Ostara 2022

Called after a Germanic goddess of Spring, Ostara is celebrated at the Vernal (Spring) Equinox. Because the date varies from year to year, we generally standardize it as 21^st March. On the Wiccan calendar, Ostara is mid-Spring, and we rejoice in the now-obvious plant growth and the health of Spring-born livestock and wildlife.

 

A Way to Celebrate Ostara

Ground-nesting birds and the wacky mating behavior of hares give us the tradition of the “Easter” bunny. Coloring eggs contributes to the Sun’s growth and all kinds of fertility (including creativity). You may not be able to dye hard-boiled eggs to exchange, but you can decorate paper eggs. Once you’ve got an egg-shape torn or cut from paper, decorate one side as you might an “Easter” egg, with one bright color or with a colorful pattern. Draw a sun on the other side, and around the sun write a blessing. You can write May all your projects succeed, or simply Blessings of Spring, if you don’t want to come up with something on your own.

 

If you are doing ritual with others, put all the eggs on the altar so that everyone can take one. If you are celebrating on your own, make two or three eggs (each with different decorations and blessings), and “hide” them in your house to hunt for during your rite.

 

An Ostara Toast

Here’s to Ostara, the middle of Spring!

Here’s to the flowers, our Mother Earth’s bling!

Here’s to the God as he grows ever stronger,

and here’s the days we can see getting longer.

Here’s to Ostara, the middle of Spring

and to the blessings our turning Wheel will bring.