Spring · oh-STAR-ah
Ostara
The spring equinox: light and dark in balance, with the light growing. Commonly kept as a festival of balance, fertility of the land and fresh energy.
History
The name comes from Ēostre, a goddess mentioned once by the eighth-century writer Bede. Ostara as a Wiccan sabbat is a modern creation from the mid-twentieth century.
Traditional themes
Common correspondences
Correspondence tables are modern conventions collected from folklore and ceremonial magic. Traditions vary, and none of this is required.
- Colours:
- Pale green, yellow, sky blue, soft pink
- In nature:
- Buds, blossom, birdsong, seeds
- Foods:
- Eggs, greens, sprouted things, honey
- Themes:
- Equilibrium, planting, hopefulness
Ways to celebrate
- Plant a seed in a cup of soil on a windowsill.
- Open the windows and let the house air for ten minutes.
- Write two columns: what's growing in your life, and what needs balancing.
A simple beginner practice
Go outside and listen for birdsong for three minutes. Count how many different calls you can hear. Nature observation is a genuine core of Wiccan practice, and no tools are needed.
Read about the historical evidence (and the debates) around Ēostre, and how modern holidays borrowed the name.
Read the full Ostara lessonRonald Hutton, The Stations of the Sun (Oxford University Press, 1996)
A history of the ritual year in Britain, based on documented custom rather than folklore retellings.
Ronald Hutton, The Triumph of the Moon (2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2019)
The standard academic account of how modern pagan witchcraft, and its calendar, were assembled.
Where reliable evidence is limited, we say so rather than filling the gap.