Ostara Intro

The celebration of the Vernal Equinox, the border between winter and spring, is known by a variety of names; we chose “Ostara,” an easy-to-pronounce variant of the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess said to lie behind an ancient seasonal festival. Historian Ronald Hutton examines the evidence for such a festival in his 1996 book The Stations of the Sun. He notes that the 8th-century English monk known as the Venerable Bede was curious as to why Germanic-speaking areas of Europe did not derive their name for this celebration from the Passover, a Jewish holiday translated into Christian observance, as was common in most other areas. Bede speculated that the Germanic name (which derives from an Indo-European root meaning “dawn” and survives in the modern terms Ostern and Easter) came from a pagan goddess called Eostre who presided over this time of year. However, Bede admits that this is entirely his own idea and is not based on any real research. Hutton writes, “It is therefore quite possible to argue that Bede’s Eostre was a Germanic dawn-deity who was venerated, appropriately, at this season of opening and new beginnings. It is equally valid, however, to suggest that the Anglo-Saxon ‘Estor-monath’ simply meant ‘the month of opening’ or ‘the month of beginnings,’ and that Bede mistakenly connected it with a goddess who either never existed at all, or was never associated with a particular season but merely, like Eos and Aurora, with the dawn itself” (p. 180).

Regardless, the Vernal Equinox does mark a time of new beginnings as we step back into the light half of the year. In constructing my graphic of the Wheel of the Year, seen above, I searched for an appropriate dichotomy to mark this axis and settled on Hello/Goodbye. In this sense, “hello” encompasses not just a greeting between friendly folks but also a sense of emergence—new life, new growth, new ideas. We’re on that boundary between “cold” and “life” and can let ourselves be open to the feelings that come with the imminent blossoming of spring. “Hello” can serve as a theme for Ostara celebrations; as we get ready to shake off our winter blues and embrace the return of the green—to come out of our refuge, rejoin the wider community, and start a new day. It makes sense, then, to name our celebration after a personification of the dawn.

Ostara Ritual

Celebration for Ostara, the Vernal Equinox

Opening Poem

Suggested reading: “Persephone Returning” by Alison Stone

The Vernal Equinox and the Meaning of Ostara

Tonight we gather once again to honor the ever-turning wheel of the year. The cycles of the year, like the cycles of our lives, have neither beginning nor end. Their movement is constant, yet not repetitive. No year, no season, no day, no life is exactly like the one that came before or that will come after. Every season is unique, and every life is unique.

Like galaxies spiraling through the universe, the paths of our lives also spiral, forever moving us forward. Although the Earth circles the sun, the sun itself is circling the core of the galaxy, creating a spiral path for our planet. Everything in the galaxy follows a spiral path. Therefore, the Earth’s journey, though constant, also never repeats itself.

Twice a year, the Earth seems to pause in its journey around the sun, as it reaches the balance point between day and night. On these days, the equinoxes, we pause also, to celebrate the life-sustaining cycles of light and dark and reflect on the turning wheel of life and death. We celebrate with flame, whether the flicker of candlelight or the roar of a bonfire, to remind us of the energy of the sun and the creative spark of the cosmos beyond.

When the day and the night are of equal length, we are reminded of the equality of all living things—for they are all aspects of Gaea, our living world. From the smallest microbe to the largest redwood, we are all united in life and stand as equals on this planet. When we pause in this moment, we remember this truth, and renew our commitment to caring for the Earth, for each other, and for ourselves.

On this day, the vernal equinox, light and darkness are in balance. Behind us lies the long, cold winter; before us lies the promise of the spring. As the earth softens and the waters begin to flow, we welcome the return of the light. The winter’s long dark nights have given us the time and the space to turn inward, to reflect, and to renew ourselves. Now, the world around us stirs itself, and our senses rejoice at the fresh blossoms, green grasses, and all varieties of new life that appear around us.

The vernal equinox is a moment for us to pause and reflect upon that which we need to release and that which we need to pull closer. What hopes, fears, habits, beliefs, or relationships are we holding onto even though they no longer inspire our best selves? Can we let go of them in order to make space for new ideas, new people, and new endeavors?

As seeds are germinating all around us, we can ask what seeds have we sown in our own lives? How might our past accomplishments inspire us to seek out new goals and projects? In the coming summer, what do we want to learn, to create, to nurture? This is the wonder of Ostara, to honor all that we have made manifest in our lives, and to look forward to the productive days that are yet to come.

Candle Lighting

I light this candle in the name of the Ancestors, the Guardians, and all the holy ones who walk the world. May its light guide all the kindly spirits to bless this place.

I light this candle in the name of learning. May its flame remind us to look towards the unknown with curiosity and an open mind.

I light this candle in the name of creativity. May its glow inspire us and give us the confidence to share our true selves with the world.

I light this candle in the name of friendship. May its light continue to bring us together, so that we might offer each other joy, comfort, and company.

I light this candle in the name of the sun. May its flame warm our spirit and stay with us in the months to come.

I light this candle in the name of the Earth. May it illuminate our path through the coming year and remind us to walk with peace and compassion for all Gaea’s children.

Closing Poem

Suggested reading: “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth