History Of Ostara - The Spring Equinox

Many Holidays, Many Names:

The word Ostara is just one of the names applied to the celebration of the spring equinox on March 21. The Venerable Bede said the origin of the word is actually from Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring. Of course, it's also the same time as the Christian Easter celebration, and in the Jewish faith, Passover takes place as well. For early Pagans in the Germanic countries, this was a time to celebrate planting and the new crop season. Typically, the Celtic peoples did not celebrate Ostara as a holiday, although they were in tune with the changing of the seasons.

A New Day Begins:

A dynasty of Persian kings known as the Achaemenians celebrated the spring equinox with the festival of No Ruz -- which means "new day." It is a celebration of hope and renewal still observed today in many Persian countries, and has its roots in Zoroastrianism. In Iran, a festival called Chahar-Shanbeh Suri takes place right before No Ruz begins, and people purify their homes and leap over fires to welcome the 13-day celebration of No Ruz.

Mad as a March Hare:

Spring equinox is a time for fertility and sowing seeds, and so nature's fertility goes a little crazy. In medieval societies in Europe, the March hare was viewed as a major fertility symbol -- this is a species of rabbit that is nocturnal most of the year, but in March when mating season begins, there are bunnies everywhere all day long. The female of the species is superfecund and can conceive a second litter while still pregnant with a first. As if that wasn't enough, the males tend to get frustrated when rebuffed by their mates, and bounce around erratically when discouraged.

The Legends of Mithras:

The story of the Roman god, Mithras, is similar to the tale of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Born at the winter solstice and resurrected in the spring, Mithras helped his followers ascend to the realm of light after death. In one legend, Mithras, who was popular amongst members of the Roman military, was ordered by the Sun to sacrifice a white bull. He reluctantly obeyed, but at the moment when his knife entered the creature's body, a miracle took place. The bull turned into the moon, and Mithras' cloak became the night sky. Where the bull's blood fell flowers grew, and stalks of grain sprouted from its tail.

Spring Celebrations Around the World:

In ancient Rome, the followers of Cybele believed that their goddess had a consort who was born via a virgin birth. His name was Attis, and he died and was resurrected each year during the time of the vernal equinox on the Julian Calendar (between March 22 and March 25). Around the same time, the Germanic tribes honored a lunar goddess known as Ostara, who mated with a fertility god around this time of year, and then gave birth nine months later – at Yule.

The indigenous Mayan people in Central American have celebrated a spring equinox festival for ten centuries. As the sun sets on the day of the equinox on the great ceremonial pyramid, El Castillo, Mexico, its "western face...is bathed in the late afternoon sunlight. The lengthening shadows appear to run from the top of the pyramid's northern staircase to the bottom, giving the illusion of a diamond-backed snake in descent." This has been called "The Return of the Sun Serpent" since ancient times.

According to the Venerable Bede, Eostre was the Saxon version of the Germanic goddess Ostara. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the vernal equinox -- almost the identical calculation as for the Christian Easter in the west. One delightful legend associated with Eostre was that she found an injured bird on the ground one winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But "the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs...the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre."

Modern Celebrations

This is a good time of year to start your seedlings. If you grow an herb garden, start getting the soil ready for late spring plantings. Celebrate the balance of light and dark as the sun begins to tip the scales, and the return of new growth is near.

Many modern Wiccans and Pagans celebrate Ostara as a time of renewal and rebirth. Take some time to celebrate the new life that surrounds you in nature -- walk in park, lay in the grass, hike through a forest. As you do so, observe all the new things beginning around you -- plants, flowers, insects, birds. Meditate upon the ever-moving Wheel of the Year, and celebrate the change of seasons.
By Patti Wigington, About.com
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The Origins Of Easter

By Don Wildgrube

Most people in the western world are familiar with the holiday of Easter. To some it commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. To many it heralds the return of spring, the time to color and hide Easter Eggs and to wear new clothes and Easter Bonnets.

The word Easter is from the Anglo-Saxon word, Oestre or Eastre, which is the ancient name of the Goddess of Spring.

Untold centuries before the Christian era, the country folk would gather on the eve of this day that they called Ostara, to feast until sunrise. Some people met in caves, the womb of the Earth Mother, to wait for the sunrise. During this evening, stories would be told of the death of the vegetation at the Spring Equinox and of the cycle of fertility.

