Spokane Ostara Ceremonies:

Spokane Witches Group

This special meeting of the Spokane Witches Group will feature a brief ceremony blessing and planting the seed followed by a seed mosaic class and a presentation by Greyhaven Priestess Debbie on local herbs.
March 10, 2013 - Spokane Witches Meetup
Join the Witches for a special Ostara Workshop Meetup on the first day of the New Moon period.  We will be doing a planting ceremony and a seed mosaic craft, plus discussing the origins and significance of the Sabat.
Location and Time: Spokane Valley Library,
12004 E Main Ave, Spokane, WA  12:00 noon. Library opens at 1 o'clock so please be on time to be let in in the back. Meeting room in basement. Map

Inland Empire Pagan Guild

March 17, 2013 - Inland Empire Pagan Guild Ostara Celebration -
Location and Time: Thoreau Room, Unitarian Universalist Church,  4340 West Fort George Wright Drive. 2:00 p.m. Map

Ostara Activities:

(in part from from earthwitchery.com)
1. Light a bonfire at dawn to honor the growing strength of the Sun.
2. Draw water on the full moon closest to Ostara and leave it out in the moonlight for three nights, infusing it with the healing power of the sabat.
3. Dress in green to honor the awakening earth.
4. Take a walk in the woods, noting the changes of seasons: the return of  plants, flowers, insects, and summer birds.
5. Perform a seed blessing and indoor planting ritual.
6. Have a traditional breakfast of buns, ham, and eggs.
7. Make natural egg dyes from herbs, then color hard boiled eggs.
8. Make pysanky and krashanky, magickal amulets of fertility, protection, and prosperity.
9. Make hot cross buns to honor the union of the earth and the sun for Spring.
10. Conduct an Ostara egg hunt.

Spells for Ostara

Egg Spell
This spell works well for eggs that are hidden for an Ostara egg hunt.

1. Before dyeing eggs, with a wax pencil add symbols for the Fertility God, the Goddess, the Sun God, unity, fire, water, agriculture, prosperity and growth, strength and wisdom, spring, love and affection, and protection, etc.
2. Dye the eggs.
3. Consecrate the eggs with a spell like this one:  (drawing a pentagram with your athame over the dyed eggs and channeling energy into them) "In the name of Ostara, Goddess of Spring, and the ever-returning God of the Sun, Belenus; By the powers of the four elements -- earth, air, fire, and water; I do consecrate these eggs of Ostara."
4. Hide the eggs and conduct the egg hunt. When a person finds an egg, the qualities of the symbol inscribed on it represent a quality that person needs to concentrate on in the coming year.
5. Eat the egg empowered with the qualities you desire to help you improve upon those qualities in the coming year.

Candle Magic
On Ostara Eve, light a purple or violet candle and burn  dragonsblood incense. Carry them both widdershins through the house, and say:  "Farewell to wintry spirits and friends; On morrow we greet the spirits of spring. Our blessings to thee as your way we wend; And merry we'll meet next winter again." Once you have passed through all the rooms, snuff out the candle and say: "Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again."

On Ostara, light a yellow candle and burn jasmine incense. Carry them both deosil through the house and say: "Hail and Welcome spirits of spring. Our blessings to thee as your way we wend."

Fairy Magic

Toss crushed Ostrara eggshells into the garden or sprinkle them into the soil of your houseplants and say: "For fairy, for flowers, for herbs in the bowers, The shells pass fertility with springtime flowers."

OSTARA

The modern view of Ostara comes from Jacob Grimm's 1835 Deutsche Mythologie. Obviously, the name is very similar to the English word Easter (Romance languages tend to use Pascual or Pascha). The word Ostara was brought to the British Isles during the Anglo-Saxon invasions, then evolved into Eastre in Old English. Prior to the Angl0-Saxon invasions, the Celtic people typically did not celebrate Ostara.

According to Bede in his 8th century  work De temporum ratione, "Eosturmonath... was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honor feasts were celebrated in that month."  Eostre is a Germanic Goddess of spring, sometimes associated with the Hare and colored eggs.  One popular legend is that Eostre found a bird, wounded, on the ground late in winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs.  The hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre.

The Hare is also associated with Freya of the Norse traditions.

Grimm speculates on the nature of the goddess and surviving folk customs that may have been associated with her in Germany: "This Ostarâ, like the [Anglo-Saxon] Eástre, must in heathen religion have denoted a higher being, whose worship was so firmly rooted, that the christian teachers tolerated the name, and applied it to one of their own grandest anniversaries."

Grimm further speculates: "Ostara, Eástre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing..."

Other than hares and colored eggs, popular Ostara pagan traditions include bonfires lit at dawn to celebrate the Sun's triumph over darkness, drawing water on Ostarafor its healing power, and maidens dressing in white to honor the ancient Goddess.

For Neo-pagans,  Ostara is a time of renewal and rebirth. Neo-pagans should take time to celebrate the new life by walking in the woods. Appreciate the return of  plants, flowers, insects, and summer birds. Celebrate the change of seasons.  For those walking the Green Path in the northern climes, it is time to begin our greenhouses.

At this time, witches cast spells for careers, relationships, and love. It's a time for planting new ideas. Seek harmony and balance in the incredible energy of the season, and project good health, good fortune, and confidence in achieving goals.