What is Ostara? Celebrating the Return of the Light
Ostara is celebrated on either March 20 or 21 (the vernal equinox), depending on the calculations of when it takes place. The roots of Ostara can be traced back to the pagan traditions of the early Germanic people. It is believed that Ostara was initially celebrated as the festival of Eostre, the goddess of Spring. The arrival of Spring and the return of the sun signaled the festival, which was a time of celebration and rebirth. The name of the festival was named after the goddess Eostre, who gave her name to the Christian holiday of Easter. The modern incarnation of Ostara is an attempt to revive the pagan traditions surrounding this time of year, which celebrates with food and drink.
German author and folklorist, Jacob Grimm, used comparative data to recreate a hypothetical continental Germanic goddess in his 1835 book, Deutsche Mythologie, whose name would have survived in the Old High German word for Easter, Ostara. According to Grimm, the Old High German adverb “ôstar” and the Old Norse word “austr” (*áustr) both “convey movement toward the rising sun.” It’s also possible that Anglo-Saxon “astor” and Gothic “áustr” do the same. Grimm claims that the goddess’ cult may have been centered upon an Old Norse version, Austra, or that it may have already vanished by the time of Christianization. He links these names to the same Latin term “auster.”
The idea to revive Ostara as a celebration of Spring was inspired by ancient pagan traditions and festivals such as Eostre. A Wiccan High Priest named Frank B. Caroll introduced the “Ostara” festival into the Neo-Pagan movement in the late 1970s after learning about the celebration from his friend Aidan Kelly from the Welsh Traditionalists community close to Philadelphia. Mr. Carroll started celebrating at his Church of All Worlds Coven called “White Mare,” which later became a separate denomination known as the Church of Aphrodite.
Ostara is celebrated throughout Europe and America, with differing traditions in different regions. In some regions, the custom is to make nests decorated with brightly colored eggs and flowers that symbolize rebirth and fertility during the coming months of spring weather.
The symbols and rituals associated with Ostara are meant to celebrate springtime’s coming and nature’s rebirth. Some of the most common symbols associated with Ostara include eggs, rabbits, and flowers.
Eggs are a common symbol of Ostara because they represent new life. They can be dyed in bright colors to signify the coming of Spring, and often contain hidden treats or messages inside.
Rabbits are also a common symbol of Ostara because they are linked to new beginnings and fertility. In some traditions, it is believed that if a rabbit is seen during Ostara, it will bring good luck. Hares and rabbits are frequently shown in Easter artwork throughout Northern Europe. Adolf Holtzmann was the first author to link the goddess Eostre and hares in his book Deutsche Mythologie. “The Easter Hare seems unintelligible to me,” remarked Holtzmann of the custom. “Yet, the hare was undoubtedly the sacred animal of Ostara, just as there is a hare on the statue of Abnoba.”
Flowers are also associated with Ostara as they represent the blooming of springtime. Planting flower seeds is a good way to celebrate Ostara as well as: spring cleaning, a bonfire to celebrate the return of the light, or host a Spring feast with family and friends with lots of fruits and fresh vegetable dishes.
A baby witch is someone who is new to witchcraft and still learning the ropes. They are often eager to learn and are open to exploring different forms of magic. A baby witch may not have a lot of experience with spells, rituals, or folklore yet, but they will likely have an open mind when it comes to learning. Based on conversations with beginners, we’ve come up with the top five questions baby witches (beginners) ask about witchcraft.
From understanding the differences between Wicca and witchcraft to exploring different types of magic, there is a lot for baby witches to learn about this spiritual practice. Anyone can become a witch with enough dedication, study, and perseverance. So go forth and explore! May all of your spellwork be successful as you continue down the path of learning witchcraft.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The House of the Seven Gables follows the generations of a Puritan family and the curse that follows them. The Pyncheons are a well-respected family in their little Massachusetts town, but their past is filled with mysteries, inexplicable deaths, and a dying man’s curse. Colonel Pyncheon is a wealthy and influential Puritan from Salem, Massachusetts. He has one ambition: to bequeath his descendants a magnificent home. After much hunting, he finally discovers the perfect spot for his house, adjacent to a freshwater spring. But there’s a snag. It’s a big one. Matthew Maule, a poor man, owns the property. Colonel Pyncheon refuses to buy Maule’s land since he has already cleared and tilled it. Colonel Pyncheon, on the other hand, is patient. Pyncheon saw his opportunity when witchcraft mania swept Salem in 1692. He accuses Maule of witchcraft, and Maule is hanged as a result. Maule curses Pyncheon before dying, warning him that ‘God will give him blood to drink.’ Pyncheon begins construction on a large residence, which he names the House of the Seven Gables, as soon as he obtains Maule’s land. However, Matthew Maule’s curse reappears on the day of Colonel Pyncheon’s housewarming party. Pyncheon is discovered dead, his neck covered in blood. The curse has begun. And so the story continues with the descendants of Colonel Pyncheon being affected by the curse.
