Our Ostara Fairy Altar

I just wanted to share a quick pic of our Ostara Fairy Altar because it is just so sweet. The kids and adults at the Ostara I hosted at my house left offerings for the fairies.
There are flowers, milk, honey, shiny stones, crystals, coloured feathers, spell eggs, decorated eggs, coins and incense. This will definitely be a tradition in our household.

Ostara

Hello again! It is soon time again for Ostara / The Spring Equinox! I am holding a Family Ostara festival today and I got up extra early this morning to prepare so I decided to take a few minutes to post about what we are doing for Ostara.


1st off Ostara is the the spring equinox, the 1st day of Spring. This year the equinox is on Tuesday, March 20th. The equinox, for those that do not know, is the time of year that there is equal daylight and dark as the sun crosses the celestial equator. It happens twice a year, once in Spring and once in autumn. 


The Spring Equinox is scared to the Goddess Eoster, a Saxon great Goddess of fertility and rebirth. Her symbols include rabbits, eggs and birds. This explains the presence of them in the Christian holiday of Easter as the Church combined the holidays when they were trying to convert the European pagans. The themes of rebirth and spring fit quite nicely with the theme of Christ's resurrection. 
Less known and celebrated, the Spring Equinox is also sacred to Blodeuwedd, the fairy queen giver of life. The equinoxes are a time when the veil between the worlds are thin and are a time when the fairies come out to play. Its a great time to honour the fair folk.


To celebrate this year we are having a potluck festival where everyone brings a dish made of the  traditional foods of the year such as: eggs (obviously), greens, lamb and dairy. My spouse and I will be making a lamb Stew. Here is a traditional Lamb Stew recipe (makes 4 servings):

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 3 large onions, quartered

• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 4 small potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced chives

• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

• 
  

• Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add onions, carrots and remaining oil to pan. cook for 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. add potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and lamb. bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.

1. With a slotted spoon, remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl; keep warm. Pour pan juices into another bowl; set aside. In the Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the parsley, chives, thyme, and meat and vegetables; heat through.

Every year I dedicate the festival to the children in the community as they are the living symbols of new life. So last year I had a children's festival where I had Ostara themed crafts like egg decorating, egg hunts, games like egg toss and storytelling. This year I am continuing that tradition. 


I have also set up a fairy altar under the biggest tree in our yard (I am lucky enough to have a big enough property to hold the festival on). Blodeuwedd is a Flower Woman and so the altar is decorated with lots of flowers. The children (and anyone else that would like to) will leave offerings on the altar to the fairies. Suggested offerings to the fairies are: honey, milk, candy, shiny baubles, crystals, flowers and artwork. 


For the adults attending (though the kids can take part) we are doing a seed blessing for seeds that people are planning to plant in their gardens. Think of a project that you want to start or something you would like to bring into your life over the long term. Enchant your seeds so that as they grow the thing you are trying to achieve grows as well. The spell we are using is:

"Creatures of Earth Bring Strength and Mirth! 

          As you grow so shall ____

As you flourish, so shall ____

As you mature, so shall _____

As I harvest your bounty, so shall I harvest the rewards of _____

Eostre, Lady of Spring, bless these seeds and all they bring. 

So mote it be."

I recommend using a plant you plan  to harvest such as veggies and herbs instead of ornamental flowers. Also a note of caution. Make sure you take very good care of these plants and they are now sacred and if you let them whither and die, so may your wish/project. 


And other thing we shall be doing is anyone who wishes can make enchanted eggs. You take an egg (fresh or hard boiled) and decorate it with symbols and runes of things you want in your life. Eggs are a potent symbol of fertility so they are great for bringing you what you want. When you finish decorating them put the eggs on your altar or in your garden (they are also great fertilizer). 


I hope these ideas inspire you in your own celebrations. And here are some other correspondences to help you as well:

Colours: All pastels are appropriate, especially greens, yellows and pinks.
Incense: Flowery incenses are best such as violet, honeysuckle and narcissus, also lemon.
Flowers: All flowers are great. Especially daffodils, jonquils, tulips, violets, narcissus and crocus. 

I wish you all a very joyful Ostara! 

Imbolc

Well its time for Imbolc again! Time to clean out your life and wake up the slumbering earth. Im not going to go into too much detail of what Imbolc is because if you don't already know, it is quite easy to do a bit of research on the almighty Google. Instead I will be focusing on what I will be doing to celebrate and some ideas you can use in your own lives.

