Jeanette Belle, M.A.

Looking at the calendar, one might read that the Vernal Equinox is the same day as Ostara. But, as an astrologer, I look at the ephemeris to determine my holy days.

It seems that three events have been muddled up and squished together to create one holy day:

1. The Vernal Equinox, is the time when the day light and night dark are equal in length in terms of times. That will happen this Friday, March 17th, when the sun rises at 7:22 am CDT and sets at 7:22 pm CDT; equal night and day.

2. The Sun will enter Aries on March 20th at 5:29 am CDT. That is the first day of Spring.

3. Ostara is a made up holiday. Gerald Gardner, one of the founders of Wicca, created this holiday. There is very little evidence that anyone celebrated this holiday before him. There is even no clear evidence of who Ostara is.

So, how are we Hedge/Kitchen/Cottage/Green witches and Druids supposed to celebrate this time of the year. The answer is easy. Since we do not follow any regular, strict dogma or doctrine like our Wiccan brothers and sisters do, we can celebrate it any way we choose. Moreover, we can choose which event to celebrate and when we want to celebrate.

Personally, I am uncomfortable celebrating Ostara as the Wiccans do. I do not like the idea of substituting one set of rules, one religion, for another. That’s the beauty of Hedge Witchery: we are not bound by any set, rigid system of dogma and doctrine. Now, I do align with certain energies that many call gods and goddesses; I perform spells; I meditate with crystals; I celebrate certain holy days that Wiccans celebrate; and so forth. I am free to choose what feels right and is appropriate to me and my life.

So, how do I celebrate this time of year? Since we are one the other side of the Full Moon (the Full Moon was last Sunday), I will be doing some more releasing, planning, and resting in preparation for the growing season that will hit full force after the New Moon of March 27th (in Aries conjunct my natal T-Square of Saturn, Mercury, and Mars). I will be itching to get in the dirt and plant.

This weekend will be my time of celebration where I release anything that is keeping from moving forward emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I will probably get in the knitting room and clean it out, getting rid of anything that I no longer need nor want. I will be continue to release the emotional burdens of last year (ack00I am still carrying THAT around with me???) plus a few new ones that have come up recently (work–mine and his). I will release the pain in my body that has stored up those memories and relax, relax, relax.

This weekend will also see me cleaning and clearing up the yards in preparation for garden planting. Then, I will plan on where this season’s food crops and annual herbs will go. I will also have to tame the wild strawberries in the Faery Garden. I may even have to mow for the first time this season.

This weekend, we may cook out, drink beer and wine, and I might knit again on the patio, enjoying it for the first time this season. I may meditate on those ideas that no longer serve me–getting rid of the past, in other words.

Maybe, on Monday, I will cook a full meal since we have no other plans to be somewhere or do something.

And that is how and when I plan on celebrating this holiday.