Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 194: Altar Series pt. 2
781 Plays4 days ago
Welcome back, Witches! This week, we’re continuing Part 2 of our altar series with a seasonal focus on Ostara. We’ll explore what Ostara altars can look like, the themes they often reflect, and how this sabbat invites renewal, balance, and growth into sacred space. Whether your altar is elaborate or simple, this episode is about intention, symbolism, and welcoming the energy of spring. So get in, Loser—because the altar is blooming.
We would be forever thankful if you left our podcast a 5-Star review. If you really loved the show and want more Get in Loser content, check out our Patreon, Supercast, & Buy Me a Coffee links below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at weredoingwitchcraft@gmail.com. You can support our show through our links below.
Patreon: patreon.com/GetinWitches
Supercast: https://getinloserweredoingwitchcraft.supercast.com
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/getinwitches
Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
Resources
- Anderson, Lorraine. The Witch's Apothecary. Rockpool Publishing. 2023.
- Kynes, Sandra. Witches’ Sabbats & Esbats. Crossed Crow Books, LLC. 2023.
- Bell, Rebecca and Ellenor Tremer. What is Ostara? (2021). Light at the Crossroads. https://liminal11.com/2021/03/20/ostara-easter-and-spring-equinox/
- Sandra Kynes (2023). Witches’ Sabbats & Esbats. Crossed Crow Books, LLC.
- Patti Wigington (2020). History of Ostara, The Spring Equinox. Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/history-of-ostara-the-spring-equinox-2562485
- Morris H Lacy (2024). Eostre: The Mystery Goddess Who Gave Easter its Name. History Cooperative. https://historycooperative.org/eostre/
- Liz Turnbull (2024). Eostre- Saxon Goddess of Spring and Easter. Goddess Gift. https://goddessgift.com/goddesses/eostre/
- Centre of Excellence (March 26). Aurora in Roman Mythology: Myths, Powers, and Symbols. Centre for Excellence. https://www.centreofexcellence.com/aurora-in-roman-mythology/
- Ramana Maharshi (n.d.) Ushas: The Goddess of Dawn and Morning Light. Ramana Maharshi. https://www.ramana-maharshi.org/ushas-the-goddess-of-dawn-and-morning-light/
- Otherworldly Oracle (2025). Ostara Crystals and Spring Equinox Herbs for Renewal and Rebirth. Otherworldly Oracle. https://otherworldlyoracle.com/ostara-crystals-and-herbs/
- Youtube:The Witches’ Cookery- Celebrate the Spring Equinox
Scarlet Ravenswood- How to Create an Ostara Alter, All About Ostara, and How to Celebrate Ostara
Alwyn Oak- Preparing for Ostara
Hearth Witch- How to Celebrate Ostara
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult, but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey.
00:00:11
Speaker
Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about
Exploring the Ostara Festival
00:00:15
Speaker
the craft. So get in witches for part two of our altar series. This time we're looking at Ostara.
00:00:48
Speaker
like your sweater. What is that? What is that? I made it. It's cute. Oh, from Blood and Ash. Love it. I... I need to go back and reread that series because I know like we've talked about this recently. Well, maybe a few months ago about how like there have been multiple releases within that world that I wasn't tracking. And I can't, I feel like I can't pick it up and like start it. No. I need to go back and reread it, the whole thing. Yeah. We moved in the middle of like...
00:01:19
Speaker
I think one of the releases and then i just didn't or no. When we moved, I had had the newest release and it was packed and on a ship. And then we got here.
00:01:29
Speaker
And by the time our stuff got here, there was another release. And so now I'm so far behind, but I have all the books. So I just want to start it over which I think I might do. I think I might pick up the first one this month and reread them. You should, we should do it together. Maybe I'll do it too. I got to figure out.
00:01:47
Speaker
Maybe you're at which box they're in. Yeah. I even bought, because Acrylopress a beautiful 3D edges of the first book, and I bought that because I love that book so much.
00:02:02
Speaker
It is so good. so pretty. yeah I don't know if I showed it to you, but it is gorgeous. Probably you have, but I don't remember it, so I'm down for you to show me again. and I'm just letting you know. And yeah.
Book Club Announcement: 'From Blood and Ash'
00:02:14
Speaker
It's really great. Also, listeners, if you have read From Blood and Ash or you're looking for a fantasy book to read and you want to read along with us outside of our book club, yeah pick up From Blood and Ash from Jennifer – what is it? Jennifer L. Armantrout, I think is her name. Yeah, Armantrout. read it with us. It's very good. It's so good.
