Whereas the Imbolc period gave us a glimpse of the year to come, the Ostara period or the Spring Equinox will see things speeding up. The cold dark days are now over and you are slowly becoming more alert with your natural surroundings once again. From now on, the slow rejuvenation which started a few weeks ago will have more impetus. Therefore, it’s time for you to become more active and balance up with nature again.
The Ostara period on the Wheel of the Year usually occurs around the 21st of March,** but again, these dates can vary slightly. At this time of year we see an equal amount of daylight together with an equal amount of darkness. Therefore it shows a balance in nature that is extra special. The Spring Equinox or Ostara season allows for more self-purification to further allow your development.
The end of Winter has become a reality, and God, who was reborn at Yule time, is showing signs of maturity. The Goddess is also working hard to help retain a balance nature. You can now get outdoors and enjoy nature more now since warmth is returning and the days are becoming longer. So, you can thank our Goddess and God for everything past, present and future.
** This is obviously for the northern hemisphere. So, for the southern hemisphere go forward 6 months.
Ostara – Spring Equinox
If you have an indoor altar you can decorate it with new growth especially freshly cut flowers and small branches. Brightly coloured petals are a favourite for many Wiccans and Witches in the Ostara period of course. But, don’t forget to bring fresh water to the altar in a goblet or cauldron. You should also tend your outdoor altar should you have one because it may not have had attention for months.
The Spring Equinox is the best time to start planting seeds both in the garden and in your Book of Shadows. Obviously, these seeds will have a few more seasons in which to mature.
In the garden you can start to grow your favourite flowering plants. Obviously you can use your future harvest for your altar later in the year. Also you can balance out the beauty in your close surroundings. Planting herbs is ideal, so check out the growing season for those where you live.
Planting the seeds in your Book of Shadows obviously allows you to plan ahead. Then you can present these plans or intentions to your deities during the Ostara period or Spring Equinox.
Easter
We do know that Pagan religion pre-dates Christianity by a long way. The Pagan customs survived the Christian conversion period of course. In fact, to allow Christianity to become acceptable to our long-distant relatives, the early Christians absorbed much of our ways of life. Indeed, we see this in many ways, like Christmas (Yule).
Early Christians would also accept our deities like they did with the Goddess Ostara. This is obviously where we get the name Easter from. Many of the customs and traditions evolved this way too with highly decorative Easter eggs. Then there is the cute little bunny rabbit which was a fertility symbol. So, transforming from Christianity into our native religion is only a small step away!
Ostara is the ideal time to get out into the countryside. There you will see nature in the early stages of development and the Easter bunnies will be hopping mad. Obviously take your sweetheart and observe everything together. Walking in the woods is a must because there are mysterious goings there on just ripe for exploration.
Goddess Ostara by Johannes Gehrts
In Summary
Because Ostara or the Spring Equinox is one of balance between daylight and darkness, it’s an extra special day. Celebrate it how you need to by using your intuition. But if you see imbalances in your own life, now is the time to restore some balance again.
One thing you will notice as you explore the countryside is the magical qualities of the sunlight. This is especially more noticeable if you penetrate deep into the woods. The maturing Sun God is obviously showing signs of His maturity which will continue for months to come.
