To wrap up the part of my blog on Ostara, I want to share with you what Spiral Grove as a coven focuses on within our Ostara ritual, what this time of year and our ritual means to us. As Spring celebrations are dedicated to growth and fertility, there are many rituals designed to please the deities, the universe, and ensure physical growth and fertility, as well as emotional, and spiritual growth.These rituals often take the form of offerings of seeds and other tokens of fertility.
Spring Cleaning: Before we can ask the universe for new boons to our own lives, we take some time in our ritual to do some spiritual Spring Cleaning. Fire is the great cleanser, destroyer, and regenerator. It has the power to release things which other elements cannot. Picture a pine cone needing the heat of flame to release its seed to grow anew. We use this analogy in the Spring Cleaning of our hearts, minds and spirits. We have a bowl of random seeds ready to act as the focus for the catalyst of fire. The randomness of the seeds represents the variety of the ideas, things, habits we all want to release from our lives. With a sacred fired burning, each celebrant has the opportunity to take a handful of seeds, visualize what we no longer want in our life, and then burn them, releasing that which no longer serves us. By releasing them to the flame, we release what we no longer want to the universe, to work its infallible ways.
Planting Seeds: As part of our ritual, we all plant some seeds and meditate/visualize about something specific we want to grow in our own lives. The seeds used will have various magical correspondences and energies, all directed toward fertility, growth and protection in one form or another. Each celebrant decides what seeds will best suit their own purpose based on the magical energies which the seeds house in their own potential. We purposefully think about something NEW we want to GROW in our lives. Some examples are: a new job, more money, a new house, new inspiration for art, motivation to exercise, improved grades/ study habits, better communication, love (but don’t specify a person or watch out!), a new pet, better health, a better economy, peace!…. There is no limit- it should just be something you truly want/need and feel will bring more fulfillment to your life. We imbue our seeds with the elements, planting them in EARTH, giving them WATER, charging them with AIR via a ringing bell and transform them with the FIRE of our own passion, visualization and will. After the ritual we tend to our seeds knowing as we grow our plants, we grow what we want in our lives as well. The seed and the plant that grows from it gives us a focus clear and real to work our personal magic in gaining that which we want.
Personal Offering: Since we are asking for new things to come into our lives, there is a way to show the Goddess &God (ie The universal divine energy) we are ready for something new. We can show that we understand the power of the universe, that the Divine Energy knows that which we are truly ready for and which we need, and want in our heart of hearts. We are not truly Required to tell the universe what we want, for the universe already knows. But we do need to tell ourselves every last thing we want, and we need to allow ourselves to know, and to want, to accept and be open to it. When this happens the universe opens the Door of Mystery, releasing its abundance to us.
If you feel truly ready for something new to come into your life, and are willing to trust in the love and wisdom of the universe to know what that something is, you can ritually share this feeling with the universe through a personal offering. We voluntarily give something away that we do not want to part with. We do this as a gift exchange with all the celebrants who choose to take part in this aspect of our ritual.
Many people follow the adage, for every item you buy, something old must go- get a new series of books? It is time to donate some old ones to a school. With this ritual however, we take it one step further. Magically speaking, when you do ritual, of any kind, the more of yourself you put into it, the more you will get out of it. By willingly giving away something precious to you that you truly will miss and do not in your heart want to give away, you are telling the universe, “Here I am, ready and wanting something new and wonderful to come into my life, and I am willing to make “room” for it, to allow something new to come along! I will let go of my beloved object knowing that which is right for me to receive is on the way”.
This is our Offering to the Universe at this time. Keep in mind that this is a symbolic gesture. While we will plant a seed for something new that we know we want in our lives, this personal offering is a distinctly separate act within the ritual to let the universe know we are receptive to positive change & the gifts of the Goddess & God (i.e. Universal Divine Energy). It works well at Ostara with all the conceptions of growth, balance, fertility, increase, renewal etc. within this time of the year. We clean our spirits, prepare the seed of growth, then offer our hearts to the Gods and will receive blessings from the universe. What the universe gives you in exchange for your sacrifice may surprise you. It may or may not be the thing specified with our seeds- the Universe knows what we each really need- and when. If you truly open your mind and your heart to grow, whatever you need and whatever you want WILL come.
What you get from the universe in exchange for your offering may be something subtle or small, you may not ever make a connection between something you get in the course of the year (or possibly longer), and your offered object. You may have an Aha! Moment at some point and know that you have received that which was meant to be yours. The universe is constantly pouring out its divine abundance to you; you need only be open to receiving it!
Spiral Grove focuses on Spring Cleaning and Receiving, Growth and Fertility on a personal level for each celebrant attending ritual. This is our time when we can focus on our ideas and hopes, plans and inspiration for the coming of Spring on the Wheel of the Year.
Seanachai Moonfyre
Merry Meet! I am first and foremost a writer. When I am writing I am in my element! Much of what I write about, and do in my life is centered around a pagan spiritual base. I have been studying various paths and topics, working with energies, deities, and the elements for 15 years plus. I am the High Priestess of Spiral Grove an eclectic study coven. I say I was given this coven as a gift because that is what it truly is. Spiral Grove would not be what it is without the members who make it whole.