Ostara is the ancient festival of the Spring Equinox, the moment when day and night stand in perfect balance before the light begins its slow victory over darkness. For many witches and old pagan traditions, this was the true awakening of the earth after the long silence of winter.
The name Ostara is often linked to the Germanic spring goddess Ēostre, a deity associated with dawn, fertility, and renewal. In old folklore she was connected to hares and eggs, symbols that represented life emerging again from the stillness of winter. These symbols would later echo through history and appear in modern spring traditions.
But beneath the folklore, Ostara is really about rebirth.
For months the land rests beneath the cold grip of winter. Seeds lie hidden beneath frozen soil, waiting patiently for warmth and light. When the equinox arrives, something begins to stir again. The days grow longer, animals return, and the earth slowly begins to breathe.
For witches, Ostara has long been a time of planting intentions. Just as farmers place seeds into the soil, practitioners place their hopes, goals, and visions into the energetic current of the coming year. What is planted now, in thought, action, and spirit has the chance to grow as the light strengthens.
The deeper magic of Ostara is balance. Light and darkness share the sky equally, reminding us that life moves in cycles rather than permanent states. Just as winter eventually releases its hold, every difficult season in our own lives carries the potential for renewal.
Ostara is the reminder that transformation rarely arrives all at once. It begins quietly, beneath the surface, long before the world can see it.
Just like the first green shoots pushing through the soil, new life is already finding its way back to the light.
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Have you ever walked past an empty patch of dirt, a cracked sidewalk, or a neglected roadside planter and thought it could use a little life?
That instinct is behind guerrilla gardening—a grassroots movement where people plant flowers or native plants in overlooked urban spaces. How does this help with climate change? Even small patches of greenery can cool overheated streets, soak up stormwater, and create habitat for other urban wildlife.
People are experimenting with this idea in creative ways. Last week in Toronto, I met a student who was planting native seeds in public areas around the city. In Los Angeles, artist Doug Rosenberg built a temporary wetland in the concrete channel of the LA River, creating a small patch of habitat that quickly attracted birds and other wildlife. In the UK, gardener Harry Smith-Haggett used plants to highlight local problems in Horsham. He filled potholes with flowers, drawing attention to dangerous roads and prompting repairs.
In London, environmental activist Ellen Miles has been transforming overlooked corners of her neighborhood into mini-oases filled with pollinator-friendly plants. After sharing her adventures online, she has inspired others to do the same! She says part of the appeal is the immediate impact: “A lot of activism can feel intangible. With guerrilla gardening, you see the results. It’s empowering.”
Planting in public spaces can sometimes fall into a legal gray area. As this article explains, “authorities often turn a blind eye—so long as it doesn’t cause damage, obstruction or a public nuisance.” But the safest way to participate is by supporting local greening efforts: planting native species in your own yard or apartment balcony, volunteering with a community garden, or working with local groups to add pollinator habitat in your neighborhood.
With the first day of Northern Hemisphere spring arriving March 20, now is the perfect time to get started. Don’t forget to talk about what you’re doing with others, and get your community involved too!
Thanks Katharine Hayhoe
Monet
Japanese best-selling writer, Haruki Murakami, on why hard times make us better.
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
Source: Kafka on the Shore
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Meditations on Life. My morning thoughts today.
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