00:02:35
Speaker
I really, really love the ones that I did read. yeah I don't even know where I left off. Did I send you that video? I might not have sent it. I think I sent it to one of my teacher friends. But um I came across this video online that was like teachers in the next like five to 10 years. And they're like going through attendance roles. And they're like, um Castile, like like the soap. Okay. Elin, Eilin, Eilin. Okay. Okay. Yeah. It's like, I don't even know how to say this one.
00:03:15
Speaker
and They're like, ah fair? Fair? fair in here? And it was just so funny. I was cracking up it because i I've already met people who have named their children after like book talk names. yeah And I'm just like, wow, I can't even imagine because I remember whenever Emily was first born It was like right after like the huge Twilight um craze. And so literally in every grade, there are at least five Bellas.
00:03:45
Speaker
Oh, my God. at least. I don't know why. And if you're listening and you named your kid after a book character, like, more power to you. For me personally, i think it's weird. Like, I could never name a child after, like, a dude in a book that I was like, I like this guy. Right. Like, like I actually am blowing things. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I just – I couldn't do it.
00:04:12
Speaker
If you did, i mean, that's great for you. It's just a personal preference. Right. like myself I feel like one thing to name your child after a book character may be from like just – any other novel, but if it's like a romance novel, don't know about that. Well, I met someone that named their son Rowan because they were in love with Rowan, the character. Oh, no. And I was like, ew. don't like that. like It's weird. And i like I've seen people post online about naming their kids Cassian or Asriel because that's like their book husband. And I'm like, that's fucking weird. You shouldn't be like – thinking about that and then being like, I'm totally naming my baby that. After a fictional guy that I like have a thing for. Right. It's giving – Those moms that people make fun of online, those boy moms that are like yeah way too in love with their stories in kind of a weird way. That's what it's giving to me but and's I feel like it's different like if your husband – You name your kid –
00:05:16
Speaker
after your husband, like a junior type situation. I feel like that's different because this is like a fictional person that's A, like not in your life. And B, that you have like a thing for. Yeah. That's that's a little bit too far.
00:05:30
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. It's a personal thing. Again. It's just i could never. If you did that, I'm not judging you. I just, for me, couldn't do it.
00:05:40
Speaker
It would be weird to me. Same. It would be a little weird. But if you – because I feel like if – Not to say there's anything wrong with the name Rowan, because I love the name Rowan, but if yeah if you named your son Rowan because you were obsessed with this character from this book... It's odd. It's just little odd. it's It's a little too much for me. I'm sorry, But but we're not talking about kids' names in fantasy books. We are not. That took little bit a turn. We could do that We could.
00:06:12
Speaker
What are we talking about today?
Creating an Ostara Altar
00:06:13
Speaker
We're talking about Ostara, and more specifically... how to craft an Ostar altar and some like history and things behind it. Yeah. And I was going to look up who requested the altar series originally and just completely forgot. But one of you fabulous listeners sent in a request for us to cover like specific altars.
00:06:35
Speaker
And we did one. i don't even remember. Was it like fall or something? Or was it surrounding a holiday? I think it was. I think it was like a... um Was it our like a Samhain altar? it might have been Samhain altars. can't remember. So that was like the first one we did because it was around that time.
00:06:55
Speaker
So we're going to work on being better about being more consistent with those ones. Yes. Because we kind of forgot for a little while. But to get us started, if you haven't already listened to episode 53, where we dedicated an entire episode to Ostara, I recommend going back and giving that a listen if this Sabbath is new to you.
00:07:17
Speaker
You can pause the episode and come back afterward, but today we're going to focus on everything surrounding an Ostara altar, which is going to include some background on the Sabbath itself.
00:07:28
Speaker
So Ostara is important because it's one of those moments on the wheel where you can actually feel the shift happening. Things aren't just resting anymore, but they're like also not in full bloom yet either. There's this brief pause where everything feels balanced and then suddenly the energy starts leaning forward instead of inward.
00:07:48
Speaker
It's a time where the days are getting lighter, energy is slowly coming back, and there's this sense that things are ready to move again. Ostara isn't about forcing growth or having everything figured out. It's about recognizing that something is waking up ideas, motivation, creativity, and even hope.
00:08:07
Speaker
And while Sam is going to talk about Ostara and its connection to fertility, there is so much more to this time of year than that. Ostara is about renewal in the broadest sense, and it's the return of energy after a long winter.
