It's Ostara in Australia, Ostara is the Vernal Equinox, this means it is a period of time where day and night are equal in time. I consider the themes of Ostara to be: balance, parenthood, childhood, birth, and growth. I personally use pastels and greens to celebrate Ostara but some people also include white.
Ostara is a great time to cast manifesting and growth spells.
As part of honouring parenthood and birth
Cook with and eat dairy (and dairy substitutes) to represent parenthood
Eat and cook with eggs to represent birth
In the southern hemisphere Ostara is no where near Easter but if you are avoiding using real eggs you can buy egg shaped moulds to make egg shaped treats like chocolate eggs
Make egg shell powder for spells and to add calcium to your garden (too much calcium can harm your plants, please only use when needed or sparingly in the garden as part of a spell)
I paint egg shells with symbols that remind me of parenthood and babies, such as cows, sheep, seahorses, or toy rattles.
Visit a petting zoo/watch baby animal videos
Reflect on your childhood (look at childhood pictures and keepsakes, use a scent you find nostalgic, eat a childhood favourite dish/snack, do a favourite childhood activity)
Reflect on what you wish to grow this year
Eat and cook with seasonal produce
Take a walk, try to slow down and pay attention to Spring's gifts
Make a small bouquet of wild flowers that are currently abundant
Imbolc may be the start of preparing for the warmer days, but now Ostara is here it is time remove the last remains of winter.
Wash and pack away blankets
Organise your wardrobe to make your spring/summer clothes more accessible
Take out equipment for hobbies you may only do it the warmer times
It's heading into bush fire season, in the upcoming days: check your smoke alarms, remove fire hazards, and have a fire drill at home. Following the seasons doesn't just mean celebrating the seasons, it also means being prepared for what they may bring.
Evaluate how you can bring or maintain balance into your life. This is a time of balance within duality, this is an idea time to reflect on how you can bring that balance to within yourself.
An interesting cotton light weight knitting project you can do is the miser's purse. A miser's purse is used to store two pockets of change but in witchcraft you could use it to symbolise balance and duality while holding items. You can use two opposing colours to really cement the duality theme.
Covid-19 is still dangerous, with Ostara here you may be tempted to do unnecessary outings and break social distancing. Please remember, limit your outings, and always maintain social distancing when you do go out (even if you wash your hands and wear a mask, which you should be doing anyway).
Plenty of this can be done by yourself in covid safe practice so please protect the vulnerable. Babies, elderly, those with respiratory issues, people who have weak immune systems, seriously so many people are vulnerable, most people I know have a baby or a condition that makes them vulnerable. This isn't just about you getting sick and getting over it, this is about the people you might give it to before you realize you have it. So please minimise your physical contact with public items, maintain social distancing, vigilantly maintain hygiene, wear a mask properly, do everything you can, I beg you. Thank you if you have been, you are a wonderfully responsible human being, thank you for doing your part.
