Date: March 20th
How to pronounce: OS-TAR-AH or O-STAR-AH
Energies: Balance, peace, new beginnings, fertility, motivation, and romance
Deities: Eostre, Persephone, The Green Man, The God, Aphrodite, and The Maiden
Crystals: Rose quartz, amethyst, moonstone, and jasper
Herbs: Clover, honeysuckle, sage, thyme, and dogwood
Food: Eggs, dairy, honey, fruits, and vegetables
Colors: Green, pink, white, yellow, and purple
As we enter March, we prepare to welcome the next sabbat of the Wheel of the Year that is aligned with the warm energies of spring, known as Ostara. Taking place on the Spring Equinox, Ostara is a pagan festival that falls on March 20th and is associated with the energies of new beginnings, balance, and rebirth. As a result, this is a powerful time for nurturing our intentions set at Imbolc and getting a move on all our goals and dreams once and for all.
With that said, with so much going on energetically right now, it can be hard to know the best way to fully welcome in and celebrate the season's energy. So, to help you out, in this article, we're going to go over the sabbat of Ostara. From its history to its correspondences, traditions, and a few ways you can celebrate today, let’s dive into everything you need to know about this vibrant spring sabbat and how you can make the most of it.
To start, Ostara is one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year that marks the transition out of the winter season and into the spring. Taking place on the Spring Equinox, Ostara marks a point of balance when dark and light are once again equal, with daylight hours growing from here on out until we reach the Summer Solstice. At this time, the sun is growing in strength, animals begin to stir from hibernation, and mother nature begins to rise from stagnation to give new life and fertility to the earth. Because of this, this is a jovial time of awakening within ourselves as we begin to stir from our winter slumber and embrace new beginnings.
Symbolically, this sabbat also honors the Germanic Goddess of Spring and Dawn, Eostre, and is deemed a day for giving thanks to her for all the new life she has bestowed upon the earth. Some stories say that Eostre rescued a bird at this time and turned it into a hare, which would then lay colorful eggs, while others say that Eostre took the form of a hare herself to bring fertility to the earth. Some even believe that the Goddess’s name, Eostre, is where the name Easter and its traditions linked with rabbits and egg dying may have been derived from. Whatever the origin, Eostre’s presence is believed to symbolize new life, rebirth, and transformation and can be felt all around us at this time.
Aside from this, in other beliefs, Ostara also celebrates the time in which the Goddess in her Maiden form meets the Sun God to join in sacred marriage. As a result, this is a time of joyful celebration, romance, and playfulness for all who celebrate.
Now, when it comes to traditions of this spring-time sabbat, Ostara has been celebrated in many different ways throughout the decades. From leaving offerings for spring-time deities to making nature crafts, here are some of our favorite traditions for celebrating Ostara that have been passed down through the years.
To start, one of the oldest traditions of Ostara is to host a feast with loved ones. Not only is a feast a great way to bring people together in a celebratory manner, but a meal rich in hearty foods of the season is also a great way to honor the abundant new growth and fertility of the earth. With that said, some foods for an Ostara-themed feast might include:
Not to mention, if you’re looking for something truly unique to make to celebrate the sabbat, we also have a few of our top favorite spring kitchen witch recipes for Ostara that you can check out for a little inspiration for your own kitchen magic. No matter what foods you choose, taking part in a feast of fresh foods is an easy and meaningful way to honor the sabbat, the earth, and the deities associated with it with those closest to you.
Next, one of the other big traditions of this vernal equinox is to spend the day outdoors. Since this sabbat is all about honoring the fertility of the earth and the growing strength of the sun, spending as much time as possible outside is a great way to connect deeper with the changes occurring within mother nature. Whether you plan a picnic, meditate outdoors, bird watch, or simply take your shoes off and sit in the sun, try to get outside on this equinox to welcome the alignment and healing that this day brings.
Now, when it comes to ways you can celebrate Ostara in today’s world, there are plenty of easy ways to incorporate its energy into your space, even in modern times. With that said, here are a few ideas of simple and fun ways you can celebrate Ostara in your daily life.
To start, as with any sabbat, decorating your altar with correspondences of the season is a great way to welcome the energy of the sabbat. For Ostara, items aligned with new growth, flowers, and Eostre are excellent choices. With that said, a few ideas for altar decor you might consider using include:
No matter what you choose to use, the most important thing is that your altar decor aligns with what you feel is a good representation of Ostara. So, even if it’s not what you typically see used for this sabbat, if it connects with you and your practice, make sure you add it to your altar space to align better with the energy of this divine day and allow your altar space to be as energetically charged as possible.
Next, while making flower crowns is a popular practice throughout the spring and summer sabbats in general, Ostara is one of the best sabbats to start getting crafty with it with all the new creative energies spiraling around you. Whether you gather your own supplies from nature or shop some of your favorite flowers from your local market, making a flower crown is a beautiful way to work with the new life the earth has given you and honor it in a fun and creative way. Not to mention, it’s easy to do and can be a fun activity for all ages to partake in.
Next, if you haven’t started your garden yet, Ostara is the perfect time to work some plant magick and start planting seeds, as this is often the time in which plants begin to bloom. Therefore, taking some time to put a little love into building a garden is a great idea. Whether you’re growing fresh herbs, root vegetables, or some of your favorite garden roses, gardening is a calming and enriching way to work closely with the abundant nature energies of the sabbat, as well as give back to the earth for all the wonderful life it blesses us with each and every day.
Up next, as the Goddess of fertility and new life, Eostre is often linked with the symbolism of rabbits and eggs, as they have been known to play a large role in her origin story. For that reason, one of the most common items used on an Ostara altar is eggs, as these are considered to be the traditional symbol of fertility and new life. Because of that, if you’re looking for a fun activity to do to celebrate this sabbat, doing some activities or rituals with eggs is another creative way to celebrate Ostara.
Whether you choose to color eggs, use them in household decoration, take part in some egg divination, or cook with them, working with eggs on this sabbat is an excellent way to welcome their symbolism into your life and honor the deities associated with this divine time, so be sure to not skip out on all things egg-themed this equinox.
And lastly, since Ostara celebrates the spring and the new energies it brings, if you’re not up for doing any big spells or rituals, a little decluttering and reorganizing is also a good way to welcome this sabbat. You can do this by decluttering your physical space and donating items to charity or by working on your mental and emotional space to cut negative ties and let go of energetic baggage that is no longer needed.
Whatever you choose to do, now is a great time to bring in the new in all areas of your life, so don’t be afraid to make changes that will help you to find more peace mentally and physically, as this is truly one of the best times of the year to do it.
Overall, Ostara is a time of rebirth, balance, and new beginnings as we begin to pick up the pace towards our goals and bloom into our full potential once and for all. From getting crafty to hosting a bountiful feast, we hope this article has helped give you a better understanding of Ostara, its correspondences, and how you can embrace it in a variety of ways to make the most of this warm and cheerful sabbath in your own unique way.
~ Blessed Ostara ~
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Kat
May 08, 2023
Thank you