00:08:21
Speaker
It's realizing that you have a little more capacity than you did a month ago. This Sabbath invites you to work with momentum instead of against it, to pay attention to what feels like it wants to grow and what might need support before it can. That's why Ostara is such a powerful moment to pause and check in before the season really takes off. Oh. That's beautiful. oh my God. How can I follow that? How can I possibly follow that?
00:08:49
Speaker
Before we get into anything specifically related to any of the altar stuff, I wanted to briefly go over the history and some of the naming context that comes with Ostara. Ostara is one of the names you used for the spring equinox celebration traditionally observed around March 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. And it marks the point when the day and night are equal and it signals the return of longer, warmer days after winter.
00:09:13
Speaker
Celebrations of the vernal equinox date back to many cultures around the world as a time of rebirth, renewal, and balancing light and dark. For example, Roman, Persian, and Mesoamerican traditions held their own springtime observances tied to seasonal changes long before modern pagan Sabbaths were formulated.
00:09:32
Speaker
As for the name Ostara, it is tied to the Germanic linguistic roots referring to dawn or the east, both concepts that are associated with birth, new light, and beginnings. While Ostara or Eostra is widely talked about in modern paganism as an ancient spring goddess, what we actually know about the goddess and the Sabbath historically is very limited.
00:09:53
Speaker
The primary historical reference and only surviving written reference to the goddess of spring comes from the 8th century monk Bede, who wrote that the Anglo-Saxons called April Eostrum Nath. And I could be saying that completely wrong, but I couldn't find a definitive pronunciation for an old Anglo-Saxon word online. So, you know, it is what it is. And that it was named for the goddess Eostra.
00:10:17
Speaker
It was also documented that feasts were held in the goddess's honor. And this is the only primary source mentioning the goddess by name. Beyond this account, there really isn't any direct historical evidence about a widespread ancient cult or detailed mythology of an Ostara or Eostra festival.
00:10:34
Speaker
And many modern associations are later interpretations by folklorists and modern pagans. Because their Germanic peoples of that time did not leave behind their own written religious texts, and because much of their culture was gradually suppressed or replaced by the spread of Christianity in and early medieval Europe, we lack direct records of what, if any, pre-Christian spring celebrations might have looked like. So when we talk about Ostara in this episode, it's important to understand that we are really holding three overlapping ideas at once, the vernal equinox, Ostara, and the modern Wheel of the Year.
00:11:09
Speaker
The vernal equinox is the astronomical event, basically the measurable moment of balance between light and dark. Ostara or Eostra is a name and mythic framework drawn from historical references and later folklore tied to dawn and emergence. And the modern wheel of the year is a contemporary pagan system that weaves together seasonal observances. And because so much of pre-Christian practice was never written down, we can't say for certain how ancient people celebrated this season. However, with this episode, we hope that we can provide you with ways in which you can honor the season that feels symbolically and culturally meaningful to you.
00:11:44
Speaker
So moving into some core themes of the Sabbath, during this time of year, we see a tension between balance and growth. On one hand, things feel steady. There's a sense of equilibrium, like you're finally catching your breath after winter.
00:11:58
Speaker
But at the same time, that balance isn't meant to stay still. It's already leaning toward expansion. And that's why this Sabbath can feel both calm and relentless at once. And when thinking about Ostara, there are two very different types of energy around this time. So there's seed energy and harvest energy. Seed energy represents a gentle, potent, and balanced awakening, symbolizing new beginnings, fertility, and the manifestation of intention.
00:12:26
Speaker
It's a time to plant physical seeds as well as metaphorical goals for the coming year, mirroring nature's emergence from winter dormancy. While harvest energy is about results, the payoff, and completion. So seed energy is quieter and more uncertain. It's potential without proof. You don't know yet what will work, what will thrive, or what might fail.
00:12:50
Speaker
Ostara reminds us that beginnings don't come with guarantee. They come with possibility. Because of that, this Sabbath is deeply tied to initiation. It's about saying yes before you have all the answers, trying something new even if it feels awkward or unpolished. There's an element of risk here, but not a reckless risk. It's experimentation, curiosity, giving yourself permission to explore without needing immediate success.
00:13:20
Speaker
Ostara also marks the return of life force after dormancy. Winter pulls energy inward. It's protective, but it can also leave us feeling low, disconnected, or drained.
