Hana Ostara Matsuri

Items needed: a light green candle, a plant on the Altar, flowers in the cauldron, sweet tea, small statue to fit in the cauldron representing the Young God, and two crowns of flowers.

Purify self, cast Circle.

_____________ invoke Goddess with:

“Maiden of the Spring, by what ever names we call Thee -- _______________ -- we know that You hear us. Help us to achieve balance within ourselves during this time when night and day are equal. Celebrate with us as we herald the return of Spring and warmth. Hear our wish and descend here to our Circle tonight. Hail and Welcome!”

_____________ invoke God with:

“Hail waxing Lord of the Sun, by whatever names we call Thee -- ____________ -- we know that You hear us. During this time when you are overtaking the darkness and cold of Winter, help us to rejuvenate ourselves so that we are refreshed and renewed for our undertakings. Hear our wish and descend here to our Circle tonight. Hail and Welcome!”

_____________ say:

“This is the time of Springs return; the joyful time, the seed time, when life bursts forth from the earth and the chains of Winter are broken. Light and dark are equal. It is a time of balance, when all the elements within us must be brought into a new harmony. The Prince of the Sun stretches out His hand, and Kore the Dark Maiden returns from the Land of the Dead, cloaked in fresh rain, with the sweet scent of desire on Her breath. Where They step, the wildflowers appear; as They dance, despair turns to hope, sorrow to joy, and want to abundance. May our hearts be open with the Spring. Blessed Be!”

_____________ place a crown of flowers on your head, raise arms and say:

“I am crowned in flowers as a symbol of the power given by the Goddess; the power to bring new life, the power to make beautiful, the power to fill my heart with joy.”

_____________ place the other crown of flowers upon your head, cross your arms
over your chest and say:

“I am crowned in flowers as a symbol of the power of the God. For behold with the coming Spring, the God stretches and rises, eager in His youth and bursting with the promise of Summer. May my power be in harmony; let my heart be filled with love.”

Each person take a flower and connect with its energies. Meditate on this time of
beginnings, on the rebirth of the Earth. Take time to choose one new project to undertake.

_____________ pour sweet jasmine tea on the young god figure in the cauldron and
say:

“We offer this tea to help sweeten our own lives, to help promote the warmth and growth of spring. This tea, infused with jasmine, helps to put us in touch with the hidden divine, the sides of ourselves that can be hidden by our everyday lives. We welcome the God and the Spring!”

_____________ say:

“This sacred plant represents the greatest gift of the Deities, the gift of life.”

_____________ say:

“Making the air pure to breathe, making the world beautiful to look upon, growing to heal and nourish so that we might live.”

_____________ say:

“We give thanks for the abundant gifts of herbs and plants, and for the many joys of Springtime.”

_____________ say:

“We walk the Earth in friendship, not in dominance. Mother Goddess and Father God, instill within us warmth for all living things.”

_____________ say:

“Teach us to revere the Earth, and it’s treasures. May we never forget.”

Meditate on the change of seasons. Feel the rousing energies in you and the Earth.

_____________ light the green candle and say:

“We pray to you, therefore, O Lord, that this candle, consecrated in honor of your name, may continue endlessly to scatter the darkness. May it be received as a sweet fragrance and mingle with the lights of heaven. May the morning star find its flame burning, that Star which knows no setting, which came back from limbo. Young God, You are the morning Star because You descended into Death (the Underworld) and emerged again, like Lucifer, like Tammuz, like Enkidu and Dammuzi.”

_____________ bless the Chalice:

“Springtide Goddess, giver of life,
we offer this wine in Your honor.
As we drink it fill us with the nectar of Your love.”

_____________ bless the Cakes:

“Renewed God, Lord of Wild Things,
we offer these cakes in Your honor.
As we eat them fill us with the power of Your spirit.”

Simple feast and close Circle.

Eidolon Moon's Notes:

This Ostara ritual blends in part of the Shinto festival Hana Matsuri, in which the young Buddha is placed on a bed of flowers and sweet tea is poured over him. I simply place a baby god in my cauldron and perform the matsuri with my Ostara ritual. Clever, ain't I?

I blend these two together because they both happen on the spring equinox, and they both celebrate the God returning and bringing fertility with Him. I just happen to feel that they intwined nicely together and I love adding bits of matsuri into my rituals. It makes me feel more connected to my heritage.

I love the interconnectedness that I feel during this ritual, where I am blending my heratige with my religion. I also get to add a small dedication to Lucifer at the end, recognizing him as a dying and reviving god. Always makes me happy!