home | the wheel | about the wheel | contact | links | ceremonies | tours | buy prints
Painted at Eostre 2007
[Click on the image to enlarge]
Artha is the Goddess of the Spring Equinox (or Eostre, the
Goddess from whom we have named the festival of Easter,
the words oestrus, and oestrogen, deride from this spring
Goddess).
On the wheel of Britannia, we place Artha, in the east
as the fire Goddess. She is the maiden of Spring time and
the Mother of Fire. She is the fire in the stars and the
fire in the belly of the earth.
Artha is so ancient that only distant memory of Her remains.
In the names of the ancient tribe of ParARTHalon, and in
the name of our most legendary king, Arthur, or Arth Vawr,
meaning heavenly bear. She is the ancient totemic bear mother,
connected to European mythology to Artio and Artemis Calliste.
She can be seen in the night sky as Ursa Major the Great
She Bear of the Heavens. She is passion, anger, courage
and creative energy, call on Artha for power, protection
and energy.
In this painting Artha is seen in Her maiden aspect, that
of Ostara, star maiden, holding dark and light in equal
measure. She is dancing with her shadow, the Great Mother
Bear, teaching Her to dance in rhythm with the earth. Behind
them Glastonbury Tor is silhouetted against a sky of equal
day and night, depicting the point of balance brought about
the equinox. The Plough, part of Ursa Major is placed in
the sky.
Artha dances springtime into our lives, all is well as the
days lengthen and trees and plants burst into green. The
fires of creation are everywhere, manifest through the spring
flowers and blossom. We are filled with their wonderful
perfumes and glorious colour. Around Her feet moves one
of Her sacred cats, lithe and joyous, untamed, but our friend.
A lover of the sun, who is first to indulge in the warm
rays of spring sunshine.
If you look carefully you can see a Green woodpecker, in
the trees. In the foreground you find Her mad March Hares,
like us revelling in the sheer joy of the spring greening.
Artha’s animals are the she bear, cat,hare,red hen
and green woodpecker. Her tree is the hazel and Her symbols
are the wand and rod. Her colours are green and gold.
Hail and welcome Artha, Great She Bear of the Heavens, Goddess
of Springtime, and bringer of strength, courage, enthusiasm,
energy and protection. Fill our lives with passion and joy
