OSTARA 20 - 3 - 2026

Themes for Ostara

Balance & harmony

Rebirth & renewal

Fertility & creation

Growth, hope, and new beginnings

Awakening after rest

This is a powerful time to reset intentions, especially around things you want to grow slowly but steadily—relationships, creativity, health, confidence, and long-term goals.

🥚 SYMBOLS & CORRESPONDENCES

Animals

Hares & rabbits (fertility, abundance, lunar energy)

Birds & eggs (new life, potential, protection)

Colours

Pastels, green, yellow, pink

Soft earth tones mixed with fresh floral shades

Herbs & Plants

Daffodil, tulip, crocus

Lavender, chamomile, rose

Mint, lemon balm, rosemary

Crystals

Rose quartz (love & renewal)

Green aventurine (growth & luck)

Citrine (solar energy & joy)

Clear quartz (clarity & balance)

Elements

Strong balance of Earth & Air

(Earth awakening + ideas beginning to move)

 OSTARA RITUAL IDEAS

 Balance Ritual

Light two candles—one light, one dark. Reflect on where your life feels balanced and where it doesn’t. Set an intention to bring gentle harmony into those spaces.

🥚 Egg Magic

Decorate eggs with symbols of what you want to grow this year. You can:

Bury them (shells only) to feed the earth

Place them on your altar

Crack one into a meal as a spell of manifestation

🌸 Seed-Planting Spell

Plant seeds while speaking your intentions aloud. As the plant grows, so does your goal. This is slow magic—patient and powerful.

🧹 Spring Cleansing

Clean your space, then energetically cleanse with smoke, sound, or a simple floor wash infused with herbs like rosemary or lemon.

🍯 OSTARA FOODS

Eggs (in any form)

Honey cakes or sweet breads

Fresh fruits & greens

Milk, cheese, and light pastries

Herbal teas with floral or citrus notes

Eat mindfully—this is nourishment magic.

🌙 ALTAR IDEAS

Fresh flowers or budding branches

Painted eggs or shells

Crystals tied to growth and love

Symbols of the sun and moon together

Seeds, soil, or small plants

Your altar should feel alive, not perfect.

AFFIRMATION FOR OSTARA

“I welcome growth with patience and trust.

I honour balance as I step into new beginnings.”

Ostara reminds us that you don’t have to bloom all at once. Gentle progress is still progress. Trust the cycle. Trust yourself. The light is returning—and so are you 🌞🌿

Imbolc is one of the most peaceful and deep times of the year. It is celebrated on February 1–2 and marks that we are close to the end of winter and the beginning of spring is soon. We don't think of Imbolc as a time of dramatic rebirth, instead, we think of it as a time to tend to the spark that makes rebirth possible.

Imbolc shines while other festivals burn.

Winter isn't over yet when Imbolc comes. The cold is still here. The land may still look empty. But something has changed. The light is clearly coming back. Seeds are still alive under frozen ground. Animals start to move Ewes' first milk is a traditional sign that life is starting up again. This is important for witches because magic works at thresholds. Imbolc teaches us to see power before it shows itself, to feel change even though everything looks the same, linked to fire in history and magic, but not the roaring fire of midsummer or the fire of change. This is the flame of the hearth which small, steady, and safe.

This flame means something to witches, it’s our Inspiration, awakening creativity, recommitting to our faith, and warmth and strength inside At Imbolc, lighting candles is not a symbolic play, it is a spell of remembrance that even when the world is cold, I carry light. Imbolc asks a question that is very different from other sabbats. Not the questions of the other sabbats "What's your harvest? “What are you letting go of?" "What's the reason for your celebration?" But instead:

What are you willing to take care of, even if there isn't any proof yet?

This is very important for witches. Witchcraft is more than just getting results; it's about having faith in the process, trusting the cycles, and being devoted to work that isn't seen. We sometimes will use Imbolc to

Make new promises or vows

Clean and dedicate tools again

Start new studies 

Make plans that will take months, not days, to come to fruition.

Traditionally, Imbolc is a time for new beginnings and making promises again. Not because someone is "ready," but because practice makes people ready. It's not so much about claiming power as it is about being there for it. Imbolc controls the first signs of inspiration: the idea, the urge, and the quiet longing. Imbolc is about coming back to life in both the mind and spirit.

Imbolc is about the relationship with the land in earth traditions, such as covens dedicated to Gaia. Its all about small changes in the environment, days getting longer, birds or plants that come back. The land wakes up when it wants to, not when we do.

Imbolc is a time for us to remember that magic must happen at the right time, not when we want it to. This is the sabbat that says that you don't need proof to start. You just need to trust.

As the wheel of the year turns to November, the world grows quieter, the air chills, and the veil between realms remains thin. This month bridges the end of autumn and the early whispers of winter, making it a potent time for reflection, release, and transformation in your magical practice. Here are some key correspondences and energies to work with in November:

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Seasonal Energy

• Themes: Reflection, introspection, transformation, ancestral work, rest, letting go, gratitude, preparing for winter.

• Element: Water (emotions, intuition, dreams) and Earth (grounding, stability, protection).

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Sabbat

• Samhain (October 31 – November 1): The energy lingers into early November, ideal for ancestor veneration, spirit communication, and shadow work.

• Preparation for Yule (Winter Solstice, late December): Begin setting intentions for the return of the Sun.

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Lunar Influence

• Full Moon Names: Beaver Moon, Mourning Moon, Frost Moon.

