Are you getting that urge to clean yet? That drive to plant and clear out the garden.

Spring as it emerges always galvanises me into some kind of obsessive space clearing - the garden was cleared a week or so ago, and I made tribute at Imbolc with new plants and weeding, BUT for me my first dedicated ritual as a pagan some years ago was around Ostara - commonly held around the vernal equinox 21st March There is a host of symbolism associated with Ostara - lots focus upon fertility understandably as Spring begins to send those shoots out - there are not many cultures in the world who do not celebrate springs arrival in some way shape or form. A central symbol is the egg - hence the easter egg - and it is fun to handpaint boiled eggs with kids at this time of year. Also the rabbit or hare feature strongly as they dance at dawn - " march hares" boxing are a sight to behold - I only saw them once at Gaunts House in Dorset

Ways of celebrating can be a good old spring clean or cleansing your space magickally - in whatever way you choose. I like to clean down and then cleanse my crystals, altar, dedicate some spring flowers and do some planting at this time of year. As mornings become lighter somehow it is easier to rise with positivity and feel energised with the sun.

Do you celebrate Ostara and if so how? does it have meaning for you! I will be lighting a fire, getting some energetic dancing in and cleaning like a mad thing

I get planting! Well, carefully of course, given the vagaries of Scottish weather But yes, I do celebrate Ostara - mainly in a very small and simple way - I did the spring cleaning of altar stuff etc at Imbolc, and at Ostara (provided the weather's fine) the doors and windows get thrown open to let Spring in, lots of spring flowers in the house and I ask for blessings on the garden and everything growing in it. I love it - the dark days of winter at last on the run, and lighter longer days to look forward to.

Much as I love the dark winter months, I am always relieved to see Imbolc and Ostara and feel excited as I begin to notice the mornings getting lighter earlier!

And yes I do have the urge to spring clean lol. The house is pretty much done, but the garden still needs tidying up, especially as the daffy's are starting to push through and it would be nice if they weren't lost in the chaos that is my garden at the moment!

Ostara is usually a quiet affair for me, I don't have children, so there's no painting of eggs or excitable kids high on chocolate rush. In the past I've done a roast dinner (chicken usually, seems fitting) and made an effort to make it a bit special.

This year, I'm really not sure what to do - I suppose it will all depend where I am, still in the house, at friends, or off caravanning. Whatever it is, weather permitting I would like to spend sometime outside, smelling the fresh spring air and sensing the buzz of activity around me.

Have to admit,the garden is calling...

For the first time in donkey's years, I have some space to grow plants .. a yard rather than a garden but it will do me very nicely ! So yes I will be celebrating Ostara by a good spring clean indoors, tidying up the garden outdoors and maybe starting to sow seed or plant stuff for later on. I currently don't have one particular space in the house for spiritual or magical doings so I think I will put some thought towards setting aside a space just for that. That will be a symbolic new beginning for me as I have never had the space and privacy to be able to do that. I think if I cook a celebratory meal it will be good old chicken ... a nice free range one of course cooked as per the famous 40 cloves of garlic recipe... yum !

Also hopefully have a trip out into the countryside to breathe clean air in deeply and quietly observe Nature's changes with ushering in the spring.

Getting more plants has been my urge over the last couple of days. Already have half a wall covered with indoor plants already but want to extend it to the dining room.

Did some cleaning but that is another urge except that I just haven't the energy to do the heavy stuff. This weekend will be better. Did much needed laundry last Sunday and some cleaning but still need to do window and the walls are starting to get to me.

I too have a sense of anticipation of Spring. I've notice dawn coming early and the day ending later. Here after a two week cold spell, it's now in the high 40's and I swear I can smell Spring in the air. I have even seen a few Crocus coming throught the ground too. Spring is my absolute favorite season.

My main problem is I'm a terrible gardener I bought a couple of wispy ferns, and despite following the instructions they have died the aloe vera and the big plant thing I've got is doing well, and I'm usually ok with herbs... but sigh I just don't seem to have that green touch - but surely its something that can be learned?

Good timing - I bought some bulbs today and have just planted them. Not a very successful gardener myself but I figured if I keep trying someone'll take pity on me one day.

This year I'm going to look for a suitably twiggy branch lying around that I can use as an Ostara tree and make some decorations with my little one to put on it...painted eggs, stars, beady things etc.

