aromatic notes are woven very tightly so that individuals are not easy to perceive. The best words I can use are: mossy green, floral Chypre. I utilized many essences with a green profile as well as those that come from green leaves. On the skin of those who have tested it for me it is quite beautiful with fabulous silage. I have sent samples to varies bloggers thus perhaps you will have the opportunity to read some collective thoughts.

This perfume was made at a time when I was removing large amounts of Ivy from my garden in order to plant California natives. I had witnessed how destructive Ivy was to the oaks and other plants that grew alongside it. Thus, had Tonie Silver not made the request for this fragrance it probably would never have manifested. Here are Tonies words about Hedera:

"My favorite potion from Roxana was a special commission per my request. "Hedera helix~ the mighty Ivy Dark green leaves, reddish, yellowish pink vines, and that special sharp tang that ivy possesses. This is the big, aged, thick leaved ivy of my Grandmother’s front porch, climbing and twining in the shade. Cool and crisp, an inviting home to innumerable dark creatures."

The color harmony for Ivy is a deep, mossy green. Hedera helix is currently available as a liquid and solid perfume at my website.

Happy Autumn Equinox to those in this Northern hemisphere, a time to breath in this sacred moment as we begin our preparations for the impending darkness of the seasonal year.

Images: Portrait of a girl surrounded by ivy leaves by Henry John Stock, Flora by John William Waterhouse, A Hamadryad by John William Waterhouse

Tree Ogham

The constant in Celtic tradition accepted by all the scholars is a deep reverence for nature, specifically the trees. Like the native people of the Americas, the Druids viewed the world holistically, seeing the connection between all things. There was an intrinsic understanding of the link between the physical/outer world and the spiritual/inner world.

Most of the Celtic myths we have with us in practice have evolved over time. Many have been interpreted into the modern Neo-pagan traditions based on the book The White Goddess by Robert Graves. The Tree Ogham has roots in Druidic history but is also part of the re-invention tapping into an inherent understanding of the Green World, the mighty trees and an understanding that magic and symbolism are dynamic and evolving constantly.

For the Druid's trees were sacred, an outward symbol of the cosmos manifested here on Earth and beings of great wisdom which held memory. When gathered together in a grove the vibrational field is heightened. The branches of each tree reaching up towards the heavens with deeply connected roots spiraling down into the womb of the earth. Sacred groves were referred to as nemeton, these were ancient sites of worship with very old trees. Many of these sites were cut down by invading Romans and later by the church as a way to dissipate the strength of the Druids and their holy places.

Regrettably humans have not learned the great value of our forests and trees, despite several movements throughout the world working diligently to save and restore our woodlands. Instead of the plight of Roman invaders and religious zealot now we face the Corporate entity with its ferocious, greedy appetite for all the natural resources Mother Earth has to offer. As an alternative the Corporation offers us synthetic, mass produced, industry made replicants.

As my continued contribution to the greening of consciousness I've created a new, ongoing series, based on the Tree Ogham, handmade with intention, respect, tinctures, infusions and the vitality of nature. They are great draughts of wisdom from the Green World, magical elixirs meant to connect each of us to the verdant entities yearning to share their knowledge and heighten our inner and outer awareness.

Let us begin with defining a few words and setting the stage. The word Ogham or Ogam is an ancient script developed most likely by the bards of Ireland in search for a sacred form of communication. Ogham script is seen as a line with smaller intersecting lines and notches most often carved into standing stones. Sometimes these lines could be found carved on trees and there are also individual characters with reference to specific trees. Ogham is also a form of linguistic communication that was used by "heroes, champions, bards, and druids"1 which most likely predates the script and alphabet. Steve Blamires, author of Celtic Tree Mysteries: Secret of the Ogham suggests that the Ogham language was not a spoken word but developed as an inner form of communication between us and the trees, or our own higher self.


The Celtic Tree Calendar is one of the Neo-pagan traditions mentioned at the start of this post. For the Druids our modern system of compartmentalizing time did not exist. They were deeply, spiritual beings living very much in the here and now, time was fluid and cyclical tuned into planetary movement. Even the Wheel of the Earth with its eight holy days stems from Celtic revivalists.

The Book of Ballymote has two Tree Alphabet lists both beginning with the letter B for Birch, one consisting of twenty four letters and trees and the other with twenty six. The Steve Blamires book lists twenty trees to begin practical magic work. This is the main book I am using for my inspiration as it is the one that feels most grounded and balanced.

Below is a list of the twenty totems within this Basic Tree Ogham, keep in mind that not all are trees, but plants found within the Celtic forest:

Birch
Rowan
Alder
Willow
Ash
Hawthorne
Oak
Holly
Hazel
Apple
Vine
Ivy
Broom
Blackthorn
Elder
Fir
Furze
Heather
Aspen
Yew

1 Celtic Tree Mysteries: Secret of the Ogham, Steve Blamires, 1987 Llewelyn Publishing
Images: Divinus and Graphic Tree on parchment by Greg Spalenka.