Category: spring

The birds are beginning to sing us awake in the mornings, the snow is melting in some parts of the world, and the days are getting longer with more sunshine for us to enjoy. With this time comes one of the two most potent and important sacred times to the year and holidays; the Spring Equinox which is celebrated with many different holidays and traditions like Ostara. This time is ripe with fertile energy all about growth, rebirth, planting seeds for harvest, and duality. Let’s take a look in this blogpost at the history of this time of year, the many energies you can connect with, the themes, deities that have sacred times during this holiday and the many different ways you can connect to and work with the Spring Equinox and Ostara.

What Is The Spring Equinox?

The Spring Equinox aka Vernal Equinox, is the time when day and night are equal. During this time, the direct rays of the sun hit the equator, making day and night equal in length. The most important part of the day is when the sun hits its zenith, the precise moment when the sun is perfectly lined up with the equator. This moment marks the first day of spring, with the light triumphing over the darkness. The Spring begins in March in the northern hemisphere, and September in the southern hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere we celebrate on March 20th this year (the celebration can happen between the 19th – the 23rd and is typically celebrated for multiple days).

What Is Ostara?

Ostara is the celebration of rebirth and renewal, it is the Sabbat (a holiday marked on the pagan wheel of the year) dedicated to the Spring Equinox aka Vernal Equinox. Ostara is one of the eight Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year calendar. The Wheel of the Year is a cycle of festivals that celebrates the changing seasons and the natural cycles of life. Each festival represents a unique phase in the cycle of life and is associated with different aspects of nature. In the Wheel of the Year calendar, Ostara follows the dark and introspective period of Imbolc, which celebrates the return of the light and the preparation for the coming of spring. It precedes Beltane, which marks the midpoint of spring and celebrates the fertility of the earth and the coming of summer.

Ostara, is the dawn of the fertile season on the Wheel of the Year. The word Ostara comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess name, Eostre. Eostre represented spring and new beginnings. It marks the start of the astrological year as well and is considered the New year for many different cultures and tribes around the world as they welcome back the sun.

The Meaning Behind Ostara

This season corresponds to growth, fertility, manifesting, the liminal space, balance, renewal, and rebirth. The energy of this season calls you to begin taking concerted actions towards your desires. Ostara is also considered a Pagan solar holiday honoring the spring’s warmth, light from the sun, and the awakening of the earth. Ostara embodies the cyclical rhythm of nature’s rebirth. This holiday is all about the earth returning to its abundant greenness and the sun is returning to the high skies. This is a time of rebirth and renewal when the natural world awakens from its winter slumber. It is a time when we can celebrate the return of the light, the growth of new life, and the renewal of hope. It is also a time when we can connect with the natural world, celebrate the changing seasons, and embrace the ongoing cycles of life.

A Time Of Balance And Duality

Ostara and the spring equinox is one of the most liminal times during the year. It is one of the two times the veil is the thinnest and our access is stronger to the other side. With this time being grounded in the liminal space, the crossroads, and the other side it is one of the most potent times to do shadow work, inner child work, realigning yourself in balance, and doing deep expansive evolution. This is a great time to reach out to deities of wisdom, the crossroads and magical knowledge for a vast amount of growth and change. Having access to this liminal space allows you to access the shadow part of yourself and really truly work with all parts of yourself to truly create duality and balance within yourself. It allows you to access those universal energies and look at the universe, your place in it and others actions from a place of true balance and seeing things from all perspectives. This time is honestly one of my favorite times of the year. I go through some of my biggest growth spurts in knowledge, personal development, and expansion during this time every single year. It’s like my soul reawakens itself, catches on fire, and transforms itself through rebirth.

A Time To Plant Seeds

With Ostara and the Spring Equinox being the time of rebirth, the return of the sun, and the earth reawakening from it’s cold winter slumber it is one of the most potent time to plant your seeds of manifestation. This time is so fertile with the energy of abundance, growth, and renewal when you set intentions right now they are amplified with all that energy. Even in antiquity this was a time of planning and planting. The time when they would go out and start working the land and planting their seeds for their crops to grow and harvest in the fall. Take this time to really focus on your dreams, your goals, and your desires. Set yourself onto a clear path, with a clear image, and plant those seeds of manifestation now in the fertile energy of abundance, and growth to grow and be ready to harvest in the fall.

