I've got 3 easy Spring Equinox and Ostara rituals to help you celebrate the transition into spring and the abundance and fertiity of the Earth. It's all about eggs and cute, fluffy baby animals. Let's get into it.
Have you ever wondered what eggs and rabbits had to do with the execution of Jesus? It was a big stretch to transition some of the common symbols of pagan Spring Equinox festivals into Christian mythology. A lot of what we think of as Easter traditions have a strong grounding in pagan practices. It led to chocolate eggs in pretty pastel candy shells, so I'm not complaining.
Many modern witches and pagans refer to this turn in the wheel of the year as Ostara, named for the fertility goddess Eostre. It celebrates the day when light and dark are perfectly balanced and life is returning in full force to the natural world. And even if the weather is still miserable where you live, there are enough hours of daylight for the Earth to absorb the sun's energy and begin to grow again.
Ostara rituals center around the celebration of fertility and renewal. The extremely fertile rabbit is the perfect symbol as are the eggs that hens would begin laying again as the sun returned. Our ancient ancestors had survived the harsh winter, and there was the promise of another summer and more abundance in their sights.
Today, most of us can get whatever we need whenever we need it thanks to global shipping and high-speed internet. Sabbats are the perfect opportunity to give thanks for the privileges of modern living and to celebrate the abundance that exists in our lives. It's also the perfect time to call in more fertility and abundance for whatever you desire.
Egg Magick
Eggs have been used in magical practices across cultures for centuries. As well as a symbol of fertility, they're also a powerful symbol of protection because of their hard outer shell. Many egg spells focus on cleansing the body of negative energy. Rub an egg over your body and let it act as an energetic vacuum, clearing away anything unwanted. It would be great to perform this spell as we enter the astrological new year.
Decorating eggs is a long-standing Easter tradition, but once you understand its pagan origins, you can make it much more magical. Use a wax crayon to write words of intention, sigils, or magical symbols onto your eggs before dying them. Call in color magic to dye your eggs in a color that will amplify your intention.
When you're ready to dispose of your eggs, save the shells and grind them into powder. Use this to protect your home by sprinkling it around the border of your property. Unlike salt, the egg shells won't harm your plants.
Abundance Spells
The energy of nature at this time of year is ideal for any type of abundance spells you may wish to cast. You can create spell jar or charm bag to keep on your altar or carry with you. You could also create a simmer pot or a drinkable infused water.
Use the spell to call in more of whatever you need in your life, whether that's love, money, happiness, peace, or something else. There's nothing wrong with wanting more goodness in your life.
My personal favorite is a candle spell. You can make it as simple or elaborate as you like. Adjust the time that the spell is active by using a large or smal candle. You can surround your candle with symbols of abundance or simple dress the candle with oils and herbs.
Here are some materials and correspondences you could include in your abundance spell:
- Color - for this time of year, a pale spring green would be great, but if you have a specific intention, choose the color that's right for what you want to call in.
- Apple - dried or seeds
- Pumpkin or squash seeds
- Cloves - whole or powder
- Corn - popcorn kernels are perfect
- Mint - dried is best for anything you're not consuming, essential oil could be used to dress candles
- Oats
- Rice
- Wheat
- Rosemary - oil or dried herb
- Pyrite
- Citrine
- Green Aventurine
That should be enough to get you started.
Honoring the sun
Any solar sabbat, which includes the solstices and equinoxes, is good for honoring the progress of the sun. At the Spring Equinox, we are acknowledging the perfect balance between day and night and welcome the return of longer days. Something I like to do on these days is to mark the time of the sunrise and the sunset. You can usually find this information in your weather app. You can then watch the sun come up and go back down again, meditating on the change of seasons as you co so.
Do this from a window in your house, or if you're able go to your favorite nature spot so more deeply connect with the Earth. Even if you're just at your local park, notice how the light changes. How does the sun affect the colors around you? What are the birds and other animals up to? How does the sun feel on your skin? Spend as much time as you can outside, mindfully observing the subtle shifts in the natural world.
Then allow yourself some time to meditate or journal on the subtle shifts in your own life, both internally and externally. Consider what has change for you since the winter solstice in December. What is beginning to come back to life? What is being left behind? How can you bring your life into greater balance. You can also combine this with other Ostara rituals that are a less solitary.
May your Ostara rituals be filled with abundance
I hope this has given you some ideas for how to honor Ostara in your own way. As long as you're doing what feels right to you, it's perfect. To learn more about this sabbat, check out the Ostara episode of The How to Be Awesome Podcast. And if you're planning an Ostara feast, don't forget to check out my Recipes to Celebrate Ostara. May your Spring Equinox be truly awesome.
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