Altar
Candles must be light green.
Incense may be jasmine.
The circle may be decorated with spring wildflowers; have a bundle on the altar as well.
Place a large seed of some kind on the pentacle.
Have an earthenware or wooden bowl containing soil.
Have a sheet of parchment paper, ink and a writing tool on the altar.
Step One (Preparation)
Sweep the circle area, lay out the circle and altar items, bathe and robe.
Step Two
Light the incense and the altar candles. Ring the altar bell three times and proceed to say:
"The circle is about to be cast and I freely stand within to greet my Lady and my Lord."
Step Three
Take the centre altar candle and light each elemental candle around the circle, moving in a clockwise direction, and saying:
(North) "I call upon the light and earth at the north to illuminate and strengthen the circle"
(East) "I call upon light and air at the east to illuminate and enliven the circle"
(South) "I call upon light and fire at the south to illuminate and warm the circle"
(West) "I call upon light and water at the west to illuminate and cleanse the circle"
Step Four
Take the athame in your hand and raise it to the celling/sky. As you walk from the north point of the circle, in a clockwise direction, still holding the athame upright, say:
"I draw this circle in the precense of the Godess and the God where they may come and bless their child, (your name)"
Step Five
Lower the athame when you reach the northern point of your circle. With your athame pointed to the ground, walk around the circle, envisioning a blue light shooting from the point of the athame (this forms the boundary), whilst saying:
"This is the boundary of the circle. Only love shall enter and leave"
Step Six
Return to the altar and ring the altar bell three times. Place the point of the athame into the bow of salt and say:
"Salt is life and purifying. I bless this salt to be used in this sacred circle in the names of the Goddess and the God, (name them)"
Pick up the salt bowl, and using the tip of the athame, drop three portions of salt into the water bowl. Set the salt bowl back in its place. Stir the water with the athame three times and proceed to say:
"Let the blessed salt purify this water that it may be blessed to use in this sacred ccircle. In the names of the Goddess and the God, (name them), I consecrate and cleanse this water"
Step Seven
Take the salted water bowl in your hand and sprinkle water from it around the circle in a clockwise direction, whilst saying:
"I consecrate this circle in the names of the Goddess and the God, (name them). The circle is conjured a cirle of power that is purified and sealed. So mote it be!"
Return the water bowl to its place on the altar. Pick up the censer and take it around the circle in a clockwise direction, then return it to the altar. Take your anointing oil and make a Solar Cross ringed by a circle on your forehead, whilst saying:
"I, (your name) am consecrated in the names of the Goddess and the God, (name them), in this their circle"
Step Eight (Only For Covens/More persons than one)
If you are working in a coven, or with family members, this is the time when you let them into the circle you have created. To do this, draw a door with the athame, at the boundary of your circle, then, as each person steps through, anoint them with the anointing oil, by drawing a solar cross ringed by a circle. Let each person greet you with something like the following:
"I come in perfect love and perfect trust"
You will then close the door you drew by drawing the door the opposite way with the athame.
Step Nine
At the north point of the circle, take the wand and hold it upright with both hands, (envision something that you relate to the Elemental Earth, eg. a powerful bull), and say:
"I call upon you, Elemental Earth, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I have body and strength, we are kith and kin!"
Lower your wand and move to the east of your circle, raise the wand with both hands (envision something that you relate to Elemental Air) then say:
"I call upon you, Elemental Air, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I breathe and think, we are kith and kin!"
Lower your wand again, move to the south point of your circle and raise the wand with both hands (envisioning something to represent the Elemental Fire) and say:
"I call upon you Elemental Fire, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as i consume life to live, we are kith and kin!"
Lower the wand and move to the west of your circle, hold the wand upright with both hands (envisioning something that represents Elemental Water) whilst saying:
"I call upon you, Elemental Water, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I feel and my heart beats, we are kith and kin!"
Lower the wand and return to your altar. Using the wand, draw the symbol of infinity (an 8 lying on its side) above the altar. This represents working between the worlds. Set the wand down in its place on the altar.
Step Ten
Raise the athame to the celling/sky, holding it in both hands, then say:
"Hail to the Elementals at the four quarters! Welcome Lady and Lord to this rite! I stand between the worlds with love and power all around!"
Set down the athame and pick up the goblet of wine. Pour a little of the wine into the cauldron/libation bowl. This is an offering to the Divine, in which they are honoured to have the first draught. Now you take a sip.
Step Eleven
Ring the altar bell three times and say:
"I call upon me the blessings of the Ancient Ones as merry do we meet at this springtime rite. Lady and Lord, hear your child, (your name), for I am here to celebrate with you and for you as we greet the spring together!"
Step Twelve
Pick up the bundle of altar flowers and drop the flowers around the circle in a clockwise direction. Ring the altar bell three times and say:
"Springtime is the time to sow the seed, and it is the time for me to plant what I want to grow. This season brings hope and joy; expectations for desires realized; and inspiration for new ideas. My life is brought into balance and I am reborn with the earth's renewal. I welcome thee, beautiful spring!"
Visualise the seed on the altar as what you want to plant (a quality, an opportunity, a creation etc.) so that the seed represents the idea in mind.
Step Thirteen
Ring the altar bell once, then write on the parchment what idea the seed represents. Light the parchment with the flame from the centre altar candle. Drop the burning ashes into the bowl of soil on the pentacle. Say:
"Lady and Lord, receive the seed of my desire and let it grow and prosper that it may ripen and bear fruit"
Step Fourteen
Using the athame, mix the ashes from the parchment, into the soil. Take your wand, and with it upraised, move or dance around the circle three times to raise the energy. Return to the altar with the wand still upraised. Proceed to say:
"By the power instilled in this raised wand will the seed be planted in the ready soil. Blessed be the wand of spring and blessed be the earth that receives it!"
Step Fifteen
Kiss the tip of the wand, transferring the raised energy into it. Then, with the tip of the wand, make an indentation in the soil and visualise the energy entering. Set down the wand, hold the seed up and concentrate energy into it. Place the seed in the furrow and close the soil over it and say:
"This seed is planted in the mother's womb to be part of the earth, of life, and of me. Let this seed and what it represents grow to manifestation. As I will it, so mote it be!"
Step Sixteen
Follow the Cakes & Wine Ritual
Step Seventeen
Close the circle, following the steps shown in The Circle
Ostara Activities
Have a traditional breakfast with buns, ham and eggs
Toss the crushed eggshells into the garden and say: "For fairy, for flowers, for herbs in the bowers, The shells pass fertility with springtime showers"
Wear green clothing
Bless seeds planted in the garden
Eat an egg you have empowered with a quality you desire
Colour and draw symbols on hard boiled eggs, then consecrate them
Make Hot Cross Buns, slash the "X" with your bolline and bless the cakes
On Ostara Eve, light a purple or violet candle and burn patchouli incense. Carry them through your home saying: "Farewell to wintry spirits and friends; On morrow we greet the spirits of spring. Our blessings to thee as your way you wend; And merry we'll meet next winter again"
Blow out the candle, then say: "Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!"