The History Of Ostara

Ostara began as the celebration of Ostera the Germanic goddess of Spring, who’s name evolved to Eostre by the Ango-Saxons than later this evolved into Easter, which kept the theme of rebirth and renewal with the resurrection of Christ.

Ostara is named after the Germanic goddess Ostara or Eostre, who was associated with the dawn and new beginnings. It was celebrated by pre-Christian Germanic tribes, such as the Saxons, who lived in what is now modern-day Germany.

The holiday was also celebrated by the Anglo-Saxons in England, who called it Eostre or Eosturmonath. There is no evidence that the ancient Greeks or Romans celebrated Ostara, although they did celebrate their own spring festivals, such as the Roman festival of Floralia and the Greek festival of Anthesteria.

Deities Of Ostara And Spring

Spring is one of the most important seasons in many cultures and religions, as it is a time of renewal, growth, and fertility. In many mythologies, gods and goddesses of spring play a vital role in the seasonal cycle, symbolizing the rebirth of nature and the beginning of new life. Working with deities is one of my favorite things to do. You can honor them during their festivals for them and by bringing them into any of your prayers, rituals, and spells you want to doin order to celebrate and connect to this holiday and sacred days. Let’s take a look at some of the Deities that can be worshipped during this time and holiday.

Estore

The most important goddess of spring is Eostre, the goddess of fertility, rebirth, and dawn. Sometimes referred to as the goddess Ostara, this deity was associated with springtime because this was the season when the days began to lengthen and the sun became stronger. She was also associated with the hare and the egg, which were symbols of fertility and new life.

Flora

One of the most prominent Roman deities of spring was Flora, the goddess of flowers and the blooming of plants. Her festival, the Floralia, was celebrated from April 28th to May 3rd and featured theatrical performances, dancing, and other forms of revelry. The festival was a time to celebrate the natural world’s beauty and ask for Flora’s blessings in the coming growing season.

Mars

Another important deity of spring was Mars, the Roman god of war and agriculture. Although he was primarily associated with warfare, Mars was also seen as a protector of crops and the agricultural cycle. His festival, the Mars Ultor, commemorates bounty in agricultural endeavors and a successful growing season.

Freyr

Freyr is an important god of spring in Norse mythology. He was referred to as the god of fertility, prosperity, and peace. Freyr was associated with springtime because this was the season when the crops began to grow, and the animals began to mate. He was also associated with the renewal of life and the regeneration of the earth, which made him an important figure in springtime celebrations.

Osiris

Osiris is an Egyptian god referred to as the god of fertility, agriculture, and the afterlife. He was associated with springtime because this was the season when the Nile River flooded, bringing water and nutrients to the crops. He was also associated with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, which made him an important figure in springtime celebrations. His death and resurrection were celebrated during the Osiris festivals, which marked the beginning of the agricultural year.

Cai Shen

One of the most prominent Chinese spring gods is Cai Shen, the god of wealth and prosperity. He is often depicted wearing a red robe and holding a gold ingot, and he is believed to bring good fortune and abundance to those who honor him. During the Chinese spring festivals, many people will place images or statues of Cai Shen in their homes or businesses to invite his blessings for the coming year.

Persephone

Persephone is the most prominent goddess of spring in the greek religion. She is the daughter of Zeus and goddess of harvest and agriculture Demeter. She is known as the goddess of spring, duality, rebirth, and the Queen of the Underworld. She is associated with spring, renewal, and rebirth because of her descent into the underworld with Hades and the affects. Her mother than decided to not allow anything to grow on earth until it was agreed she would return for part of the year. Her ascent back to earth from the underworld was when her mother allowed things to than flourish and grow again on earth. Because of this, she become the representation of the cycles of the earth and the reason for spring, the vernal birds returning, and the flowers blooming and to this day she still honors this cycle and deal. Persephone is my favorite deity, my patron goddess and I love connecting to her at this time of the year. If you want to learn more about her you can watch my class done previously on her with Divination Academy below.

The Correspondences Of Ostara And The Spring Equinox

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like Ostara and the spring equinox, like I will list below for you to use.

