The term seemingly derives from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre, who was celebrated as she escaped Winter’s harsh clutches. But Eostre wasn’t quite the pagan deity who, we are commonly told, transformed a bird into an egg-laying hare companion, e.g. the forerunner to the Easter bunny. 
In fact, the only actual surviving mention of Eostre comes from 8th-century monk the Venerable Bede, whose writings suggest the English people called the fourth month Eosturmonath or Eostre-Month (marking the spring equinox) after the goddess, and feasts were celebrated in her honour.

The Origin Of The Term "Easter"

The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his Crucifixion, when the bread and goblet of wine were dispersed as elements of his own body on the day now known as Maundy Thursday, named from the Latin ‘commandment’ which Jesus gave to his disciples at the meal.
The New Testament gospels are clear that Jesus held the Last Supper; was crucified at Golgotha (Calvary) in Jerusalem (on Good Friday from the Old English ‘guode’ meaning ‘holy’) and resurrected three days later from the tomb in which he had been interred (on Easter Sunday) during preparations for Passover.

Easter And Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Easter is held on the Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon (which keeps, more or less, in step with the astronomical Moon) following the vernal (spring) equinox of the northern hemisphere, when the sun is exactly above the equator, and day and night are of almost equal length.

Easter Day

<ul>
<li>Emperor Constantine, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, convened the Council of Nicaea and decreed that Christ's resurrection was far too important to be connected with the festival of another faith.</li>
<li>Constantine ordained that Easter was to fall in close proximity to a similar significant time in the solar year.</li>
<li>Easter Sunday service then commenced at dawn, with the congregation gathering outside the church for hymns before entering for a joyful Mass. Dismissed in grace and forgiveness, worshippers filed out to begin celebratory feasting.</li>
</ul>

The Birth Of Easter Celebrations

<ul>
<li>Eggs were one of the foods forbidden during Lent, the 40-day fasting period of reflection and penitential preparation leading up to Easter.</li>
<li>In the medieval period, any eggs laid during Lent were boiled for preservation so that when Easter Sunday rolled around, eggs were back on the menu.</li>
<li>And eggs weren't just used as a food source: a rural practice known as 'pace-egging' was common, where costumed groups roamed villages for eggs then given as gifts to the church as Good Friday offerings and to the lord of the manor.</li>
<li>Many of these eggs were brightly painted; a practice truly ancient. Red was used to symbolise the blood of Christ, first by early Christians then the Orthodox Church.</li>
<li>There are suggestions that 16th-century German Protestant reformer Martin Luther organised egg hunts for his congregation.</li>
</ul>

The Easter Eggs Tradition

<ul>
<li>Hares became associated with Easter because of their powers of fertility.</li>
<li>But the entire concept of the ‘Easter Bunny’ is much more recent. It likely became the large colourful rabbit we know and love today due to American influence, but 17th-century Heidelberg-based physicians Georg Franck von Franckenau and Johannes Richier in De ovis paschalibus (‘About Easter eggs’) did describe hares hiding baskets of brightly painted eggs for children to find.</li>
<li>Yet there is an earlier reference (from 1572) to an Easter ‘Hare’ which appeared at night to ‘lay’ eggs, again for children to search. This continued as German settlers came to America and continued the tradition, thereby spreading it throughout the nation.</li>
</ul>

The Easter Bunny

When did Christians start celebrating Easter? How is it celebrated around the world? Where do Easter eggs and bunnies come from? Here's everything you need to know about the most important Christian holiday

history

History

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

food

Food

religionandspirituality

Religion & Spirituality

The Easter Celebration

Why do we celebrate Easter? When did we start eating Easter eggs? Where did the Easter bunny originate? Historian Emma J Wells explores the origins of this springtime celebration and explains its religious connections

The History and Origins of Easter

Thinking outside the brain means skillfully engaging entities external to our heads - the feelings and movements of our bodies, the physical spaces in which we learn and work, and the minds of the other people around us - drawing them into our own mental processesBy reaching beyond the brain to recruit these "extra-neural" resources, we are able to focus more intently, comprehend more deeply, and create more imaginatively - to entertain ideas that would be literally unthinkable by the brain alone

The Emerging Science of Thinking with the Whole World Beyond the Brain

Even our metaphors for the mind have taken us further and further from our essential nature as creatures shaped by our environment and our interactions with other creatures, dishonouring Rachel Carson's science-rooted poetic insight that "there is in us a deeply seated response to the natural universe, which is part of our humanity."We left Plato's cave of consciousness and, corralled by Descartes and the Industrial Revolution, reduced the mind to the brain and explained its workings by drawing analogies to the technology of the hour.

