The RP Mystic Guide to Ostara
Ostara is the fourth spoke along the Wheel of the Year. Celebrated on the spring equinox, Ostara honors the goddess Eostre, and highlights the balance between lightness and darkness; daytime and nighttime. In her book Practical Magic: A Beginner’s Guide to Crystals, Horoscopes, Psychics, and Spells, author Nikki Van De Car writes, “Ostara is about birthing, sprouting, and growth. At this time spring has begun in earnest, and it is apparent in the yellow-green leaves and the delicate blossoms surrounding us.” Here, we offer you our favorite rituals and correspondences to make your Ostara magical.
Invoke the abundance of light and power that springtime has to offer with this spell courtesy of Practical Magic.
Abundance Spell
Use some combination of vervain, thyme, honeysuckle, and marigold in a smudge wand. Light a candle so that it shines on an image of what you wish to have, whether it is more money, a new car, a new job – whatever it is you’re hoping your life will hold. Hold citrine and jade in your hands, or use them as weights on the image. Close your eyes and make that image a reality in your mind. Recite the following incantation:
Let abundance come to me
Allow my dreams to flow
Let me give back more than I receive
So mote it be
Adding a few drops of essential oils to a bowl of very hot water is lovely (and safe!) way to bring a highly potent natural element into your rituals like a tarot reading or a spell casting. Here are some of our most cherished essential oils that promote the balance and light that Ostara celebrates, from Essential Oils: A Little Introduction to Their Uses and Health Benefits by Cerridwen Greenleaf.
Ginger: Ginger is vigorous and revitalizing, and heightens desire and comfort. Native to southern China, ginger essential oil is very much a protector and is believed to ward off ghosts, negative spirits, and harmful energies. It will also spice up your love life and is used for romantic rituals. Ginger is money attractor and will draw wealth toward you.
Rosewood: Great for easing its user into a restful night’s sleep, rosewood oil can be used to calm restlessness and to overcome the blues. It has a very balancing energy, can alleviate burnout, and prompts renewal and a youthful feeling.
Lemongrass: Native to Asia, lemongrass has long been used to repel negative spirits seeking to enter the home. The sharp and bright citrus scent of this essential oil can lift up those who are feeling blue or in a rut. Lemongrass is calming and balancing with a protective energy; it can help point you in a direction for a fresh start in life.
By the time the spring equinox arrives, we’re all looking forward to bringing nature and all its powerful elements into lives with a bountiful garden. “Whether you have room for rows of plants or you are cherishing a pot garden by your windowsill, you can still feel the nourishing energy of the elements,” says author Nikki Van De Car. Once you’ve thoughtfully planned out and planted your garden, here is a final ritual to call for all its magic, adapted from Nikki’s newest book, The Witchy Homestead: Spells, Rituals, and Remedies for Creating Magic at Home.
An Enchanting Ritual for Your Garden
First, cleanse its energies by burning some incense or a smudge stick. A smudge stick is a small bundle of dried plants. The traditional material is sage, but you can make one out of anything you choose—thyme, vervain, and betony are also good herbs for cleansing. In fact, it’s best to choose a plant that you can grow yourself, one that lives happily in the same climate you do. Rather than encroaching on indigenous traditions, make your own! Find the plant that speaks to you.
Light your bundle on fire, and then waft its smoke over your garden before planting your first seed. Use your hands to disperse the smudge stick’s scented smoke, helping to dissipate any negativity that may be lingering in the area.
Next, add some crystals to your garden. You don’t need many—just tuck a few here and there, so that the energy of the old parts of the earth can nourish the new growth.
Incorporating crystals into your Ostara rituals is a powerful way to balance your spirits and prepare your mind and body for abundant new beginnings you’re sure to manifest. Here are some of our favorites to use during this time, courtesy of Crystals: A Little Introduction to Their Powers by Nikki Van De Car.
Citrine: The stone of abundance, it invites success and money and raises self-esteem. Good for the heart, kidneys, liver, and muscles.
Jade: Will inspire you to ambition and keep you working toward your objective. Good for longevity.
Emerald: The “stone of successful love,” emerald encourages you to give and receive love.
Moonstone: Soothes the emotions as well as the digestive system. Encourages peace and harmony within.
Aquamarine: Aids in expressing your personal truth. Reduces fear and tension.
Focusing on three primary areas -- healing, magic, and fortunetelling -- this books provides the perfect primer for sophisticated dabblers, with inviting text and spell-binding illustrations. Clear introductions on trending topics, like herbal tonics and astrological charts, are paired with home remedies, hands-on instructions, and suggested rituals in a chic, stylish format that will capture the imaginations of good witches of all ages.
Whether we live on a farm or in a high rise, we can always create a life that is entwined with the natural world. A homestead is not a log cabin or a hermitage out in the woods -- it is a way of being, a life lived with the intention of returning to our roots and tapping into the essential elements of fire, water, air, and earth. And a homesteading witch isn't just a person who lives atop a beautiful mountain, but anyone who understands that by harnessing and honoring these elements you can create whatever it is that you need.
The Witchy Homestead is your guide to finding, creating, and living this essential magic -- it is a comforting companion as you build a wellspring of magical self-sufficiency, and a seasoned teacher as you cultivate enchanted resilience. Through this book, author Nikki Van De Car will offer magically-tinged suggestions for growing or finding your own food regardless of where you live, engaging in natural healing practices, connecting to the ancient magic of the world around you, and for protecting all that you have created.
Essential oils have been around for thousands of years, but what are they and how do you use them? In this adorably small and fully illustrated A to Z primer, explore 100 of the most popular and common essential oils and how to use them, with descriptions of their origin, uses and purpose, connections to spellwork, and possible health and healing benefits. Also included are topical recipes for stress relief.
Whether it's lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, frankincense, or ylang ylang, learn everything you need to know about the most commonly used plant-based essential oils, carrier oils, and fruit essences in this full-color, illustrated mini-book.