Ostara and the Vernal Equinox are soon upon us, and in the impending joy of warmer weather and the eagerness to be outside and work in our gardens, it is important to let a few things go first. While we hibernate in the winter, and revel in the dark, we tend to rush headlong into the light, forgetting to bury or shed certain things before springing forward.

The planet is in unceasing turmoil, and the political landscape is messy and scary. Social media is filled with anxiety and anger. We all face life challenges, and our world rolls onward, despite deaths, and endings. We tend to view Ostara as a time of planting more seeds. Think about it: a witch’s life is filled with plantings and more plantings, whether it be literal seeds and plants, or the metaphorical seeds we want to plant for events to bloom in our lives. How do we prepare?

Before we plant, we cultivate the soil, and remove any debris that may have gathered in the winter. Shouldn’t we be doing the same in our lives? A few things we can let go of, as we head into this season are noted below. Be sure to add your own to this list, and let me know what you’re letting go of, as we head into the start of growth as the Wheel of the Year turns onward.

Expectations: My favorite saying is “Let go of expectations!” Forget about how things should be. If we start at zero, we can only go upward, right? So examine your life, and see what expectations we are holding on to ever so tightly. Do you have expectations of your relationship, but it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere? Take some time to look at it closely, and see if you are truly content with the way things are, or if you are so conditioned to expect the “next big thing”, as you have been doing all along? I have done this myself, always thinking ahead, and feeling disappointed when things don’t happen the way I have planned. Yet, after a few times of having zero expectations, I am pleasantly surprised how more things just flow when I am not hanging on quite so tightly to my vision of the “way things should be happening”.

Jealousy and Envy: Are you coveting your friend’s life? Does her/his life seem full of exciting adventures and happenings, while yours remains sort of blah? Let go of trying to keep up with others, and focus on what YOU want. Inspiration and emulating straddle a very fine line, so be aware of how your actions are affecting your mental health. Your friend with the exciting life may be full of insecurities themselves OR they could be living their life, not really caring about other’s opinions. What you are envying is that they are following their vision, so think about yours and what you can do to further that vision along. Maybe take up a new hobby or class, and focus on what makes you happy. You will have less time worrying about what your friend is up to, and actually enjoy catching up with each other, because you will each have your own exciting updates to share.

Caring About What Others Think: Does it really matter what others think of you? If your answer is a resounding YES!, then I urge you to consider why. We have one life to live, so why spend it worrying about others? It’s not selfish to focus on what is important to you, so try doing that instead, and see how you feel. Coco Chanel supposedly once said, “I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all.” Look at what she accomplished in her lifetime. If she had gotten bogged down by caring about what other people thought of her work, then we wouldn’t have as much of her artistic fashion in this world. Do the same with yourself, and start with small actions at first. See how you feel, not caring about what others think: feels good? Feels a little scary? That is what growth feels like, so embrace it, and enjoy the outcomes of your actions and plans.

Condescension and Superiority: We all know the term “mansplaining”, yet what is the word when women do it? If you enjoy sharing your knowledge, examine if you are truly trying to help people, or if you are showing off for them. If you enjoy your practice and spellwork, and enjoy talking about it, take a moment to examine the audience you are sharing it with: are their eyes glazed over? Do they give you pat answers like “that’s great!” and then they scurry away? Again, there is a fine line between sharing your knowledge and inundating people with what you’ve gleaned. We can all share with each other, but also try listening to those you are sharing the knowledge with: they may have wanted a simple answer to a question, not the entire encyclopedia you just unleashed on them. And please don’t pity your audience, be excited they want to learn. Condescension can creep in if we feel we are superior with our knowledge, so switch that up to feeling grateful you have knowledge to share, and note how your audience (whether it be one person or a group) reacts.

As for me, I am letting go of running away from things. I tend to just leave and not stand my ground, because I don’t think it’s worth my energy, or I think it will be a waste of my time. Lately, I have been practicing sticking around, standing up for my beliefs and vision, and it’s been challenging yet gratifying. I feel stronger and my energy, which I fiercely protect, is sometimes even more energized by my focus on what is important to me, and my vision. I am also letting go of expectations when I am in unchartered territory, and really focusing on and enjoying being present in the moment. It’s a practice I return to again and again, and it has resulted in some beautiful encounters. I plan on continuing with that path. May your Vernal Equinox bloom with a sense of growth and steady nurturing for yourself!