OSTARA - Goddess of Spring Ostara is the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring. Her other name is "Eostre" - meaning "movement towards the rising sun." She is celebrated in April at the Spring Equinox, when days are brighter and growing longer. She points the way to Beltane, the great and joyous festival of coming Summer. Ostara is a fertility Goddess, the northern counterpart of Astarte and Ishtar. She is associated with the Moon Hare or rabbit, with eggs, Dawn, and the East - all symbolizing her primary qualities of bringing birth, rebirth and renewal to a winter-weary world. In modern times, we have transformed Ostara's sacred rabbits and eggs into the secular Easter bunny, and colored and chocolate Easter eggs that delight children and grownups alike. Ostara's deep femininity is reflected in the fact that our word for the female hormone, estrogen, is derived from her name. One of the new limited edition Golden Goddess Cards. |