Cattibrizzle

So Ostara is gonna be lit this year — thx massive, magical full moon in Virgo. If you’re looking for ideas, here’s a list of what I’m doing to celebrate!

🌸 morning

wake up at dawn and meditate with my morning tea

open up all the windows, let the rainy day breeze clear all stale energy out of the house

eat my yummy honey & cinnamon muffins (because I deserve it, sorry diet)

cook up an omelet and mix in a positivity enchantment

🌸 afternoon

give the kitchen, living room, and bathroom a good scrubbing

finish washing and folding the laundry

dust off my altars and the fireplace (a hearth witch’s best friend)

🌸 night

light a spell candle for optimism and motivation throughout spring

pull a tarot spread about how I can foster growth in my life between now and next sabbat

thank my spirit guides and house guardians

🌸 next day

refresh salt lines around the house

wipe down all windowsills and thresholds with a protective wash

buy a new rosemary plant and dedicate it to my hearth practice

I’m 1000% here for a “spring cleaning” themed sabbat since my spirituality and my physical surroundings tend to be pretty linked. Out with the old energy, in with the new. The rainy weather changed some of my more natured themed plans, but I’m down to get some happy energy going no matter where I might be.

Blessed Ostara Everyone! 

As said above, Ostara is a day to celebrate new beginnings and growth! Just like flowers budding through snow and Persephone being taken from her lover, Hades, back to her mother, times and circumstances change no matter if we’re ready for it or not.

Sometimes, change is a “good” thing! Change can be a new job, graduating school, and even beating an illness! Ostara is the day to do spells, pray, and even plan for these giant changes.

Sometimes, change can be a “bad” thing! Change can come in the form of  break-up, death, or natural disaster (Gods willing, they don’t affect anyone it doesn’t have to). Ostara would be the day to pray and do a spell, asking or willing for better times. Do not beat yourself up over feeling upset over these things, but try not to let them consume you. Seek professional non-magickal help, if necessary!

Most of the time, change is bittersweet. Getting a one-in-a-million chance to another country to learn a craft or seek new opportunities requires more often than not leaving behind loved ones. Graduating often means leaving behind the only schedule system, friends, and environment that you know. Starting your dream job often means starting at the bottom rung again, with years ahead of you to reach the paycheck you had before.

More than anything, I recommend spending some time on Ostara to reflect on ALL of the change, regardless “good” or “bad” that has happened in the past year and how it’s affected you.

Here are some other Ostara activities:

Start a new book/ game/ series

Choose 1 new craft to try out this year

Clean at least 1 aspect of your living area (Ex. Laundry, sweep, etc.)

Give offerings to your patron deity, especially if it’s Persephone

Catch up with someone you lost contact with

Cleanse your area with ethically obtained sage, salt water, or with visualization and a broom

Plant an in-season native plant!!

Every day is a great day to bake some bread

Organize your planner/ start a bullet journal

Baking is sometimes important in festivals like Yule, Ostara, and Harvest and I know a lot of people either don’t have ovens or don’t have time to bake and baking isn’t the most discreet of practices so I’ve compiled some easy microwave bakes that are actually pretty good.

💛 Baked apples in a mug

-2 chopped apples(or enough to fit in a mug) 

-½ tbs of butter

-1 tbs of brown or white sugar (but brown tastes nicer I think)

-sprinkle of cinnamon to your liking

microwave for around 45 seconds or until the apples are mushy 

💛 Cake!

-2 tbs melted butter

-¼ cup flour

-1 egg yolk

-2 tbs sugar

-1 tbs milk

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-¼ tsp baking powder

combine all in a mug (don’t fill more than halfway) and microwave for 45-60 seconds or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the mug then top with whatever you like (putting honey on when it’s still hot and letting it soak into the cake is really good) you can also add in practically any herbs you like before you cook it too!

💛 Vegan cinnamon cake

-¼ cup flour

-2 tsp baking powder

-2 tbs brown sugar

-¾ tsp cinnamon

-¼ cup dairy free milk

-2 tbs melted vegan margarine

-1 tsp vanilla extract

combine all in a large mug (don’t fill more than halfway), sprinkle a little extra brown sugar and cinnamon on top, microwave for 1 ½ minutes

💛 Fruit cobbler (this one’s complicated buckle up, bros)

This works with practically any fruit like strawberries, cranberries, blackberries etc.

