“There may be snow on the ground, and even thoughts of a last blast or two of winter weather coming, but there is a definite turn in the air. … The Spring Equinox marks a time when day and night are in equal balance. From a symbolic perspective it is the triumph of life over death. …increased daylight hours trigger hens to begin laying… The Spring Equinox also marks the return of the bees from dormancy—another promise of new life. … Oftentimes the descent to the underworld (the cold hand of winter) has required sacrifice. The beauty that abounds at this time of year is a testament that the sacrifice has been been worth the effort.”
— The Great Work: Self-Knowledge and Healing Through the Wheel of the Year, by Tiffany Lazic
Spring. As the Cailleach releases Her hold on the days and nights to Brighid, the snows begin to recede and Persephone brings flowers, such as the crocus, to the land once more. Demeter rejoices at Her daughter’s return. Animals in hibernation awaken, migrating birds come home, and the barren, slumbering Earth is fecund with life and alive. No longer are the nights so long. The Light shines over the land. Ostara has arrived.
Ostara is the Pagan name for the Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, usually honoured between March 19th-21st, part of the Eightfold Wheel of the Year.* The name Ostara is believed to originate from the Germanic and Norse Goddesses Ēostre or Ost. They may also have been worshipped by the Saxons in Spring with a fertility festival. While many Witches, Wiccans and other Pagans call it Ostara, Druids and followers of the Avalonian path use the Welsh term Alban Eilir, meaning “Light of the Earth,” as day and night are equal on the Equinox.
We know from archaeology that ancient peoples across the globe revered the coming of the light at the Vernal Equinox. Monuments including Anghor Wat (Cambodia) the Great Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre (Egypt), and Machu Picchu (Peru), as well as a chamber beneath the Loughcrew Megalithic Cairns in Ireland, are believed to have been built specifically to mark the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes, in addition to the Solstices. It is uncertain how many others may have formally celebrated the Vernal Equinox long ago, but it is thought that it must have been received with joy by farmers and gardeners as early sprouts appeared and the planting of seeds could begin.
Modern traditional celebrations often include egg painting, planting, ritual cleansing, adorning altars with flowers and other symbols of spring, and self-reflection. In the United Kingdom, hundreds of Druids and other Pagans gather on the Vernal Equinox for the sunrise every year. It is a glorious occasion.
Several Goddesses and Gods are connected to Ostara, such as the aforementioned Ēostre, Ost, Demeter, and Persephone, as well as Epona, Freyja, Gaia, Blodeuwedd, Amalthea, Thor, Freyr, Osiris, Pan, the Dagda, and the Green Man.
Symbols including the hare, the Druid’s Egg, and butterflies abound in Ostara art and upon altars. Rooted in ancient Pagan traditions, these emblems have also come to correspond with the Christian Easter, another spring celebration of renewal and resurrection.
While the ways in which one might observe Ostara may differ by spiritual tradition and region, even just a simple walk or an offering to the Spirits of the Land can be inspiring. Soon enough, the Wheel will turn and the great Beltane bonfires will be alight. Ostara is the gentle start to a season rife with possibilities, and a wonderful time to begin all things anew.
— Ravenhawk Winters
* Author’s Note: In the Southern Hemisphere, the Vernal Equinox/Ostara is observed on September 21st.
References and Further Reading:
Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials: Ostara, Recipes & Love for the Spring Equinox, by Kerri Connor (© 2015, Llewellyn Publications)
The Great Work: Self-Knowledge and Healing Through the Wheel of the Year, by Tiffany Lazic (© 2015, Llewellyn Publications)
Avalon Within: A Sacred Journey of Myth, Mystery, and Inner Wisdom, by Jhenah Telyndru (© 2005, Llewellyn Publications)
Gods & Goddesses of Ostara (Wicca Magazine)
Ostara and the Hare: Symbolism and Folklore (Wicca Magazine)
Spring Equinox: Alban Eilir (Order of Bards, Ovates, & Druids)
Alberta Witches Association 