I woke up confused about Easter..

What does Easter mean to you? If your not a Christian, why celebrate? What other religious holidays do you celebrate that are not apart of your religion or philosophy? I was not raised a Christian yet have celebrated Easter most of my life especially as a kid growing up. Spending time with family, enjoying a meal together. So is this what Easter is about? Family? Love? Connection? Sure I know the Christian faith is celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, but what if you don't believe in this? What are you celebrating then?

I can't say I ever really took much meaning from it as a kid apart from the Easter bunny and chocolate. As an adult I am now searching for a meaning that resonates with me and one I feel comfortable passing onto my children. I need a meaning that resonates beyond chocolate.

Here's what I found and what resonates with me:

Some scholars believe that the name "Easter" was actually taken from "Ishtar,"the Ancient Sumerian goddess of love, war, fertility and sexuality. Easter marks the changing of the earth's seasons in the Northern Hemisphere from winter into spring.

It is, therefore, the time that ancient cultures celebrated renewal and rebirth and much of our modern traditions still echo that symbolism.

I bought my niece and nephew pyjamas and chocolate for Easter on impulse because its Easter thats what you do, or don't you? We make choices based on our beliefs, most of the time those choices are done unconsciously, I didn't stop to think about what Easter meant and why I was buying gifts I just did it. Do we actually stop to question why we do something, or do we just follow the crowd?

My role as a Doula is to educate women on making informed choices to understand what is innately best for them and their family. I also wish to spend my life questioning and learning about my own choices and behaviour, it doesn't mean I won't let my kids eat easter eggs or use their imagination to be curious about Santa but I also want to teach my children about history, nature, life, then let them decides what they believe in. I love this quote from Tony Robbins 'Things do not have meaning we assign meaning to everything" I like this because whatever you believe Easter to mean, is right for you. It has meaning based on what you believe and what connects with you.

There is no right or wrong, for me I choose to celebrate Easter with honouring new beginnings, new life and embracing the changing of the seasons and mystery of mother nature.

Happy Easter, Happy Autumn and here's to new life and new beginnings.

B x