How to Bring Ostara Into Your Life in Little Ways

“The blossom opens slowly, slowly on the apple tree. One day, the boughs are grey… The next day and the next, here and there, a speck of white and then a sprinkling, as though someone has thrown a handful of confetti up into the air and let it fall, anyhow, over the branches.” (p. 55, Hill, 1982)

Falling on March 20th/21st(depending on where you live in the world), the spring equinox is one of my personal favourite celebrations throughout the course of the year. Full of green life, white blossom and yellow light, Ostara marks the moment that spring really begins. Although this year it still feels like mid-winter due to all the snow that has fallen. Spring is here!

There are many ways to celebrate Ostara and the spring equinox. It’s very easy to pick up bits and bobs to celebrate and decorate your house or altar for Ostara since all the shops are full of things for Easter which crosses over beautifully with Ostara and the celebration for the spring equinox predates both Christianity and Paganism.

I’m choosing to decorate my altar with pinks and greens this year as they’re the colours that stand out the most to me in spring and they also match my bullet journal spread for March too. I’m threading fake cherry blossoms through my fairy lights and using a pink cloth with butterflies on it to cover my desk. Butterflies are a great symbol for Ostara if you don’t want to go for the traditional eggs and rabbits as they are a true symbol of rebirth and renewal as just like the world does in winter, butterflies crystallise for months before re-emerging as beautiful creatures.

Last year I created a foodie ritual for Ostara that I’ve enjoyed again this year.

1. To begin, decorate your altar or space with items and colours that make you thing of spring – pink, green, baby blue and white are all fantastic colours. Blossom, hares, butterflies and daffodils are great flowers as well to represent this time of year and the things we’re seeing in nature.

2. Cast a protective circle and light a yellow candle (to represent the sun) and a green candle (to represent life).

3. Light some incense; great scents are honeysuckle, strawberry, bluebell and anything summery.

4. Take an egg and draw a sun on it with a brown or gold pen to mark the new light coming into the world.

5. Spend some time gently holding the egg and focusing on the light, imbuing the egg with the fresh new light that is coming into the world.

6. Leave the egg on your altar over night and then use it to make a delicious meal in the morning and it will bring Ostara light and life into your world.

Ostara is a big part of the circle of life as the world is becoming heavy with life but it’s a great time to bring balance between the inside and outside in your life. It’s a great time to fix all the little things at home you noticed were wrong whilst you were cosying up against the cold through the winter and to start acting on your plans for projects.

What did you get up to for Ostara? Do you have any plans now that spring is here? How did you decorate your altar? I’m going to enjoy a long hot bath and some meditation to centre myself and welcome the sun!

References:

Hill, S. (1982) The Magic Apple Tree: A Country Year.Harmondsworth: Penguin Books