• Planet-Mars
• Animal-Bunny, Lamb, Butterfly, Chick, Fawn, Any baby animals
• Element- Air
• colors- Light greens, Lights blues, Light pinks, pastels, yellow
• Herbs- lily, tulip, lilac, Daffodil, Irish moss, honeysuckle, dogwood, Jasmine
• Stones/ crystals- Amazonite, Green Aventurine, Tiger’s eye, Amethyst, Moss agate, Carnelian
• Deities- Persephone, Osiris, Isis, Estore, Mars, Freyr, Flora, Demeter, Cai Shen, Brigid, The Green Man
• Symbols-The egg, the rabbit, The Changing cycles of the season, The Maiden, seeds, honey
• Zodiac- Aries
• Gender- Masculine

Magical Themes Of Ostara & The Spring Equinox

Every season and every pagan holiday has certain concepts and magical themes. Which means, depending on your tradition and needs, you can weave one or more of these themes into your personal celebrations. On the Spring Equinox also called Ostara, we see the following magical rituals and spells below. To learn more about the how to work with Spring and the month of march in general you can check out my previous blogpost here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/the-magic-of-march/

• Balance
• Duality
• Rebirth
• Renewal
• Dispel Negativity
• Growth
• Fertility
• Banishings/ bindings
• Inner work/ Shadow work
• Manifestation Work
• Astral and Spirit Work
• Cleansing, Purifying, and Clearing

Eggs and Ostara

There are a couple of stories that link Ostara to eggs and hares. One being that a hare out foraging for food found an egg and gave it to Ostara an offering for Spring. The other story speaks of Ostara finding a bird with frozen wings that she turned into a hare to save. The hare retaining its ability to lay eggs, laid an egg for Ostara as a show of gratitude. You can find variations of stories passed down similar to these or possibly have some in your lineage. No matter how the connection of eggs came to be associated with Ostara and this season, their connection to fertility, life, and rebirth is found worldwide and throughout history. If you want to learn more about the history, symbolism, and how to magically work with eggs you can read all about it in my previous blogpost here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/the-magic-of-eggs-the-magical-meanings-and-uses-of-eggs/

Bunnies And Ostara

Just like so many other historical Holiday icons and traditions, the Easter Bunny was born from Pagan customs. Bunnies are cute, and fluffy. But they’re also known for mating. And LOTS of it. It should come as no surprise the Rabbit is one of Ostara’s original symbols of fertility. In addition, there’s speculation the goddess Eostre once had a consort who was part-rabbit and of whom was depicted as a man-sized hare.

Ways To Work With The Spring Equinox & Celebrate Ostara

We have talked about many different themes, and energies you can connect to during this time from fertility, balance, duality, rebirth, and more. Let’s talk about how we can connect to and celebrate those themes and energies now. First, you can participate and honor any of the deities listed above or that are associated with Spring. You can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for intention setting and manifestation for the year during this time. Check out below more ways to work with and celebrate this holiday and time of year.

Shadow Work Focused On Duality And Balance

Since this time of the year and holiday is such a potent time to access the liminal space, work with the crossroads, and access the universal source of duality it is one of the most affective times to do shadow work. To go deep within yourself to do self reflection, connect to your shadow self and all parts of who you are, and your inner child. To acknowledge; maybe even for the first time, some traumas, wounds, and things you may need to work through and than do the shadow work to work through them. Themes to focus on with your shadow work right now should be duality, balance, rebirth, growth, and transformation. If you need to learn more about how to do shadow work you can learn how watching my class I previously taught with Divination Academy below.

Decorate Eggs

Eggs are a symbol of the Spring and henceforth Easter and Ostara. The tradition of painting and decorating eggs pre-dates Christianity and spans multiple cultures. To appease the gods and the spirits of Spring, decorate and paint eggs, then leave them at the foot of trees as offerings. Decorated eggs in the home in Spring ensures abundance and health in the coming months. The colors you choose to use when decorating can even represent specific energies and intentions as well. Below is a list of some ideas for you as you decorate your eggs.

• Red- Passion, Power, Transformation
• Orange- Attraction, Good Fortune/Luck
• Yellow- Happiness, Inspiration
• Green-Abundance, Prosperity, Wealth, Good Health
• Blue- Peace, Tranquility, Spirituality
• Purple- Mystical, Magical, The Power of Spring
• Pink-Love, Friendship

Plant or Prepare Your Garden & Seed Magic

This holiday is all about spring, rebirth, renewal, and fertility. It is the time you plant your seeds in the ground for literal plants to grow from the ground and to harvest in the fall. So, now is the perfect time to plan your garden, pick your plants for the year, and do any prep work you need to with your garden space. If it is possible that you can actually move the earth and plant your garden because it is thawed now is the time to do so and start doing that. If you can do that, you can also perform seed magic while you plant your seeds. How to do seed magic is below.

