Ostara, celebrated at the Spring Equinox, is named for Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of fertility. Ostara is a time of balance, in which the powers if dark and light are equal, and from which light will emerge triumphant. As the Earth warms, it begins to grow green again. All around us is the image of fertility. Crops can be planted, animals awaken from winter hibernation and mate, and the young Goddess and God are having their own sexual awakening, becoming aware of the allure of one another. Many customs that were adopted into the Christian Eater celebration are rooted in Ostara, including the coloring of eggs, which are symbolic of the Sun, fertility and eternal life, On this sabbat, it is customary in many Witches' covens to host a noisy ritual to stir Mother Earth to wakefulness.
~Edain McCoy
Celebrated on or about March 20, the Vernal (Spring) Equinox is the second festival of the natural year and marks the changeover point between the dark and light halves of the year. At this time, the sun rises due east and sets due west, gives exactly twelve hours of daylight and begins its increase. Although in modern times, the equinox is classified as the first day of Spring, it is actually the midpoint of the traditional season of Spring, which stretches between Imbolc and Beltane. It is a time of conception, when the rising light overcomes the darkness. The associated sigil for the vernal equinox is a circle with two sprouting horns, signifying the seed putting forth its springtime shoots.
Folkwitch's Herbshelf
Ostara can be celebrated by placing flowers upon the altar, either purchased or hand picked, if you live in a climate where flowers are blooming. It is also a good time for traditional egg coloring, and eggs can be dyed with commercial food colorings, certain vegetable broths, or painted with symbols. Taking a walk outside, in a favorite green place, and planting seeds of flowers are herbs are two of my favorite Ostara traditions. In general, this is a good time for herbal work of any kind. As you can see from the herbshelf above, most herbs can be placed in jars and saved for later use. Baby food jars are a perfect size, and herb names can be painted with acrylic paint.