• Moon Magic: Use the waning moons for release and banishing, and the waxing moons for setting intentions for the new season.

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Astrological Influences

• Sun Signs: Scorpio (until ~Nov 22) & Sagittarius (from ~Nov 22 onward).

o Scorpio: Transformation, deep healing, shadow work, release.

o Sagittarius: Hope, expansion, optimism, learning, visioning ahead.

• Planetary Rulers: Mars & Pluto (Scorpio), Jupiter (Sagittarius).

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Crystals & Stones

• Obsidian: Protection, banishing, deep healing, shadow work.

• Smoky Quartz: Grounding, letting go, transmuting negativity.

• Labradorite: Enhancing intuition, transformation, magical protection.

• Citrine: Joy, abundance, optimism (as the Sun’s energy wanes).

• Amber: Warmth, ancestral connection, healing.

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Herbs & Plants

• Mugwort: Dreams, protection, spirit communication.

• Sage: Cleansing, purification, wisdom.

• Rosemary: Remembrance, protection, clarity, ancestral work.

• Cinnamon: Warming, abundance, protection.

• Chamomile: Calm, healing, restful sleep.

• Pine: Purification, resilience, winter preparation.

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Colours

• Deep Purple: Spiritual insight, psychic work, mystery.

• Black: Protection, banishing, honoring the shadow.

• Dark Green: Renewal, stability, the evergreen promise.

• Brown: Grounding, earth connection, security.

• Grey & Silver: The veil, liminality, moon magic.

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Deities & Spirits

• Hecate, Persephone, Cerridwen, The Morrigan (goddesses of transformation, the underworld, magic, and the mysteries).

• Ancestral spirits: Honouring those who came before you, seeking guidance and protection.

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Animals

• Ravens & Crows: Mysticism, transformation, messages from the otherworld.

• Stags & Deer: Gentleness, guidance through the dark.

• Wolves: Loyalty, guardianship, intuition, the wild self.

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Magical Activities

• Divination: Tarot, runes, scrying, dream work.

• Shadow Work: Journaling, meditation, confronting fears.

• Ancestor Veneration: Altars, offerings, storytelling.

• Protection Spells: Preparing the home for winter.

• Release Rituals: Letting go of what no longer serves.

• Candle Magic: Especially with black, white, or silver candles for protection and clarity.

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November Incense & Scents

• Frankincense: Spiritual connection, purification.

• Cedar: Protection, grounding.

• Myrrh: Healing, spiritual growth.

• Clove: Protection, banishing, warmth.

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Kitchen Witchery

• Warm breads, root vegetables, apple, pumpkin, nuts, honey, spicy teas, mulled wine/cider.

• Baking bread: Manifesting abundance and gratitude.

• Soups & stews: Hearth magic, nourishment, protection.

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November Magic Affirmation

“As the leaves fall and the nights grow long, I honour my roots and embrace transformation. I let go, I heal, and I prepare to dream anew.”

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May your November be filled with deep magic, gentle release, and the comforting wisdom of the turning year. Blessed be

As the veil between worlds grows thin and the final harvest is gathered, Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) arrives — a time of reflection, remembrance, and renewal. Rooted in ancient Celtic tradition, Samhain marks the turning of the Wheel of the Year from light into darkness. It’s the spiritual new year — a sacred threshold where endings and beginnings intertwine.

The Meaning of Samhain

Samhain, traditionally celebrated from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st, honoured the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. For the Celts, this was a liminal time — the boundary between the old year and the new. It was believed that during Samhain, the veil between the physical and spiritual realms was at its thinnest, allowing ancestors and spirits to visit.

Today, Samhain continues to be celebrated by pagans, witches, and those attuned to the cycles of nature as a time for introspection, ancestor veneration, and transformation.

Ways to Celebrate Samhain

There’s no single “right” way to honour Samhain — it’s a deeply personal observance. Here are some meaningful ways to connect with its spirit:

🕯 1. Create an Ancestor Altar

Set aside a quiet space to honour your loved ones who have passed. Decorate it with photos, candles, seasonal fruits, or items that remind you of them. Take time to speak their names aloud, share their stories, and express gratitude for their presence in your life.

🔥 2. Light a Fire or Candle

Bonfires were central to ancient Samhain celebrations. If you can, light a small fire outdoors — or a candle inside — to symbolize the light guiding spirits home and the inner flame that sustains you through the dark months ahead.

🍎 3. Feast on the Harvest

Share a meal made with autumn’s final bounty — apples, pumpkins, root vegetables, and grains. Many traditions set an empty place at the table to honour the departed, inviting their spirit to join the feast.

🌒 4. Reflect and Release

Samhain is a perfect time for letting go of what no longer serves you. Write down habits, fears, or burdens you wish to release, then safely burn the paper as a ritual of transformation — making space for new beginnings in the year ahead.

🌕 5. Connect with Nature

Take a walk in the crisp air and notice the natural world’s transition into stillness. Collect fallen leaves, acorns, or stones for your altar, or simply offer gratitude for the cycles of death and rebirth that sustain life.

Embracing the Magic of the Dark

Samhain invites us to slow down, turn inward, and embrace the mystery of the unseen. It’s a reminder that darkness isn’t to be feared — it’s the fertile ground from which new life emerges. Whether through quiet reflection, joyful gathering, or sacred ritual, celebrating Samhain helps us reconnect with the rhythms of nature and the continuity of spirit.

Blessed Samhain — may your path through the dark be illuminated with wisdom, warmth, and wonder.