Ostara: Welcome to Spring

Ostara is celebrated on the spring equinox or the beginning of spring. Ostara asks us to have courage as we move towards the intentions we set during the darkness of winter.

Why Ostara is Celebrated:

Ostara marks the spring equinox, when day and night are equal and balanced. It symbolizes the returning of light over darkness, as the days lengthen and nature begins to really bloom. The name “Ostara” is believed to have been derived from Eostre, the goddess of spring and fertility.

Spiritual Themes of Ostara:

Balance: Ostara celebrates the equilibrium of day and night. During Ostara season we can focus on how important balance is in our lives in all things. Where is your life not quite in balance? Where are you balancing well? Take time this season to do your best to achieve more balance.
Fertility: As we honor Eostre, the goddess of fertility, we can call in growth within our lives. What do you want to create this season? What intentions are you hoping to birth/create? Take action to grow those intentions into manifestations during Ostara season.
Renewal: The world is blooming and waking up, now is the time for a fresh start. With the beginning of the astrological year of Aries season, treat this time as a period of renewal. Go after your goals, take chances, have courage. You have a whole universe of possibilities in front of you, what will you choose to become?

Ostara Correspondences and Facts:

Date: March 19-21
Themes: Fertility/Creativity, New Beginnings, Growth, Potential
Time of Day: Dawn break
Generational Cycle Correspondence: Maiden
Season Correspondence: Start of Spring
Astrological Correspondence: Aries season
Moon Energy: First Quarter Moon
Tarot: The Empress
Crystals: Moonstone, Aquamarine, Rose Quartz
Colors: Lavender, pastels, yellow
Symbols: Eggs, hares/rabbits, flowers, butterflies

Ostara on the Witch’s Calendar

Generational/Universal Time – Maiden: Ostara is a time for fresh starts and exploring. Like maiden energy it’s time for focusing on you and having adventures.
Season – Spring: Ostara marks the beginning of spring.
Astrological Seasons: Aries – Midway through Taurus Season
Moon Phase – First Quarter Moon: Like the first quarter moon we’re in the ‘action’ phase of the cycle and making moves towards your goals aligns with the energy of this season.
Time of Day – Dawn: The day is breaking and the world is waking up. Like dawn, Ostara season is the time to get moving on what you want to do and take action towards it.

If you want to learn more about Sacred Cycles, check out this post: Cyclic Magic

Ostara Rituals:

Ostara is a time of rebirth and fresh starts – now is a great time to take action on your intentions and get back out in the world after hibernating through winter.

Here are my favorite rituals for Ostara Season:

Egg Decorating: You’ve probably been doing this ritual since you were a child. This Ostara decorate eggs to honor Eostre, the goddess of fertility and abundance, to honor the season of the maiden, and to celebrate the hatching of your dreams and intentions as you take action towards them this season.
Tap into your creativity and craft something: Ostara is a season of abundance and fertility – take advantage of the heightened energy by creating something. This could be weaving a basket, knitting, baking, gardening, anything that makes you feel excited about life.
Take action on intentions: We planted our intentions during Imbolc and now is the time for those intentions to really start taking shape. How can you take forward steps towards those goals?
Spend time outside: With the return of the lighter days and warmer weather, go outside and enjoy it. Gather with friends for a bonfire, tidy your garden, go on a picnic, fly a kite, make a flower crown.
Inner Child Practices
Abundance Spells
Create a new altar
Share a meal with friends and family
Honor the balance of day and night on the equinox
Do things that make you feel joyful and playful
Take action on something on your to-do list
Learn something new
Move your body with intention
Visit a place that makes you feel free
Practice gratitude
Lean into fresh starts
Do the hard tasks
Call in more of what you want
Start a new adventure
Lean into the unknown
Inner Child Play
Celebrate the abundance around you
Take action on the intentions you set during the winter
Do a tarot spread for this season
Set 1-3 intentions for this season

Ostara Altar Ideas:

Honor Eostre: Place items on your altar that correspond to fertility and abundance. This could be eggs, rabbits symbols, money spell bags
Honor Nature: With the returning of the light and warmer weather, now is the time to celebrate the return of being outside in nature. Gather twigs, fallen nests, seeds, or other items that symbolize nature and the spring.
Items to motivate you: With Ostara comes Aries season and the beginning of the astrological year. Now is time to work on the seeds you planted during Yule and Imbolc. Decorate your altar with items that will remind you of what you’re working towards and keep you motivated throughout the action seasons.
Items to honor the season of the Maiden: What made you feel alive and joyful as a child? Place items that bring joy and inner child happiness on your altar during Ostara.
Other Altar Decorations: Fresh flowers, eggs, seeds, fertility symbols, items with pastels/lavender/yellow, honey, aquamarine, lavender stalks, rose quartz, butterflies, money and abundance symbols

Ostara invites us to embrace the changing seasons, celebrating the return of life and the promise of growth. Through rituals, crafts, and a connection with nature, we can align ourselves with the powerful energies of this equinox. As we witness the Earth blooming with vitality, let Ostara inspire us to cultivate our own inner gardens, nurturing the seeds of potential that will blossom in the warmth and light of the coming season. May this festival be a time of joy, balance, and the renewal of both the natural world and our own spirits.