The Reduction Of The Mind

Thought happens not only inside the skull but out in the world, too; it’s an act of continuous assembly and reassembly that draws on resources external to the brain. For another: the kinds of materials available to “think with” affect the nature and quality of the thought that can be produced. And last: the capacity to think well — that is, to be intelligent — is not a fixed property of the individual but rather a shifting state that is dependent on access to extra-neural resources and the knowledge of how to use them.

Understanding Mental Processes

One major aspect of this extended mind is our capacity for interoception — an awareness of the internal sensations of the body that gives us a kind of non-conscious knowledge, which we might term intuition but which is rooted in concrete embodied experience and somatic pattern-recognition. We might not detect the signals consciously, but we respond to the information they carry.

Interoception - Our 8th Sense

When a potentially relevant pattern is detected, it’s our interoceptive faculty that tips us off: with a shiver or a sigh, a quickening of the breath or a tensing of the muscles. The body is rung like a bell to alert us to this useful and otherwise inaccessible information. Though we typically think of the brain as telling the body what to do, just as much does the body guide the brain with an array of subtle nudges and prods. Researchers have even captured the body in mid-nudge, as it alerts its inhabitant to the appearance of a pattern that she may not have known she was looking for.

Benefits Of Our Interoceptive Sense

Our whole body is connected to the universe, and we have reduced it to a machine.

philosophy

Philosophy

mindfulness

Mindfulness

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

The Magpie in the Mind: The Emerging Science of Thinking with the Whole World Beyond the Brain

Religion is the manifestation of the divinity already in man.

Try to be pure and unselfish - that is the whole of religion.

I do not believe in a God or religion which cannot wipe the widow's tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan's mouth.

<ul><li>Be moral.</li><li>Be brave.</li><li>Be a heart-whole man.</li><li>Strictly moral, brave unto desperation.</li><li>Don't bother your head with religious theories.</li><li>Cowards only sin, brave men never, no, not even in mind.</li><li>Try to love anybody and everybody. Be a man.</li></ul>

Be brave, be steady, be patient.

Love and charity for the whole human race, that is the test of true religiousness.

Are you unselfish? That is the question. If you are, you will be perfect without reading a single religious book, without going into a single church or temple.

The best guide in life is strength. In religion, as in all other matters, discard everything that weakens you, have nothing to do with it.

<ul><li>Never quarrel about religion.</li><li>All quarrels and disputation concerning religion simply show that spirituality is not present.</li><li>Religious quarrels are always over the husks.</li><li>When purity, when spirituality goes, leaving the soul dry, quarrels begin, and not before.</li></ul>

Never quarrel about religion. 

<ul><li>I look upon religion as the innermost core of education... Mind, I do not mean my own, or anyone else's opinion about religion.</li><li>I think the teacher should take the pupil's starting-point in this, as in other respects, and enable him(her) to develop along his(her) own line of least resistance.</li></ul>

Science is the modern religion.

Religion and culture transform each other. Religion and God cannot be learnt from universities, it can only be experience under great requirements and power. To find your own religiosity is the goal of any education.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

problemsolving

Problem Solving

True Religion by Vivekananda

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.   Ecclesiastes 3:1.There are no shortcuts to maturity. The development of Christ like character cannot be rushed. While we worry about how fast we grow, God is concerned about how strong we grow.The bible says,"our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."So we often get this question, why does it take so long to become like Christ?There are many reasons for this .,Because he prefers to work in incremental steps in our lives.

It Takes Time

We are slow learners.We need repeat exposure.We have a lot to unlearn.Because bad habits didn't develop overnight,it's unrealistic to expect them to go away immediately.It requires the hardwork of removal and replacement. The bible calls it "taking off the old self and putting on the new self"We are afraid to humbly face the truth about ourselves.Only as God is allowed to shine the light of his truth on our faults, failures and hangups. Can we begin to work on them?This is why you cannot grow without a humble, teachable attitude.

Reasons

There's no growth without change, No change without fear or loss, and no loss without pain.You must let go of old ways in order to experience the New.The unconscious worry is that if I let go of my habit, my hurt,or my hang-up, who will I be ? This fear can definitely slow your growth.

