Hey Witches,
The Wheel has turned once again and, with the Spring Equinox just behind us, it’s time to look forward to longer, warmer days as we ease into the season of Ostara.
My intention was to get this letter to you before Ostara, the equinox, and the Virgo Full Moon but life got in the way. As well as being busy with work and taking on new clients, I was presented with an opportunity to read Tarot at an event last Friday.
It was my first time reading for anyone other than myself and I was so nervous! But it was so much fun — some of the readings were so accurate that I surprised myself! Once it was over, I needed the whole weekend to decompress — it was a HUGE energy exchange for an introvert who hasn’t yet fully emerged from her pandemic shell.
So, better late than never, here is your Ostara newsletter.
But before we dive into it, I want to ask you a favour. In order to keep serving you with this newsletter, I’ve created a (very short!) questionnaire to help me get a better idea of what kind of content you like and want to keep receiving.
Those who complete it will be in with a chance to win a free card reading! You can fill it in here: https://forms.gle/BHyNpPYDHKdwCwUb9
Now, onto Ostara.
Ostara is the Sabbat that heralds the Spring. As all of nature begins to stir, the energy is starting to rise. Trees bud and blossom, plants poke their heads out of the cold Earth, and bees venture out to visit their favourite flowers. Animals emerge from hibernation with procreation on their minds. As the energy of Ostara washes over us, you may find yourself hatching new plans or dreaming up new creative ideas.
If you’re still feeling a little sluggish as you shake off the winter, this is a supportive time to create space to usher in new energies. This year, Ostara fell just after the March Full Moon in Virgo, also known as the Seed or Worm Moon. Virgo, like the equinox, is all about balance. This Full Moon asked us to look at our daily habits and routines and how they support our well-being. You may find yourself called to overhaul your habits, do a gentle detox, or give your house a thorough spring clean.
We’ve now also entered Aries season (my birthday season!), which many consider the astrological New Year. As a cardinal fire sign, Aries is all about new beginnings and turning over a new leaf. This is a great time to embrace the element of fire and let it burn away anything that no longer serves you.
Finally, the balance of light and dark symbolises the eternal dance of life and death. Even as we plant the seeds of new life, we must move through loss and grief. This may be literal grief for those who have passed from this plane to the next, or we may be grieving former versions of ourselves, lost opportunities, and all that which was never meant to be. Allow yourself to be present with both the light and the dark as we move through Ostara season.
Ostara ritual ideas
The Sabbat of Ostara may have already passed, but we can harness its energy right up until Beltane. Here are some Ostara season ritual ideas.
(Don’t forget to complete the questionnaire and let me know what kind of rituals you would like to see here in the future!)
Clean and decorate your altar
Sabbats are an ideal time to clean and refresh your altar. Remove all the items from your altar and remove any dust from them. Clean your altar and cleanse it with smoke or essential oil spray.
Then, it’s time to redecorate. You may find yourself drawn to different items or symbols than what was there previously — go with your intuition. Ostara is closely associated with the Goddess, so you might consider representing her with an image of your favourite goddess, or a symbol such as a cauldron or a chalice.
Ostara is associated with fertility and new life, so consider adding seasonal objects, such as eggs, rabbits, flowers, and greenery. Go for a walk and look for anything that calls your attention.
Decorating your altar is a great activity to do with kids and a fun way to introduce them to nature-based spirituality.
Spring clean your home
Spring cleaning is one of the ultimate Witchy practices.
Start by decluttering and reorganising your belongings. As you do, thank each object for its service and feel gratitude for how each thing enhances your life.
Then dust, sweep, vacuum, mop, do what you need to do. Sweeping is symbolic as it clears out old, stagnant energies and makes room to welcome in new ones. You might want to add a few drops of essential oils to your vacuum filter or in the water you use to clean the floor.
Finally, use smoke or spray to energetically cleanse your space. You could also hang a broom above your front door for protection.
Plant seeds of intention
Ostara is an ideal time to start planting seeds — both literally and figuratively. Get Witchy in your garden or on your balcony by planting your intentions.
Start by gathering your tools. Once you have everything, close your eyes and take a few moments for grounding and centring. Connect to the Earth and feel gratitude for her abundance and support.
When you feel ready, start to visualise the intention you wish to manifest. Connect with it in your mind and feel the associated emotions as though it has already happened.
Hold your vision for a few moments, then open your eyes and begin planting, repeating your intention in your mind or out loud as you do. You may even want to write your intention as an affirmation or incantation to repeat as you work.
Journal prompt: balance
Ostara is a good time to reflect on the theme of balance, so grab your journal, light a candle, and make a cup of tea, then consider the following questions.
What does balance mean to you?
Where do you feel balanced? Where do you feel out of balance?
What does a balanced life look like for you?
What can you do to feel more balanced?
What stories or narratives are you holding onto that are throwing you off balance?
How can you embrace both your light and your dark sides?
Card of the week
I’m using my new Tarot deck (featuring cats!) that the Universe gifted me for the event last week, and the card I have pulled for you this week is the Hanged Man.
The Hanged Man is all about pausing, getting rid of old mental habits, and gaining new perspectives, a lot like the equinox! I also love that in this version, his feet are surrounded by tulips — for me, one of the ultimate symbols of spring.
This is a positive card that comes up when it’s time to stop, take a breath, and hang back. You might be intuitively feeling that you need a break, or you may be facing unexpected obstacles or challenges that prevent you from moving forward.
The Hanged Man’s message is don’t push! If you don’t slow down, life will force you to, often in the not-so-fun ways. So surrender to what is and welcome the opportunity to rest and reflect. Hustle culture teaches us to be “always on” but the Hanged Man’s reminder is that this goes against our human nature. We need rest just as much as we need action to meet our goals.
But there’s another thing. If we rush headlong towards our objectives without pausing, we don’t enjoy the process and we don’t gain other perspectives. Stopping and taking a step back can activate our creative minds and usher in the birth of new ideas. It also gives us time to count our blessings and feel gratitude for everything we already have.
Remember to fill in the questionnaire (it only has two questions!) to be in with a chance of winning a personalised reading from me.
That’s it from me for now! I wish you a sacred and peaceful Ostara season.
Blessed be!