Ostara ~ Spring Equinox 🌷 Rituals

Ostara: the Spring Equinox

In Pagan/Wicca traditions this festival is named after the Anglo-Saxon/German Goddess Eostre of Eastre, also known as Ostara. Her festival was celebrated at the Spring Equinox, which became Easter; she was a goddess of fertility and known to be connected with hares and eggs.

Because Equinox is a time of growth and balance, its a good time to work on balancing yourself and the subtle energies within you: chakras, masculine and feminine qualities and the light and dark aspects.

Every 30 days or so, the Sun visits a new zodiac sign. During this “season” everyone feels the energy of this prevailing astrological energy, no matter what your Sun sign. Aries is the first of the zodiac’s three feisty fire signs and part of the leadership-oriented “cardinal” quality. As the zodiac’s first sign, Aries loves anything new, possessing a fierce desire for individuality. During Aries season, we might all have stronger opinions and personalities than usual, and a need to be number-one until April 19.

Ruled by the aggressive Ram and ambitious Mars, Aries are competitive and love a challenge, but are often better at starting than finishing. It takes a lot to hold the attention span of an Aries—though when they find their obsessions they go in all the way! Aries is also the sign of the trendsetter and trailblazer. These energies will be available to all of us over this month.

1. Check your head (and your ego).

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, symbolized by the Ram butting its horns until it breaks down any barrier in its way. There’s a thin line between tenacity and stubbornness now. Aries energy tends to come with a me-first attitude, and we might all find ourselves extra ambitious and ego-driven. Aries are the “independent babies” of the zodiac, and we’ll all have to navigate this paradox now. People demand more attention during this cycle—but at the same time, we crave our own space, too. We want it all on our terms and can get a bit demanding over the next month.

Art: Mystic Mama

2. Put yourself first

Aries season is an auspicious time for putting your own needs back on the front burner. Have you neglected yourself because you’ve been so busy taking care of others? Reset and re-prioritize.

“Anything worth doing starts with being scared.” –Art Garfunkel

3. Fear less; live more.

With warrior Mars ruling this fiery phase, we’ve all got extra cosmic mojo behind us now to go after what we really want. Aries season fills us with the guts to take initiative and dare greatly

4. Channel your rage into productivity.

Aries season is a #nofilter time, so being “nice” when you’re upset could cause some volcanic explosions—especially with Mercury retrograde in Aries until mid-April. And with Mercury in Aries until May 13, dialogue could sometimes get heated even after the communication planet turns direct. Make sure to move, too. Aries is a physical sign, so if you just find yourself feeling extra feisty under this starmap, sweat it out at the gym or a cardio-heavy kickboxing class. Suppressed emotions will manifest as palpable anxiety and anger. Better now to let it all out and air those grievances. While we don’t advise picking fights just to get a rise out of people, we do believe that anger can be used as a productive and healing tool.

While you don’t want to get stuck in anger, giving yourself space to breathe can be the first crucial step to getting #woke and clarifying what you stand for. It’s like opening a bottle of wine and letting the vapors out. Once we’ve defined the source of our anger—which Aries season will help with—it’s time to organize and get proactive. Aries season is about taking action and DOING something.

Art: Danielle Noel

5. Embrace your inner wild child

Look out! Unleashed Aries energy can be like a hyperactive toddler on a sugar bender. Aries season puts everyone in touch with their inner child, which can be a mixed bag. Approaching your goals with the playful wonder of a child can ease some of that self-defeating pressure we often put on ourselves. Children don’t judge themselves when they’re learning a new skill, like playing an instrument or kicking a soccer ball. But as we grow older, ego and self-doubt can get in the way, telling us that we’re no good. Imagine what it would be like to finally start your own business, go on that yoga retreat to Bali by yourself, or write a book—without a care in the world of whether or not you succeeded or failed? Sure that’s a lofty aim, but even a pinch of that could spell the difference between whether you pursue your passions…or let them fall by the wayside yet again. Here’s a fun exercise: Try a day of saying “yes” to everything (within reason, obviously). It’s an experiment we’ve tried when we’ve felt stuck in a rut—and it can really awaken that childlike sense of unlimited possibility.

Rituals to Celebrate Ostara

If you enjoy gardening, you can start preparing the soil and planting flowers, herbs, and/or vegetables now. Consider the magical properties of botanicals and choose plants that represent your intentions. If you don’t have room/access to a garden, you could plant seeds in a flowerpot to symbolize wishes you hope will grow to fruition in the coming months. sow seeds that you want to bear fruit in the coming months. This is an ideal time to launch new career ventures, move to a new home, or begin a new relationship.

Egg Magic

Grab an egg - the symbol of fertility and rebirth and write, sing or whisper your wishes and intentions into it. Your goal lives within you in the same way that creation lives within the egg, and like the egg, your goal has everything it needs to manifest.

Then draw two interlocking triangles to form a six-pointed star on your egg.

This star symbolises one of the most important keys in magic: as above, so below. Whatever you can create in your imagination, you can manifest on the physical plane.

Now bury the egg in Mother Earth, and ask her to hold, nurture and help you to bring your wishes into being.

Spring Cleaning

This means cleaning not only your space, but your MIND.

-Try using essential oils like lemon, tea tree, or sage diluted in water and use that to clean your floor and surfaces, this will bring way more refreshing energy than using common chemical cleaners

-Put on some Ella Fitzgerald, and nerd out and organize your bookshelves or record collection. Alphabetize or color code by spine. Donate older books to a little free library or thrift store. It feels SO refreshing to clean out even just that one file cabinet that has been stacking up papers for years.

Alter Items for Ostara:

Amethyst crystals, baskets, eggs, feathers, flowers, seeds, honey, soft wool or cloth

I hope you find time for yourself today to indulge in the magic of this time of balance, renewal, and fiery ambition. Tell yourself, "I WILL accomplish ____ today, I WILL cultivate the energy I need to fulfill the dreams & desires I hold in my mind." After all, any magic to be made starts in your head, you have all the (flower) power you need already within you 💭✨

Sending you love & light, always 💖

-La Luna

Comments, suggestions, and thoughts are welcome. Feel free to leave them below 💭