Resurrection stories are not new with the stories of Jesus. These stories are universal. The birth-death-resurrection cycles are in fact quite common. They are found in the stories of Osirus, Tammuz, Lugh, Apollo, Mithra or any number of ancient gods.

A common theme can be found in the story of the "Demeter and Persephone". In this story, Pluto, the god of the lower regions, fell in love with Persephone, the daughter of the grain Goddess, Demeter.

Persephone rejected him, so he took her to his world of Darkness, Hades, to be his reluctant bride. Because Persephone was taken away, Demeter rules that the vegetation should die. Zeus intervened and brought Persephone back and the Earth bloomed again. The Earth came alive when Persephone came out of the cavern leading to Hades, and it died again when she returned below in fall. Thus the cycles of the year.

Spring is a season of fertility and the rabbit symbolized this fertility. Rabbits are well known as abundant procreators and the Easter Bunny or more correctly, the March Hare, is much used in Easter symbolism.

Egyptians dyed eggs for religious celebrations before 500 BCE. The Romans did likewise, although they usually dies theirs red, red being the color sacred to the God Mars. The month of March is named after Mars.

Hot cross buns were traditionally served at the Spring Equinox in Northern Europe. These small cakes had cross shaped indentations in the top. The custom dates from before the Christian era and therefore, did not represent crucifixion, but rather the quartering of the year into seasons. This ancient symbol has been in all ancient societies. In many cases, wings were added to the tops of the cross, showing movement, showing the cross spinning. This is the swastika. It may be of interest to know that the swastika is found in all cultures with four seasons, but in areas where there is only three discernible seasons, the swastika was replaced by the triskele.

The customs of Easter were adopted into early Christianity in Northern Europe due to the work of St. Augustine, by order of Pope Gregory I. The Pope figured that by adopting Pagan holidays and customs, and making some of the Pagan Gods into Saints, they could bring many Pagans into the new faith of Christianity. These old customs and the old name of the Spring holiday seem to be so ingrained in the ways of the English, that the translators for King James, even slipped up in their work on the Bible. The book of The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 12, verse 4, uses the word Easter. This is a mistranslation, the original word is Pasach, or Passover.

It seems the early church had much trouble in setting the date of Easter. Only after Constantine convened the Council of Nicea in 325, was the date set. It is done by the Moon: It is the first Sunday after the first full moon, after the Spring Equinox, except if it fell on Passover, it would then be the next full moon. According to the Council, the Christians were not to celebrate their holidays at the same time as the Jews. The Council was extremely anti-Jewish and even decreed that, "…none hereafter should follow the blindness of the Jews." And because of this anti-Jewish sentiment, Christians were urged to celebrate Easter by eating pork to show their spite.

Easter is a happy celebration. Bright colors, spring breezes and good fool make our spirits light. Enjoy this season, and look forward to summer.


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The Legend Of Easter--Another Version

Source: Gaelen

It was Easter Sunday and the Mayor of a small village was invited to church to teach the Sunday school class that morning.

Since it was close to election time he decided that it would be a good opportunity to press the flesh and prospect for more votes among the adults while appearing to be friendly toward the little children. (Whom he referred to as "parasites" during other times of the year).

Anyhow, the Mayor stepped to the podium and beamed at the assembly in the one room chapel.

 Preened and pompous, he beamed at his audience and asked; "Now which one of you lovely children can tell me the Easter story?"

 Most children quietly raised their hands but little Billy, (there is always a "little Billy"), jumped to his feet and shouted, "Me, me, me!!!".

 "OK son, go right ahead", prompted the Mayor.

Taking in a great breath, Billy spouted rapidly; “Well, Jesus came to town riding on his ass and people flapped palm trees at him and he went to the last supper and then he went to the garden of Guess Me and prayed and the bad men grabbed him and beat him and took him to the Pilot who washed his hands of the whole mess and then they put a crown of thorns on his head and nailed his hands and feet to a cross until he was dead then they took him down and put him into a tomb and rolled a rock over it and set soldiers to guard it but the angel of the Lord came down and run the soldiers off and rolled away the rock and Jesus came out and saw his shadow and we had six more weeks of winter."

