Wellbeing

Lynne Franks on Pagan Traditions

The pagan traditions behind spring rites and how to introduce the benefits of shamanic healing into your life

The pagan traditions behind spring rites and how to introduce the benefits of shamanic healing into your life
I have always found my birthday in April to be a good time for spiritual reflection. And of course spring, with its accompanying festivals of Easter, Passover and the original Pagan traditions, is a recognised time for new beginnings.

Without disrespecting other belief systems, I do find it extraordinary how Judeo-Christianity took so many rituals and beliefs of the goddess and rewrote them as their own.

The Pagan goddess of spring and renewal is called Oestar, from the Scandinavian Ostra and the Teutonic Ostern and Eastre who were both goddesses symbolising spring and fertility. The Phoenicians called her Astarte while the Assyrians and Babylonians called her Ishtar, which is pronounced just as the English word Easter.

These acknowledgments of the goddess of new life, generally celebrated at the spring equinox, go back at least 1,000 years before the start of Christianity. Even the egg and the hare were pagan symbols. Eggs are, and will always be, a symbol of rebirth and new life and what better time to celebrate this than during spring when every living thing starts to flourish again?

Spring clean

I also think this a great time of year for an emotional and physical spring clean. Just recently I had the pleasure of some deep cleansing soul work with Vancover-based Shamanic healer and teacher Nikki Hainstock when she recently visited London.

I am sure she would be delighted if I repeat here some of her advice. Firstly, Nikki told me to ask and be open to receiving 10 gifts from close friends and family over the next 10 days as this will shift my need to always be the giver. I immediately started receiving some specialgifts from those closest to me, mostly not asked for, which gave me a huge amount of pleasure.

The second powerful exercise came after I told Nikki that I often felt as if I didn’t live anywhere, spending part of the week in London for meetings before departing up the M40 for my relaxing cottage in the country.

She suggested I create a medicine bag of objects representing the four elements, such as a candle, crystal, incense andsome water. I should carry the medicine bag to each home and as soon as I arrive, use the objects in a ritual to ground myself. I have put this into action andfelt a positive effect.

Nikki is planning to visit England regularly. To find out more, visit spiritwalkretreats.com.

Lynne loves… radiance cleansing

As part of my physical spring clean, I went on a three-day juice and supplements fast supplied by Radiance, a new service thatdelivers daily to your door. It’s perfect for those of us who need the incentive to stick to a juice cleanse of several daysduration without having to be involved with the making process. Radiance cofounder Clare Neil told me: “We all absorb so many toxinsin the course of the day as well as eat a standard Western diet containing mostly acid-forming foods such as meat, sugar and dairy. Fortunately, green juices are high alkaline, lowering the amount of acid in the body.”

At Radiance they supply the best combinations of organic fruit and vegetables for their five-a-day juices series, includingwheatgrass and a delicious cashew nut milk protein drink, with some top supplements. To find outmore about Radiance, visit radiancecleanse.com

Article by

Lynne Franks

Author, Entrepreneur, Broadcaster and Lifestyle Guru

is an acclaimed author, entrepreneur, broadcaster and lifestyle guru

Discover more

Article by

Lynne Franks

Author, Entrepreneur, Broadcaster and Lifestyle Guru

is an acclaimed author, entrepreneur, broadcaster and lifestyle guru

Discover more