Please note: I don’t include rituals for holidays. Everyone does their own thing. You can find lots of different Ostara rituals in the links section, or you can make your own. Feel free to point out corrections and/or additions.
Date
The astrological equinox falls on a different time every year. It falls between March 20th and 23rd. Google can help you find the exact date each year. Some Pagans opt to celebrate it on March 21st every year.
Alternative Names
Vernalia
Spring Equinox
Eostar
Eostre
Oestre
History
According to Wiccans, Ostara is the time when the Goddess is a young maiden, and the God is a young man going out to find his love. This is the start of the fertile season. We see animals being born, and plants beginning to grow after a long winter. This is the time where planting can begin and when marriages tend to take place. Most Neo-Pagans see Ostara as a conquering of light over dark. This is one of two days of the year when night and day are of equal length. “Equinox” literally means “equal night”. This day is a time of celebration as we welcome back the sun.
Before the modern ages, this day was very important. Though spring was usually a very hungry time, it was still a symbol of hope. The heat and light would return from the cold darkness of winter, planting would begin again, and after the freeze, things would thaw and life would return.
I see Ostara, which I always refer to as the Spring Equinox and the day when Cama Zotz passes his power to Quetzalcoatl, so that they may keep balance. This is the first of two nights when their power is in harmony (the other being the fall equinox).
Christians also celebrate this holiday, but they call it Easter. Many of the symbols are the same, including the resurrection story. This is why bunnies are a symbol of Easter, as well as eggs. Both represent the fertility of the earth.
Altar Ideas
Spring flowers, either on stems or blossoms
Nuts and/or seeds
Faeries. Spring is a great time to make a faerie altar.
Bright, fun colours
Baskets
Eggs
Symbols
Circles
Rabbits
Baby animals
Fertility
The colour green
Most Easter symbols work for this holiday as well, because they are so close together.
Gods and Goddesses
Deities relating to this holiday are deities that usually are associated with the earth, with resurrection, or with fertility.
- Adonis
- Aphrodite
- Astarte
- Athena
- Attis
- Cernunnos
- Coatlique
- Dagda
- Demeter
- Dylan
- Eostre/Ostara
- Gaia
- Great Horned God
- Hera
- Iris
- Isis
- Loki
- Maia
- Mithras
- Odin
- Osiris
- Pan
- Persephone
- Renpet
- The Muses
- Venus
- Xochipilli