A joyful Sabbat in the Wheel of the Year, Ostara marks the long-awaited Spring Equinox, when day and night are of equal lengths. Typically, Ostara falls around 20th March in the Northern Hemisphere. It is such a special time of the year: the Earth is starting to awaken from the long, dark slumber of winter. Celebrating Spring Equinox opens us up to the fresh possibilities of rebirth and renewal at this time of year. It allows us to bring those energies into our own life. One way of honouring and awakening these energies is to create a beautiful Ostara altar in your home.
What to include on your Ostara altar
Creating and maintaining an altar is a very personal and intuitive process. No one can tell you what to put on your altar - this sacred space is a reflection of you. Trust your intuition. Place on your altar the symbols that are most meaningful for you. Here are a few Ostara symbols to inspire you:
A gift from nature: Celebrating Spring Equinox with a nature walk certainly gets us into the spirit of the season. Step outside to marvel at the miracle of nature, noticing the sap rising in the trees, budding flowers and chirruping birds. Take time to truly appreciate the beauty of the season. While you are out walking, look for a gift from Mother Nature to add to your altar – a stone that catches your eye, a cast-off feather, a pretty leaf. Always receive it with gratitude.
Fresh flowers: As the daffodils start to bloom in our gardens and parks once more, and the trees puff up with clouds of cherry blossom, be sure to collect some! Remember to ask permission before you take any flowers – trust your intuition as to whether it feels right. Add your fresh spring blooms to your Ostara altar. Daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are all beautiful at this time of year.
Eggs: An age-old symbol of new life and rebirth, eggs are a perfect addition to your Ostara altar. Paint your eggs with sigils, or symbols, of what you wish to manifest in the spring. Or try your hand at dying them with onion skins and flower petals to create beautiful marbled works of art.
Seeds: The vegan answer to eggs! Like eggs, seeds represent growth and new beginnings. Sprinkling seeds upon your Ostara altar is a great way of celebrating Spring Equinox and its energies of new life. Be sure to collect and plant them as the weather grows warmer… these are very special seeds, after all - they carry your intentions and hopes for the coming months.
Crystals: Amplify Ostara's energy of rebirth and renewal by adding your favourite spring crystals to your altar. Chrysoprase, clear quartz and rose quartz are all beautiful stones that resonate with the energy of spring. They are a great way of adding magical energy to your Ostara altar.
Candles: To honour the awakening of the sun at Spring Equinox, and the step from the dark of winter to the light of spring, place a candle on your Ostara altar and keep it lit (when you are nearby to keep an eye on it, of course) over the days on either side of Spring Equinox. If you really want to get into the spirit of spring, seek out candles in Ostara colours – green, yellow and candied pastel shades are perfect.
The Goddess: Honour the goddess by including an image, statue or symbol of her on your Ostara altar. Here are a few goddesses associated with celebrating Spring Equinox:
- Ostara: also known as Eostre, Ostara is a Germanic goddess associated with Spring Equinox and the renewal of life. She is often depicted as a maiden with long hair, holding a basket of eggs or flowers.
- Persephone: In Greek mythology, Persephone is the goddess of spring growth and rebirth. She spends half the year in the underworld with Hades and the other half of the year on earth, bringing the renewal of life each spring.
- Astarte: A goddess from the Near East, Astarte is associated with Spring Equinox, fertility and the renewal of life.
- Flora: Flora is the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. She is often depicted as a young woman holding a bouquet of flowers or scattering petals.
- Freya: In Norse mythology, Freya is the goddess of love, fertility and war. She is associated with the spring season and is often depicted with symbols of fertility, such as a boar or sow.
How to set up your Ostara altar
If you already have a personal altar, you may wish to add in the energy of Ostara with some of the suggestions above. Our altars are living spaces. We must refresh them regularly to keep the energy clear and healthy. Alternatively, you might want to create a new, specific Ostara altar in a different sacred space of your home, garden or balcony.
Keep in mind as you gather items for your Ostara altar that this is your own, personal, sacred space. There's no rulebook when it comes to creating an altar. Use your intuition when deciding what to include and how to arrange it. The most important aspect of the process of creating and maintaining an altar is to establish a sacred space that feels meaningful and inspiring to you. Keep adding to it, replacing the flowers every few days and tending to any candles or incense. Make your altar part of your daily practice.
Join our newsletter to receive updates on our spiritual events.
