Ostara. When I hear this word it fills me with the sense of spring. Birds singing, light breezes blowing through newly budding trees, plants and flowers beginning to grow again after the frozen winter. Ostara is also known as Eostre (or alternative spelling Eastre), which make look familiar considering how close it is to the word Easter, but is really the name of a Germanic goddess of spring. Many people know that Easter is also a time for spring and that it is celebrated by the mainstream as a day of finding hidden coloured eggs, eating candy out of colourful baskets, and going to church. It has been said that Easter was really created by the church when they were trying and convert the Pagans to Christianity by creating holidays (or “holy days”) that resemble those of their own traditions. Ostara occurs at the same time as Easter and Passover. All three holidays celebrate life in one way or another. This is all celebrated by the painting of eggs and sowing of seeds. On this day the light is equal to the dark. Eggs represent fertility and rebirth; “…the egg is sacred to life on earth. It represents life just as a circle can represent eternal life. The golden orb of its yolk represents the Sun God, its white shell is seen as the White Goddess, and the whole is a symbol of rebirth.” * The painting of the eggs stems from different traditions. In some they are painted to be offered up to the gods. In another tradition from the Ukraine the eggs are decorated with magical symbols and given as gifts and used as charms.
Now that we’ve had a short history lesson about Ostara, let’s get to the fun stuff! Depending on the particular path and beliefs there are many pagan rituals and traditions that are followed. Everything from eating raw greens and veggies of the spring time, to leaving food and drink out for the fairies on the festival nights, most usually something sweet for Ostara. The holiday is decorated for by using anything with bright spring colours. Pink, green, blue, yellow, and purple in pastel are the traditional colours used. Decorating with pictures of spring animals such as chicks and rabbits also create a springtime atmosphere. Decorating with flowers that bloom in the spring is also a great way to liven up the home. All these colours and pictures and flowers in bright colours is representing you shedding the dull winter and awakening anew in spring where everything comes to life once more after hibernating during the winter. You can decorate your home with anything that reminds you personally of home. Even though you were expecting to see a lot of Pagan oriented things, I bet you are seeing that this is pretty much what many people do during this holiday. They buy colourful decorations, they “spring clean”, they liven up their home with beautiful flowers and wear bright colours. Celebrations between two cultures are not always as alien as people have come to believe. Decoration, making crafts centered around the holiday, and cooking festive meals using food of the season not only bring the celebration and spirit of the holiday into your home, but inside you as well.
A spring ritual format will depend on you and your beliefs and your path and tradition. The ritual would be center around new life, fertility, and the equality between the light and the dark. You can bring newly sown seeds into the circle and ask them to be blessed and for them to grow and be beautiful. You can offer beautifully dyed and painted eggs to the gods as well. Offering up food and flowers of the season are also done. If you want to use spring flowers to decorate with, below is a list of some very beautiful ones along with their symbolism and power from, “Ostara: Flowers, Herbs, Crystals: Pagan Fire Festival Day Has its Own Special Dinner and Dcor”.
Bluebell: Gratitude, constancy, humility
Crocus: Youthful gladness
Daffodil: Regard, desire, affection, luck
Dogwood: Eternal life, regeneration
Forsythia: Anticipation
Hyacinth: Love, happiness, protection
Iris: Message, cherished friendship, valour, faith, hope, wisdom
Jonquil: Love me, returned affection, sympathy, desire
Lilac: Purple: First love; White: Youthful, Innocence. Both drive away evil
Narcissus: Self love
Olive: Protection, peace, fruitfulness, purification
Tulip: Fame, declaration of love, perfect love, luck love
Violet, Purple: Faithfulness, love, luck, protection, peace, healing, wishes. Yellow and white: Happiness
Crystals of this season are: banded agates, rose quartz, carnelian, jade, and lapis lazuli.
Use candles in pastel colours like lavender, light pink, baby blue, bright yellow, and even light green.
Foods for ritual that can be eaten would be a wonderful tossed green salad, and a bowl of in season fruits. Even roasted veggies would add a great spring time feel to your meal!
All the things above are only suggestions. What makes Pagan sabbats (holidays) even more wonderful is the chance to make them your own. Every ritual is unique, and every family and path has their own traditions they like to follow. Just remember that Ostara is a celebration of the return of spring, and it’s promise of new life and plentiful harvests to come. Make this day full of life, fun, and celebration and you will be celebrating Ostara, no matter what your path.
* http://crystalforest3.homestead.com/Ostarahistory.html
