The Sabbat of Ostara

Ostara (Spring Equinox)

 March 20-23 dependent on actual astronomical event
Lesser Sabbat

God and Goddess:
Balance. The longest day and longest night, not winter and not yet spring, the rebirth of nature and the return of the God who comes to join the Maiden to bring new life and fertility to the coming growing seasons.

General:
This is the start in the pagan year of Spring, at least among Wiccans and Celtics. We honor the rebirth of mother nature and the coming of spring. The first flowers are praised and the God and Goddess thanked for the true return to happier times for all. Ostara is one of the more colorful holidays, not one of the somber colors found in Yule and Candlemas. Feasting and socializing are the important factors in this holiday as well as the celebration of the return of color to the natural world. Also time for some deep Spring Cleaning!!!

In History: 
Easter gets its name from the Teutonic goddess of spring and the dawn, whose name is spelled Oestre or Eastre (the origin of the word "east" comes from various Germanic, Austro-Hungarian words for dawn that share the root for the word "aurora" which means " to shine"). Modern pagans have generally accepted the spelling "Ostara" which honors this goddess as our word for the Vernal Equinox. The 1974 edition of Webster's New World Dictionary defines Easter thus: "orig., name of pagan vernal festival almost coincident in date with paschal festival of the church; Eastre, dawn goddess; 1. An annual Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, held on the first Sunday after the date of the first full moon that occurs on or after March 21." The Vernal Equinox usually falls somewhere between March 19th and 22nd (note that the dictionary only mentions March 21st, as opposed to the date of the actual Equinox), and depending upon when the first full moon on or after the Equinox occurs, Easter falls sometime between late-March and mid-April.

Because the Equinox and Easter are so close, many Catholics and others who celebrate Easter often see this holiday (which observes Christ's resurrection from the dead after his death on Good Friday) as being synonymous with rebirth and rejuvenation: the symbolic resurrection of Christ is echoed in the awakening of the plant and animal life around us. But if we look more closely at some of these Easter customs, we will see that the origins are surprisingly, well, pagan! Eggs, bunnies, candy, Easter baskets, new clothes, all these "traditions" have their origin in practices which may have little or nothing to do with the Christian holiday.

Traditions:

Eggs:
The modern belief that eggs are delivered by a rabbit, comes from the legend of the Goddess Eostre. Eostre was walking one fine Spring day and came upon a beautiful little bird. The poor bird's wing was badly injured and Eostre, feeling great compassion for the little creature, wanted to heal it. But the little bird' wing was so badly damaged that Eostre knew it would never be able to fly again even after She healed it. So, Eostre decided to help the bird by healing it in a way that would give it mobility and a little something more… She turned it into a rabbit!
During the transformation, the rabbit retained the ability to lay eggs. The rabbit was so grateful to Eostre for saving its life that it laid a sacred egg in Her honor, joyously decorated it and then humbly presented it to the Goddess. She was so pleased and so touched by the rabbit's thoughtful gift that She wished all humankind to share in her joy. In honoring her wishes, the rabbit went all over the world distributing these beautifully decorated little gifts of life and continues to do so even today.

Easter Bunny:
Clearly the association of rabbits with Easter has something to do with fertility magic. Anyone who has kept rabbits as pets or knows anything about their biology has no question about the origin of the phrase "f*** like a bunny." These cute furry creatures reproduce rapidly, and often! Same with chicks, who emerge wobbly and slimy from their eggs only to become fluffy, yellow and cute within a few hours. The Easter Bunny may well have its origin in the honoring of rabbits in spring as an animal sacred to the goddess Eostre, much as horses are sacred to the Celtic Epona, and the crow is sacred to the Morrigan. As a goddess of spring, she presides over the realm of the conception and birth of babies, both animal and human, and of the pollination, flowering and ripening of fruits in the plant kingdom. Sexual activity is the root of all of life: to honor this activity is to honor our most direct connection to nature.

Celebration:
On the eve of Ostara, when the sun has set, honor the fertility of the season by sorting seeds to be honored during a festival ritual. If you have children, of if you're a kid at heart, this is a good time to boil eggs and decorate them with beautiful colors and symbols.

As the night progresses, decorate your alter with simple symbols and conduct a simple ritual honoring the rebirth of Mother Nature and the coming of spring. Once your honoring has been completed, spend the rest of your evening on introspection. While the world is quiet and at peace, review your current life and take stock of your emotions toward yourself, others and events in your life. Try not to justify anger or sadness by placing the responsibility of what might be occurring in your life upon someone else. Rather step back without blame and take a look at how you and your actions have contributed to the events, good or bad, in your life. For those things that are working well, commend yourself. Give yourself some credit and think of something you can do as a celebration. For those things that have not been going well, take responsibility for your part in the event and forgive yourself of the actions, words or even thoughts that may have contributed to the event. Then think of way to turn things around.

On the day of Ostara, plan a walk through the park or arboretum. Hide the eggs you decorated, and help your children play games to find them. Work in your garden or flower beds and prepare them for the growing season. Spend the afternoon sharing in the preparation of a feast of celebration. A ham, vegetables, and potatoes are always a good sampling for the spring holiday. We like to add an ice cream cake decorated in the shape or symbology of a colorful egg to represent the fertility and warming trend of the season.

