Main themes of Ostara:

• Balance and harmony.

• Renewal of life, new beginnings.

• The fertility of the land and hope for the future.

  

OSTARA – the holiday of the spring equinox. Traditionally celebrated around March 20–21. This pagan holiday is associated with the celebration of balance, the rebirth of nature and the arrival of spring. The holiday is associated with the Germanic goddess Eostre (Ostara), the goddess of spring and dawn. The holiday symbolizes the awakening of nature, fertility and harmony between light and darkness, as day and night are of equal length during the equinox. It is the second holiday of the Wheel of the Year, a cycle that represents the natural transition of the seasons. Eight significant holidays are associated with them, through which we celebrate various aspects of life, growth, abundance, death and rebirth.

Colors characterizing the Ostara period: yellow, orange, lavender and green.

Yellow represents the sun, whose rays are growing stronger and making the days brighter, it supports creativity, optimism and is the color of new beginnings. It will be represented on the Ostara altar by dandelions, daffodils and yellow candles.

Orange symbolizes energy, warmth and fertility. It is a connection between the physical and spiritual planes, supports creativity, and is reminiscent of the colors of the rising sun. On the altar, it is represented by orange candles, which enhance positive energy and vitality, marigolds or fruits such as oranges.

Lavender (light purple) symbolizes spiritual growth and intuition. It is a calming color, helping with meditation. It supports creativity, perception and understanding. The color is represented by lilac or violets.

Green is the color of growth, new life, vital energy and fertility. It represents nature, abundance and the renewal of the energy of the earth. It is associated with harmony, stability and natural cycles. On the altar it is represented by leaves, grass and plants as decorations, or green candles to promote abundance and balance.

Traditional gemstones

These stones and crystals are suitable for use in rituals for the celebration of Ostara, or you can easily wear them as talismans during the celebration of the vernal equinox, the lengthening days and the arrival of spring, decorate your Ostara altar with them, meditate with them or place them in the corners of your room to protect from negative energy. With these stones, you can invite new light, positive energy and balance into your life during Ostara.

How best to spend this holiday?

The Ostara holiday is associated with many traditional symbols that represent new beginnings, balance, and fertility.

Create an Ostara Altar

Whether you create a simple or elaborate altar, it is important that it reflects your intentions. It should be a place of joy, light, celebration of spring, and full of positive energy.

Here are a few types of what should be on the altar:

• Eggs – symbolize fertility, new life and the cycle of nature. It is one of the oldest symbols of renewal and rebirth and the subject of the unsolvable answer to the question: “What came first? The egg or the chicken?” The oval shape means infinity and harmony. You can dye eggs with natural dyes such as onion skins, grass, turmeric, etc., decorate them in any way you like or use just the shells.
• Hares and Rabbits – symbolize fertility, spring and rapid growth. The hare is associated with the goddess Eostre (Ostara) and is a traditional symbol of vitality and renewal of life.
• Seeds and plants – a symbol of new life, potential and opportunity for growth.
• Flowers – beauty, joy. Typical flowers for Ostara are daffodils, tulips, violets, lavender, daisies, hyacinths, roses.
• A symbol of the sun, representing light, warmth and life. Gold or yellow candles go well with it.
• Water, which signifies purification, new beginnings and life force.
• Baskets – symbolize harvest, fertility and abundance. They are filled with flowers, eggs, seeds.
• Feathers – a symbol of lightness, freedom and spiritual growth.

          

Honor the goddess Eostre, goddess of spring and dawn. 

For our altar, we used candles, flowers, lavender, shells with an Ostara incense burner from our magical work in Nefertitis , food in the form of an amazing walnut cake, Ostara bundles that we tied especially for this magical holiday, a traditional symbol of fertility - a hare, as well as semi-precious stones, feathers, flowers, a crystal grid, etc.

The crystal grid contains lepidolite for balance and new beginnings, green aventurine for happiness, abundance and prosperity, citrine for optimism and vitality, and pink opal for self-love, self-worth, and compassion for others.

Meditate
Find a quiet place where you will be alone and nothing and no one will disturb you. Light a candle and meditate.
Focus on your intentions for the coming season and focus on their flames as a symbol of the light coming into your life.

If you have the opportunity
Plant a tree, plants or seeds as a symbol of new life. Take a walk in nature.

Prepare traditional dishes
Ostara dishes feature fresh spring ingredients such as cabbage leaves, eggs, honey and milk. Sharing your meal with family or friends will encourage togetherness.

Tips for magical rituals for the holiday of Ostara - a celebration of the spring equinox, the rebirth of nature, the arrival of spring, fertility and hope for the future

You will need: a small flower pot, a seed of an herb, flower or vegetable, soil, water and a candle: green, yellow or orange.

Procedure:

• Light a candle and focus on your intention – think about what you want to change, start or develop in your life, e.g. personal growth, relationships or a project.
• The seed embodies all your intentions. Plant it in the soil and say: "I hereby sow my intention, may it grow in harmony with nature and my life."
• Water the seed and place the pot in a bright place.
• After the ritual is over, blow out the candle and thank nature for its support.    

2. Ritual of Balance
The goal is to find harmony between body, mind and spirit.

You will need: a white and black candle, which symbolize light and darkness, two small stones, which symbolize balance, and a bowl of water.

