What is Ostara?

Answer 1

This is an excerpt from the Ostara Ritual of our Circle;

This is Ostara, the Vernal Equinox. In agrarian cultures, Ostara marked the return of Spring. The joyful time, the seed time, when life burst forth from the Earth and Winters hold on the land was broken. Oft times this was a ritual to bless the seeds and soil in hopes of a bountiful harvest.

Ostara was named for the Goddess of Spring and was a Sabbat of great importance in Greece, Rome and the Nordic and Germanic lands. It is from these traditions a large number of currently accepted customs come.

Many Ostara myths from these cultures concern trips by deities into the Underworld and their struggle to return from the Land of the Dead to earth. When they eventually do return to the World of the Living, they have a new life, both literally and figuratively and this idea of life renewed plays heavily in the symbolism of the Holiday.

This is also the Vernal or Spring Equinox. Light and Dark are equal; it is the time of Balance, when all the elements within us must be brought into harmony.