(Art by Amanda Jane Clark ~ please visit her shop, Earth Angel’s Art)

Ostara

Eostre or Ostara of Spring is a goddess in Germanic and Celtic tradition who is the namesake of the festival of Easter.

In her various forms, she is a spring-like fertility goddess associated with dawn. Also associated with Eostre or the Norse Goddess, Freyja. Her focus is on balance and the equilibrium between night and day at the Spring Equinox.

It is a time for new beginnings, for planting seeds that will bear much fruit and for celebration of the rebirth of the soil, the land, and oneself.

Celebrated all over the world and in different cultures including Easter, Feast of the Annunciation (Christian), Lady Day, Celebration of the Goddesses, Venus (Roman) and Aphrodite (Greek), Eostre or Ostara (Old English), Hewsos or Austro (Proto-Indo-European goddess of the Dawn), Easter, Eastre (Old High German).

When: March 20 or 21
Season: Spring or the Vernal Equinox
Represents: Spring Equinox, Easter, balance of day and night
Virtues: Growth, Union, Renewal
Symbols: Egg, Egg Coloring, Rabbit, Flowers,
Gemstone: Amethyst, Agate, Blue Lace, Aventurine, Bloodstone, Chiastolite, Citrine, Rose Quartz
Color: Green, Pink, Violet, Yellow
Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, Lavender, Rose, Sandalwood
Remedies: Bee Pollen, Bilberry, Blessed Thistle, Burdock Root, Calendula Flower, Catnip, Chamomile, Chaste Tree Berry, Cramp Bark, Dandelion, Eye Bright, Hydrangea Root, Milk Thistle Seed, Mullien Leaf, Nettle Leaf, Passion Flower, Wild Cherry Bark
Flowers: Daffodil, Gorse, Iris, Narcissus, Peony, Violet, Woodruff
Element: Air
Direction: East
Life Event: Renewal, Rebirth
Lunar: Growing Moon or Full Pink Moon
Body Healing: Fertility
Mind Healing: Spring Depression
Spirit Healing: Sacred Spirit
Ostara Meditation: Walking
Ostara Connections: Resin Incense, Celtic Candles, Essential Oil Blends, Celtic Amulets, Celtic Crystals, Celtic Astrology

Learn more about this Celtic celebration…

4th Celtic Moon

(March 18 – April 14) (The Trailblazer): The Alder Moon At the time of the Spring Equinox, or Ostara, and the Alder tree are flourishing on riverbanks, their roots in the water, bridging that mystical air between both heaven and earth.

The Alder month, called Fearn by the Celts, (pronounced fairin), is a time for making spiritual decisions, magic relating to prophecy and divination, and getting in touch with your own intuitive processes and abilities.

Alder flowers and twigs are known as charms to be used in Faerie magic. Whistles were once made out of Alder shoots to call upon Air spirits, so it’s an ideal wood for making a pipe or flute if you’re musically inclined.

See: Celtic Birth Tree: Alder

 

Air

Air represents the breath of life! It is an exchange of electrons or flow of energy. Air is the primary nutrient. Survival without it is measured in minutes.

It is so important that you do it without thinking. Your breathing is the voice of your spirit. It’s depth, smoothness, sound, and rate reflect your mood.

The gift of Air is flexibility, and their ability to experience life through many prisms. They’re often excellent communicators, storytellers, interpreters and journalists. They link people together socially, and often have a curiosity that keeps them out and about.

The Celts gave gender and ruling to the elements. Air is considered masculine element. It is the elder spirit, associated with the aspect of the Old Man or Green Man.

Eggs

In both the Celtic and Russian traditions, placing eggs on burial sites or burying their dead with eggs, reinforced the fact that the egg was a powerful symbol of immortality, resurrection and rebirth!

The coloring of eggs has also been a long standing tradition representing the promise of joy, happiness and rebirth. The Christian concept of Easter connects the holiday of Easter with the renewal of life through the egg. It is a representative of the renewal, resurrection and rebirth of Christ.

The “World Egg” is an ancient story about how the Universe “hatched” and the Hindu’s believe the yolk became heaven and the white became earth. The Shinto believed the entire Universe was contained in a huge egg, standing upright. In Alchemy, the Philosopher’s Egg represents the seed of spiritual life and a place where great change or transformation occurs.

Spring Rituals

~ Light a candle an Easter candle – to celebrate rebirth and new beginnings. “Renew your spirit” as a source of promise. Say a prayer, state an intention or make a positive affirmation.

~ Blend essential oils of rose absolut, lavender and jasmine to use as a perfume, anoint candles, eggs, jewelry, to “embrace the goddess” and the ability to “honor the renewal of life”.

~ Gather some of your favorite crystals together to use as powerful tools representing love and fertility (rose quartz), heart’s desires and spring (aventurine), the sun and renewal (citirne), the veil of the goddess/virgin (blue lace agate), courage and the martyr stone (bloodstone) and the cross stone (chiastolite).

~ Light some incense and burn them as a cleansing ritual, a rite of Spring, to clear away negative thought and energy.

Ostara Blessing   

“Balance of light and dark are here,
Take this time to find what’s dear,
creative spark and fertile life,
release me from the winter’s strife.
With promise of renewal strong
Those days of winter nights are gone,
So bless me with rebirth of light,
And start this season off, alright.”
~ Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac 

Celebrate Your Wheel of Life

~ more stories, magic, history and authentic Celtic products…

Click here
0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop