It’s time for another installment in our Wheel of the Year series. This time, we’re looking at the upcoming Spring Equinox, also known as Ostara.
The Spring Equinox falls around March 21st here in the Northern Hemisphere and marks the official start of Spring, astrologically speaking. This year, Ostara is on March 19, so we’re less than a week away as I’m writing this.
In the natural world, this time of year brings true signs of spring. We typically begin to see some signs of awakening spring, like the return of birds chirping and buds on the trees.
Here on the farm, we’re certainly hearing the birds more and more, and the cardinal that adores our car mirrors has returned. The plants are beginning to bud, both the decorative trees and bushes on our land and the first seedlings that have recently been transplanted into our plots.
Ways to Honor The Spring Equinox / Ostara
Dye & Eat Some Eggs
Ostara is often associated with eggs, much like its counterpart Easter. Eggs symbolize the fertility of the spring season, a representation of the new life that is to come.
Dyeing eggs is often considered an Easter tradition, but it has its roots in Ostara rituals as well. You might dye some eggs and imbue them with your intentions for this season, for instance. If colored eggs aren’t your thing, you can also prepare a dish that features eggs to honor the fertile new beginnings of the Spring Equinox.
Refresh Your Space with Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning is a common tradition whether you follow the Wheel of the Year or not, and the fresh awakening energy of Ostara is perfect for a little cleansing. Clean and declutter your space, making way for what you want to grow in this season of your life.
If you like, you can also smoke cleanse or use bells to energetically clear your space.
Honor the Balance of Light and Dark
Equinoxes mark points of balance, where day and night are roughly the same length due to the position of the sun.
Watching the sunrise and sunset on this day and taking notice of the perfect balance between light and dark is another way to honor the season and acknowledge the shift, as days will become longer and longer from this point until we reach the next equinox.