“Air – the element of spring – is the most cerebral of all the elements. When we relate it to the human body, it is all about the mind, our intellect and the inspiration that guides us.”
– The Witch’s Survival Guide, Jennifer Lane
Hello, everyone! And welcome, welcome, welcome to my new followers. Soft and peaceful greetings to you as we approach the equinox – the world's tipping point into brighter days 🌱
It’s been a busy start to the year with so many highlights, including the release of my fourth book, The Second-Hand Boy, the French publication date of The Wheel (or La Roue), tree-planting in my local area and working on my new (top-secret) book! More news on that to come…
But right now, my no.1 priority is celebrating spring – my absolute favourite time of year 💚✨️
This year, the spring equinox falls on Tuesday 19th March (there’s still time to book it off!). On this day, day and night will hang in perfect balance, giving us chance to not only look at the idea of balance within our own lives but to plan for brighter days and revel in the beauty of springtime. Yes, frolicking is permitted. You might have noticed that the hawthorn blossom has already started to come out. I explored some of the ways I’ve been watching out for spring as a green witch on my paid Substack last week. What signs of spring have you been noticing?
And how will I be celebrating? By performing the Ostara ritual at the bottom of this email! I’ve also hung some sky-blue clooties from the cherry tree in my garden as an offering to the local land spirits. I’ll be doing a spiritual spring clean in my home by sprinkling salt around its borders and clearing negative energy by blowing the smoke of garden sage around my living room saying as I do so, “Earth, fire, water, air; cleanse, dismiss, dispel.”
In this edition of The Green Witch Writer Newsletter, you’ll find:
your exclusive Ostara spell
an exciting competition to celebrate spring!
the lore of the hare
some extra-special author events that I know you’ll love
I also just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to my Sands fundraiser – you are superstars ⭐️ All funds go towards supporting bereaved parents through the most difficult time of their lives; I'll be leaving the fundraiser open until 30th March if you wanted to make a donation. Thank you for all your support with this, beautiful people.
I hope you enjoy this newsletter and blessed Ostara to you!
Jennifer x
Win The Wheel & The Witch’s Survival Guide!
Witchy people, I've got a bit of a treat for you 😃
To celebrate the spring equinox, I'm giving away a witchy bundle of my books! Win a copy of The Wheel and The Witch's Survival Guide 💚
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is head to my Instagram post and:
follow me (@thegreenwitchwriter) and @septemberpublishing on Instagram
like this post
comment below the post tagging two witchy friends
get an extra entry by sharing this post to your IG story and tagging me so I can see it!
Enter by 8 pm on Tuesday 19th March (winner announced on 20th March). This giveaway is open to anyone in the UK. Good luck 💚🍀
The ancient magick of the hare
One of the world's oldest fertility symbols has a mysterious past 👀 Let's take a deeper look at the incredible hare.
The brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is believed to have been introduced to the UK during the Roman era but has been revered since time began.
This long-limbed loper mainly inhabits open farmland, grassland and the peripheries of woodland. However, you won’t find a brown hare in a burrow – contrary to popular belief – instead, they find refuge in shallow ground depressions or grassy forms called scrapes. When startled, they can be seen bounding across fields, using their powerful hind legs to propel them forward in a zigzag path to throw you off their scent.
It seems that almost every culture across the world has mythology associated with the hare. Many of these are related to fertility, abundance and renewal, most likely due to their rapid reproduction rates and prolific numbers around Ostara when the world is just starting to grow again. Indeed, fertility goddesses such as Germanic Eostre and Norse Freyja are often shown with a hare by their side, ready to spring into action and incite fertility amongst the locals. This image of the hare makes sense, hopping merrily along with its small, ruffled leverets as they celebrate the bounty of spring. One Celtic custom was to place a rabbit or hare’s skin under the bed to increase fertility and fulfilment. Which wasn’t so fulfilling for the hare…
But the hare has also been said to usher in something even more magickal than the fertility of the land. In many cultures, the hare is the keeper of rebirth and transformation, perhaps because of its deep connection with the moon and lunar energies. The symbol of the moon-gazing hare has been seen across cultures in Japan, China, Mexico and across Europe for millennia – the hare looking up with its ears slicked along its back, the full moon rising above it, its eyes filled with otherworldly knowledge. It is so widely found that historians are often confused about how this symbol could possibly have infiltrated so far. In Chinese folklore, the most famous hare is the Moon Rabbit (commonly accepted as a hare), often referred to as the Jade Rabbit. This legend tells the story of a rabbit/hare that resides on the moon, where it is believed to be pounding herbs to create an elixir of immortality. The Moon Rabbit is often depicted as a companion to the moon goddess Chang'e, who is said to have consumed the elixir, which resulted in her ascending to the moon. The Moon Rabbit's role in making this elixir has made it a symbol of longevity and immortality.
Hares are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, darting through the trees under the light of the waxing moon. While the ancient symbol of the moon-gazing hare may once have held other meanings to do with the abundance of the land, nowadays it has become a well-used symbol of mysticism, nature, and the connection between the earthly and the celestial.
