The sweet return of spring. Lightness. Rebirth. Small green shoots that hold the promise of a beautiful blossom. Baby birds and butterflies. Daffodils, daisies, tulips. The first caresses of sunlight and warmth. Creativity. Turning outwards towards the light. Fertility. Projects and plans planted in the winter beginning to bloom. Balance and harmony, when day and night are equal.

Ostara, the Celtic sabbat observed on the spring equinox, occurs on March 20th this year. Ostara is a time of rebirth and active manifestation. Whereas during Yule, the winter solstice, we set intentions and planted dreams internally, Ostara is the time to tend to the blooms that are finally breaking the surface. Ostara is the day when day and night are in perfect balance, but that means that every day after(until the Summer Solstice) the days are getting longer and the light is growing stronger. It is a time of re emerging into the world and taking tangible action to grow what you’ve planted.

This day is named after the olde Celtic goddess Ostara. As a goddess of fertility and springtime, she is sometimes referred to as “Eostre” (or East) because the sun rises in the East. She is celebrated during the equinox as a light bringer, life giver, and harbinger of growth. It is said that one should call on Ostara when they desire assistance increasing their fertility, sparking their creativity, or embarking on new projects. Below are two rituals and some altar suggestions to help you tap into the flow of Ostara’s sweet, fertile energy.

Plant Your Magic or Tend Your Garden

Ostara is all about growth and rebirth, and physically planting flowers/tending to blooms is a beautiful way to mirror this energy in the physical world. If you have a garden, this would be a perfect day to prepare it for the spring, clearing away all of the winter debris, fertilizing the soil and planting fresh seeds.

If you don’t have a garden, go to your local plant store for a pot, some soil, and either some seeds or some ready-to-repot plants. Find a sunny spot in your home and get planting! As you do this, visualize planting your own intentions and prepare to watch them bloom with the plants. Every time you tend to this plant with water and sunshine, imagine you are tending to your dreams. Let it also be a physical reminder of your dreams that inspires you to take action.

If none of these options are available to you, go to your local supermarket and get a small potted plant or a bouquet of your favorite flowers (best if they’re local plants!) and place them in your home, letting them fill your home with fresh, fertile energy.

Egg Magic

Eggs are powerful symbols of fertility and birth, making them the perfect medium for a little Ostara magic making. To perform Ostara egg magic, grab an egg (any kind of egg will do) and think about what you are currently growing. You may wish to think back to the intentions you made during the winter, or you may want to start fresh. Then, write or speak your wishes onto the egg, visualizing your intentions embedding themselves into the egg, as if you were placing them in a potent container to facilitate their growth.

Once you have done that, either draw or visualize a 6-point star on the egg, a potent symbol of the idea "as above, so below". Then, go bury the egg in the soil and ask mother earth to nurture your intentions and help them blossom. Consider your dreams planted, and get ready for them to bloom!

Ostara Altar Suggestions

If making an altar is part of your practice, here are a few suggestions for items to include.

Crystals: Amethyst, citrine, carnelian, clear quartz, agate, amazonite, pyrite

Herbs: Spearmint, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm, jasmine flowers, marjoram, thyme, tarragon, honeysuckle

Other items: Wildflowers, crocuses, lilacs, yellow and/or green candles, patchouli incense, eggs, reminders of the seeds you planted during the winter that you are now harvesting