00:13:32
Speaker
This Sabbath is about noticing energy coming back online. Motivation, creativity, desire, and inspiration start to stir again. not in a huge explosive way, but in a small steady signal that you're ready to engage with life a little more fully. And we see this concept mirrored within the nature around us as both plants and animals begin to emerge and show themselves and be more active.
00:13:56
Speaker
One of the deeper themes tied to Ostara is sacred marriage. And this isn't about romance in the everyday sense. It's about union and integration. The meeting of opposites that creates momentum. Light and dark. Rest and action.
00:14:13
Speaker
inner world, and outer expression. Sacred marriage represents harmony between different parts of ourselves and the world around us, coming together to generate growth. The Greeks referred to this as heroes gamos, and this is the symbolic union of the goddess and the god. It's a coming together that represents wholeness, relationship, and balance.
00:14:34
Speaker
It's about the meeting of complementary forces where heaven and earth, spirit, and nature are brought into alignment so new life and growth can emerge. This idea of sacred union shows up again and again in mythology. So you see it in stories like Ishtar, in the Greek pairing of Oronos and Gaia, and in the Egyptian myth of Osiris and Isis. These myths all center on connection, regeneration, and the creative power that comes from the union.
00:15:04
Speaker
Even myths that don't follow the traditional sacred marriage structure still carry similar themes. So the Greek story of Hades and Persephone, for example, isn't a sacred marriage in the usual sense, but it's deeply tied to cycles of fertility and renewal.
00:15:19
Speaker
Persephone's descent and return and then Demeter's response as her mother reflect the rhythms of loss, return, and regeneration of nature that Ostara speaks to.
00:15:29
Speaker
This union isn't about completion, it's about ignition. So when different forces meet in balance, something new becomes possible. That's why this Sabbath is such a powerful moment for intention, altar work, and ritual. You're working with the point where energy converges and begins to move outward again. All of these themes make Ostara Sabbath of beginnings that are still fragile, still forming, and deeply alive.
00:15:56
Speaker
It's not about what you've accomplished yet. It's about what you're willing to initiate, nurture, and grow as the season unfolds. When we look at the different deities and spirits associated with Ostara, there are many different options for you depending on the pantheon that you are observing or interested in. So we have it broken up in and a couple of different sections. The first one is our Dawn and Renewal Deities.
00:16:21
Speaker
So the first one with this, obviously I've already alluded to this deity already, Eostra. Known as a fertility goddess, her annual arrival in spring is signaled by the flowering of plants and trees and the arrival of babies, whether they be animal or human babies. She is known as the divine maiden to bring forth the first light of day and of springtime.
Deities of Dawn and Renewal
00:16:41
Speaker
Aurora is the Roman goddess of dawn, derived from the earlier Greek goddess Eos. She was responsible for bringing light to the world each morning, and she is tied to the daily rhythm of nature and themes of renewal, hope, and the passing of time.
00:16:55
Speaker
She symbolizes the beginning of every day and was a symbol of renewal, which also ties her into Ostara. While not tied to Ostara historically, she is symbolically aligned with a lot of the same themes we see with Ostara. Her symbols include the morning light and the colors of dawn itself. Additionally, she is symbolically linked with the chariot, scattered flowers, and morning dew.
00:17:17
Speaker
She is also linked to the element of air as well as horses, roosters, and crickets. The last deity associated with Dawn Renewal that I'm going to be speaking to is the Ushas.
00:17:28
Speaker
This is the goddess of dawn and morning light in Hindu mythology. She is the personification of dawn and revered for chasing away the darkness and bringing light into the world. She's described as a beautiful woman who rides a chariot with red horses to awaken all living beings and to urge them to rise and begin the day. She is also often evoked prior to important events and battles, symbolizing hope and clarity.
00:17:53
Speaker
She's of course symbolically linked to the chariot, horses, and to the lotus flower, which is a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and spiritual awakening. And she's most often honored during daily rituals and prayers done at dawn.
00:18:05
Speaker
Looking at fertility and growth deities, Freyr and Freyr really good examples of fertility that isn't just about reproduction, but about vitality and abundance in a much broader sense. Freyr is often associated with the fertility of the land itself. Crops, weather, peace, and prosperity all fall under his influence. His energy is very outward and sustaining.
00:18:29
Speaker
It's about things growing well and continuing to grow, not just starting. Freya represents confidence in the natural order and the idea that when conditions are right and care is taken, growth follows.