Growth Is Painful And Scary

There's no growth without change, No change without fear or loss, and no loss without pain.You must let go of old ways in orderHabits take time to develop:A husband who is faithful to his wife most of the time is not faithful at all.There is only one way to develop the habits of Christ like character: you must practice them and that takes time.Repetition is the mother of character and skill.These character- building habits are often called "spiritual disciplines".

Habits Take Time To Develop

Believe God is working in your life even when you don't feel it .Keep a note book or journal the lessons learned.Review and remember them and pass them onto the next generation.Reviewing your spiritual journal regularly can spare you a lot of unnecessary pain and heartache.The Bible says "It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off".Be patient with God and with yourself.You may feel frustrated with the seemingly slow progress you're making in life.He will use your entire life time to prepare for your role in eternity.

Don't Get In A Hurry

Don't get discouraged:"These things I plan won't happen right away.slowly, steadily, surely,the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow do not despair,for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day".

Don't Get Discouraged

We're often in a hurry when God isn't when it comes to our life. Rick Warren has explained this in his book very clearly that it takes time for everything to happen.

Offers spiritual fulfillment through an understanding of God's plan for a meaningful life.

loveandrelationships

Love & Relationships

The author of the popular "Purpose-Driven Church" uncovers seven essentials for understanding and fulfilling one's God-given life mission. (Christian Religion)

Richard Warren

The Purpose-driven Life

Relationship is the fundamental truth of this world of appearance.

Relationship is what makes <a href="https://www.themarginalian.org/2017/12/08/the-songs-of-trees-david-haskell/">a forest a forest</a> and <a href="https://www.themarginalian.org/2017/02/28/undersea-rachel-carson/">an ocean an ocean</a>. To meet the world on its own terms and respect the reality of another as an expression of that world as fundamental and inalienable as your own reality is an art immensely rewarding yet immensely difficult.How to master the orientation of heart, mind, and spirit essential for the art of sincere and honorable relationship is what philosopher Martin Buber explores in his 1923 classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743201337/braipick-20">I and Thou</a> — the foundation of Buber’s influential existentialist philosophy of dialogue.

Philosophy of dialogue: Relationship

<a href="https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/01/06/alan-watts-reality/">Life and Reality are not things you can have for yourself unless you accord them to all others</a>.

To the man the world is twofold, in accordance with his twofold attitude. The attitude of man is twofold, in accordance with the twofold nature of the primary words which he speaks. The primary words are not isolated words, but combined words. The one primary word is the combination I–Thou. The other primary word is the combination I–It; wherein, without a change in the primary word, one of the words He and She can replace It. Hence the I of man is also twofold. For the I of the primary word I–Thou is a different I from that of the primary word I–It.

I–It establishes the world of experience and sensation.I–Thou establishes the world of relationship, which asks of each person a participatory intimacy. Thou addresses another not as an object but as a presence.

I - Thou. I - It.

“Real isn’t how you are made… It’s a thing that happens to you.”

To address another as Thou, Buber suggests, requires a certain self-surrender that springs from inhabiting one’s own presence while at the same time stepping outside one’s self. Only then does the other cease to be a means to one’s own ends and becomes real. The primary word I–Thou can be spoken only with the whole being. Concentration and fusion into the whole being can never take place through my agency, nor can it ever take place without me. I become through my relation to the Thou; as I become I, I say Thou.

All real living is meeting

Another perspective to look into relationship:  the fundamental truth of this world of appearance. 

communication

Communication

I and Thou: Philosopher Martin Buber on the Art of Relationship and What Makes Us Real to One Another

<ul><li>Both Orthodox Easter and Easter Sunday are Christian festivals where believers celebrate the resurrection of Jesus - it's the most important festival in the Christian Calendar.</li><li>In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the preparations begin with Great Lent, 40 days of reflection and fasting, which starts on Clean Monday and ends on Lazarus Saturday (eight days before Easter Sunday and signifies the end of Great Lent, although the fasting continues into Holy Week).</li><li>Next comes Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, remembering the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, followed by Holy Week, which ends on E<warningtag>aster Sunday.</warningtag></li></ul>

What is Orthodox Easter?

