Magickal Month- March

March- Bradford pear tree
March- Bradford pear tree

The name March comes from the old Roman Martius, as March was originally dedicated to Mars, the Roman god of war and agriculture. As March brought better weather, people started to plan for things like battle and farming- hence Mars. It was originally the first month of the old Roman calendar, and several other cultures have designated the beginning of Spring as new year. The warmer weather, awakening of plant and animal life, and the sense of energy we get around this time of year definitely reinforces that ‘rebirth’ feeling.

In fact, that seems to be all I can think about. I want to be outside after the long, cold winter. Well, sorta cold here in Georgia. But I obsessively look at the plants on the side of the road to see what’s blooming. I gaze out my window, seeing which birds are coming back and which birds are moving back North. I start looking for frogs, turtles, rabbits, opossums, and other animals that get more active when the weather gets warmer. I’m filled with excitement and wonder. And I usually take on WAY too many new projects as I embrace the return of energy and lessening of fibro pain that comes with the better weather. Until I crash and burn. Which is fine, because everything halts in April with the waves of pollen anyways.

Here in Georgia, the blooming starts in late February with Bradford pear trees (which smell like sperm and bleach), daffodils, redbuds, tulip trees, and cherry trees. Then we can look forward to tulips, wisteria, irises, violets, and phlox. We finish our Spring wave of blooming with the Georgia staples- dogwood trees and azaleas. Spring in the South is truly stunning. I’m excited just writing about it!

Lunations:
Full Moon in Virgo, March 1st at 7:51pm (EST)
New Moon in Pisces, March 17th at 9:11am (EST)
Full Moon in Libra, March 31st at 8:36am (EST)

Astronomy:
Nothing of note. Get some good sleep! 🙂

Celtic Tree Month:
Ash (Feb 18th- Mar 17th): Mastership and power, psychic/prophetic dreams, strength, harmony, being in tune with your surroundings, heals loneliness of human spirit by forming a link between gods, man, and the dead, key to universal truth and cosmic wisdom, tree of initiation.
Alder (Mar 18th- April 14th): Balance, reawakening fertility, accelerated growth (good time for business or creative ventures), harnessing your hidden potential, balancing practical and mystical, release, foundations, determination, confidence, facing things you’ve been avoiding.

Holidays (mundane):
All month- Gender Equality Month
March 8- International Women’s Day
March 17- St. Patrick’s Day- possibly corresponding with ancient celebrations of the rebirth of the green man
March 21- World Forest Day

Holidays (Pagan):
March 5- Navigium Isidis- Romano/Egyptian festival celebrating Isis and her connection to the moon and sea. Launching of boat offerings.
March 7-14- Lesser Elusinian mysteries- Celebration of Kore’s return from the underworld and her marriage to Dionysos/Pluto
March 15- March 21- Celebration of Anglo-Teutonic goddess Ostara
March 17- March 18- Elaphebolion Noumenia- OId Greek celebration honoring all the gods with libations and offerings
March 19- March 23- Quinquatrus of Minerva- Old Roman celebration of Minerva as goddess of creativity and inspiration
March 19- March 20- Old Greek feast of Athena as protector and defender
March 20- Ostara! Pagan celebration of the Spring Equinox, a time of equal light and dark, a day of balance
March 20- Jare- Old Slavic festival celebrating the reuniting of god Jarilo (returning from the land of the dead) and goddess Morana, which brings happiness, light, and fertility
March 20- March 21- Old Greek celebration of Aphrodite and Hermes, honoring a balance of male and female energies
March 22- March 23- Feast of Artemis as protector of animals and vegetation
March 24- March 25- Asklepieia- Festival honoring Asklepios and Hygieia, god and goddess of healing
March 25- March 30- City Dionysia- a festival celebration of Dionysos as patron of the arts, drama, poetry, etc. Performances were held in his honor.

Themes for the month: Rebirth, cleansing, enlivening, reawakening, excitement for the coming season. Flowers, eggs, pastel colors, fertility, baby animals, nature in all her glory.