00:18:43
Speaker
He fits beautifully into Ostara because he embodies trust in the seasons ahead and the steady expansion that comes after winter's contraction. Freya, on the other hand, brings a more personal and embodied form of fertility. She's tied to love, desire, magic, and sovereignty.
00:19:01
Speaker
Her fertility is about attraction, creativity, and magnetism. It's the life force that pulls things toward us and invites connection. In the context of Ostara, Freya represents reclaiming desire after dormancy, wanting things again, feeling inspired, curious, and emotionally alive. Together, Frere and Freya show fertility as both external and internal, the land awakening and the self-awakening at the same time.
00:19:28
Speaker
Moving into Persephone, her role in fertility and growth is quieter but incredibly powerful, especially when we focus on her emergence from the underworld. Ostara aligns with the moment when Persephone returns, bringing movement back to the surface world. She represents transition, not just growth. Her fertility isn't instant abundance. It's the slow, careful return of life after absence. Persephone holds the wisdom of having been below and still choosing to rise.
00:19:57
Speaker
This makes her especially resonant for people who have experienced grief, burnout, or long periods of stagnation. Her presence reminds us that growth doesn't erase what we've been through, but it includes it When Persephone emerges, fertility becomes cyclical rather than constant. Life returns because it has rested, not because it has been forced.
00:20:19
Speaker
This makes her an important figure for Ostara Alter work that focuses on gentleness, pacing, and honoring the in-between. Addis and Adonis bring a different angle to fertility and growth, one that centers on sacrifice, vulnerability, and renewal through loss.
00:20:38
Speaker
Both are vegetation gods whose stories revolve around death and rebirth. Their fertility is inseparable from impermanence. They remind us that growth often requires something to be released or transformed.
00:20:52
Speaker
In their myths, life doesn't just continue uninterrupted. It dies back and it returns changed. For Ostara, Addis and Adonis represent the risk inherent in growth. Choosing to engage with life again means opening yourself up to loss, but also to renewal.
00:21:09
Speaker
Their stories highlight the reality that fertility isn't always soft or easy. Sometimes it's intense, disruptive, and deeply transformative. This makes them powerful symbols for people who associate growth with fear or grief, reminding us that renewal often carries complexity alongside beauty.
00:21:27
Speaker
Together, these deities show fertility as layered and multifaceted, fertility as abundance and desire, return and remembrance, sacrifice and regeneration.
00:21:39
Speaker
Ostara holds all of these truths at once, making it a Sabbath that honors not just new life, but the courage it takes to begin again. And looking at land and agricultural deities, so if you are not specifically involved with any of the deities from any of the pantheons we've already mentioned, you could look at honoring Ostara through your altar work with specific agricultural deities. The first one being the green man. associated with vegetation, rebirth, and the life force of the land. Most often, he's depicted as a face emerging from or made from leaves. The green man represents the cyclical quality of nature, so that growth, decay, and renewal aspect.
00:22:22
Speaker
His connection to Ostara is more symbolic rather than historical. The green man embodies a spirit of the resurgence of the land, the animating force behind spring's return, and he is often the personification of the land's fertility.
00:22:36
Speaker
Honoring the green man is a way of honoring the land itself, so taking care of of the land around you is a great way to do that. Additionally, we also have our local land spirits or ancestors of the place that you inhabit. and This is going to look different depending on where you live, so I'm not going to go into...
00:22:53
Speaker
any sort of detail on any specific location, but this can look like what I just mentioned with the green man. So you can honor any of the local land spirits around you by taking care of the land around you, honoring the plot of land you inhabit, picking up litter, tending to plants, leaving out seeds for the wild animals or so food that would be safe for them in certain places. So this is a way while not you know, specifically, I mean, obviously do your research. And if there's a specific local land spirit or ancestor of the area that you inhabit, you can, you know, craft some sort of like picture or get something to honor them on your altar. But really how to necessarily honor them without putting like a, like iconography on your altar related to that local land spirit is to actually go out and honor the land. And that becomes the offering.
00:23:45
Speaker
And then just some other honorable mentions here. If you want to include a deity on your altar that is tied to Ostara, you could also look at Aphrodite, Hernanos, Eros, Flora, Gaia, Guinevere, Libera, Osiris, Pan, Renpet, and Thor. And then moving into correspondences, there's So your colors for Ostara are going to be light blue, green, lilac, pink, white, and pale yellow.