<ul><li>Orthodox churches in some countries including Greece, Cyprus, and Romania base their Easter date on the Julian calendar.</li><li>The Julian Calendar was designed by Julius Caesar in 45 BC - basing a year on the time it takes the Sun to go around the Earth.</li><li>The Gregorian Calendar was created by Pope Gregory in 1582 to fix some of the glitches in the Julian Calendar as astronomy became more accurate.</li><li>Great Britain changed to the Gregorian calendar in 1752.</li><li>Also in the eastern Orthodox Church, Easter must happen after the Jewish festival of Passover - as in the Easter story, Jesus celebrates Passover bef<warningtag>ore his death.</warningtag></li></ul>

Why are there two Easter Dates?

Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter later than the Western Church - here's why.

The last emperor of India’s Mauryan Dynasty, Ashoka became a patron of Buddhism after witnessing the suffering caused by his military conquest of Kalinga. Following this, he renounced violence in favor of “conquest by Dharma.”

Ashoka The Great Buddhist 

Ashoka adopted the Buddhist virtues of honesty, compassion, humility, & non-violence. As a ruler with perhaps the power to outcast minority religions, Ashoka nonetheless exercised & encouraged tolerance & respect for all spiritual alignments.

New Principles 

Ashoka appointed “Dharma Ministers,” public servants—especially attentive to gender & religious minorities—who also reported the state of the general citizenship to Ashoka frequently. Under his rule, the government constructed hospitals, veterinary hospitals, wells, & other public-serving structures.

Dharma Government 

The Emperor had stupas & monasteries built, along with pillars inscribed with his interpretations of just spirituality & philosophy. He sent his own children as preaching missionaries to Sri Lanka, & made personal efforts to settle disputes within the Sangha (or Buddhist community).

Patronage Projects 

Ashoka the Great was the ideal Chakravartin ruler, who used Buddhism as a template for just & benevolent governance. 

Ashoka, also spelled Aśoka,  (died 238? bce,  India), last major emperor of the Mauryan dynasty of India. His vigorous patronage of Buddhism during his reign (c. 265–238 bce; also given as c. 273–232 bce) furthered the expansion of that religion throughout India. Following his successful but bloody conquest of the Kalinga country on the east coast, Ashoka renounced armed conquest and adopted a policy that he called “conquest by dharma” (i.e., by principles of right life). In order to gain wide publicity for his teachings and his work, Ashoka made them known by means of oral announcements and by engravings

Ashoka | Biography, History, Religion, India, & Buddhism

Om Mani Padme Hum. This is perhaps the most common mantra, said to embody compassion & the core of Buddhism— to skillfully alleviate all suffering. The Lotus is often a symbol of enlightenment, as the flower blossoms only amidst the mud.

Jewel Of The Lotus

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha. The Green Tara is thought of as a motherly figure who will come to her child’s aid in any instance of distress. This mantra, like others, entails deliverance from suffering in favor of compassion.

Green Tara 

Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Shakyamuniye Svaha. The Buddha figure we most often think of is Shakyamuni Buddha, once Siddhartha Gautama. This mantra is a means of praising & remembering the historical Buddha’s wisdom & teachings.

Homage To The Historical Buddha 

Om Ami Dewa Hrih. Amitabha was so devoted to helping others achieve peace, he also hoped that reciting his name 108 times would grant rebirth in a Pure Land.

Amitabha Buddha 

A handful of Buddhist mantras for peace, protection, & spiritual discipline.  

4 Powerful Buddhist Mantras

A common goal for many Muslims is to be able to finish reading the entire Qur'an within the month of Ramadan. However, if you're not confident you don't have to start there right away!Take some time after each prayer to read a few ayats of the Qur'an. It can be just 1 ayat, or a whole surah at a time, but as time goes on these small efforts will help build your confidence and comfort.

1. Read the Qur'an after every prayer

If you're starting to practice reciting the Qur'an, it can be daunting to try and recite entire surahs at once. However, Allah sees all, and He sees and recognizes your effort.Start small and strive for precision, taking care to pronounce each letter properly and clearly. Rather than rushing through, understand the meaning of the words and aim to perfect even the smallest of recitations. In this way, you'll build your confidence as well as fall in love with the beauty of the Qur'an.

2. Recite 1 ayah per day

Ramadan is a month for deepening our faith and knowledge of Islam. You can now find dozens of online lessons and podcasts covering everything from fiqh to the tafseer of selected surahs - and most of them are 30 minutes or less! Put one on in the background while you get ready for your day, or when you're winding down just before it's time to break your fast. A little knowledge goes a long way!

