Ostara is a pagan holiday celebrated around the spring equinox, typically on March 20 or 21. It celebrates the arrival of spring and the renewal of life after the long, dark winter.
Ostara symbols are related to hope and spring around the world. Ostara or Astara is the Germanic goddess of spring. The gift she brings to the earth is renewal and new life. Her name (also sometimes spelled Eostre) is the root of the spring celebration now known as Easter.
The name Ostara or Astara means “star” or “to shine.” Ostara is also a goddess of the dawn, a bringer of light after the dark night. Others consider her to be synonymous with Freya, the Norse goddess. Freya’s consort is the Norse god of music.
Historically, the Babylonians, the Sumerians, and the Persians revered Ostara as the goddess of spring and fertility. They held feasts in honor of the miraculous rebirth of life on earth after the long winter. These feasts occurred at the Spring Equinox. More recently, this has become the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
Some ways to celebrate Ostara include:
- Planting seeds or flowers to symbolize growth and renewal
- Decorating with symbols of spring such as eggs, bunnies, and flowers
- Celebrating the equinox by watching the sunrise or sunset
- Holding a feast with foods associated with spring, such as fresh fruits and vegetables
- Performing rituals to honour the goddess of spring and to ask for blessings for the coming growing season
- Spending time in nature, such as going for a walk or hike, to appreciate the beauty and renewal of the natural world.
Ostara Colours
The colours of Ostara are the pastel, bright colours of spring. Light pinks and blues, bright greens like many of the plants springing up now.
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Colour |
Correspondences |
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Green |
Earth, growth, money, fertility, new businesses, new opportunities, the heart chakra, forgiveness, platonic love |
|
Light blue |
Healing, patience, understanding, honest communication, trust, being truthful and fair |
|
Pink |
Softer love, self care, kindness, good relationships, empathy, healing the heart, friendship |
|
White |
A blank slate, cleansing, purification, innocence, new opportunities, new ideas, connecting to the divine, peace, unity |
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Yellow |
Abundance, joy, happiness, sunshine, the source of life, persuasion, protection, the solar plexus chakra, self-empowerment, self-control, self-confidence |
Note: Celebrating Ostara is a modern pagan interpretation and not recognized by all cultures and religious traditions. It's important to be respectful of cultural and religious beliefs that differ from your own.
Before the celebration of Ostara as a pagan holiday, many cultures in the Northern Hemisphere had their own spring festivals to mark the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. These festivals often involved rituals to honour gods and goddesses associated with spring, fertility, and agriculture.
For example, the ancient Celts celebrated the festival of Bealtaine, which honoured the goddess of spring and marked the beginning of the summer season. The ancient Saxons celebrated Eostre, a goddess of spring and fertility, who was said to bring the renewal of life to the world. The ancient Persians held Nowruz, a celebration of the spring equinox that marked the beginning of the Persian New Year and was associated with renewal, fertility, and the rebirth of nature.
These ancient spring celebrations were later incorporated into the celebration of Ostara, which is now widely recognized as a modern pagan holiday.