Ritual Ideas:

Ostara Ritual:
1. For this ritual, you'll want to decorate your altar with symbols of the season. Think about all the colors you see in nature at this time of year -- bright daffodils, crocuses, plump tulips, green shoots -- and incorporate them into your altar. This is also a time of fertility in the natural world -- the egg is the perfect representation of this aspect of the season. Symbols of young animals such as lambs, chicks, and calves are also great altar adornments for Ostara.
2. In addition, you'll need the following:
• Three candles -- one yellow, one green, and one purple (pastels if possible)
• A bowl of milk
• A small bowl of honey or sugar
Perform this ritual outside if at all possible, in the early morning as the sun rises. It's spring, so it may be a bit chilly, but it's a good time to reconnect with the earth. If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now.
3. Begin by taking a moment to focus on the air around you. Inhale deeply, and see if you can smell the change in the seasons. Depending on where you live, the air may have an earthy aroma, or a rainy one, or even smell like green grass. Sense the shift in energy as the Wheel of the Year has turned. Light the green candle, to symbolize the blossoming earth. As you light it, say:
The Wheel of the Year turns once more,
and the vernal equinox arrives.
Light and dark are equal, 
and the soil begins to change.
The earth awakes from its slumber,
and new life springs forth once more.
4. Next, light the yellow candle, representing the sun. As you do so, say:
The sun draws ever closer to us,
greeting the earth with its welcoming rays.
Light and dark are equal,
and the sky fills with light and warmth.
The sun warms the land beneath our feet,
and gives life to all in its path.
5. Finally, light the purple candle. This one represents the Divine in our lives -- whether you call it a god or a goddess, whether you identify it by name or simply as a universal life force, this is the candle which stands for all the things we do not know, all those things we cannot understand, but that are the sacred in our daily lives. As you light this candle, focus on the Divine around and within you. Say:
6. Spring has come! For this, we are thankful!
The Divine is present all around,
in the cool fall of a rain storm,
in the tiny buds of a flower,
in the down of a newborn chick,
in the fertile fields waiting to be planted,
in the sky above us,
and in the earth below us.
We thank the universe* for all it has to offer us,
and are so blessed to be alive on this day.
Welcome, life! Welcome, light! Welcome, spring!
7. Take a moment and meditate on the three flames before you and what they symbolize. Consider your own place within these three things -- the earth, the sun, and the Divine. How do you fit into the grand scheme of things? How do you find balance between light and dark in your own life?
Finally, blend the milk and honey together, mixing gently. Pour it onto the ground around your altar space as an offering to the earth**. As you do, you may wish to say something like:
I make this offering to the earth,
As thanks for the many blessings I have received,
And those I shall someday receive.
8. Once you have made your offering, stand for a minute facing your altar. Feel the cool earth beneath your feet, and the sun on your face. Take in every sensation of this moment, and know that you are in a perfect place of balance between light and dark, winter and summer, warmth and cold -- a time of polarity and harmony.
When you are ready, end the ritual. Open circle.
Tips:
1. * Instead of "the Universe", feel free to insert the name of your patron deity or the gods of your tradition here.
2. ** If you're doing this rite indoors, take your bowl of milk and honey and pour it in your garden, or around your yard.

Simple Ostara Ritual 

Items needed: Candle of appropriate color or shape, lighter or matches, enough dirt or potting soil to hold the candle securely (best if it’s out of your yard or garden!), a container to hold the dirt and candle

Place the dirt into your container. Place the candle into the dirt, making sure that it is stable and secure.

Cast circle

Sit for a few moments and center yourself. Think of the coming spring and what new beginnings you’d like to start in your own life. When you are ready, light the candle and say these words (or words you’ve written yourself):

“I light this candle in honor of Ostara, the Spring Equinox! I honor the changing of the seasons, and the reawakening of the earth. With spring comes lighter days, sprouting seeds and new beginnings. With the spring comes my vow to work towards these new beginnings in my own life (state what new beginnings you’ll work toward this season). So mote it be!”

Open circle.

Let the candle burn as long as you can (never leave it unattended). Snuff the candle out when you feel ready.
When you are actively working on something to help you move forward on your new beginning goals, or when you need a bit of inspiration in moving forward, relight the candle to help you on your way.

Ostara Correspondences

Element: 
Air

Threshold:
Dawn

Herbs:
Acorns, celandine, tansy, cinquefoil, crocus, daffodil, dogwood, irish moss, ginger, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, hyssop, linden, strawberry, violets.

Gemstones:
Rose quartz, moonstone, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, red jasper

Incense/Oil:
African violet, lotus, jasmine, rose, magnolia, sage, lavender, narcissus, ginger, broom, strawberry

Colors/Candles:
Gold, light green, grass green, robin’s egg blue, lemon yellow, pale pink, anything pastel

Animal/Mythical beings:
Unicorn, merfolk, Pegasus, rabbit, chicks, swallows snakes

Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
Colored eggs, baskets, green clothes, shamrock, equilateral cross, butterfly, cocoons, sprouting plants, violets, lily, spring wildflowers, new clothes, lamb

Goddesses:
Eostre, Ostara, Kore, Maiden, Isis, Astarte, Ishtar, Minerva, Youthful Goddesses, Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake, the Green Goddess

Gods:
Hare, Green Man, Youthful Gods, Warrior Gods, Taliesin, Dagda, Cernunnos, Pan, Adonis

Essence:
Strength, birthing, completion, power, love, sexuality, embodiment of spirit, fertility, opening, beginning.

Dynamics/Meaning:
The God comes of age, sexual union of the Lord and Lady, sprouting, greening, balance of light and dark.

Purpose:
Plant and animal fertility, sowing

Rituals/Magick:
Spell crafting, invention, new growth, new projects, seed blessing

Customs:
Wearing green, new clothes, Celtic bird festival, egg baskets, coloring eggs, bird watching, egg hunt, starting new projects, spring planting.

Foods:
Light foods, fish, maple sugar candies, hot crossed buns, sweet breads, hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, seasonal fruits, milk punch, egg drinks.

Not my video, but I like it.