First off Imboc is the traditional time for Spring Cleaning! Thats right, break out your kerchiefs and baggy sweatpants and get cleaning! Weed out clothing, books. knickknacks,  etc that you don't use anymore and donate them or put them aside in storage in preparation for a garage sale when it gets a bit warmer.Clean your grout, dust your ceilings, whitewash your fence (do people do that anymore?). Also don't forget to wash your mirrors and windows in a mixture of vinegar and mugwort. It not  only physically cleans them but it also spiritually cleans and seals them so unwanted things cant use them as portals.

The next thing on your Imbolc spring cleaning list is to energetically clear out our house. Do a clearing and ward and bless all your rooms. One way of doing this is to cast a protective circle in each room and leave it up to soak into the walls. Also throw out any old, dusty charms that isn't salvageable.

Now your home is all squeaky clean and warded. The next thing to clean is yourself. So hop in the shower or bath and scrub yourself clean. Get all the crevices you may sometimes neglect like under your nails, in between your toes, and behind your ears. Also energetically cleans yourself while your in there. A great way of doing this is visualizing the water washing away all negative emotions and thoughts, illness and gunk in your chakras and energetic body and washing it all down the drain.
You can also add this simple bath scrub salt mix to your bath to aid in your cleansing:

Cleaning Bath Salt

Half a cup of sea salt
A table spoon of lavendar
A table spoon of vervain
(optional) 3 tablepoons of raw oats (helps to moisturize)


Now you and your home are clean what next? Well since Imbolc is sacred to the Goddess Brigid (and she is one of my patron goddesses) I plan to do a Brigid blessing for the household inspired by Yasmine Galenorns's festival of lights ritual:

Brigid Blessing Imbolc Ritual - to be done after sunset

Set up an Imbolc altar with a bowl of cream or milk in an offering bowl.
Turn off all the lights in your house.
Cast circle in your usual way and draw down Brigid into the acting priestess.
The woman representing Brigid should then stand outside with a lit candle. Everyone should wait inside the dark house.
The woman representing Brigid should knock on the door three times. Someone should open the door and say:
"Brigid has come! Brigid has come! Brigid has come!" and 'Brigid' steps inside.
A second person steps forward and says to her:
"May Brigid give blessing to the home that is here. Brigid the fair and tender! Bless our house, fiery maiden. Let health fill our walls, let success fill our careers and let love fill our hearts."
'Brigid' should then go through every room in the house, turning on all the lights with everyone following behind her, till every light in the house is on. She then says to everyone:
"The light has returned and the season of growth draws near. May health fill your walls, may you succeed and prosper may love encompass your lives. I am Brigid the fair, Brigid the wise, Brigid the fiery arrow of power and so I bless your home and family. Remember me and honour me  on this night."
She should then place her candle on the altar and everyone should join hands and chant:
" Fire, fire growing higher, bring to us what we desire.
Fire, Fire glowing bright, welcome Brigid this Imbolc night!"
Repeat the chant until the power peaks and release it, focusing on the return of spring, the growth you want to accomplish and the projects you want to accomplish and/or start during this time.
At this time you may sit and drink wine and cakes as celebration while sharing stories, poetry, song, artwork, or crafts you have written/made in honour of Brigid as the goddess of inspiration and  poetry.
To end the ritual take the bowl/pitcher of cream/milk off the altar and bring it outside and pour it as a libation into the earth saying:
"Lady Brigid, we honour you and return to you the cream that  is life itself. We ask for your blessing in the coming season. Blessed be."
Close down the circle.

Other ritual ideas are stomping and dancing to wake up the earth. Lighting candles in a spiral dance do draw the sun and light the dark. Honouring the fay folk. I chose not to include a lot of candles in the ritual because my 3 year old would like to take part and I want to make it safe and fun for her and not exclude her at all.

Foods to be enjoyed during this time is traditionally dairy based foods and dishes, cream soups, bread, fruit preserves and seafood (esp salmon as it is seen as the fish of wisdom). I plan on eating much cheesecake, which is my favourite desert EVER.

Here are two really easy recipes I like doing:

 Fairy Wine:
1.5 cups milk/serving
1tsp honey
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon
I find mixing and serving it warm is best though it can be made cold.

Wise and Creamy Salmon Soup
1 kg cream cheese cut into cubes
1 cup of milk
2 tsp Dijon mustard (to bring wealth)
1.5 tsp chopped fresh dill/.5 tsp dried dill (protection of home & job)
2 green onions chopped
1 can of chicken broth
12 oz smoked salmon, flaked.
Heat cream cheese, milk, mustad, dill, onions and chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat
until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in salmon. Let simmer until done.

Making a corn dolly and Brigid's bed is also traditional at this time of year and a great craft do do with the kidlets!

So, enjoy your Imbolc and may it bring you inspiration and energy for the coming year! I am headed back to my spring cleaning!