3. Tune in to a podcast, or read more Islamic books

Al-Fatihah is the first chapter of the Qur'an and is one of the most important surahs in the book. Muslims around the world say the Al-Fatihah every day when we pray, so Ramadan is the perfect time to dive into its meaning and significance. As we say it multiple times every day, it also makes it so much more important to understand the meaning behind the words and how it reaffirms our worship of and belief in Allah.

4. Study the  tafseer  of Al-Fatihah

There are 5 obligatory daily prayers in Islam, but each of us is in different stages of our journey of prayer. For some who may be starting out, committing to all 5 prayers can  be difficult for a variety of reasons; for others who are already in the habit of praying 5 times a day, the challenge may be in maintaining khushoo  during prayer instead of letting your mind wander. No matter what your relationship to prayer is, this is a good time to relearn the basics.

5. Relearn the basics of prayer

It gives us more flexibility and ease with timing the prayers and recitation, and we get to pray in a comfortable and familiar location. It's also a chance to spend time with our family and loved ones, and get closer through the observance of our faith.

6. Pray Terawih if you can

Some of us may not have the habit of eating sahur, so why not start trying to create this habit this Ramadan! Sahur can be as little as a glass of water, or a handful of dates. As narrated by Ibn Hibbaan and At-Tabaraani in Al-Awsat: "Allah and his angels definitely send salutations on those who eat Suhoor." Having sahur can help set the tone for the rest of your day - and you can pray the Fajr/subuh prayer immediately afterwards too.

7. Try waking up for sahur

This year, try to be more mindful and aware of what you eat. Taking care of your body is also important in Islam, as is the value of moderation. So try cutting down on sugary drinks, and limiting your desserts and snacks. You can also try to substitute healthier ingredients such as wholegrain rice or try meatless meals. And don't forget to practice good eating habits - don't rush through your food no matter how hungry you are!

8. Be mindful of what you eat

As we're fasting for the whole day, it's important to hydrate ourselves when we get the chance! By hydrating yourself, you're not only ensuring you have enough energy for the day but you'll be in a better mood and find it easier to practice values such as kindness and compassion. Keep a water bottle by your side after iftar, and sip water until you go to bed. Make sure to have water or other fluids during sahur too!

9. Hydrate yourself when you can

One of the values of Ramadan is learning how to resist temptation, and for many of us, the biggest temptation around is our phones! While our phones are essential for communication (or just every part of life) these days, this is a good chance for us to take a step  back as well. If we can resist food and water (which are essential to our survival) for over 12 hours, we can surely resist looking at our phone for just a fraction of that time.

10. Go 'phone-less' for half an hour

During Ramadan, many of us do acts of charity to give back to our community as well as show gratefulness for what Allah has given us. But giving sadaqah (voluntary acts of charity) doesn’t just need to be monetary! So while you may be stuck at home, you can still reach out to do good for others. Whether that be sponsoring meals for those who need them, donating to fundraisers for illnesses or other causes, or even just checking in with your older neighbours to see how they're doing.

11. Do small acts of charity

Wishing you good health and a warm spirit this Ramadan!❤️

These 11 simple goals are what you need to start a journey of change this Ramadan!

productivity

Productivity

habits

Habits

11 Simple Goals To Achieve This Ramadan

2Corintians 4:16-18 For this reason we never become discouraged . Even though our physical being is gradually decaying,yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day.And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory ,much greater than the trouble. For we fix our attention,not on things that are seen ,but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time ,but what cannot be see lasts forever.

Living By Faith

1Corinthians 10:13. Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people,but God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test,he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.﻿

Strength In Tests

Don't you know that your body is the temple of the holy spirit,who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.

Bodies For God's Glory

James 4:11,12.Do not criticize one another,my brothers.whoever criticizes a Christian brother or judges him, criticizes the law and judges it. If you judge the law, then you are no longer one who obeys the law,but one who judges it.God is the only lawgiver and judge . He alone can save and destroy. Who do you think you are, to judge your fellow man?

Warning Against Judging A Christian Brother.

Some of the important things we need to know.

Section introductions Subject headings Maps Footnotes 4 1/4 X 6 7/8 % Font size: 8

This complete, yet compact edition of the King James Version of the combined Old and New Testaments is a perfect addition to your religious or secular library. For reference, prayer, meditation, or study, this edition of The Holy Bible is easy-to-read and practical for any use.

Random House

The Holy Bible

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