What does the hare represent to you?
See you in Oxford & across the North!
Join myself and author Laura Derbyshire (aka @thebowerhare) for an afternoon of witchcraft and wellness! 🥰
We're SO excited to share this with you! At 3 pm on Saturday 27th April (just a few days before Beltane), Laura Derbyshire and I will be at Blackwell's Oxford speaking to you about the wonders of witchcraft and the powerful effects it has on our wellbeing.
We'll be discussing our books The Witch's Survival Guide and The Handmade Grimoire and how we work with the craft to stay happy, motivated and sane in the modern world. The event will be followed by an exclusive Q&A and book signing.
Book your FREE tickets at the link below. We can’t wait to see you there!
(Laura gave an exclusive interview about her book and witchcraft practice on my paid membership last month. Go and check it out!)
And now, two events for my fellow Northerners amongst you. I’ll be signing copies of my latest book, The Second-Hand Boy at Waterstones Altrincham (near Manchester) on Friday 5th April at 2 pm and Waterstones Preston on Wednesday 10th April at 3 pm. No need to book, just pop along on the day. I can’t wait to see you there 😃
I’ll be adding more dates to my book tour soon so keep an eye on my Instagram account for a bookshop date near you.
Your exclusive Ostara ritual
Oh, I do love a full-blown fancy ritual! 🌸
Quiet and meditative ritual work is my bread and butter and Ostara is a wonderful time of year to welcome that beautiful spring energy into your sacred space. At the moment in particular, you might have noticed how dense and – quite frankly – stress-inducing the energy has been over the past few weeks. It’s felt like a glut of intense energy has been building up at the end of this astrological year. With the spring equinox, we officially begin again and can welcome in positivity once more.
I write about how to set up a ritual and welcome in the elements and the Goddess in The Witch’s Survival Guide if you want to read more on this. I’ll also be sharing my ritual practice as a downloadable PDF on my paid Substack very soon, so don’t forget to tune in for that!
On Tuesday 19th March, I’ll be performing the ritual below. I hope you’ll join me by sending this spring energy out into the world and welcoming in love, luck and protection.
You’ll need:
your ritual tools (athame, representations of the Four Elements, salt or garden sage)
rose quartz
1 pink (or white) candle
matches/lighter
a small sharp implement for carving into wax
To be performed in the morning. You may wish to wear springtime colours to celebrate the season.
1. Cast a circle and purify your ritual space, invoking the elements and any deities you usually work with. You might wish to welcome in the goddess Brigid – a Celtic spring goddess – and have her watch over your ritual. NOTE: make sure the circle is large enough for you to turn around in.
2. Take your candle and carve two symbols into it – the runes algiz and fehu, standing for protection and wealth/luck. Place the candle in front of you inside the circle in an east-facing direction and put the rose quartz (standing for love and friendship) between yourself and the candle.
3. Light the candle and meditate on its flame, thinking about the energy shift that spring brings and what that means for you in your life. You may wish to view the candle flame through the rose quartz by holding the stone in front of your face.
4. Once you are feeling calm and centred, say the following words:
In this circle, on the first of spring,
I welcome the season and the joy it brings.
With blossoms new and bright skies above,
I invoke the blessings of luck and love.
Spring's gentle touch, renewed and fair,
Awakens life, and clears the air.
Protection strong, like roots entwined,
Shield me now, with power combined.
Luck be my guide, in all I pursue,
As I spin beneath the sky’s true hue.
With every step, my intentions clear,
May fortune's favour draw ever near.
So mote it be, this sacred rite,
Blessings of spring in the sun's soft light.
In love with creation, I feel my spirit rise,
As I welcome spring, under never-ending skies.
5. Meditate on these words for as long as you wish, visualising protection, luck and love coming into your life this spring. Then stand up and spin in a clockwise circle three times, visualising energy spiralling downwards from the sky and filling up your body. When you have finished spinning, rub your hands together and throw this energy up towards the sky in thanks. But always remember to bring some back down to your heart and keep that magick for yourself.
6. Close your circle, giving thanks to the Goddess. Place the still-lit candle on a windowsill until it fully burns out.
7. Then spend the rest of the day giving back to the world. Perform small acts of gratitude for spring wildlife, including feeding the birds and leaving out small twigs and nesting material, sowing seeds in your greenhouse that will be helpful for pollinators later in the year, and putting up a nesting box.
P.S. From next week on my paid Substack, I’ll be writing all about spring plants and how we can use them in tinctures, spells teas and recipes. So tune in then to get a huge dose of juicy green witchery!
Blessed Ostara, everyone. I'll see you on the next turn of the Wheel: Beltane (my fave!) will be here on 30th April. Watch out for your newsletter a few days before.
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I did your Ostara ritual for the spring equinox. I loved it! I specifically loved the spell you put together. I see this as a part of my practice into the future. Thank you for sharing this.