The Spring Equinox is upon us. The sunlight has continued to grow until it is equal with the darkness. With each passing day, the sun will set later and remain in the sky longer, warming the earth around us. Green leaves begin to appear on the trees; flowers begin to bloom. The warmth of spring is in the air and there is newness and life in the world once more.
In the story of the Goddess and the God, the Holly King (the God of the waning year) is born at Ostara. Just as life is always around us, we are reminded through the birth of the Holly King that death is also a natural part of things. Death is neither good nor bad, but an integral part of the life/death/rebirth cycle.
Yet Ostara is a Sabbat of life. We paint eggs as symbols of life and fertility and decorate our homes with fresh flowers. For many of us, it is time to take an active part in the blossoming world around us, working in gardens and flowerbeds ragged with winter neglect.
In our personal lives, we look at Ostara as a time of growth as well. We celebrate those things that are happening in our lives, the areas we're growing in. In cast Circles we share our experiences and joys, our triumphs and defeats, but even the sadness is tempered by the new life of Ostara, the promise that new life has come.
Ostara
Spring Equinox (approximately March 21st)
Pronounced "oh-star-uh"
Divine Myth: The Holly King (the God of the waning year) is born to the Goddess.
Keywords: Birth, Life, Growth