-1/8 cup flour

-pinch salt

-1/8 tsp baking powder

-½ heaping tablespoon sugar

-1 tbs cold butter

-1 tbs milk

-8 blackberries

-½ tsp sugar

microwave just the blackberries and ½ tsp of sugar in a large mug for 10-15 secs and set ‘em aside, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, add the butter and mix with your hands until crumbly add the milk and stir until dough forms, spoon over the blackberries and microwave for 1 minute check it and if it doesn’t look done microwave again for 20 secs.

🍉Foods: strawberries, pineaaples, apricots, lemons, honeydew, leafy greens, pea pods, potatoes, bread, pastries, any dairy

🌼Crystals: citrine, selenite, amazonite eye, amber, lapis lazuli, carnelian, clear quartz, rose quartz

🍰Herbs and flowers: lemongrass , chives, tulips, honeysuckle, lavendar, basil, mint, rose, parsley

🍭Activities: wear pastels, give yourself a spa day, sit outdoors, start spring cleaning, cleanse your living space, cast a glamour spell, make lemonade, paint eggs, help clean up a local park, pick wild flowers

🍡Songs:

Rhiannon - fleetwood mac

New ways - daughter

Radio - Lana del rey

Handmade heaven - Marina

Dreams - fleetwood mac

The children - hån

Samhain begins the witches’ new year, and now Winter soon is here; the leaves fall, the harvest is done, so call your ancestors and let’s have some fun. 

Yule is the longest night, and signals the return of light. Everything is newly remade, and we wait for darkness to fade.

Imbolc we clean, cleanse and prepare for what the Spring may come to bear. Light the candles, light the fire, and build in yourself what does inspire. 

Ostara comes and Spring growth arrives, and all the Earth is truly alive. Winter is over and in it’s stead we bless our homes and our covensteads. 

Beltane, the fine May eve, we thank our gods for fertility. Bless the growing harvest and romance as we eat, drink, sing, and dance.

Litha is the longest day, the sun at it’s brightest but soon will fade. The Earth’s bounty is at it’s top, and abundance aids our spells nonstop. 

Lughnasadh, Lammas, both names are fine, herald the advent of harvest time. When fear and uncertainty are about, we ward our homes and both in and out. 

Mabon is a balance of seasons, where darkness and light remain within reason. The last harvest is called and the Summer is done, we give our thanks and farewell the sun. 

As every cycle begins once again, the wheel spins ‘round and we greet grandly Samhain.

Imbolc:

Lemon, Thyme, Rosemary, Dill, Fennel, Liquorice, Snowdrop, Dandelion, Mint.

Ostara:

Primrose, Rosemary, Daisy, Orange Peel, Basil, Garlic, Lavender, Mint.

Beltane:

Yellow/Orange Roses, Buttercup, Onion Salt, Bay Leaf, Oregano, Black Pepper.

Litha:

Pink /White Roses, Red Clover, Chili Powder, Chamomile, Cumin.

Lughnasadh:

Sunflower, Anise Seed, Cloves, Ginger, Mustard Seed, Turmeric, Blackberries, Sage.

Mabon:

Lavender, Maple Leaves, Pine Cones, Chamomile, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Paprika, Sage.

Samhain:

Pine Needles, Blackberry Leaves, Fennel, Allspice, Red Roses, Jasmine, Nutmeg, Cloves.

Yule:

Imbolc is celebrated on or around February first to welcome the earliest beginnings of spring.

🍋 wake up early and enjoy the sunrise!! the sun continues to grow higher in the sky, the spring is coming. appreciate and honor that fact if you’re able.

🍋 take a cleansing (ritual if you please) shower! whether you use scent corresponded soaps + body washes or just envision negativity being washed off and positivity being brought in, starting the day by cleansing away bad energy is a fabulous way to start in my book.

🍋 SPRING CLEANING! this is a perfect time to declutter and cleanse your space. get rid of anything and everything you don’t need and even go through your room/house with sage or incense if you wish!

🍋 going with that ^, rearrange your altar if you please! create a fresh start by adding some colors/correspondents of the sabbat. whether you prefer more of the pastel pinks, yellows and purples to represent the growing flowers and spring days to come, or more reds, yellows and oranges to honor Brigid, the Goddess we tribute to on this day, there are so many possibilities to spruce it up!

