| Ostara, Oestra, Eostre or in fact Easter. Call it what | | | | 6) This is also a time for planting seeds and beginning |
| you like, it's time for the spring equinox - and the fun | | | | a glorious time of growth. Herbs are popular now |
| that follows! Ostara is actually a Pagan festival and | | | | that fewer of us are farmers by profession! Seeing |
| was gleefully anticipated as it marks the end of the | | | | as there is also quite a lot of rain at this time still, it |
| gloomy winter months and heralds in the warmer | | | | really helps to garner the energies of the earth if you |
| days and lighter evenings. It meant that the land | | | | water your seeds with collected rainwater - |
| would once again become bountiful, the lambing | | | | particularly if they're indoors. |
| season was in full swing and the bleak winter months | | | | 7) Ostara is a lunar festival and the full moon brings |
| were coming to an end. So, what is the traditional | | | | forth powers of intuition, creativity and protection. |
| way to celebrate Ostara? Here's 10 tips and facts! | | | | Witchcraft or Wiccan spells cast during this time will |
| 1) The Goddess Ostara lends her name to this | | | | usually have to go a full moon phase before bringing |
| festival. She represents fertility, renewal and balance | | | | results. |
| between the day and night. | | | | 8) The symbolism of Ostara is renewal and |
| 2) Eggs were painted and carried by children, a | | | | regeneration. So emotionally it is a time to let go of |
| tradition we maintain they were eaten (if they were | | | | the past and to only focus on the path ahead. It's a |
| cooked!) at the end of the day. | | | | time for making plans and adopting a positive frame |
| 3) It was the hare, rather than the rabbit, that was | | | | of mind. And if you really feel good about embracing |
| depicted as the symbol of fertility due to their prolific | | | | change, you can do a bit of spring cleaning too! |
| mating at springtime. | | | | 9) Walking is also very popular at this time of year. It |
| 4) Yellow and green are the traditional colours for | | | | brings with it an appreciation of the changes in the |
| Ostara. Daffodils display these perfectly and are used | | | | landscape and provides the simple joy of being able |
| to decorate Wiccan altars or are simply carried at | | | | to be outside after the confinement of winter. |
| festivals. Otherwise, yellow and green candles are | | | | 10) In the northern hemisphere, Ostara is celebrated |
| perfect. | | | | between the 20th to the 22nd March and varies |
| 5) Cooking and lively feasts were a popular part of all | | | | every year due to it being a lunar festival. For those |
| Pagan festivals and Ostara is no exception. As | | | | in the southern hemisphere, it is the 20th to the 22nd |
| mentioned above, eggs were important ingredients | | | | of September. |
| but so were herbs such as thyme and mint. | | | | |