EOSTRE/OSTARA

Ostara is a solar festival of fertility, fire, & light sacred to the Saxon Goddess of spring, Ostara/Eostre.

Eostre is the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring (who is also pan-Celtic now); the derivation of Easter.  More than likely, many of the traditional 
customs of the Christian Easter day can be traced back to her worship.  The sabbat, Ostara, is named for her.

When the Saxon’s invaded Britain, they brought this vigorous Goddess with them, and she was eventually adopted into the Celtic pantheon.

She is as Spring personified; a goddess of rebirth, new beginnings and fertility.  The word for animal menstruation, “estrus,” meaning “fertile 
period,” is derived from her name, and as such, she is the goddess of animal reproduction.  (Please remember that humans are included in the term, 
“animal.”)  

The Christian holiday of Easter is also her namesake, and the concept of the Easter bunny came from another concept of legends.

Eostre’s day falls on the Spring Equinox, on/around March 21 of every year.  On this equinox, the year is in perfect balance between light and 
darkness.  The god is now a green youth, and the goddess is in her maiden aspect.

Some of her correspondences: the equilateral cross, the egg, the rabbit, baskets, seeds, and light (sun, fire, etc.) that is warm and life 
renewing.  Even a warm spring rain can carry her kisses to you.

Some Witches/Pagans follow the old pagan custom of dying or painting hard-boiled eggs (a symbol of fertility), then balancing the eggs on their 
ends to symbolize equilibrium.

Magick can also be done to balance any imbalances in our lives.

Ostara is completely opposite of Mabon on the Wheel.  Mabon is the Fall Equinox, and while Ostara is the planting season, Mabon is the harvesting 
season.

Call on Eostre/Ostara for assistance in your Ostara rights, in the Great Rite, in fertility matters for you, or for your pets and livestock.  Her 
association with spring makes her energy compatible with blessing new ventures or for celebrating reincarnation and new life.

SOURCES:

Celtic Myth & Magick, by Edain McCoy

Encyclopedia of Gods, by Michael Jordan

The Wicca Handbook, by Eileen Holland

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