Ostara

Vernal Equinox For 1998: March 20

Day dawns with blessings bright!
Darkness is gone, spirit's night.
Goddess of Light I greet Thee!
Let your sacred light surround me!

Colors: white, pink, yellow

Moon Aspect: Storm Moon

Animals: Sheep, Rabbit

Resurrection of the Light of the World (Sun God)

Named for the Saxon goddess Eostre, a northern version of Astarte

Signifying renewal, regeneration, expectation

An excellent essay on Ostara is Mike Nichols' information on Lady Day

The Demeter and Persephone myth, as told in
Lost Goddesses of Early Greece.

The goddess Demeter is known as the Grain-Mother. Her daughter,
Persephone, is the Grain-Maiden, representing the new crop. Demeter gave
mortals the gift of wheat: she taught them how to plant, cultivate, and harvest
the wheat, then grind it for food. Persephone also watched over the crops with
her mother. As Persephone spent long beautiful days with her mother, they
would talk together. Persephone was sensitive to the spirits of the dead hovering around
their earthly homes. She realized they did not understand their own state. She asks if there
was anyone in the netherworld to receive the newly dead. Demeter answers,
It is I who has domain over the underworld.
The underworld will fertilize the seed.
I know of the realm of the dead, by my work is here.
Demeter decided that she would go to them. Demeter told her of the gloom
of the underworld, and hoped her daughter would reconsider.
Persephone remained firm.
The mother and daughter hugged; as Persephone left, Demeter vowed that
for every day that Persephone remained in the underworld, she would mourn
her absence. In her sorrow she withdrew her power from the earth, hence
the months of winter and barrenness. Soon a ring of crocus pushed forth
from the earth, whispering "Persephone returns!" Demeter rushed to welcome
her daughter; everywhere around them echoed the happiness and rejoicing in
the new life of spring.

Coloring eggs using runes

Use Dagaz to represent the Dawn

It is the night of the Vernal Equinox, a night of balancing.
Tonight the darkness and the light are equal.
From this night, light will prevail over darkness.
I turn away from the dark and welcome the light.
The light within myself.
Goddess will help me.
She is in my heart in all seasons of the turning wheel.
She is myself.

Sources

Walker, Women's Rituals
Paxson, "Ostara, Lady of Spring," SageWoman, 41 (Spring 1998)
Lost Goddesses of Early Greece

Persephone graphic from Arachne's Web
Others: Touch of Country Graphics,
Dog Hause,
Celeste's Holiday Graphics,
If It's Purple...

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