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Herbs of Ostara

Acorn- Acorns are said to bring both luck and fertility.
Celandine- An herb of Joy and tranquility, Celandine is also said to protect anyone who carries a sprig with them.
Cinquefoil- Used in ritual baths and for purification, Cinquefoil also brings eloquence and protection to the wearer.
Love, power, wisdom, health, and abundance are symbolized by it's five petals.
Dandilion- Dandilion Tea is said to increase psychic ability.  It's yellow head and deep green stem and leaves also makes it a great choice for your Ostara Altar.
Dogwood- Use Dogwood leaves, wood, and flowers as a protective charm..  The four petaled leaves are said to represent the four Quarter elements- Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
Honeysuckle- The flowers of the honeysuckle are said to attract money.  They will also heighten psychic ability when rubbed on the forehead.
Iris- A Goddess herb which brings Purity, faith, courage, and wisdom.
Jasmine- Jasmine flowers help to attract wealth, and their scent is said to bring prophetic dreams.
Rose- Rose is used to attract love.  Rose hips worn as beads, Rose buds in your bath water, or rose petals worn as a charm are all said to conjure a potential lover.  Rose petals are also added to healing potions or spells to enhance them.
Tansy- An herb of Longevity.
Violet- An herb of love and protection.

 SABBATS: Ostara Oils and Incenses


SABBATS: Ostara Oils and Incenses

OSTARA OIL 1
1 dram almond oil
1 dram patchouli oil
1 dram elder oil
1 dram lavender oil
1 dram violet oil
Warm over low heat

OSTARA OIL 2  
4 parts Vetiver oil
2 parts geranium oil
2 parts ylang oil
2 parts rose oil

OSTARA OIL 3
2 parts frankincense
1 part Benzoin
1 part dragon's blood
1/2 part nutmeg
1/2 part violet
1/2 part orange
1/2 part rose

OSTARA INCENSE
2 Parts Frankincense
1 Part Benzoin
1 Part Dragon's Blood
1/2 Part Nutmeg
1/2 part Violet flowers (or few drops violet oil)
1/2 Part Orange peel
1/2 Part Rose petals

Burn during Ostara rituals.

SPRING EQUINOX INCENSE
1 part frankincense
1 1/2 parts dragons blood
1 part Benzoin
1/2 part sandalwood
1/2 part violet
1/2 part cinquefoil
1 drop jasmine oil


OSTARA INCENSE
1 part gorse flower
1 part Benison
1/2 part bistort
1/2 part pine resin
3 parts frankincense
1/2 part bluebell flowers
1 part acacia


SPRINGTIME INCENSE
5 parts red sandalwood
3 parts fennel
3 parts rue
4 parts cinnamon
rose oil -- 10 ml per 8 oz. dry ingredient mixture

SPRING SABBAT INCENSE
3 parts Frankincense
2 parts Sandalwood
1 part Benzoin
1 part Cinnamon
a few drops Patchouli oil

Burn during spring and summer Sabbat rituals.

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Ostara Incense

Author Unknown



OSTARA INCENSE 2 parts Frankincense

1 part Benzoin

1 part Dragon's Blood

1/2 part Nutmeg

1/2 part Violet Flowers (or a few drops of violet oil)

1/2 part Orange Peel

1/2 part Rose Petals

Burn during Wiccan rituals on Ostara or to Welcome the Spring & to refresh your life.



SPRING SABBAT INCENSE 3 part Frankincense

2 parts Sandalwood

1 part Benzoin

1 part Cinnamon

few drops Patchouly Oil

Burn during Spring & Summer Sabbat rituals.



Incense To Honor The Goddess Of Spring

Source: Ostara by Edain McCoy



You will need a heat-resistant bowl or censor and some matches and charcoal blocks specifically made to burn incense. Don’t be tempted to use the charcoal chunks used for outdoor grilling as these contain chemical accelerants to help the coals burn fast and hot. In enclosed spaces the fumes can be toxic and they do nothing to add to the magick or atmosphere of Ostara rituals.



Light the incense charcoal and on top of them, toss a combination of any of the following dried and crushed herbs:



Clover
Vervain
Hibiscus
Briony
Lemon Verbena
Sweet Pea
Jasmine
Myrtle


Incense To Honor The God Of Spring

Source: Ostara by Edain McCoy



You will need a heat-resistant bowl or censor and some matches and charcoal blocks specifically made to burn incense. Don’t be tempted to use the charcoal chunks used for outdoor grilling as these contain chemical accelerants to help the coals burn fast and hot. In enclosed spaces the fumes can be toxic and they do nothing to add to the magick or atmosphere of Ostara rituals.



Light the incense charcoal and on top of them, toss a combination of any of the following dried and crushed herbs:



Cedar Chips
Wormwood
Mullien
Poppy Seed
Ginger
Clove
Skullcap
Cinnamon