Seed Magic

• Before planting your seeds, hold the seeds in your hand and whisper to them a goal you are working on achieving this spring.
• As you plant your seeds into the dirt, visualize the flowers growing as you make progress towards your goal.
• Every time you water your plants, visualize yourself achieving your goal.
• Your goal should be achieved by the time your flowers are blooming.

Bury A Raw Egg In Your Garden Or Yard

A classic symbol of fertility and abundance, a buried egg in your spring garden blesses the harvest for fruitful yield. It helps that it also makes excellent fertilizer! This also appeases the nature spirits present in your garden. You can also spread or sprinkle eggshells in the garden for the same purposes. You can amplify this energy and blessing by drawing a fertility sigil, a symbol for a Spring deity, or a growth intention before you bury it in the earth. You can recite a mantra, prayer, or invocation as well as you buy the egg. Doing this during the Ostara and the Spring equinox can also add more energy to this practice for you.

Connect With Nature In A Mindful Way

Ostara and the Spring Equinox is all about welcoming the sun back and the reawakening of the earth. It is about the earth waking up and coming out of hibernation. Even we as humans are coming out of hibernation in a sense. So, take the time to shake off the winter blues and mindfully connect to nature taking a five senses spring walk.

Five Senses Spring Walk

• First, dress appropriately for the weather. Wear waterproof boots and warm clothes.
• As you walk outside, take a moment to use all your senses.
• Can you hear the snow melting, the birds chirping, the grass growing?
• Can you smell the wet snow, the thawed mud, the spring air?
• Can you see plants sprouting from the earth, buds on the trees, animals awake from hibernation?
• Can you feel the cold snow, the wet earth, the soft plants?
• Can you taste the fresh air or the icicle drips?
• After you have engaged all your senses, walk back to your home. Reflect on your experience by writing it down in a journal

Perform Egg Magic

Eggs are a very common symbol with Ostara and Spring Equinox and working with them is a great way to connect with and work with this energy. In many cultures and society, the egg is considered the perfect magical symbol. It is, after all, representative of new life. The egg is a source of powerful energy that is able to take stagnant and unproductive energy and metamorphize it into fertile and productive energy. Eggs in magic and witchcraft represent fertility, rebirth, creation, nourishment, protection and abundance. There are many different ways to work with eggs magically to learn how to you can read more about how to do so in my previous blogpost here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/the-magic-of-eggs-the-magical-meanings-and-uses-of-eggs/

Pick Wildflowers

The symbol of the flower is new life. Flowers have an uplifting effect on us. Their bright colors prove even though there is a time for death, there will always be a time for rebirth. This Ostara, pick some wildflowers and place them in a vase on your table or altar. Or decorate your table with Spring greenery. It will remind you of the beauty of Spring and of the true meaning of Ostara which is new life.

Spring Cleaning And Cleansing

I feel like almost everyone has heard of the concept of spring cleaning. It’s really a thing and has magical meaning and ties to the energy of Ostara and the Spring Equinox. This time is about rebirth, and renewal which makes it a perfect time for us to clean, cleanse, and purify our physical spaces and ourselves. So, take the time to deep clean every nook and cranny of your home. You can add some magic to it while you do it as well while sweeping out all of the negative, stagnant, and unwanted energies of your home. You do this by visualizing and using your energy to collect all that unwanted, negative, stagnant energy and than literally sweeping it and moving it out the your front door and threshold. To learn about more ways to cleanse, purify and protect your physical space and yourself you can do so by watching my previous classes with Divination Academy below.

Decorate An Easter Egg Tree

In Germany, it’s traditional to have an Easter tree to celebrate the Spring season. This is the same thing as a Christmas tree, except it’s for Easter. And if you’re pagan, call it your Ostara Tree. instead. Purchase hanging or make your own. You can even add magical symbols and words to each egg.

