Ostara
Approx March 20
Pronunciation: Oh-star-ah
Aka:Eostre, Easter, Spring/Vernal Equinox, Alban Eiler (AHL-ban EYE-ler)
Symbolism and Legend
Ostara is another Sabbat which is closely related to fertility where the God and Goddess have entered into adolescent and begin to explore their sexual selves. As the mating and growing seasons grow near the Great Rite is re-enacted as sympathic magick to ensure success. Patriarchal religions use the mating of the Goddess with the God whom (was her son at Yule) as evidence of Wicca being immoral fail to see that the God is symbolic, representing all males.
The practice of decorating eggs at Ostara is an extremely old custom. Eggs are inherently a powerful symbol of fertility. They have been carried as fertility amulets and decorated to honor dieties. Many pagans prefer to use natural dyes (made from boiling a handfull of a colorful flower or herb) to the store bought dyes. Visit our Crafts page for a list of plants that are commonly used to make natural dyes (as printed in Edian McCoy's Wicca.)
This is traditionally the time for woman to treat themselves to a new besom, and for the men to treat themselves to a new staff. (Like all magickal tools, they should be cleansed and consecrated prior to use.)
Dieties & Mythical Beings
- Aengus Og
- Celi
- Coel
- Cernunnos
- Dagda
- Dalon ap Landu
- Eostre
- Eriu
- Flidais
- Garbhog
- Green Man
- St. Gabriel the Archangel
Prayers
Flowers
(Sung to the tune of “Pop! Goes the Weasel”)
All around the forest ground
There’s flowers everywhere.
There’s pink, yellow, and purple too.
Here’s one for you!
Spring Chant
By Ivo Dominguez, Jr
Joy In The Gold Buds Of Spring. Passion In The Greening Leaf
Joy In The Rising Day. Passion Neath The Glowing Moon
Come Swelling Tides Of Spring. Fill Me With The Promise Of Green
Spring Fertility Chant
by: Jennifer Reif
Mother and father of all growing things
Unto my being your golden love bring
Bless this seed to fulfill its design
Of leaf and fruit, of blossom and vine
Come, Follow Me
by John Hilton
Part I:
Come, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow me.
Part II:
Whither shall I follow, follow, follow,
Whither shall I follow, follow thee.
Part III:
To the greenwood, to the greenwood,
To the greenwood, greenwood tree.
Spring Equinox
By Ivy
We celebrate the Spring Equinox
We gather our coven with care
We’ll cast the sacred circle with rocks-
though the earth is no longer bare.
We dance on green grass-
We praise the sky blue…
We thank the God/dess for what each has,
and dance in the morning dew.
We see the Mother’s soft tints
laid lightly on the earth,
though these are but little hints
of the wonders of rebirth.
We finish our Spring-time rites
and close the circle down,
knowing we have reached new heights
our love and joy abound.
I’ll honor the God/dess in my heart,
and always remember when-
merry we’d meet, merry we’d part,
and merry we’d meet again!
Saying Farewell to Wintry spirits
by Anna Moura
Farewell to wintry spirits and friends;
On morrow we greet the spirits of spring.
Our blessings to thee as your way you wend;
And merry we’ll meet next winter again.
Blow out candle and say: Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!
Children’s Ostara Chant
by: Patti Wigington
Welcome, welcome, warm fresh earth!
Today we celebrate rebirth!
Blowing wind, rising sun,
Bringing the spring to everyone!
Rabbits hopping, chicks in the nest,
Spring is the season we love the best!
Celebrate the green of the earth with me -
Happy Ostara, and blessed be!
Garden Blessing for Ostara
by: Patti Wigington
The earth is cool and dark,
and far below, new life begins.
May the soil be blessed with fertility and abundance,
with rains of life-giving water,
with the heat of the sun,
with the energy of the raw earth.
May the soil be blessed
as the womb of the land becomes full and fruitful
to bring forth the garden anew
Prayer for resurrection of the Earth
By: Patti Wigington
The death sleep of winter has slowly faded,
the rigor of the ground loosens,
and the earth is once more reborn.
Like Mithras and Osiris,
reborn from death,
life returns again to the land,
springing up as the snow melts away.
As the soil warms and the days grow longer,
dew forms along new sprouts of grass,
bringing life back.
Awaken! Awaken! Awaken!
And rise!
Let the earth come to life again,
and welcome the light of spring!
Prayer honoring the Goddesses of Spring
by: Patti Wigington
Hail, and welcome!
Green life returns to the earth
blooming and blossoming
once more from the soil.
We welcome you,
goddesses of spring,
Eostre, Persephone, Flora, Cybele,
in the trees,
in the soil,
in the flowers,
in the rains,
and we are grateful
for your presence.
Rituals & Traditions
(Re)dedicate your altar at sunrise
Color Eggs and paint with symbols of fertility and rebirth
Personal Focus
Renewal, new beginnings and rebirth. Ostara is a perfect time to dedicate or rededicate yourself to your spiritual path.
Meditate on the areas of your life where you would like to make a new beginning and what you need to do to accomplish that.
The return of the goddess or god from the Underworld also figures prominently at Ostara. It is a good time to give thanks for the ways which you have returned from trying times.
As the symbolic time of adolecence it may also be a good time to meditate on how the sprit of adolecence is present in your life and helps or hinders you.
Renewing your relationship nature spirits and earth dieties
Colors
- All pastel shades
- Gold
- Green
- Indigo
- Pink
- Red
- Yellow
Decorations
- Butterflies
- Green and yellow jellybeans
- An eight spoked wheel (with candles around its edge)
- Hard-boiled eggs painted and decorated with magickal symbols
- Rabbits
- Spring flowers (particularly yellow ones, such as daffodils, forsynthia, gorse, or primroses)
- Feathers
- Seeds
- Shamrocks
- Symbols of balance such as sunwheels or Brigid's crosses
Food & Drink
- Egg Drinks
- Fresh fruits
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Honey & Honey Cakes
- Leafy green vegetables
- Milk punch
- Seeds
- Waffles
Oils
- Ginger
- Lotus
- Magnolia
Incense
- African violet
- Jasmine
- Rose
- Sage
- Strawberry
Herbs & Teas
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Gemstones
- Amethyst
- Aquamarine
- Bloodstone
- Red jasper
- Rose quartz
- Moonstone