The Wheel Of The Year Turns To Ostara
The Wheel of the Year now turns to Ostara- the celebration of rebirth, where we honour the Goddess Eostre. Here in the Western Hemisphere this is also known as the Spring or Vernal Equinox. There is, of course, the connection of the name Ostara and the Goddess Eostre to the Christian festival of Easter. We can also trace the European name of the Goddess Eostre back to her older names of Ishtar and Astarte, in earlier cultures.
As we turn to this time we joyfully embrace the return of life to the Earth after the long, long darkness of the Winter months. All the times on the Wheel of the Year have their profound connection to the eternal life cycle and to the progression of our own soul journey. Ostara is always the one that lifts my soul and my spirits the most.
It uplifts us all to see the bursting forth of new life and we can go outside and fully embrace it. Glowing daffodils suddenly appear and the birds begin to sing as dawn arrives earlier. The trees bring forth their buds and blossom. Ostara is that wonderful reminder that rebirth will always happen, even after the darkest of times and to us this is reassuring and special.
The traditional symbols and images of The Goddess and fertility are visible everywhere at the moment - in nature and in wider culture. Eggs, new born chicks, March hares and rabbits being the most obvious and visible examples.
If this reads as too Pagan or arcane, we only have to look at the displays in supermarkets or shops and on the now ubiquitous shopping websites at this time on the Wheel of the Year.
See for yourselves the abundance of Ostara and Goddess symbols on display in the 'Easter' sections. Our ancient roots in the Old Religion are far more deeply planted in our modern world than we realise...
An Ostara Ritual
One of the most traditional rituals is the Spring Cleanse. At this time I love to de-clutter my home and to give a thorough cleanse with water steeped in fresh rosemary and lemon.
Rosemary is one of the most powerful natural plants for psychic protection for yourself and your home. It's traditionally placed in and around doorways to dispel or ward off bad energy. Lemon oil is one of the best aromatherapy scents for lifting your mood and your spirits.
The use of natural beeswax on furniture will also add the most delicious scent, along with the gorgeous natural sheen it will give. We can bring the energy of nature right into our homes with these ways to Spring Cleanse.
I always like to make an energetic ritual of the Spring Cleanse by completing it with a thorough smudging of all the rooms with white sage, to dispel any old, stale energy that is no longer needed in my home or my life.
Open your windows after you've smudged each room and focus your thoughts on old patterns of behaviour, circumstance or situations you wish to release. As you then invite in the Spring energy to assist you in birthing the new, you can speak or chant your wishes and affirmations
In love, we only have to observe the behaviour of the birds and animals around us to know that this is the most fertile time! If you're single, maybe it's time to think about meeting potential partners in ways you haven't tried before. Get creative about finding romantic connections...
If you're partnered up, it's the perfect time to rediscover things about each other or to try new things together that make you see your partner in a different light. Rebirth your relationship!
Whichever way you choose to embrace the energy of Ostara, remember to look around you on these lighter mornings and observe~ even for just a few minutes. The world is waking up again, reminding us that life is a cycle and there is always the opportunity to embrace rebirth in some aspect of our lives, even in these most trying times. Happy Ostara/Spring Equinox.
Have a wonderful and blessed time, wherever you are and may the arrival of Spring bring joy..!