In this novel by Erika Swyler, we have Simon and Enola Watson, who are from a line of breath-holding carnival mermaids. Still, each generation of Watson women suddenly drowns on the same day every year. In this novel, the plot is about the investigation of a curse with Simon trying to find out the source of it to attempt to end it. The clues to the curse of July 24th are strange ecological events, a mysterious ancient book, and a collapsing house. I will tell you that the story deals with a cursed object causing the problem, but, not being an author who enjoys publishing spoilers, you will have to read it to find out what that object is. It may not be the one you thought.
In this 1989 young adult novel by Louis Sachar, we are introduced to the main character, David, a young boy in middle school. His friend, Scott, wants to hang out with the cool kids, but David isn’t quite cool enough to be accepted into the group. When the boys decide to take an elderly lady’s cane, the old woman casts a curse with David as the target. Everything goes wrong suddenly: David smashes his parents’ bedroom window, his fly is never zipped, his pants come down, and he pours flour all over the place. Meanwhile, his “friends” mock him and exclude him from their social circles. While you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens, this is an excellent example of a curse cast by using nothing but words. Or, do the words create a self-fulfilling curse?
The Owens family curse is one of the fundamental conflicts in the film. The first thing viewers learn about Maria Owens is that she cursed her family (accidentally), resulting in a generational curse that any man who dared to love an Owens woman would die. Her original intention was to call a spell on herself so that she would not feel the pain of love loss. But, over time, it caused her to turn bitter and the spell transformed into a curse. When Sally and Gillian’s father dies when they are only children, we see the curse in action. Their mother passes away due to a broken heart, and the two girls are forced to live with their aunts. The curse reappears several years later, this time with Sally’s husband, who also succumbs to the curse and is hit by a truck. The elimination of the curse was one of the many difficulties remedied after the ritual that took care of Jimmy. 
Christine Brown works as a loan officer at a bank, and she is competing for an assistant manager position with a coworker. Because her boss thinks she is incapable of making hard decisions, she declines a time extension on a loan to an elderly woman, Mrs. Ganush, who is facing foreclosure and the loss of her home. In vengeance, the elderly woman casts a curse on her, which she later discovers will result in her being dragged to hell after three days of being tormented by a Lamia demon. (In mythology, a Lamia is a demon who devours children.) She eventually turns to a psychic who has had experience with a Lamia to try and exorcise the demon. Here we have a curse that calls upon an outside force, a demon, to carry out its wrath, a similar, but more serious, scenario to calling upon an 
Papa Candelo is a powerful and well-known lwa or loa. His origins are said to be in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, but his impact has expanded throughout the Caribbean and the United States mainland. In the Afro-Caribbean-Catholic syncretist religion of Santeria, Papa Candelo is recognized as Martin de Porres. He is a smart and fiery spirit who expects to be respected.
The Welsh couple discovered “eight weird shoes,” all for left foot, ranging from toddler’s shoes to heavy men’s work boots, as they investigated the hidden witchcraft nest beneath their stairs. A wooden hat, parts of a horse’s skull, gun barrel fragments, ancient invoices, and bottles full of poison and perfume were also discovered, all of which were thought to ward against evil in the late medieval period. As if that wasn’t enough, the terrifying discovery was still to come in the form of a washed-out antique portrait of a woman dubbed “Vicky,” which was hidden behind shutters in the parlor.
Crossroads Magic In the Hoodoo Tradition
Crossroads are thought to be haunted by numerous spirits who delight in perplexing travelers, according to folklore. The meeting and parting of ways, which are frequented by ghosts, devils, the Devil, witches, and fairies, can also be used to summon the same spirits who appear there. The shape of the crossroads can also be exploited to defend against them. The crossroads is used in hedgecraft as a transitional space for traveling to the Otherworld and communicating with spirits. It’s a fantastic location for working with local spirits, Fae, or hedge riding. According to Germanic tradition, you can become Der Teufel’s servant at a crossroads in order to attain your heart’s desire. Christians regard Der Teufel to be the devil. A little sacrifice was necessary to become his temporary servant, but this later changed into the permanent sale of your soul. Witches would gather at the crossroads on Walpurgis Night, most likely to converse with the devil.