Ostara And Spring Equinox Wish

One of my favorite Ostara traditions to do is making an Ostara wish using a hard boiled egg. It is so simple to do as well! All you need is a hard boiled egg. Take a hard boiled egg, write a wish or intention you would like to plant to bloom by harvest time this year. Take your egg with your wish written on it out under the moon on Ostara. Hold it up to the sky, recite your wish out loud, and than take your egg and bury it in the earth for your wish to sprout, grow, and bloom this year.

Refresh, Reset, and Redecorate Your Altar

If you have an altar or altars as part of your magical practice and workings now is a great time to do a whole reset and refresh of your altar. You can do this by making sure you clean it off, wash it with oils, cleanse it magically with smoke, sound, or water, reset it with sigils if you choose to work with them, and charge your altar with your own magic, mantras, energy, and prayers. You can than redecorate and reset your altar with any of the correspondences we talked about above that you can us to connect to Ostara and the Spring Equinox. If you want to learn more about the basics of how to work with altars you can learn more in my study guide from my previous class I taught and keep an eye out for the video is posted to YouTube here; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cY9IKfLJgV-YBI76DCAtPAuwC6tSXdzh/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107019596187888016346&rtpof=true&sd=true

Egg Prosperity Spell

This spell is designed to bring you prosperity, whether it be financial or otherwise, by working with the magical properties of the egg. To learn more ways to work with the energy of abundance and to call abundance into your life you can read my previous blogpost here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/all-about-the-magic-of-abundance-prosperity-and-good-fortune/

What You’ll Need:

• An egg or eggs if making more than one
• biodegradable sachet
• pyrite
• mint
• marker, dye, and other tools to decorate the egg

What To Do:

Begin by cleansing, charging, and/or blessing your items. After the items are ready to go, write, draw, or otherwise decorate your egg with your intent: prosperity. You can draw a rune in gold on your egg to represent prosperity. Other color choices are green, orange, or violet. You can dye the egg a solid color, draw sigils, or money symbols. After the egg is decorated, place it along with the pyrite and mint into the biodegradable sachet.

When all the items are placed in the sachet, hold it in both hands and imagine it filling with gold and green light. Say,
“With egg for new beginnings adorned all in gold [you can insert your own color here, but it may not rhyme ]
With pyrite for wealth and mint for fortunes untold,
I open myself to wealth beyond measure,
And accept the Universe’s treasure.”

Once the spell is done, find a safe place in your garden, preferably by a plant also associated with prosperity and abundance, and bury the sachet

Ostara/ Spring Equinox Spell Jar

Spell Jars are one of my most favorite spells to create and tools to use in my magical practice and life. Spell jars are great to create a container of energy for you to harness and come back to over and over again when you need it! A quick run down on how to create a spell jar. Pick your items, and add them to your jar after you wash, cleanse and charger your jar. As you add your items focus on visualizing the energy of abundance and what it is you very specifically want to call into your life with that energy. Once you feel the intention and energy is set inside the jar you can take your lid and seal it shut. To add more power to your jar you can add sigils to the outside or seal the lid with wax even. Place the jar on your altar or anywhere in your home, office, or car where you can see it and come back to it when you need to call on the energy and spell again. You can shake the jar to activate the magic whenever you come back to it as well. Keep an eye out for more spell jar on my Pinterest or Facebook page and in an upcoming blogpost and eBook.

Use this spell jar below to call in and connect to the energy of Ostara and Spring Equinox.

Simmer Pot For Ostara And The Spring Equinox

Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year! Simmer pots are easy to create and customize to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want! So, why not make one specifically to call in and honor the energy of Ostara and the Spring Equinox?!

What are simmer pots? Simmer pots are basically potpourri in a pot! You choose your ingredients, put them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing. They couldn’t be any easier, just be sure you don’t let your pot boil dry! If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low. And obviously never leave it going when you are not home. To learn more about how about this magical practice you can check out my previous blogpost on the topic here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/simmer-pots-and-the-magic-behind-them/

Wrap up

We talked about the history of the Ostara and The Spring Equinox, the energies you have access to connect to, deities you can call to and honor, how you can connect to the energies, rituals you can do and how to align with and work with Ostara and the Spring Equinox . However you choose to connect to the many energies of Ostara and the Spring Equinox has to offer you; from rebirth, fertility, growth, fruitfulness, cleansing and wealth. Remember to work with the liminal space for healing and transformation as well during this time. Enjoy how the refreshing energy of the spring equinox will bring a new sense of life to you and your magic. And watch things bloom throughout the year like they never have before.