The Spring Equinox (Ostara) will occur on March 20, 2022, marking the first day of Spring. At this time of year, we begin to feel the strength of the sun on our skin and see the snow melt in its rays. This is a celebration of the Maiden aspect of the Triple Goddess when she is reborn out of her Crone form during the Winter months. She is reunited with her consort the Horned God (Pan, Cernunnos, The Green Man) to render the Earth fertile and abundant again.
At the equinoxes the day and night are equal length. This reminds us of the balance and harmony of the cycles of Nature, that one season does not hold sway over another, and that all things are born, die and then reborn anew. Equinoxes occur between the two Solstices – the Summer Solstice (Litha), the longest day of the year and the Winter Solstice (Yule), the shortest day of the year.
Ostara is perfect for spells and rituals aimed at fertility, prosperity, abundance, balance, rebirth and new beginnings.
Your Ostara Altar
You can decorate your altar with eggs, rabbit statues or baby chicks. Some appropriate flowers would include daffodils, primrose, crocus, violets and candles in pastel colours like pale green, yellow, pink, light blue or purple.
How can you celebrate?
Some ritual ideas include burying a raw egg at your front door to attract abundance into your home, burn pastel-coloured candles in yellow, pink, light blue or purple to commemorate the budding flowers, meditate on all that you have to be grateful for and the abundance Mother Earth provides, and bask in the warmth of the sun and welcome its healing rays. You could also make an offering to the Earth by heating some milk and honey on the stove or in the microwave, taking a sip while thanking the Earth for all it provides and then pouring the rest out into the ground to share with the Goddess/Gaia and the Horned God.
You could conduct a more elaborate ritual by combining these elements by placing a different coloured candle at each of the cardinal directions, one to represent East/Air (yellow), West/Water (blue), South/Fire (orange), and North/Earth (green). Start by lighting the candle in the East, moving from East to South, then West to North, inviting each of the Elements to participate in your Ostara celebration. After having invoked the Elements, focus on the Goddess as Mother Earth/Gaia and think about how She provides for you. Imagine the Horned God as representing the seeds of the Earth from which all of the crops, plants, flowers and trees grow. Have your drink of milk and honey on hand, stir it with the index finger of your dominant hand, thanking Nature, Gaia and the Elements.
Take a sip of your drink, saying thank you, feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin and connect with the Earth under your feet. At this point if you want to say a chant or prayer, do so, then slowly pour the remainder of the drink out into the Earth as an offering of gratitude. Take a few moments to get comfortable - if you can sit on the ground, do so. Listen to the Earth, the Air, the wind in the trees and commune with Nature. Use your intuition to see if you receive any visions or ideas to guide you on your path. When you’ve had time to commune with Nature, put your candles out in reverse order – starting with the North, then moving West, South, then East, thanking them individually for lending their time, help, and support to your ritual.
An Ostara Recipe
Ostara Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ C milk
- 2-1/2 t active dry yeast
- 3 ¼ C to 4 C flour
- 1 C rolled oats
- 1/3 C maple syrup or table syrup
- 1 t salt
- ¼ C butter or margarine
- ¼ C warm water
- 2 ½ t flax seed soaked in 3 T water
- 1 t cinnamon
ICING
- 1 ½ C icing sugar
- 2 T milk
Instructions:
First, let the flax seeds soak in the water while you do the following:
Heat the milk, water and margarine either over the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. You want this mixture to be hot enough that it feels hot to touch but isn’t so hot that it’s burning your fingers. If it’s too hot it will kill your yeast and your bread won’t rise; if it’s not hot enough your yeast won’t activate at all and your bread won’t rise. So just go by feel and when your margarine is melted and it feels quite hot to the touch without you having to pull your finger out right away then it should be good.
In a large bowl combine 1 C of the flour, yeast, oats, flax seeds and water mixture, salt, cinnamon and syrup. Then add in the hot water, milk, and margarine mixture and stir well. Add additional flour ½ C at a time, stirring in as much flour as you can. When you can no longer stir it, keep adding flour by hand, mixing it in while kneading the dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead in more flour until you have a nice smooth dough. Continue kneading for another 10-15 minutes to make the dough smooth and somewhat stretchy. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth so the top doesn’t dry out and put in a warm place – preferably in the sun! – to rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
After the dough has risen, push it down, add more flour if it’s sticky and fold it over a few times, kneading it just a little bit. Cut it in half and form each half into a ball and put it on a greased baking sheet. Cover it again and let it rise for another hour.
Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
For the icing, mix the icing sugar with the water and ice the bread after it has cooled down.