Procedure:

• Place a black candle on the left and a white candle on the right, and place a bowl of water between them.
• Light both candles, meditate for a while, think about the balance between different areas of your life.
• Take one stone in each hand and say: "Day and night, light and dark, are in perfect balance. I accept harmony into my life."
• Place the stones in a bowl of water as a symbol of balancing emotions and energies.
• After the ritual is over, thank the forces of nature and blow out the candles.

3. Ritual of abundance and fertility
The goal is to support creativity, fertility in all its forms, and to invite abundance.

You will need: decorated eggs (use natural dye if possible – onion skins, grass, turmeric), a green and yellow candle, and a bowl of grain, rice, or seeds.

Procedure:

• Light both candles.
• Place a decorated egg in a bowl of grain (rice or seeds) as a symbol of fertility and new life. Place your hands over the egg and bowl and say, "Fertility and abundance, come into my life. May all that I sow grow in abundance."
• After the ritual, you can sprinkle the grain or seeds into nature as an offering.

4. Spring Water Purification Ritual
The goal is to cleanse yourself of old energy and prepare for new beginnings.

You will need: a bowl of water, a few flowers or herbs (lavender, chamomile or rosemary), a white candle.

Procedure:

• Light a candle and place a bowl of water in front of you.
• Add flowers or herbs to the water and stir them with your hand.
• Dip your fingers in the water and lightly wash your face or hands, saying, "I wash away all that is old and unwanted. I am ready for a new cycle."
• After the ritual, thank the water for its cleansing energy and pour the water into nature.

5. A ritual of gratitude to nature
The goal is to express gratitude for the beauty of nature and connection with it.

We will need: flowers, seeds or small offerings - bread, fruit, etc. and a natural space - a garden, a meadow, a park.

Procedure:

• Go outside where you feel comfortable and find a quiet area.
• Place offerings on the ground as a sign of gratitude to nature. You might say, "I thank you for the abundance of nature, for life that renews itself. I honor the cycles of the earth and the sun."
• Sit and meditate for a while or listen to the sounds of nature to feel connected to it.
• After the ritual, leave with a feeling of peace and gratitude.

Combine rituals – COMBINE a ritual of new beginnings with a cleansing ritual to first release old energy and then set new intentions.

Combine a balancing ritual with meditation to deepen the harmony of body and mind.

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There are similar holidays around the world that, like Ostara, celebrate the vernal equinox, the arrival of spring, the balance between light and dark, renewal, and new life.

Hilaria – Ancient Rome: March 15-28, around the spring equinox. The holiday was dedicated to the goddess Cybele, mother of the gods and symbol of fertility and nature. Celebrations included processions, games and offerings. The name Hilaria is derived from the Latin hilaris = cheerful.

Nowruz – Persian New Year: March 20-21 (spring equinox). Nowruz means new day, and is a celebration of the Persian New Year, which symbolizes new beginnings, harmony, and renewal of nature. People clean their homes, decorate tables with symbolic objects (e.g. flowers, candles, seeds), prepare traditional dishes, and dance.

Holi – India: March, with the date following the lunar calendar, usually around the spring equinox. It is a festival of colors and spring, the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated with dancing, singing and feasting.

Chunfen – China: March 20-21 (Vernal Equinox). Chunfen is the 4th of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar and marks the balance between Yin and Yang. Traditions include ceremonies of gratitude to nature, planting and preparing for the harvest.

Sigrblót – Nordic traditions: around March 21st, or the 4th full moon after the winter solstice. This is an ancient Germanic and Nordic holiday in honor of the arrival of spring and the hope for a good harvest. The sacrifices were made to Freya, the goddess of fertility, harvest, and love.

Passover – Jewish Easter: March or April according to the lunar calendar. The holiday celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Food and rituals are used to commemorate a new beginning, using herbs and unleavened bread.

Eostre – Germanic tradition: the spring equinox. Ostara is celebrated, named after the goddess Eostre, the Germanic goddess of spring, dawn, and fertility. It can be assumed that some Easter traditions originate from Ostara.

Easter – Christianity: a date on the lunar calendar, usually March/April. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which also symbolizes new beginnings and the victory of life over death. The symbols are eggs and rabbits, which signify fertility and life. Celebrations include feasts and rituals for spring renewal.

Shunbun no Hi Festival – Japan: Spring Equinox, March 20-21. A day of balance and harmony between light and dark is celebrated. Traditions include visiting ancestral graves, making offerings to nature, and eating foods associated with spring, such as rice cakes.

Alban Eilir – Celts: Spring Equinox. Celtic Druids celebrated this holiday as the “Light of the Earth,” celebrating the return of the sun and the renewal of nature. Traditions included offerings to the gods and spirits of nature.

Whatever the name of the holiday, they are united by the celebration of nature's return to life after winter, the balance between light and dark, with an important element being the balance between old and new. Fertility and growth are symbolized by seeds, flowers and eggs, which reflect the hope of new life and harvest. The most important element is the celebration of nature and life.

We wrote the article for you on February 22, 2025.

Articles about other holidays in the Wheels of the Year series can be found here.

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