Celebrating Ostara: A Renewing Egg Ritual For Spring
In the Northern Hemisphere, March 19th marks the Wheel of the Year’s return to the sabbat Ostara — a beautiful, ancient celebration of the Spring Equinox. It’s a sacred day when there is a perfect balance between dark and light. During Ostara, night and day are of equal length, symbolizing the balance of masculine and feminine. Spring has officially sprung, with the outside world coming back to life. The trees are green once again, birds are chirping, and the weather is getting warmer — who doesn’t love this lively time of year? As the Sun is gaining strength and the days become longer, we are reminded of the renewing energy of Spring. Now is the time to manifest those Imbolc intentions and see the seeds of your magick come to life. Are you ready to celebrate the fertile abundance of Spring with us?
The Hare & The Egg
Ostara’s roots run deep, stemming from ancient Celtic and Saxon spring season celebrations in honor of the goddess Ēostre, who represents the dawn, fertility, and new growth. As a springtime goddess, she oversaw the newly birthed plants of the season and the overall fertility of the Earth. These rituals to honor Ēostre and welcome Spring’s energy were later overhauled by the Christians, who rebranded the sabbat into what we now know as Easter...sound familiar?
One folk legend surrounding this goddess of spring recounts the story of Ēostre and the Hare. One day, she found an injured bird and desperately wanted to heal it. Realizing that the bird’s only chance of survival depended on transformation, she decided to turn this dying bird into a hare. The transformation wasn't complete, however, gifting the hare with the ability to lay eggs. This has led many to suggest (rightfully so) that the hare was a sacred animal to Ēostre, and eggs were her symbol of fertility.
Hares are generally nocturnal, meaning they are closely associated with the moon. They also represent the rebirth of nature in Spring, since this is the time animals are reproducing and bringing new life into the world. As a major symbol for fertility and abundance, it’s no wonder that the hare (or the Easter Bunny for that matter) have become the major harbingers of Spring.
The egg symbolizes new life, full of vitality and new beginnings. Eggs symbolize the rebirth of nature and the innate fertility of the Earth. The concept of the 'cosmic' egg speaks to the balance of male and female, as well as dark and light. This makes the egg a perfect symbol for Ostara and the Spring Equinox -- a time when it seems that everything is in perfect balance.
The Triple Goddess & The Horned God
In many modern paths of witchcraft, however, The Triple Goddess and The Horned God are worshipped during Ostara. This is mostly done through egg painting, expressive group dance, and boisterous celebration. Springtime is symbolic of the Horned God's journey from death to rebirth, and Ostara is the time when his powers have returned and he is strong with the energy of the Sun. The warmer weather and new growth of plants are both signs that the Triple Goddess has crossed into her Maiden aspect, full of fertile energy and ready to be courted by the Horned God. Ostara is all about celebrating this balance of female and male energies.
Rituals for Ostara
Since Ostara is closely associated with fertility and rebirth, it’s the perfect time to hold rituals for new beginnings and purification. It’s also a great time to tap into those sensual energies that will soon be peaking in the warmer months. Many witches use Ostara to start new projects or learn a new craft. If you’ve been thinking about picking up a form of divination, now is a great time to learn!
During Ostara, rituals focus on the balance between the Triple Goddess and the Horned God, where new life is celebrated along with the return of life to the land. This is the time for action and opening yourself to new opportunities. Basically...start thinking outside of the box and birth your next big idea! Ostara rituals will often focus on balancing your masculine and feminine energies to bring in those opportunities, as well as aligning yourself to manifest those spring intentions.
Are you looking for a simple yet effective springtime ritual to celebrate Ostara? We’ve got you, babe.
Ostara Egg Ritual Supplies
1 Egg
Fine point marker
Yellow Candle
White Flowers
Jasmine Incense
Take your egg and write words of intentions you wish to flourish in during the spring season all over the shell. If you need to use more than one egg, feel free!
Set up your altar space with your incense, candle, and flowers. Cleanse the space with the method of your choosing. This can be done by burning palo santo, sage, mugwort, incense, a white candle, etc.
Light the candle and incense and settle in front of your altar holding your egg gently in your hands. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep, slow breaths as you clear your mind. Set your focus on the words of intention that you’ve written on your egg. Repeat each word in your mind as you continue to settle into meditation.
When you feel at peace and clear, begin to envision a white light glowing from your hands and enveloping your egg. Feel your desire for the growth of your intentions, charging your egg with your own innate magick. If you’re using multiple eggs you can repeat this process with each egg individually.
Once you feel that you’ve completely charged the egg with your power, gently place the egg on your altar and take a moment to open yourself to the motivating spring energy. Some may choose to use this time to pray to a deity of their choosing.
Allow the candle and incense to burn out. The next day, take your egg and bury it outdoors to disperse your intentions to the Universe so that it may return to you during the spring season.
For the Solstice Sisters, Ostara has always been the time when our inner child comes out to play and we begin to grow our biggest ideas. It’s a beautiful time of new beginnings and growth, a time to reflect on our personal growth and spiritual journey. Just like the spring, we can feel our spirits coming to life and blooming with possibilities. Plant your intentions and watch them grow -- we know you’re going to grow some seriously powerful magick this year!