00:24:19
Speaker
Plants, herbs, and flowers are going to include blessed thistle, chickweed, sinkfoil, daffodil, dandelion, hawthorn, honeysuckle, jasmine, lemongrass, lilac, lily of the valley, mint, moss, nettle, rose, tansy, tulip, violet, and wildflowers. So you have lots of options there. I was like, this just keeps going when I was doing my research on that. I was like, oh God. yeah And then for animals, any baby animals, birds, butterflies, chickens, hares, lambs, and the phoenix. And looking at the elements, so Ostara is about balance. And during this time, the elements of earth and air are especially emphasized, but all of the elements can be used in an Ostara altar. so For earth, elementally, of course, this is associated with fertility, growth, and becoming. And symbols that you can include would be things like eggs, seeds, soil, roots, flowers, or greenery and moss.
00:25:22
Speaker
The element of air associated with clarity, intention, and new thought. And these symbols would include things like feathers, incense, and even just your breath. written intentions, and any sort of drawn imagery also work for this as well.
00:25:35
Speaker
For the element of fire, this can symbolize returning light and vitality, and the symbols would include candles, sun imagery, and gold or yellow accents. And then lastly, for the element of water, this is associated with renewal and emotional thaw during this time of year. Symbolically,
00:25:51
Speaker
We would see bowls of water, dew imagery, or chalices in this section. And then looking at crystals, as far as crystals go, there are many crystals that are associated with Ostara and can be used interchangeably depending on what is available to you and what speaks to you. I have 10 listed, but you don't need all 10 of these on your altar. I'm just letting you know. Like if you just have the one, that's totally fine or none. Honestly, you could have none of them and that would still be fine. The first one, rose quartz, and this is the crystal about bringing love, beauty, and calm. Next is angelite. Angelite enhances communication, soothes the nervous system, and promotes healing. It also invokes angelic energy in alignment with our higher selves.
00:26:36
Speaker
And then we lapidolite, said to attract fairy energy to your garden or outdoor altar. It's also said to be helpful to balance your chakras. Moss agate, known as the gardener's stone, is said to help your plants grow strong in the spring and in the summer season. And according to Otherworldly Oracle, you should bury four moss agate stones in each corner of your garden Ostara to aid in your garden success throughout the gardening year.
00:27:02
Speaker
Bloodstone is said to help balance emotions and is considered a healing crystal. And as you could probably sense from all of the crystals on here, a lot of them, what they have in common is balance. So it's linking back to that theme that we've already discussed related to Ostar when it comes to balance.
00:27:19
Speaker
Turquoise is a protective, healing, and purifying crystal. And it's also a, shocker, balancing stone and can protect yourself from negative energies and illness. Citrine is connected to the sun, and this crystal is great to add a boost of energy to your workings and manifestations throughout Ostara and up to the summer solstice.
00:27:38
Speaker
Lapis Lazuli is connected to the throat chakra, aids in all things communication and connection, and it also aids in contact between the person and the spirit. Selenite is linked to the moon and the angelic realm, and it is perfect to use at Ostara to balance one's energy and to connect with the divine.
00:27:57
Speaker
And then lastly, green calcite aids in releasing old habits and toxic relationships, which can be a powerful ritual to complete around Ostara. And this is all about getting rid of the old and making way for something new to blossom. And then as far as food that is associated with Ostara, there are a lot to But I'm just going to kind of sum it down to root vegetables, fresh grains, seasonal fruit, bread, grains, oats, tea, honey, and any citrus or floral infusions, spice breads, yogurt, and milk.
00:28:29
Speaker
So moving into kind of altar styles and setup, when you're creating a deity-focused Ostara altar... The goal isn't to recreate a shrine perfectly or follow a rigid set of rules. It's about an intentional relationship.
00:28:45
Speaker
So you're choosing symbols, offerings, and colors that help you tune into the energy of that deity while still working within the themes of Ostara itself. So iconography is when you use visual symbols, statues, printed illustrations, and images to represent something, and in this case, it's a deity, on your altar. So what matters is recognition. When you look at your altar, you should immediately understand who it is for and why they're present. For Ostara, this often means choosing imagery that reflects growth, emergence, or life-returning aspects to a deity.
00:29:22
Speaker
The icon becomes a focal point that helps direct intention and attention during ritual and daily interaction. Symbolic offerings are how you actively engage with the deity's energy.
00:29:35
Speaker
These don't need to be elaborate or expensive. You know we say this all the time on the podcast. Offerings can reflect what the deity is associated with, what feels seasonally appropriate, or what you're personally able to give.
