03/01/2024
Ostara is also known as Spring Equinox
March 19 2024
An equinox happens when the day and night are of equal time. It happens once in the spring and again in the fall. The spring equinox is also called the Vernal Equinox. The Spring begins in March in the northern hemisphere, and September in the southern hemisphere. Most books tend to reference the northern hemisphere, but it’s important to remember that those in the southern hemisphere oppositely celebrate the sabbats. Those who practice Wicca, as well as other Pagans, name Ostara as one of the sabbats on the wheel of the year.
Your Ostara Celebration (Non-Ritual Celebration Options)
• Egg balancing: it’s said that on the equinox, you can easily balance an egg. It’s a fun tradition and symbolizes the balance between night and day.
• Egg hunts: Similar to Easter, you can hide eggs -either real, hard-boiled eggs or candy or fun-filled eggs. You can put anything in eggs- just make your decisions based on the people who are attending your celebration.
• Flower crowns- It’s really fun to create flower crowns- whether they are live flowers or silk flowers, creating flower crowns is a great way to celebrate Ostara. Flowers are beginning to bloom and while that’s exciting, some may decide to choose silk flowers because they can last longer and it’s not using live plants.
• Spring cleaning- Many of us feel very called to clean up our houses in the Spring. Part of it is that it might be so cold that you don’t want to leave your house or do much of anything. But something happens when you are not distracted by other things, and honestly, your eye might be drawn to issues that might need to be cleaned that you may not have paid attention to in the past.
Ostara Rituals
• Planting seeds (what you want to see bloom)- take seeds, bless them if you didn’t bless them at Imbolc, and then go ahead and plant them for the Spring.
• Rebirth rituals- Life, Death, and Rebirth cycles- Any sort of re-dedication is a great ritual option at this time of year. If you want to honor those who have passed in a sweet respectful way, this is a good opportunity.
• Rituals for renewal- renewing commitments (to spirituality, partnerships). It’s a good time for rededication, renewal, deciding to create a deeper connection with those in your life.
• Ostara is about flowers, and the celebration of bees -and also honey- is a great way to honor flowers and the first fruits.
Colors: pastel colors- think of flowers! What flowers bloom in our around your space?
Symbols: eggs, flowers, bees, hares, seeds
Crystals: crystals with relaxing energy but also associated with rebirth and creation- clear quartz, amazonite, moonstone, blue kyanite, aventurine.
