Blessed Ostara! This is our first time celebrating a sabbat as a coven here at The Charmed, and we are so glad to be sharing this beautiful transition with you all. 

The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals consisting of the year's main solar events and the midpoints between them, all of which make up the sabbats. Today, we celebrate the spring equinox named after Eostra, a goddess who represents the dawn. As the spring goddess governing growth and fertility, we invoke her presence as we celebrate the changing of the seasons.

This is the earliest vernal equinox in the last 124 years, and it brings elements of growth, rejuvenation, gratitude and connection to the earth in a time where we may be needing them most. 

The spring equinox represents the light mastering the darkness, as the days grow longer and the nights shorter. It serves as an opportunity to reflect on how we’re  thinking, living, and being. This is the perfect opportunity to reintegrate your emotional unconsciousness with your analytical consciousness! Are you taking the time needed to tend to your spiritual and emotional self? Are you struggling to create new routines in your daily life? Are you giving too much of yourself to others? Are you letting the outside world impact your ability to practice your craft? Honestly, most of us are, and that’s ok!

The equinoxes are a time to reflect on the elements of balance (or lack thereof) in our life. How can you adjust your daily routine to bring more harmony into existence? Where do your intentions need to shift in order to bring you to a place of peace? Consider taking some time to honor the changing of the seasons and reflecting on the things that are beginning to bloom in your life. 

OSTARA BLOOMING RITUAL

Our rituals are suggestions, listen to your intuition to determine what elements speak to you and feel free to leave the rest.

You’ll need:

• A journal and pen

• A candle (preferably black or white)

• Seasonal element(s)

  • Some fresh, drawn, or digital flowers (yellow preferably to embody the sunlight we’re grateful to have more of, but whatever you have access to will do!)

  • Herbal tea

  • A floral-scented oil or candle

Begin by taking  a moment to get settled in your space. Begin your practice in your favorite way; whether that is casting a circle, cleansing your space with smoke, journaling, or anything else that feels right. Set your candle, journal and pen, and seasonal elements before you.

Take a few deep breaths. As you inhale, envision roots sprouting from the base of your spine. As you exhale, feel the roots grow deeper below you. Continue breathing and allow your roots to reach the center of the earth. With your next inhale, envision your heart growing into a rose in full bloom. Continue to breathe as your petals unfurl and your beauty is shared with the world. As you feel your heart expanding and blooming, light your candle. 

Speak, or think, these words:

On this day, as the lightness overcomes the dark, I give myself permission to fully bloom.

I see my blessings begin to sprout and grow with this new season, and I honor the labor that got me this far. I thank myself for continuing to learn and grow, and know that the springtime ahead will continue to bring me warmth, brightness, and joy.

On this day of balance, I honor and appreciate the multifaceted jewel of my existence, and I give thanks for both the shadow and the light.

I move forward through this season with an open mind, an open heart, and the willingness to continue to grow and bloom, no matter what may come my way.

And so it is.

If you feel called to journal, draw, or continue your ritual, please do so. Once you are finished, smother your candle, offer your seasonal elements to your favorite deities or ancestors, and check in to see if you need some water or a snack. You are a beautiful creature, and the world is a beautiful place because you are in it.

If you’d like to share your rituals with us, tag us with #wearethecharmed so we can celebrate with our digital coven!