Ostara:
Spring Equinox
Ostara falls between March 20th and March 23rd.
This holiday signifies the coming of spring and falls on the Spring Equinox or the Vernal Equinox. This holiday is associated with the Goddess Eostre. She is the goddess of fertility and dawn. This is the time of new beginnings and rebirth. There are many stories across ancient civilizations, but to sum it up each story refers to the darkness of winter ending and the earth coming alive again. A light return can be foretold in the story of Persephone, who emerges from the underworld and essentially lightens up the world as she is the goddess of spring. There are many such stories depending on the theology that you choose to follow.
The symbols related to Ostara are eggs, rabbits, baskets, flowers, and clover. Another symbol of Ostara is the see and the planting of seeds. One can look at this metaphorically or literally as this was the time of planting to prepare for the harvest seasons to come. Planting is a great way to celebrate whether in your garden or your life.
Ostara is a time of perfect balance. At the time of the spring equinox, the days and nights become equal. Light and Dark. Now is a time to strive for balance within yourself and your life.
Here are my Ostara plans:
I plan to get outside and take a long family walk. With winter ending and being couped up in the house all day, just getting outside would be the best. And will be activity 1 for our Ostara celebration.
During the equinox, as eggs are a symbol of the holiday, we will be coloring some eggs and presenting them around our home to represent our seeds planted, hope, and rebirth.
Ostara is the second Solar holiday and therefore candles will be lit. Now, as we get to the ritual portion of our Ostara celebration, with our candles lit and incense that you associate with spring, I will be burning lemon and honeysuckle. Once the mood is set, we can begin our ritual.
My Ritual:
The ritual I will perform is below:
1. Ground your energy and cast a circle: I do this by envisioning a beam of light emerging from me, then I direct it clockwise in a circle around me and see it spread to encase me in a ball of protection.
2. Light my candles of green and blue and welcome the goddess, should you choose to work with one, here I just welcome the mother.
3. Light my incense: Lemon (or you can use what resonates with you)
” Cleansing smoke wash over me, Purifying fire fill me” x3
4. You can all the corners at this time if you wish. I choose to fire gaze and chant.
“The wheel turns, as do I
Light and Dark are balanced now
Winter warms into Spring
The Mother paints the world green
As the earth blossoms
So do I grow, with the seeds I have sown
In perfect balance
Under the sun”
5. Continue your meditation.
6. Complete the cakes and ale ceremony if you chose and leave an chooseing.
7. Bid the goddess farewell, thank and release the corners if you called them, and close your circle. (Do so as you opened it but in reverse)
This is the ritual I will be doing on this Ostara along with a tarot spread, which you can find here. I hope you all find the balance that you are looking for and desire. Plant your seeds to grow and never falter.
Blessed be and happy Ostara.
References:
Bhagat, Dhruti. “The Origins and Practices of Holidays: Ostara, Holi, and Purim.” Boston Public Library, https://www.bpl.org/blogs/
Nock, Judy Ann. “Season Four: Ostara.” The Wiccan Year: Spells, Rituals, and Holiday Celebrations, Adams Media, Avon, MA, 2007, pp. 93–121.
Gardiner, Barbi. “An Ostara Celebration – a Day of Perfect Balance.” The Outdoor Apothecary, 4 Mar. 2022, https://www.outdoorapothecary.
