Ostara Cacao Ritual: Heart Opening for the Spring Equinox

Ostara: New beginnings within and without

Ostara marks the time when nature unfolds and gifts us its untamed life force. It makes us aware of the cycle of becoming and passing and invites us to step into our own growth. It is a time of new beginnings – within and without.

“And suddenly you know: it is time to begin something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” – Meister Eckhart

As the sun gains strength with each passing day and soothing warmth returns, we too may open our hearts, nourish our inner seeds and connect with the flow of life with trust.

When is the spring equinox and the wheel of the year festival Ostara?

On March 20 we celebrate the spring equinox, also called the vernal equinox. It marks the astronomical beginning of spring. Day and night are exactly the same length. Light and darkness are in absolute balance and harmony. It is a special event that has been celebrated worldwide by many cultures, such as the Maya, and in some places still is today.

In our regions, the spring equinox is also known as the wheel of the year festival Ostara, the festival of the beginning of spring. Even though the origin of the festival, whether Celtic or Germanic, is not clearly defined, it is today firmly part of the eight wheel of the year festivals as a solar festival and is celebrated 6 weeks after Imbolc and 6 weeks before Beltane.

Beginning of spring: Time to warm your heart and grow

With the spring equinox, spring finally drives winter away. Darkness retreats and the soothing warmth and power of the sun increase day by day. And no matter where we look, life awakens with such overwhelming beauty. Buds and plants sprout and announce further growth.

The first rays of sunshine also draw us outside, warm our hearts and recharge us with new energy. Like nature, we feel the deep desire to become active. Our time of growth has come as well.

Remember your heart’s desires & allow them to mature

Ostara and the spring equinox are a wonderful opportunity to feel into yourself and your heart and to remember your vision and continue to realize ideas and wishes. The concentrated energy of the nature surrounding us supports you.

Tip: It is recommended NOT to constantly question your wishes and ideas. If you have truly taken the time to feel your heart’s desires, stay with them – for at least 90 days. You may have heard that this is how long it takes to establish a new habit.

It is not about an exact number of days, but about a good period of time that allows your visions to germinate and grow. As with everything, the middle way is also advisable here. Give your wishes and dreams time to manifest and after a good while, question whether they are still in alignment with you.

1. Create a small spring altar at your place of comfort with candles, power objects, flowers and everything that symbolizes spring and growth for you.
2. Prepare your ritual cacao with lots of love and awareness. (You can find a recipe & preparation tips here). Afterwards, make yourself comfortable at your place of comfort with cushions and blankets. Also have something ready to write with.
3. Sit with your cacao in a comfortable, upright position, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths into your heart. Hold your cacao cup in front of your heart. Consciously feel the warmth between the cup and your heart.
4. Take a sip of your cacao. Invite the cacao spirit to be here with you and to support you in your growth. Then drink your cacao sip by sip and breathe into your heart. Feel free to leave a small remainder of cacao in the cup.
5. Hand on heart – be completely honest with yourself: Do I do things that fulfill my heart or that take me away from it? By whom or what do I allow myself to be distracted / led away from my path?
6. Imagine a stream of water coming from above and washing away everything that distracts you and is not for your highest and best. Shake yourself once until you feel that everything that does not support you has fallen away. Allow images to arise.
7. Come back into stillness, close your eyes and feel into your heart. Now allow your vision, your wishes and ideas to rise from your heart once more. Perhaps a look at your vision board may help. Remember how you feel when all of this has become true and you live in alignment with your heart.
8. Ask your heart what you already have in your life that fulfills your inner world and makes it shine.
9. GRATITUDE. Bathe in these feelings and feel gratitude for all that is already here and all that is yet to come.
10. Now place a hand on your heart again and give yourself the promise that you will continue to walk your heart path. Remember: You know who you truly are and you know what you may do to come ever closer to this truth.
11. Thank yourself and the cacao spirit and close this ritual by opening your eyes and gently tapping yourself. Offer the remaining cacao you left in the cup back to Mother Earth as a gift.