So you already know that for me, the new year doesn't start on January 1st... (see my blog about New Year)...
One thing I love about following nature's calendar is that there's so many opportunities for starting over and new beginnings, depending on what it is you're intending to change!
And one of the most significant of these opportunities is OSTARA.
A major festival in the Pagan Wheel of the Year, Ostara is usually observed at the Spring Equinox, around 20-21 March - the moment when day and night are exactly the same length - the tipping point from days being shorter than nights - so from here until autumn equinox, we will have longer days and more hours of daylight. It's no accident that this festival also falls at the same time as the Astrological New Year, coinciding with the jump into fiery Aries Season, the first sign of the Zodiac.
This is a huge time of rebirth and regeneration - we are all coming out of our long winter slumber and often we experience surges of vitality and enthusiasm at this time, prompting us to make changes, clear out old and stagnant energies and leaving the lethargy of the dark months behind us. "Spring Cleaning" is a typical activity during this time of year and this not only applies to our homes and physical environments but also an internal cleansing of outdated behaviours and unwanted thoughts, attitudes and attachments which once served us but do so no longer...
Thoughts and ponderings during this time might focus on how we can make improvements in life and what we can leave behind in order to make space for new opportunities to flow in...
We might start to see the stirrings of life in any seeds we planted during the autumn time - ideas we had back then might start to show signs of coming forth into reality as we have had time to nurture those ideas and now have the energy to put things into action.
It's yet another time to see and appreciate nature's abundance and beauty as plants start to show buds, leaves start to appear on the trees and blossom prettifies the countryside... birds and animals are starting to come out of hiding and we turn our thoughts to spending more time outside to soak up the warmth in the extra available sunlight.
It's quite typical to feel chaotic and turbulent around this time of transition as nature, energy and all the elements of life are being brought into balance - and as a new tide of life begins, the old ways must be broken down. This can lead to feelings of vulnerability and even fear but it's worth remembering that this is all perfectly normal - so take comfort in knowing that all things will fall into place as they should, as long as you can place your trust in the process...
ORIGINS OF THE OSTARA FESTIVAL
There is little available information from primary sources about the pagan origins of this festival and indeed, it's often doubted whether ancient pagans celebrated Ostara at all - however, they did observe the Spring Equinox and whether Ostara be a relatively modern celebration or a cleverly-shrouded ancient one doesn't detract from its relevance in a cyclical system of living today...
The festival is often placed alongside the Christian celebration of Easter which arrives at the same time and echoes many of the same symbolism of death and rebirth/resurrection.
OSTARA CORRESPONDENCES
Deities associated with Ostara include (but not limited to):
Eostre (Teutonic goddess)
Freya (Norse goddess)
Osiris (Ancient Egyptian god)
Saraswati (Hindu goddess)
Ishtar (Mesopotamian goddess)
Ostara (Anglo-Saxon goddess)
Cerunnos (Celtic horned god)
Cybele (Ancient Roman mother goddess)
Persephone (Ancient Greek goddess)
Asase Yaa (Ghanaian goddess)
Apollo (Ancient Greek god)
Ostara Colours
black and white (to represent opposites and the balance between light and dark)
green
yellow
pastel colours
Ostara Symbols
butterflies
hares/rabbits
eggs
spring flowers
baskets
fairies
Ostara Crystals
amethyst
moonstone
rose quartz
clear/milky quartz
aquamarine
Ostara Herbs and Flowers
rose
thyme
lemon balm
daffodils
crocuses
tulips
lavender
HOW CAN YOU INCORPORATE OSTARA INTO YOUR PRACTICE?
As an Aries myself, I find this time of year really exciting - I always have this burst of energy and I feel like I'm ready to go again with all those half-finished projects I left behind during the previous cycle, as well as being inspired to start afresh on the new ideas I've been incubating all through the winter...
This week, I've been subconsciously obsessed with all things ROSE related... (rose is one of my birth flowers and a personal favourite in the world of beautiful blooms)
I bought some rose essential oil last week and all this week I've been drinking Rose Tea - it only occurred to me today about how in-tune with the time of year this was!
In order to bring Ostara into your practice, it's simply a case of getting out into nature, take some time to appreciate whats happening around you and soak in the fresh energy of spring.
REMEMBER: rituals don't have to b long and complicated unless you want them to be... maybe you'll make/eat honey cakes or hot cross buns - maybe you'll sit in contemplation of how far you've come and where you want to go next - maybe you will mindfully fill your journal with doodles or make a mood board - maybe you'll sip your tea in the garden whilst listening to the birds - you could even try starting the chanting of positive affirmations in order to help you make your dreams a reality! Each morning three times in the mirror is usually enough to get you started!
How do you observe Ostara/Spring Equinox/Easter? I always love to hear about your thoughts and experiences!
with love and light,
Cheryl