Let us Welcome Ostara and the Return of Light

Intentions of Light on Ostara

Our roots to the Earth and our connection to her seasons go deep. Our ancient ancestors knew this and venerated the cycles accordingly. The Vernal Equinox is one of only two such magical times of the year where night and day are precisely balanced; the wheel of the year is sliced in half. Only on the equinox does the equator, the point of solar termination on Earth, line up with the Sun, creating this vortex of energy, this point of balance.

When you celebrate the Equinox, you connect to all of our ancestors who have participated in ritual and ceremony on this occasion for millennia.

This year we celebrate Ostara on March 20th, bringing the energy of light, hope, fertility, growth, and new beginnings. However, before we transition into the light-filled part of the year, we pause in ritual and recognition to honor the Old Ways; we take time to honor that point of balance between light and dark. I created a special Ostara Ritual Set just for your use on this magical day. Use it to cleanse, heal, balance, sow new seeds, and regenerate with the energy of the equinox.

History of Ostara

The native pre-Christian Germanic tribes of northern Europe worshipped a goddess of spring called Ostara. The Saxon tribes of old Britain called her Oestre. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the Vernal Equinox, much like the modern Easter. In Western tradition we see ‘Easter eggs,’ which date back to ancient times, as a symbol of fertility and rebirth. In Persia, eggs were painted and colored for 1,500 years as part of the spring celebration of No Ruz, a tradition of the Zoroastrian New Year on the Vernal Equinox.

All around the world, ancient and indigenous cultures have rituals, feasts, and celebrations of the Vernal Equinox. Ancient Roman followers of the goddess Cybele believed she had a consort who died and was resurrected on this day. The ancient Mayans have celebrated this event for ten centuries; as the sun sets on the day of the equinox, the western face of the Mayan pyramid El Castillo is fully bathed in sunlight, and is designed to work with the lengthening shadows, giving the appearance of a diamondback snake descending down the wall.

Ostara Rituals

What I love about the veneration of nature and the Universe is the inclusivity of the practice. You worship when you choose to worship. You do rituals based on what calls and speaks to you. There is no one dictating who may join the church of nature celebrations and rituals; they are deeply personal and steeped in ancient magic. I recommend starting now; there’s no better time, with the energy of Ostara upon us, for ushering in a new ritual. This is, after all, the season of renewal and rebirth.

No matter if you are a seasoned priestess or newly finding your magical powers, I encourage you to welcome Ostara this year. I have a simple Ostara ritual I’d like to share with you. Start with lighting an Ostara candle on your altar and speak this blessing with it.

“Spring goddess, you bring hope and warmth
as the Wheel turns and days lengthen.
Speak, Ostara, of hope and growth – your gifts to us
in this season of renewal and rebirth.
My soul blooms in spring sunshine
and I celebrate the return of light to the Earth.
Amen, Aho, and So it Is.”

If you can leave it burning, then do so. If not, welcome the light, acknowledging the symbolic flame for a few moments before extinguishing.

After your blessing, take your sacred gems, spheres, and stones outside to place them in a sunny place to charge in the light of the equinox. This is especially powerful at noon, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, as well as the specific hour of equinox which varies by geographic location. In your time outside, take a moment to center yourself, grounding into the Earth, breathing in the renewing and balancing energy that abounds on this day. Feel the light, smell the scents that linger on the breeze. Maybe there is still a lingering winter chill; acknowledge this and thank it as it passes. Turn to the sun and soak up the renewing energy of its rays. Bow in gratitude for All That Is when you feel your ritual is complete.

With blessings of balance and light,

Athena