Also known as Ostara, Lady day, Egg day, and Alban Eiler, which means "Light of the Earth".
This Festival is celebrated between March 19th and March 22nd.
On this day the hours of light and dark become equal again as the do on the Mabon/ Autumnal Equinox.
After this day the hours of light will grow longer and longer bringing with it a renewal of life to the Earth. This is a great time to begin planning and planting your gardens!
Many cultures celebrate the returning of Spring during this time of year each encompassing various expressions of life and fertility.
For Wiccan's this as a time of renewal and rebirth. A time to commune with the God and Goddess and our connection to them within our natural world. It is a time to restore balance, both spiritually and physically.
The Goddess Eostre was the Saxon version of the Germanic Goddess Ostara. Her feast begins on the first full moon following the Vernal or Spring Equinox.
A popular legend of Eostre tells of her finding a bird late in the winter. Laying helpless and wounded on the ground Eostre saves the bird's life by transforming it into a hare. However, the transformation was not complete, The creature took on the appearance of the hare but still held the ability to lay eggs. The hare, most grateful for her kindness would decorate the eggs and leave them as gifts for Eostre each year.
Easter eggs anyone?
The English monk and historian Bede recorded that the Goddess Eostre's name was adopted in England for the Christian holiday of Easter, which is celebrated on the Sunday after the full moon following the Vernal or Spring equinox.
Eostre is the Goddess of dawn and was often depicted as a young woman surrounded by light, budding trees and flowers.
Ostara is a celebration of light and balance. Often times houses were cleared out to restore the home's balance. It is said that if you drink from a spring at dawn at this time, it would restore balance and health to the body!
Ostara Altar Ideas:
Place a pale green altar cloth on your altar and drape some pastel colored scarves over it.
Add A Pentagram in the middle.
Around the Pentagram place pastel votive candles, (yellow, and pink, ect...) at the four cardinal directions.
A silver candle for the Goddess and a gold candle for the God, placed at the top of your altar.
Your chalice should contain milk and honey.
Add a basket of decorated eggs, a ladybug and a caterpillar and a small ceramic rabbit.
Place some spring flowers around your altar.
~Shine Boldly~
~Mary & Renee~
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