OSTARA–The Spring Equinox

OSTARA–The Spring Equinox

As the second of the eight Pagan Sabbats of the year, following Imbolc, Ostara takes place on the day of the Spring Equinox. In the northern hemisphere, Ostara takes place this year (2022) on Sunday, March 20. Also known as the Vernal Equinox, it is the official start of spring, when the sun is directly over the equator.

Ostara marks the moment in the Wheel of the Year where the light that was rekindled at Yule balances the darkness, and then overtakes it. Whereas Imbolc traditionally represents the very beginning of Spring, when nature was just beginning to awaken, Ostara is the time when seeds of Imbolc really begin to grow and flower. Similarly, it is the time for the intentions which you made for the new year to also flourish.

ĒOSTRE

Ostara, is derived from Ēostre, the Germanic goddess who represented the coming of spring and was also a fertility deity.

Ostara is the spring fertility festival that honors Ēostre, goddess of the dawn. (Her name means East, from where the sun rises.) In modern pagan and Wiccan tradition, Ostara is the time when the maiden Goddess meets her reborn consort in the form of Pan or the Horned God.

OSTARA’s ORIGINS

The origins of Ostara come from Germanic and Celtic stories of the goddess Ēostre, celebrating the spring or vernal equinox. It is by no means unique to Europe, as many cultures celebrate the spring equinox.

For example,

· In ancient Greece, Dionysus and Persephone were both celebrated as deities of spring.

· The Ancient Romans celebrated Cybele, Mother of the Gods and her consort Attis.

· Indigenous Mayans honored the serpent deity Kukulkan.

· Persians continue to celebrate the equinox as Nowruz, or the new year.

IMPORTANT SYMBOLS OF OSTARA

As the goddess Ēostre is the personification of the fertile energy of the season that bursts forth from buds and flowers, two of the important symbols of the holiday are rabbits and eggs.

This is because rabbits and hares can reproduce in a nearly exponential fashion. Hares are sacred to many fertility goddesses including Freya, Aphrodite, Wenet, and others.

Eggs are the literal symbol of fertility. But, in many cultures they also represent luck, and new life. If you had just endured the winter without eating eggs, you probably would have felt particularly lucky finding one of those first golden-centered eggs in springtime!

The lamb also holds a strong significance for Ostara. We are entering the first zodiac sign, Aries, which is represented by the ram. The lamb can be seen as a young god who will someday become a strong, powerful ram.

Other Symbols of Ostara include:

· Colors: Green, light blue, yellow, lavender

· Crystals: Peridot, moss agate (for courage, love, protection, and strength), sunstone, bloodstone (for courage, self-confidence, strength)

· Flowers: Crocus, violets, daffodils, forsythia

· Animals: Rabbits (as a symbol of fertility), birds, lambs, chicks

· Mythical creature: Phoenix (optimism, representing rebirth and new beginnings)

· Plants: Rhubarb, asparagus, peas, lettuce

Examples of Ostara’s focus include:

· Balance

· Lust, new beginnings, new love, passion

· Prosperity

· Purification

TODAY’S OSTARA CELEBRATIONS

Feasting and merriment are part of celebrations of Ostara as the energy of spring rises.

Some neo-pagans might esteem the relatively obscure female deity, Ēostre. Satanists may note that traditions for this day stem from aspects of the Spring season and thus tend to enjoy the rising of dormant vegetation. There is much beauty in the early flowers now abounding.

Examples of celebration activities include:

1. Go for a walk to enjoy nature or simply observe the changing season and the green grass, new leaves, and all the animal activity.

2. Decorate an altar using flowers like forsythia, grey willow, lilacs, green and yellow candles, eggs, and representations of rabbits and birds.

3. Start seeds for plants that attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

4. Dye eggs red, yellow, or green.

5. Do some Spring cleaning and declutter or shoo out dust and energetically clean your home at the same time.

6. Enjoy making crafts using eggs, bunnies, spring flowers like daffodils

7. Drink dandelion tea.

8. Cook with early spring produce like asparagus or rhubarb.

9. Wear a flower crown and write down your intentions for growth and renewal.

10. Cook recipes with eggs, and add in onions or other green herbs.

Another activity is kite flying, as a metaphor of how we can send our energy and intentions out into the universe while staying firmly grounded.

WHAT WE SHOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THIS FESTIVAL DAY

Until 1752, with the switch from the Roman Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, March 25 (around the time of Ostara) was considered the beginning of the new year. In this sense, it is a time to shake off the old and start anew. As such, Ostara is a time for spring cleaning for your new beginning, including starting new projects. It is a time of hope, growth, and anticipation, with your new goals for the year. It’s also a time to get out and make connections with others. You could also embark on new exercises for the body, soul, and spirit. You could learn how to read tarot cards, practice Reiki, read auras, or cleanse your chakras.

For Ostara, we should enjoy nature and focus on the changing season and what it represents. As with the equinox, it is a time of balance, to bring balance back into your lives. It is also a time of ritual cleaning to sweep away old patterns and bring in renewal. As a time of new beginnings, to start new projects, we can work on our own emotional, mental, spiritual, and even physical crops. As nature begins to bloom, seedlings we have planted inside your home can be transferred to a garden. We can make each of these a dedication to the Deities.

Main sources:

· https://www.pagangrimoire.com/ostara-celebrate/

· Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials: OSTARA