General activities for the month: Smoothie fast, eating greener and lighter, getting outside more, hiking, cleaning and organizing the garden, cleaning out the old (closets, etc.), socializing more.

Herbs I’m using: Green tea and matcha for energy, red clover brewed in tea for detoxing, and dandelion tea for detoxing. Also, jasmine essential oil for its delicious, sensual fragrance!

Stones I’m using:
Aquamarine- to symbolize water, and the emotional ‘washing away’ of all that’s old and unneeded.
Serpentine with stichtite- awakens kundalini energy, moving it through your chakras, bringing you back to life!
Quartz with chlorite inclusions- purifies, connects to earth AND higher planes, brings inspiration.

Goddess of the Month: I’ll be working with Athena/Minerva to celebrate our new kitten, Minerva Fortuna. I’ll be writing about Athena (because I’m sticking with the Greek pantheon for now) over at my Moon Books blog at http://moon-books.net/blogs/moonbooks/author/amier/

March reading
March reading

3 card reading:

This month looks like it’s going to be a good time to stop trying to do everything, and just see what happens.

In our first position, we have the Ace of Air (Swords) reversed. So we maybe aren’t thinking as clearly as we could. That’s fine, it’s the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring, and we’ve spent all Winter locked inside, both inside our homes and inside our brains. So maybe it’s a great time to close our eyes, feel the warmer air on our skin, and get out and have experiences to pull us outward.

In the second position, we have 8 of Earth (Pentacles) reversed. So here, we’re just not at the top of our game. We’ve either slipped up somewhere along the way, or we’ve realized that we just don’t have the motivation to achieve so much right now. That’s also fine. Spring is a time for celebration, silliness, and just enjoying your time, not necessarily striving and pushing yourself toward excellence. It’s time to be less serious, and have more fun.

In the third position, we have the Hanged Man. So this is the very epitome of someone who’s given up control to see what he can gain by letting go. He eventually gains spiritual knowledge and enlightenment by sacrificing his need to be on top of everything all the time. So this March, maybe we should all take some time to just go with the flow? We could do with a bit of a break, and if we stop overthinking (Ace of Air reversed), stop striving endlessly (8 of Earth reversed), and give up our need to control everything (The Hanged Man), we can gain a lot more in the long run.

Our special guidance card is Rebirth. Is there any more appropriate card for Spring? If we give up control, we can find ourselves reborn, excited for a new day, a new year, and possibly even a new path in life! This sounds like something to celebrate for sure. Happy Spring!

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I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed- and gazed- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

My personal tides: I really do love Winter, despite fibro pain. I love the quiet, the sense of calm, waiting for the Springs flurry of activity. But I’m SO ready for Spring this year. I have a lot of fun projects I’m excited about, as well as looming grownup deadlines that have to be dealt with. I have no choice.

I’m thinking about what seeds I want to plant for the Summer, and how I can best nurture and grow those tiny sprouts. Too much water? Not enough water? It’s exciting and unnerving all at the same time. I’m also enjoying the feeling of air on my skin, not wearing layers, and bringing out my lighter, cheerier tarot decks and crystals. I’m beginning to feel playful and silly, which is a welcome relief.

I also start to listen to a lot of dub and reggae this time of year.  It’s just happy and mellow, and it works for me right now.  🙂

In the 3 days leading up to Ostara on the 20th, I’ll be doing my yearly smoothie fast, where I drink smoothies and water. I love that feeling of cleansing and refreshment. It sets me up for the new lightness of being that comes with the warmer weather!

Magickally, this time is all about rebirth. Breaking out of our shell, experiencing new things, coming alive again. What will you be focusing on during this time?

My personal goals: I need to make money in a major way. (Seriously, grownup deadlines.) But it’s forcing me to do things that I should have done long ago anyways, like selling things I no longer need, clearing space, and taking on a project that I’ve really been wanting to do for some time. In the next few months, I’ll be starting some intensive, 201 and 301 level tarot courses here on my website. I’m so excited!

I also want to provide more tarot offerings. I want to do more live readings, more spreads, and keep studying, studying, studying!

Please comment and let me know what your personal tides and goals are for this time of year.  Happy almost Spring!  <3