The otherworld is populated with various kinds of entities that are seldom regarded as spiritual beings. They are more often thought of as creatures or animals. The Appalachian folk magic practitioner regards these entities as being less evolved than the human race, but none-the-less deserving of respect. This can be seen in how Appalachian folk magic practitioners relate to their animal familiars — even if the familiar was once a person who was somehow transformed into an animal through magical means. The otherworld also contains good and bad faeries (a form of little people), elves, dwarves, trolls, giants, witches (good or evil), angels or fairies masquerading as people, ghosts (usually deceased family members) that will sometimes linger near their graves, and ancestral spirits who may dwell in an old home place or other location where they once lived. These entities can interfere with individuals, groups of people, or even whole communities. Appalachian folk magic practitioners work to protect themselves, their family members, neighbors (or community), livestock (and crops) from the harmful influences of these otherworld entities by employing various types of charms and spells.
knots, saying “As this hair is knotted so I knot you. As this knot is tied so I bind you.” The remainder of the hairs are carried in one’s pocket or purse where they are believed to protect against witches coming near the person who carries them.
summer flowers, we may very well feel that the worst of winter is yet to come. Yet no matter how hard winter may be or how long it may last in our area, one day in early spring we’ll surely notice several signs: beechnuts are abundant for wildlife; storms seem milder than usual; insects are active throughout the day. We know then that the worst has passed and that at least this year’s cycle of seasons will soon draw to a close.
Learning the basics of aromatherapy and essential oils will give you a deeper understanding of the ingredients that go into making a spiritual oil. You will then know the magical use of each essential oil in a blend, but also the aromatherapeutic benefit and the physical reactions it causes to the mind and body. For example, geranium oil is typically used in love condition oils, but it also aids in skin problems.
Wheel of the Year. In the Spring, flowers are most often used. Summer is a time of green leaves and fruits. In Autumn, the choices are usually spices and barks. Pure plant oils are considered to be a way to connect with the very nature they come from, bringing more power and connection to spells and magical workings.
to America during the Transatlantic slave trade, they brought with them their spirituality, their deities, their strong belief in ancestor worship, and their magical rituals and customs. However, they no longer had access to their homeland plants. This is how Native American herbal medicine made its way into the customs of the Africans. Over time, African-Americans incorporated some elements of the European culture, such as occultism and mysticism. With these three belief systems combined, time and practice created this unique form of American folk magic. Hoodoo is often called by other names including rootwork, conjure, and laying tricks. A practitioner is sometimes called a conjureman (or woman), a rootworker, or a two-headed doctor.
seek justice. It has been argued that this is one of the reasons that New Orleans became a melting pot for different cultures and faiths including Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and others. People from all over came to Louisiana knowing they could find something familiar.
we’re going to add additional ingredients and perform a little magical work to create a Florida Water protection bottle spell. Protection magic is one of the oldest and most often asked about types of magical spellwork. Protection spells has been recorded all the way back to the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, and is found in magical belief systems from all over the world.
And you care for them in different ways, depending on the intended purpose. Let’s say you want to make one for 
Finally, we get to the baneful doll, which some call the voodoo doll. But, that’s not very fair to Vodou’s religion, so we’ll use the term ‘dolly baby.’ This type of doll is mistreated or harassed. Maybe you want someone to move away and not be a part of your life anymore. Perhaps you’ll tell that person via the doll that they will have a constant headache until they move away and leave you alone. Each day, you take the doll and thump its head against furniture or a stone. The concept is to make the person relent, and they finally give in to your will. Is this evil work? That would depend on why you want the person to leave. For example, commanding a stalker to leave you alone would be considered protective work. Another way of working your baneful doll is to burn it. Take the ashes and drive them to the other side of town and dump them out to get this person out of your life. You can throw it in a river with running water or onto railroad tracks – another way to get someone to move away from you.
every time we invent new candles. Five NEW Conjure Candles released this month: Kiss Me Quick, DUME, Van Van, Dragon’s Blood, and Hummingbird. So we’ve got a little love, a little hate, a touch of sweetness, and a little in between.
PYRAMID OF POWER spell
