March Storm Moon
Also called: Seed Moon, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Worm Moon, Hrethmonath (Hertha's Month), Lentzinmanoth (Renewal Month), Lenting Moon, Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Moon of the Snowblind
This month was sacred to the Roman god Mars, hence the name March. Mar's is similar ot the Greek Ares, Tiu or Tiwaz of Central and Northern Europe, Teutates of the Celts, and Tyr of the Norse. The Roman goddess Bellona, goddess of war, had her special day during this month.
March is generally a blustery month weather-wise. The old weather saying "in like a lion, out like a lamb" is an apt description of March weather. For the Romans, it was the beginning of their year. The Spring Equinox, which falls around March 21 or 22, was a sacred and celebrated time in a great many world cultures. In the Southern Hemisphere, this would be equal to the Autumn Equinox, as the seasons are reversed. The Incas celebrated Pacha-puchy, or Earth Ripening, at this time.
The Roman Matronalia honored Juno Lucina, an aspect of the goddess Juno, who protected women , children, and the family. Statues of the goddess were decorated with flowers, and special temple fires were lit. Girls made offerings to Juno Lucina at this time of year for happy and prosperous marriages.
The statue of Isis suckling her child symbolizes this goddess's aspect as the Great Mother, the caretaker of the Earth and all life. Flowers were floated on the rivers and the boats blessed with incense.
In Canaan and other Semitic countries, the goddess Astarte was honored in a Spring celebration. Red eggs were given as gifts to family and friends, the beginning of our Easter egg tradition. Her sacred city of Byblos was noted for its extensive libraries before they were destroyed. As queen of heaven, Astarte wore crescent horns and was said to tirelessly create and destroy. The kings of Sidon ruled only with the goddess's permission and called themselves the Priest of Astarte. Other cultures in the Middle East knew Astarte as Asherat of the Sea and Ashtart, queen of heaven.
Athene/Minerva, the armed goddess of wisdom, regined over the biggest social event in Greece - the five day Spring competition featuring events in atheletics, music, poetry, and satire. Crowns of olive branches and flasks of olive oil were given to the winners of each event. On the final day, Athene's birth was celebrated b draping the goddess's statue in a new sacred garment.
This particular festival of Cybele, the Hilaria, was a happy time. Our word "hilarious" has similar word roots. The goddess Cybele can be compared to Demeter in many ways; Cybele represented the Earth as did Demeter and had a Spring resurrected son/lover Arris, who corresponded to Kore/Persepone. This happy festival celebrated the power of Cybele to overcome death.
Eostre was the German goddess of rebirth. Rabbits and colored eggs were fertility smybols connected with Her. Orginally, Eostre was the goddess of the Spring Equinox whose name was change to Easter by the Christians.
The Roman Luna, goddess of the Moon, was honored with the baking, exchanging, and eating of Moon cakes. Even the Chinese and Europeans knew of Moon cakes and some form of this goddess.
Correspondences
Nature Spirits: Mer-people, Air & Water beings connected with spring rains & storms
Herbs: broom, High John root, yellow dock, wood betony, Irish moss.
Colors: pale green, red-violet
Flowers: jonquil, daffodil, violet
Scents: honeysuckle, apple blossom
Stones: aquamarine, bloodstone
Trees: alder, dogwood
Animals: cougar, hedgehog, boar
Birds: sea crow, sea eagle
Deities: Black Isis, the Morrigan, Hecate, Cybele, Astarte, Athene, Minerva, Artemis, Luna
Power Flow: energy breaks into the open; growing, prospering, exploring. New beginnings; balance of Light and Dark. Breaking illusions. Seing the truth in your life however much it may hurt.
Dates:
March 1: The Matronalia in Greece and Rome; a festival of Hera and Juno Lucina. Among the Celts, the Feast of Rhiannon was held.
March 4: In Greece, the Anthesteria, a festival of flowers; dedicated to Flora and Hecate.
March 5: Celebration of Isis as the ruler over safe navigation, boats, fishing, and the final journey of life.
March 14: The Diasia to ward off poverty in Greece.
March 17: Festival of Astarte in Canaan. The Liberlia in Rome, a women's festival of freedom.
March 18: Sheelah's Day in Ireland, honoring Sheelah-Na_Gig, the goddess of fertility.
March 19-23: The Lesser Panathenaea in Greece, honoring Athene.
March 20: In Egypt, the Spring harvest festival honoring Isis.
March 21: Spring Equinox. Festival of Kore and Demeter in Greece. For five days over the Equinox inRome, Minerva was honored.
March 22-27: The Hilaria, festivals honoring Cybele in Greece.
March 23: The Quinquatria, the brithday of Athene/Minerva in Rome.
March 29: The Delphia, or Artemis Soteria, of Artemis in Greece.
Expulsion of the demons of bad luck in Tibet.
March 30: Feast of Eostre, the German goddess of Spring, rebirth, fertility, and the Moon.
March 31: Roman Festival of Luna, the Moon goddess.
Old Sayings and Lore
It is said of March weather that if it comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion.
A verse:
New Moon, true Moon,
Star in the stream,
Pray tell my fortune
In my dream.
Pale Moon doth rain,
Red Moon doth blow,
White Moon doth neither rain nor snow.
In South Africa, it is considered unlucky to start a journey or begin any important work during the last quarter of the Moon.
After Christian influence began to be strongly felt, people became fearful of a Friday Full Moon. There was a saying:
Friday's Moon,
Come when it willl,
It comes to soon.
And if the Full Moon fell on a Frdiay that was also the thirteeth, it was considered to be the most unlucky day there could be.
Almost ever culture believed that if the New Moon came on Monday (Moon-day) it was a sign of good weather and good luck.
Sailors believed that if a large star or planet was seen close to the Moon, there was wild weather coming. They called this star a "Moon dog."
In Cornwall, they said that if a birth took place during the waxing Moon, the next child would be the same sex as the one just born.
The Danes believed in a type of elves, they called the Moon Folk. These were perfect in appearance when seen from the front, but were hollow when seen from the back. It was said that the Moon Folk caused sickness by blowing on humans.
Moon Magick ~ DJ Conway
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