Ostara (pronounced Oh-star-ah), a name derived from the Germanic goddess Eostre, ushers in a season of revitalisation and rebirth. Just as Mabon celebrates abundance and balance, Ostara heralds the arrival of spring's vibrant energies. Falling between September 20-23, with it's accurate date this year being 22 September in the Southern Hemisphere, and March 20-23 in the Northern Hemisphere - Ostara is a time when daylight and darkness share equal prominence.
This equinox invites us to honour the Earth's generosity and rejoice in the flourishing of new life. The essence of Ostara revolves around themes of renewal, fertility, and the harmonious dance between light and shadow. As we witness the Earth awakening from its slumber, we embrace the opportunity to infuse our spirits with the zest and joy of the burgeoning season, preparing ourselves for the period of growth and abundance that lies ahead.
Experience the power of Ostara in 2024 with your own personal Ostara altar! Whether you’re just starting out with setting up an altar or you are already a seasoned witch, your Ostara altar will inspire you every day until the next Sabbat arrives.
Join in on celebrating Ostara with our tips on creating your very own Ostara altar!
Ostara Symbols
Symbols: Eggs, rabbits, baby animals such as lambs & chicks, flowers, butterflies, seeds, fairies, greenery, the sun & moon.
Colours & candle colours: Pastels, orange, yellow, green & lavender
Foods: Eggs, honey, asparagus, spring onion, hot cross buns & baked goods
Crystals: Citrine, amethyst, rose quartz, green aventurine & amazonite
Flowers: Flowers that are in bloom where you live
Herbs: Lavender, rosemary, calendula, rose petals, rose buds & bergamot, chamomile
Deity: Eostre
Setting up your Altar for Ostara
Crafting your Ostara altar holds the potential to transform it into a potent and significant sanctuary. Beyond being a site for your Ostara rituals, it can serve as a sacred haven to contemplate your aspirations for the remainder of this holiday season. By adorning it with carefully selected decorations and incorporating tools that resonate with Ostara's profound symbolism, you'll amplify the energy of this Sabbat and empower your endeavours to manifest your intentions throughout 2024.
Where to set up your Ostara Altar
For an Ostara altar, a serene and inviting space indoors is ideal. Choose a corner of your home that receives gentle sunlight, such as near a window or on a windowsill. This location allows the soft light to infuse your altar with the growing energy of spring. Surround the altar with potted plants or fresh flowers to infuse the space with the vibrant energy of spring.
Altar Cloths for Ostara
Look outside at the beautiful blooming colours outside and add them to your altar. The green of leaves, the yellow of blooming wattles, the pastel pinks & lilacs of blooming flowers. It is a great idea to start your Ostara altar with an Altar Cloth that symbolises the Sabbat. The Floral Southern Hemisphere Wheel Of The Year Altar Cloth is a practical yet beautiful way to bring the florals of nature into your home. These altar cloths will help protect your altar from burning incense, candles and hot cauldrons.
Candles
No altar is complete without candles! Simply decorate your altar with coloured candles that correspond to the colours of Ostara or utilise their correspondences for spellwork. For example, one of Ostara's colours is green - green candles correspond to growth, luck, plants & nature. To learn more about candle magic, check out our Simple Guide to Candle Magic to help you decide which candle colours would be most useful to help you manifest your goals.
Flowers & Symbols of New Life
Bring your garden to your altar with potted plants and flower cuttings from a stroll outside. Put a basket of freshly laid eggs on your altar or shaped crystal such as rose quartz eggs or figures of lambs, rabbits, chicks & calves. A chalice of milk to symbolise lactating animals or honey for abundance are great additions to your Ostara altar.
Crystals & Offerings
Amplify the energy of renewal and growth by selecting crystals in resonance with spring's spirit. Crystals such as clear quartz, known for its clarity and amplifying properties, rose quartz, symbolising love and compassion, and green aventurine, signifying abundance and new opportunities, can infuse your altar with the energies of the season. Alongside these crystals, consider incorporating offerings that resonate with the Earth's abundance and the themes of the equinox. Add seasonal offerings, like native fruits, nuts, or grains, expressing gratitude for the Earth's generosity.
Celebrating Ostara
Now that you've got your Ostara altar ready to go, you can move on to performing rituals to celebrate the Sabbat! For those of you wanting to perform Ostara rituals whether you're a baby witch or seasoned in the craft, we have carefully curated an Ostara Sabbat Ritual Kits that includes all you need to perform three separate rituals!
Ostara is one of the many Sabbat's pagans celebrate from the Wheel of the Year. Ostara is a time for celebrating the Earth's generosity and rejoicing in the flourishing of new life. To get the most out of celebrating Ostara, check out our blog on Celebrating Ostara in the Southern Hemisphere here.
If you'd like to know more about the accurate 2024 Sabbat dates in the Southern Hemisphere, check out our blog on Southern Hemisphere Sabbat Dates here.
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