The Spring Equinox and Ostara Magic: Correspondences to Celebrate the Return of Life

The Spring Equinox celebrates rebirth, balance, and the return of life. Nature begins to bloom at the Spring Equinox: green is reappearing in nature, birds are singing in the morning again, spring flowers blossom, and trees begin budding. The ground thaws out with the warming weather and early crops start to appear, while garden beds are prepared for a season of growth and cultivation.

Wiccans who observe the Wheel of the Year revere the Spring Equinox as the celebration of Ostara. Ostara’s namesake comes from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of the spring. Unfortunately, there is very little information on Eostre, though the Venerable Bede makes mention of her in the 8th century, saying Easter was named after her. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that the name Ostara is a modern Pagan creation, one which Aiden Kelly adopted for the Spring Equinox in the 1970s.  As writer Jason Mankey explains, “There aren’t any tales of Eostre throwing eggs to all of the good little Germanic pagans, or her riding a giant rabbit, so it’s hard to say with certainty that she existed and is the source for the word ‘Easter.’” So, while Ostara is a modern interpretation of ancient celebrations, it is still a valuable seasonal marker that indicates the awakening of life and invites us to perform fertility, manifestation, and rebirth magic.

At the Winter Solstice we learned to hold onto the hopeful promise that the light would return, and the sun would go strong again: at the Spring Equinox this promise is fulfilled. The Spring Equinox must have been a time of anticipation in ancient civilizations: at the dawn of spring the cold spell of winter was broken. After months of uncomfortable weather, there must have been a feeling of relief to be able stretch out of hibernation, go outdoors, and even add greens back into the diet after depleting food stocks. There must have also been an inspiring feeling to witness the sun lingering in the sky longer, motivating people prepare gardens and plan for the commencement of the year’s growing seasons. Today we may not be so connected with the land or the cycles of growing seasons. Strawberries are available all winter at the local grocery store and heat is not a scarcity if you keep up on the electric or gas bill. Consider how much more precious the return of warm weather would be during a time without modern conveniences!

For witches and Pagans, the symbolic value of Spring’s return asks us to consider what seeds we wish to plant in our metaphorical gardens. We can consider what projects and goals we wish to initiate and grow over time, and even work our magic into these goals to encourage the manifestation of good things. The Spring Equinox season also invites you to reconnect with nature: take time to go on a nature hike and explore the spring wildflowers or spend time in your garden. You may find that edible flowers decorate your salads and early-spring herbs are collected and dried for magical workings throughout the year. Depending on where you live, Spring can herald in showers and severe weather: these weather events invite you to deepen your appreciation for all aspects of nature, both calm and wild, as there needs to be a balance of both sunshine and rain to grow an abundant garden. The metaphor in this is useful, even for modern Pagans, who may not rely solar calendars for their livelihood as their ancestors did.

Correspondences for Magic and Celebrations at the Spring Equinox

Names: Ostara, Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox

Date of Celebration: Celebrated on the Spring Equinox (which usually falls between March 19th and March 23rd in the Northern Hemisphere and between September 19th and September 23rd in the Southern Hemisphere).

Deities Honored:

  • Bloduwedd

  • Cernunnos

  • Dagda

  • Eostre

  • Freya

  • Hrethra

  • Mithris

  • Persephone

  • Sita

    Springtime Animal Allies:

  • Bears

  • Bees

  • Chicks and Chickens

  • Chipmunks

  • Deer

  • Fox

  • Frogs

  • Groundhogs

  • Hedgehogs

  • Lambs

  • Rabbits and Bunnies

  • Skunks

  • Squirrels


Magical Focuses:

  • Awakening from slumber

  • Balance

  • Communication

  • Fertility

  • Growth

  • Inspiration

  • Love

  • Manifestation

  • Motivation

  • New beginnings

  • Potential

  • Purification

  • Rebirth

Suggested Activities:

  • Begin a new project

  • Create a vision board of goals you wish to grow in the next few months

  • Decorate eggs and/or do magic with eggs

  • Do yoga poses that promote balance (such as the Tree Pose)

  • Gift egg and chocolate baskets to friends

  • Go bird watching

  • Go for a hike

  • Have a tea party in a garden

  • Host or participate in an egg hunt

  • Practice spring cleaning and purification magic in your home: remove clutter, donate unused items, open windows to let fresh air in, and clean your altar with Florida Water

  • Watch the sun rise

  • Work in your garden

Altar Decorations:

  • A jar of collected rain water from spring showers

  • A “Pot of Gold” (a bowl or cauldron full of coins and pyrite)

  • Animal figurines (such as chicks, rabbits, or robins)

  • Decorated or painted eggs

  • Easter-themed candy like Chocolate Bunnies, Peeps, or Cadbury Eggs

  • Found four-leaf clovers

  • Seedlings in a small planted pot

  • Spring flowers such as daffodils, lilacs, and/or tulips

Food and Beverages:

  • Apricot

  • Artichoke

  • Arugula

  • Asparagus

  • Avocado

  • Bean Sprouts

  • Beets

  • Broccoli

  • Carrots

  • Cabbage

  • Cauliflower

  • Chicken

  • Chocolate and Sweets

  • Eggs

  • Fish

  • Green Onions

  • Ham

  • Honey

  • Horseradish

  • Hot Cross Buns

  • Kale

  • Lamb

  • Leeks

  • Lemon

  • Maple Syrup

  • Mushrooms

  • Oranges

  • Radishes

  • Seeds

  • Spinach

Plants, Herbs, Flowers, and Incense:

  • Broom

  • Chickweed

  • Chives

  • Cilantro

  • Cinquefoil

  • Clovers

  • Crocus

  • Daffodils

  • Dandelion

  • Dill

  • Gardenia

  • Geranium

  • Honeysuckle

  • Hyacinth

  • Jasmine

  • Lemon Balm

  • Lemongrass

  • Lilac

  • Lily of the Valley

  • Mint

  • Narcissus

  • Parsley

  • Phlox

  • Thyme

  • Tulip

  • Vervain

  • Violet

Crystals:

  • Amethyst

  • Aquamarine

  • Aventurine

  • Chrysoprase

  • Fluorite

  • Jade

  • Moss Agate

  • Pyrite

  • Rainbow Moonstone

  • Rose Quartz

Colors:

  • Light Green

  • Pastels

  • Pink

  • Spring Green