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Wheel of the Year · Sabbat

Ostara

Ostara — Spring Equinox. Celebrated around Mar 19 – 22 (Spring Equinox).

Date
Mar 19 – 22 (Spring Equinox)
Theme
Balance & new growth
Meaning
Spring Equinox
In one line

Ostara marks the Spring Equinox — day and night in balance as life bursts forth. It celebrates fertility, renewal, and fresh beginnings.

What is Ostara?

Ostara marks the Spring Equinox — day and night in balance as life bursts forth. It celebrates fertility, renewal, and fresh beginnings.

History & origins

Ostara takes its name from a Germanic spring goddess, Eostre, whose symbols of eggs and hares celebrated fertility and renewal at the equinox — and gave Easter both its name and its bunny.

How to celebrate Ostara

Plant seeds, decorate eggs, balance your space, and set goals for the growing season.

Ostara correspondences

Colours: pastels, green, yellow, pink. Foods: eggs, sprouts, leafy greens, honey cakes. Herbs: jasmine, daffodil, lavender. Symbols: eggs, hares, seeds.

Ostara customs

Traditional ways Ostara has been celebrated through the ages.

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Decorated eggs

Painted eggs as symbols of fertility and new life.

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Planting seeds

Sowing literal and symbolic seeds for the season.

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Spring walks

Greeting the returning life in nature, in balance with day and night.

Ostara correspondences at a glance

The colours, symbols, herbs, foods, and crystals traditionally tied to Ostara.

CategoryAssociations
ColorsPastels, green, yellow
SymbolsEggs, hares, seeds, spring flowers
HerbsDaffodil, jasmine, honeysuckle, violet
FoodEggs, sprouts, leafy greens, honey
CrystalsAquamarine, rose quartz, moonstone

The eight sabbats of the year

The Wheel of the Year turns through eight festivals — the solstices and equinoxes, and the four cross-quarter days between them.

Oct 31 – Nov 1
Samhain
Ancestors & endings
Dec 20 – 23 (Winter Solstice)
Yule
Rebirth of the Sun
Feb 1 – 2
Imbolc
First stirrings of spring
Mar 19 – 22 (Spring Equinox)
Ostara
Balance & new growth
Apr 30 – May 1
Beltane
Fire of life & passion
Jun 19 – 23 (Summer Solstice)
Litha
Peak of the Sun
Aug 1 – 2
Lughnasadh
First harvest
Sep 21 – 24 (Autumn Equinox)
Mabon
Harvest & balance

Working with Ostara

Embrace

  • Fresh starts
  • Balance
  • Fertility
  • Planting intentions

Release

  • Hesitation
  • Old habits
  • Inner imbalance
Celebrate at home · 15 minutes

A simple Ostara ritual

  1. Plant seeds.
  2. Decorate eggs.
  3. Balance your space.
  4. Set goals for the growing season.
FAQ

Ostara — questions

When is Ostara?+
Ostara is celebrated around Mar 19 – 22 (Spring Equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere.
What does Ostara celebrate?+
Ostara celebrates balance & new growth. Ostara marks the Spring Equinox — day and night in balance as life bursts forth. It celebrates fertility, renewal, and fresh beginnings.
What is the Wheel of the Year?+
The Wheel of the Year is the cycle of eight pagan festivals (sabbats) marking the solstices, equinoxes, and the points between them.
How do I celebrate Ostara at home?+
Plant seeds, decorate eggs, balance your space, and set goals for the growing season. You can keep it as simple as lighting a candle and setting an intention aligned with the season.
In the Southern Hemisphere, when is Ostara?+
Because the seasons are reversed, Southern Hemisphere practitioners celebrate Ostara roughly six months from the Northern date, aligning it with their own season.
What is the theme of Ostara?+
The heart of Ostara is balance & new growth. To work with it, embrace fresh starts and balance, and release hesitation.

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