Ostara

Circa March 21

Also Known As:

Alban
Eilir

Festival of the Trees
Spring Equinox

Rite of Eostre
Eostar

    This is the Spring Equinox and a time for beginnings, planting spells, and tending your garden. Poking up through the still-barren ground are the hopefull shoots of early flowers, and its starting to smell like Spring outdoors.
     Ostara stems from the name of the Tuetonic Goddess "Eostre". It's not an accident that it sounds suspiciously like a Christian holiday that is celebrated around this time. Again another example where the "new" religion borrowed from the old. Ostara is also one of the more colorfull holidays. Feasting and socializing are important to this holiday as well as the return of colour and spring.
     Equinoxes are times of balance between light and darkness, when day and night are of equal lenghth. The egg, is a powerful symbol. It is almost universally understood to represent fertility, rebirth, and ressurection. We see this example, looking at Imbolc, that which was "in the belly" is not finally born. The world is re-born and comes back to life. 
     The balance shifts. Light is mastering the darkness. Winter is finally over. Celebrate!!!

Traditional Ritual Herbs:

Acorn
Celandine
Cinquefoil
Crocus

Iris
Jasmine
Rose
Strawberry

Daffodil
Dogwood
Easter Lily
Honeysuckle

Tansy
Violets

Altar Decorations:

Hard Boiled eggs coloured and painted with magickal symbols.
A Lucky Rabbits foot Amulet
A Bowl of Green and Yellow jellybeans.

Incense:

African Violet
Jasmine
Rose

Sage
Strawberry

Gemstones or Jewels:

Amethyst
Aquamarine

Bloodstone
Red Jasper

Sabbat Deities:

Eostre (Saxon Goddess of Fertility)
Ostara (German Goddess of Fertility)
Green Goddess  and Lord of the Greenwood.

Foods:

Candle Colours:

Hard boiled eggs
Honey Cakes

All Pastels
Green

Gold
Yellow

Fresh Fruits
Waffles & Milk Punch