Spring equinox 2018 rituals – what happens at Stonehenge on March 20 and what exactly is Ostara?
OSTARA is one of eight pagan holidays that make up the Wheel of the Year.
Here's everything you need to know about the festival, which took place on March 20.
What is Ostara?
Put simply, Ostara is another name for the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox.
In the northern hemisphere, spring began on March 20.
Wiccans and other neopagans celebrate the seasonal change with the Ostara holiday.
Some people argue that the Ostara tradition comes from ancient Celtic and Saxon spring holidays – which were later merged with the Christian festival of Easter.
Others reckon these neopagan holidays are modern creations.
Whichever the truth, many religions celebrate holidays at this time of the year – including the Hindu Holi festival of colours, Jewish Purim, Sikh Hola Mohalla and Christian Easter.
Ostara, or Eostra, is also the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess who represents dawn.
Dubbed the Spring Maiden and Horned God, she oversees the budding of the plants, fertility of the Earth, and festive enjoyment of nature through hunting and dancing.
Symbols of new life play an important part in the Ostara tradition.
Much like at Easter, these symbols include eggs, rabbits, flowers and seeds.
What are the Spring Equinox rituals?
There are many traditional ways to celebrate Ostara, including…
- Setting up an Ostara Altar: with floral colours, a white and black candle, a yin/yang symbol, a potted plant, a basket of eggs, a model of a lamb or rabbit, and a chalice of milk or honey
- Chanting and lighting Ostara candles
- With a rebirthing ritual
- Meditating
- Spring cleaning
- Planting bulbs in the garden
- Arts & crafts with kids
How is Ostara celebrated at Stonehenge?
Druids, Pagans, Wiccans and tourists gather at Stonehenge early in the morning to welcome Ostara during sunrise.
There are normally around 100 people.
They drink dandelion and burdock cordials to cleanse the blood, while chanting and playing music.
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