00:29:48
Speaker
For Ostara, offerings often emphasize freshness and life. Things like flowers, seeds, herbs, bread, honey, milk, eggs, or even fresh water work well.
00:30:00
Speaker
You can also offer actions rather than objects, like dedicating creative work, time spent outside, or intentional acts of care to your deity. The point of offering is an exchange, it's acknowledgement and reciprocity. You're recognizing presence and participation in the cycle of growth. Color and elemental balance help ground the altar energetically.
00:30:23
Speaker
Ostara is about equilibrium tipping toward expansion. So visually and energetically, you want a sense of balance that still feels light and alive. Spring greens, soft yellows, pale pinks, and earthly neutrals are common. But there's no single like correct palette. Colors can also reflect the deity that you're working with while still honoring the season.
00:30:47
Speaker
Elementally, this is a good time to consciously include multiple elements without letting one dominate. So you could do something like earth through soil, stones, or plants, air through incense, feathers, or breath-focused ritual. fire through candles or sunlight, water through bowls, shells, or ritual cups. The balance doesn't need to be perfect, but it should feel intentional.
00:31:10
Speaker
A deity-focused Ostara altar works best when it feels alive rather than static. Things can be refreshed, moved, or changed as the seasons progress. That flexibility reflects the energy of Ostara itself. Growth in motion, not something frozen in place.
00:31:27
Speaker
The altar becomes a living point of connection where balance, devotion, and emergence all meet. And looking at a altar that is tied to fertility and creation, this altar style centers on what you are inviting into existence. Fertility here applies to creativity, healing, relationships, and personal transformation. So not just like having sex and...
00:31:50
Speaker
like having a baby. So as far as symbols go, eggs are one of the star's most potent symbols because they represent contained possibility. Nothing has happened yet, but everything could. You can use real eggs, painted eggs, blown eggs, or any other symbolic representation of an egg. They can hold intentions written on paper, tucked beneath them, or spoken aloud when placing them on your altar.
00:32:14
Speaker
And then additionally, you could use seeds or soil. So seeds represent commitment while the soil represents support. Seeds acknowledging tension and the soil asks the questions of, are you willing to tend it? So this can be used on your altar by placing seeds in small bowls, jars, or even just packets of seeds. Soil can be loose, potted, or symbolic. And what matters is the acknowledgement that growth requires care.
00:32:39
Speaker
But you can even, I think, a way to make it more impactful is to actually just plant something at your altar if you have the space and dedication to do it. So like this would be... actually taking seeds and soil and water and whatever you need for that specific plant and doing that as a ritual at your altar to honor a star I think would be incredibly powerful.
00:33:01
Speaker
Additionally, for paper intentions, you should keep them short and open-ended, place them under bowls, under the eggs that you're using, under crystals, anything to symbolize protection and incubation.
00:33:12
Speaker
And then as far as the womb or creation symbolism, this is not gendered per se. This is about holding space. So you could use anything from bowls, cauldrons, cups, nests, if you have access to one, or if you want to create your own spirals or circles can all serve this function symbolically. These shapes remind us that growth happens best when it's held and not rushed.
00:33:38
Speaker
And then additionally, a minimalist or secular seasonal altar focuses less on belief and more on
Minimalist Altar Setup
00:33:46
Speaker
awareness. So it's about marking the shift of the season in a way that feels personal, grounded, and sustainable.
00:33:53
Speaker
You don't need spiritual framework for this kind of altar to be meaningful. It works as a visual and tactile reminder that something is changing and that you're choosing to notice it.
00:34:04
Speaker
So for this, found objects are the heart of this style of altar. These are items that you already have or naturally come across rather than things you go out and buy.
00:34:15
Speaker
a smooth stone from a walk, a fallen branch, a feather, a shell, or a small dish of soil can all become anchor points. Because these objects come from your actual environment, they create a stronger sense of connection to the season that you're experiencing. rather than an abstract idea of spring.
00:34:34
Speaker
The meaning comes from the attention, not symbolism, that you have to memorize. Light and balance are especially important for Ostara. This is a seasonal moment that's about equilibrium beginning to shift, so your altar can reflect that visually. You might place two similar objects on either side of a candle, use paired items like stones or jars, or arrange things symmetrically to reflect balance.
00:35:03
Speaker
Adding a light source, whether that's a candle, a small lamp, or even placing the altar where it catches natural sunlight helps emphasize the return of light and energy. It doesn't need to be dramatic.