🍋 take a nature walk!! this is alwayssss on my to do list when celebrating a sabbat, but i feel like it’s extra special on Imbolc. take time to look for signs of spring, flowers beginning to bloom, leaves starting to bud, snow slowly melting away. the sun is coming, better and brighter days are ahead.

🍋 LIGHT! CANDLES! Imbolc is also known as St. Brigid’s day and Candlemas, it is the absolute best time to light some candles, turn on the lights and open the blinds to let in the sunshine!

🍋 do some art!! Brigid is well known for her connection to arts and crafts and poetry, so let your artsy side shine. your creativity is at its peak this time of year, don’t let those juices go to waste!

🍋 make a Brigid’s cross, a corn doll, or even a candle inspired by the spring! wrote a poem, create a playlist, honestly anything that makes you feel closer and more connected to the season, Imbolc and Brigid.

🍋 do a tarot spread connected to Imbolc! i adore sabbat themed spreads, i feel its a great way to get an idea of your life currently and allow yourself to take some time to grow, heal, balance, etc.

🍋 FOOOOOOD. dairy, bread, meat and seeds are very popular for this sabbat but please feel free to create delicious dishes that fit to your needs! i plan on making some honey bars or citrus cookies as i have more of a sweet tooth.

🍋 if you do cook something and would like to honor Brigid/the season/your personal deities, put some aside and offer it to them!

🍋 leave out SAFE AND ANIMAL FRIENDLY food for the local wildlife! as animals slowly start to reappear, honor them with a tasty treat. please always make sure it is safe before hand and don’t leave anything that could harm the earth or those around you! fruits, vegetables and seeds are your safest bet.

🍋 create a vision board or a goal list!! i always think of new beginnings + opportunities when i hear of Imbolc, so now is a wonderful time to set some positive goals for yourself!! put this year in perspective and use what you created to work into your craft. need more love? healing? want to work on your focusing? now you know what spells/rituals/potions you should be working on.

🍋 PLANT SOMETHIN! it’s still quite cold where i am, but if you’re able plant some flowers or herbs! start up a beautiful garden to take care of this year. if it’s too chilly outside, start an indoor garden! there are plenty of herbs/succulents and such that can still manage to thrive with enough sunlight, water + love.

🍋 reflect. the winter months can be hard for all of us, so take this time to look back for a minute and realize that light and positive times are ahead. please don’t dwell on the past, but rather see how far you’ve come and plan on how you want to better yourself in the upcoming year.

Uses for Hardwood Charcoal and Ashes

UPG: Charcoal is one of the most handy tools all year around, but most abundant during the winter time. Charcoal makes a perfect vessel for energy work. When feeling an abundance of energy use charcoal to store some for when you are feeling low. When holding onto toxic energy, let charcoal absorbe the negativity the promptly destroy and dispose. Placing charcoal around the home will filter stale energies.

Ash can also be a power cleanser. Cast circles in ash, spread over door ways or keep a bowl of ash to keep away unwanted energy, spirits (and it works for mice and insects too)

Incorporate into spells focused on

Purification

Energy

Protection

Health

Charcoal and ash can be used to cleanse and charge crystals, to draw sigils, can be put in spell jars and sachets, and is great offering for plant spirits (unless they are acid loving). Hot coals can be used to burn incense and resins.

Hardwoods that add energies to charcoal:

Maple: stability, longevity, wisdom

Ash: creativity, strength, resilience

Birch: renewal, prosperity, protection

Cherry: growth, adaptation, life/death

Apple: abundance, energy, fertility, connecting to other realms

*these are the kinds of wood in my area and what I burn to keep my house warm which is why they made the list.*

Quick Facts:

Charcoal is an ancestral tool, we’ve been using it for longer than 30,000 years

Charcoal burns cleaner than wood making it ideal for cooking and metal working.

In an emergence situation use charcoal to filter water.

Charcoal is used for taking toxins out of the gut.

A fun winter project is making soap, use ashes to make lye!

I add ashes and charcoal chicken pen (they love to dust in the ash which also deters mites, and the charcoal helps keep the coop fresh by absorbing toxins in the air and in their litter.)

Ash and charcoal are one of the best soil amendments