Should be fun and will brighten the place up. I'll explain to her that it's to celebrate Spring and it'll remind me while I'm watching the rain run down the windows .

Oddly enough Ostara is one of the festivals I have real trouble with. I can't seem to get a clear identity in my mind for it. Still, as this year turns it seems that each one is falling into place, so maybe in six weeks time I'll be able to say "yes! This is what Oestre is to me!"

any more?

Nope, not yet...fertility, new life, spring, regeneration, conception and promise, milk and all things dairy

but not cohesive enough for me yet!

Oh alright.

I love the dark winter nights, but I also like it when the evenings start drawing out again. Can't agree with Very about earlier mornings, I have to get up at 7 when I'm working, any light before then, and before 9 at weekends is an anathema to me.
Snowdrops are out now, looking forward to the daffs and the crocuses.
I've only got a small back yard, but I fancy some crocuses in a pot.
With regard to Oestre, I have one son who's grown out of that sort of thing but still expects some chocolate, and a nephew and niece who haven't. As I'm officially "out" now, I'll be buying them chocolate hares this year, well I've been watching The Wicker Man again (top film )
One thing that is interesting I think, I've had a few nice holidays in the tropics but could you imagine a world where the sun goes down at 6 every night and comes back up at 6 in the morning, every night of the year? It'd drive me mad!!!
Blessed are we that live in temperate climes.

Oh bring it on!

I am so sick of these cold, dark nights! I love the start of Spring when everything starts to come alive again - it's so exciting... my favourite time of the year.

As for planting? Huh, if I could I would but plants and me just do not work. Any one I've ever bought dies. I think I over water them... I'm so scared that they will die that I actually end up being the cause of it I think.

Oh well...

I'm hoping to plant summink...even if its just mustard and cress, though I might try to be a little bit more adventurous. Also will give the altar a clean and mebbe the house if the urge takes me.

Q

Well, it isn't Ostara for me, BUT I have been packing and sorting and cleaning the past few days... Maybe I'm preparing myself for swapping hemispheres

Ah well you see I'm up at 5am during the week, so the lighter mornings make it a bit easier to get out of bed Plus driving to work when its lighter is easier on the eyes, no glaring from drivers who insist on having their headlights on full

It's a funny thing that urge to plant isn't it?

I don't have my own garden at the moment living in a flat but I share quite a nice communal garden with some of the neighbours. We all just have a little poke at it most days and that keeps it looking quite nice.

As I'm also in charge of "maintenance" at work I've also managed to do a little bit of job creation work for myself in the form of trying to get greenery established at the company's sites wherever I can using "it makes good screening" as an excuse.

The company now has quite a nice little forest on some of the boundaries along with a few beds and borders. Plants'll be ready for a bit of a feed in another few weeks to give them a bit of a kick start so I'm looking foreward to that.

I also noticed someones quince bush the other day that's desperate for a bit of pruning before the real growth starts, I think that I might struggle to keep my hands off it.

Ostara isn't really a time that I recognise in any specific way, it's a time of fertility for me, a time of planting and fresh growth, the time when the local rabbit population starts doing what the local rabbit population does best. The foxes at work have already been busy but their antics sound more like a murder being committed than procreation taking place, last time I heard that much yelping and wailing was from the next room at the Scarborough Moot.

Well it was'nt me.

The other side.

And then theres Beltane so lots of goings on then.
I hope......

I feel so inspired after reading your posts!

Last night I gave my house plants some extra attention and moved them around a bit, have had the spring cleaning frenzy on and off for a while. I haven't ventured into the garden yet but it is calling, need to put some trees into the ground this year let them spread their roots and breathe.

I think I will bring some plants into work for both my desks put them in full view, it'll be nice to have a nice green leafy plant to make the office less sterile and more homely.

I might try the hand painting of eggs, I've never heard of an Osatara tree what a lovely idea. I will try and do some outside gardening and re organise the garden shed (a very big job) on the weekends around Ostara and go with the flow on the day.

A few ideas for decorated trees:

http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?ty...30&catid=cat290

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/eastercrafts/l/bleatree.htm

http://www.theitaliantaste.com/art-receivi...ster_tree.shtml


http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/eastertree.html