00:35:15
Speaker
Subtle works here as well. And then nature-based low spend options keep this kind of altar accessible and low pressure. Things like house plants, cuttings in water, herbs from the kitchen, seed packets like Sam mentioned earlier, or even bowls of fruit can all reflect growth and potential.
00:35:34
Speaker
You can rotate items as the seasons change, letting the altar evolve naturally. The goal isn't permanence, it's responsiveness. So using what you have when you have it and letting the altar mirror the world outside.
00:35:47
Speaker
A minimalist or secular Ostara altar doesn't need explanation to be effective. If it helps you pause, notice the lengthening days, or feel a little more connected to the rhythm of the season, then it's doing its job. It's a quiet way of honoring balance and emergence without excess or obligation.
00:36:06
Speaker
Yeah, and looking at offerings for Ostara, we have mentioned quite a lot of things that could be used as offerings, but just to kind of sum it up in a way that makes it a little bit easier for everybody who's listening, food offerings include things like bread, cakes or pastries, eggs or any egg-based dishes like a quiche, for instance, honey, milk or spring fruits, fresh herbs or flowers, and And then actions as offerings, Ostara is especially powerful for non-material offerings. This can look like planting seeds or tending the soil. starting something new, creating art, writing, or planning, cleaning or refreshing your space.
00:36:46
Speaker
And then as far as devotional versus seasonal offerings, devotional offerings are given to specific deities or spirits. So like any of the deities we've talked about earlier in this podcast, looking at any of those symbols and then coming up with your own plan to provide a devotional offering for them. While seasonal offerings honor the energy of the Sabbath itself. So honoring the land, the light, and the turning of the year.
00:37:10
Speaker
However, neither is required. These are all just suggestions on how you can celebrate Ostara and set up an altar. If you don't provide an offering, that's not the end of the world. And if you don't feel called to any of the offering suggestions that we have talked about on this podcast, that's totally fine as well.
00:37:27
Speaker
And then...
Clarifying Ostara Misconceptions
00:37:28
Speaker
Just looking at some common misconceptions here, one of the biggest misconceptions about Ostara is that it's all about fertility. People often think it's only for growing babies, gardens, or even romantic relationships, but the Sabbath is much broader than that.
00:37:44
Speaker
Fertility is just one aspect of the season's energy. Ostara is really about emergence, growth, and momentum, in all areas of life. It's about noticing what's ready to move, what's stirring beneath the surface, and what's waiting for attention. Limiting it to one kind of fertility can actually make the Sabbath feel narrow or exclusionary.
00:38:08
Speaker
Another common pitfall is the pressure to buy a bunch of pastel-colored items or themed decor. You see a lot of Easter-style commercial kits in stores, but Ostara isn't about consuming more stuff. The magic isn't in the pastel or in the product, but rather it's in the attention, the intention, and connection that you bring to the season.
00:38:31
Speaker
Using what you already have, finding things in nature, or creating simple meaningful representations of the season often feels far more resonant than anything bought on a shelf.
00:38:41
Speaker
And finally, there's this trap of forcing joy when you're not ready. Ostara is a time of renewal, but that doesn't mean that you have to feel energized or upbeat all the time.
00:38:52
Speaker
If you're coming out of a long winter physically, emotionally, or even mentally, it's okay to have a slower start. Growth can be quiet and tentative, and pretending that everything is bright and happy can disconnect you from the subtle energy that's actually available.
00:39:07
Speaker
So honoring your current state and letting the season gently support your emergence is far more aligned with the spirit of Ostara.
Episode Conclusion & Teasers
00:39:24
Speaker
That's a wrap on this episode of Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. We hope you had as much fun as we did. If you loved this episode, we'd be eternally grateful if you left us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts.
00:39:36
Speaker
helps more witches, seekers, and magical misfits find our show. Want even more Get In Loser content? Join our Patreon or Supercast Kevin. As a member, you'll get early access to episodes, a monthly newsletter, exclusive printable shadow work, and grammar pages, access to our witchy book club, promo codes for merch, and so much more.
00:39:53
Speaker
Just check the show notes for the link or search Get In Loser We're Doing Witchcraft on Supercast and Patreon. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at Get In Witches, or email us at we'redoingwitchcraft at gmail.com.
00:40:05
Speaker
Join us next week as we sit down with our fabulous Liz Parker to talk about her newest novel, Witches of Honey's Apple House. Until then, stay magical, stay curious, and as always, blessed be witches.