Today is Ostara, the Spring Equinox, a time of balance and rebirth. So Blessed, Merry Ostara to all. Particularly the ‘merry’ bit. More on that below. (hint: it’s a superpower)

Ostara’s roots are old, and although some claim it’s a relatively new ‘Wiccan’ holiday, it transcends all such (slightly condescending) naming. I mean, come on… the seasons have been coming and going for, like, ever, right? We don’t create them, we mark them, and always have done. Cycles. Tides. Passages. Things change, and then change again.

The word Ostara comes from the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre. Her sacred animal was the hare, and her symbol was the egg. So, sure, Easter, Easter bunny, colored eggs. (Also estrogen! lol)

In Greek mythology, it’s the day Persephone returns from the Underworld, and Demeter, her mother, is freed from her grief (if only temporarily, because, see above, that how change and change again thing.).

Christians also, you might have heard, have this celebration about the rebirth of the light. It’s a good one.

In Scotland and Ireland, the Calleach, the great craggy old woman winter goddess who makes the land and brings storms and ice, is ready for a good long sleep and begins to hand over care of the land to the Maiden. When there are early spring storms, it’s sometimes said the Calleach is having a ‘flounce!’ I like that very much, since I have been known to have a flounce myself now and again. The Calleach will return, of course, bringing November winds with her.

But let’s talk about this myth in particular… In Japan, Ame-no-Uzume is the Shinto goddess of dawn, full of merry-making, humor, and dancing. On this day, she coaxes Amaterasu, the sun goddess, back into the world from the dark cave where she’s been hiding in shame after her brother, Susanoo, a chaos and storm god, behaved appallingly. Ame-no-Uzume dances with such inspired silliness that all the other spirits burst out laughing, and Amaterasu can’t help but join in. Thus, joy and laughter save the earth from despair, shame, eternal winter’s night and one frightful storm after another. (Sound familiar?)

We are in a time of darkness, experiencing one frightful storm after another. I’ve been doing quite a bit of that cave-hiding thing, that despair and shame thing. Time for a change, perhaps?

I’ve heard that fascists hate nothing more than to be laughed at. Hmmm… might there be something to that in this season of hopeful renewal? It is, after all, not might or rage or violence that brings Amaterasu from her hidey-hole. It’s laughter.

Image by Stephanie Keith

And okay, I’m not so naive as to think wearing a unicorn costume to a fascist rally will end the totalitarian nightmare into which we’ll fall, but perhaps it will put, as I like to say, a little starch in our spines. Note: I really want that costume!

According to the group Canvas.org, “It may be tempting to combat the extremism of the alt-right with righteous anger, and for many, it sounds like a logical response, but our research shows that it is a terrible tactical one. Meeting anger with anger not only increases violence; it tends to diminish support for your movement and distract media coverage so that it centers on the violence rather than the core issues at stake.” This is a terrific article and has some excellent suggestions for subversive humor.

Look, I understand the desire to punch Nazis in the face, and to set Teslas on fire. I even understand (although I deplore it), wanting to assassinate a CEO. And honestly, I might whack a Nazi over the head with my purse should the occasion arise. But these folks are pretty cool: Disco Lovers Against Hate. Don’t Hate, Gyrate! I found them in this article, “What Are Nazis So Afraid Of Clowns?”

English Disco Lovers protest against the English Defense League. Credit: Flickr/Tim Buss.

I am reminded that light was lured back to the world, overcoming darkness, not by a punch to the snout but by joy, by silliness. Is that all we do? Of course not. But let’s not forget to do this while we’re fighting in the courts and refusing to believe the bullshit and comforting and protecting the more vulnerable among us.

Here’s to the clowns, the comics, the satirists. Keep it coming. We need you now more than ever.

Charlie Chapin as the Great Dictator