March from a Witch’s point of view…
by Tansy Firedragon (Rachel Patterson
March heralds the arrival of spring
and the celebration of Ostara, the Spring Equinox and let’s hope it also
heralds the end to this persistent rain we have been having.
Dark and light are equal on the equinox so
it always represents a time of finding balance for me.
And of course with
Ostara being in March we get to celebrate new life and new beginnings in the
form of chocolate...who could argue with that?
Mother Earth is awakening and feeling the first joys of spring, join in
the celebrations and revel in the new and exciting energy. It is a time to plant new seeds, not just in
the garden but within your life as well, a time to bring in the inspiration and
make wonderful plans for new schemes and adventures.
I know you don’t really
want to hear this but…think ‘spring cleaning’ too, not just the house but a
whole magical spring clean that includes clearing out old habits and past
worries too. Write down any bad habit
or niggling worry that you want to be
rid of, empty your head of all those issues and jot them on a piece of
paper. Light a candle (I like to work
with a green, yellow or white candle for this but go with what works for you)
and set the paper alight then drop it into a fire proof container to burn out, let
the flames burn away the bad vibes. Bury
the ashes or allow them to be taken away in the breeze. Then sit quietly and watch the flame of the
candle … take a few moments to visualise positive energy coming into your life,
see yourself as you want to be and bringing new adventures into your life. Allow the candle to burn out safely.
As you do the mundane
housework (yep I know it’s boring but it has to be done, lots of dust and
clutter can interfere with the flow of positive energy) visualise clearing out
the negative energy at the same time. As
you hoover visualise it sucking up all the stale energy, as you dust do the
same, wiping away the negative vibes.
Then go around the house… dance and sing if you want (the neighbours won’t mind) bringing happy and
positive energy into the house.
And of course with
Ostara being in March we get to celebrate new life and new beginnings in the
form of chocolate...who could argue with that?
Mother Earth is awakening and feeling the first joys of spring, join in
the celebrations and revel in the new and exciting energy.
Magical workings for this month are;
new beginnings, rebirth, renewal, new life, growth, balance and fertility – not just of the baby kind but new projects and ideas
as well.
If you happen to find a
dandelion head don’t forget to make a wish, call upon the four quarters to
bless you and then blow…
You can make yourself an
easy egg protection charm: Take a fresh
egg and empty out the insides by making a small hole at each end and blowing
out the egg yolk & white (you also get breakfast as well) then you can very
carefully push some herbs into the centre of the egg shell, go with what feels
right for you and what you have to hand but basil, fennel, garlic, mugwort,
rosemary or bay would all work well.
When you have added the herbs just pop a small piece of tape across each
hole. You can paint the egg or decorate
it in any way you like, maybe with protection symbols and runes.
If you want to work with deities that
are associated with the month of March you could try; Vesta, Juno Lucina,
Ceadda, Aegir, Rhiannon, Isis, Mars, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, Artemis,
Cybele, Rhea, Ostara, Dionysis, Bacchus, Pan, Dagda, Astarte, Sheela-na-gig, Minerva,
Iduna and Ishtar. You might like to set
up an altar to them or make an incense in their honour and meditate, see what
messages and guidance they have for you.
Totem animal energies that are
particularly associated with this month are wolf, cougar, whale, hawk, falcon,
buffalo, frog, eagle, snake, rabbit, chicks, unicorns and merpeople and with
all the rain we have had lately I suspect the merpeople will be out in force
;-) Call upon their individual and magical
energies to help you and guide you through this month, meditate upon them or
pop a photo of the particular totem on your altar or mantelpiece.
Veggies that are in season during
March in the UK are; artichokes, purple sprouting, brussel sprouts, cabbage,
carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, chichory, chard, endive, spring & winter
greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, potatoes, rocket, sorrel, swede
and watercress. Seasonal fruit is a bit
sparse but apples and forced rhubarb are good.
If you fancy a bit of foraging (please
make sure you have identified the plants correctly before eating!) then you
might find these during March; alexanders, chickweed, dandelions, fat hen,
nettles, sorrel, watercress, wild rocket, chives, cow parsley, meadowsweet,
wild garlic and primroses.
If you like working with
the energy of crystals then a few suggestions to work with that correspond to
the month of March are aquamarine, bloodstone, hematite, imperial topaz and
ruby. I love to meditate with
crystals. Make yourself comfortable
somewhere that you won’t be disturbed and hold the crystal in your hand, look
into it, deep into it, study all the facets and any imperfections then take
yourself down into the crystal itself and explore…
Making a loose incense or an essential
oil blend to help you connect with the flavour of March is always fun, you
could use lotus, magnolia, ginger, jasmine, rose, sage, lavender, narcissus,
African violet, broom and strawberry as any of those would be perfect for this
month, but go with your own instinct and make a blend that speaks to you.
Make every day full of the joys of
spring…
Tansy
Originally published in The Mystik Way magazine