1st: Matronalia
8th: International Women’s Day
13th: Full Worm (Blood) Moon in Virgo
14th: Total Lunar Eclipse
17th: St. Patrick’s Day
20th: Ostara (Spring Equinox)
25th: Lady Day
29th: New Moon in Aries/ Partial Solar Eclipse
March is named after Mars, and there are several ancient Roman festivals to reflect that. In Ancient Rome, March was also originally the beginning of the new year, aligning with Earth’s natural cycle–spring as the initiatory season that brings us back to life. In reviewing the Wheel of the Year and modern holidays, something surprising has come to the surface–divine feminine energy has as much claim to the month as Martian energy. In a time of grave imbalance in a predominantly patriarchal society, this has significance. United States policy would have us believe the female role has diminished, with the recent overturning of Roe vs. Wade, the proposed SAVE ACT which would provide an extra barrier for married women to have the right to vote, and Zuckerberg’s response to the Trump regime by embracing “macho culture.” The Department of Defense no longer recognizes Women’s History Month, and likely no longer recognizes International Women’s Day in which women’s achievements are celebrated and worldwide protests take place in the name of women’s equality.
This divine feminine connection goes beyond modern times. It begins on the first with Matronalia, an ancient Roman festival honoring Juno (mother of Mars), representative of motherhood and childbirth. The seventh honors Juno’s role as spouse and sister of Zeus. The eighth marks International Women’s Day. On the 13th, we experience a Full Worm Moon in Virgo, in which we can experience growth and renewal through actionable steps and goals. This is a good time to get a head start on spring cleaning, planting a garden with intention, honing in on diet and exercise habits, and more. On the 14th, we’ll experience a total lunar eclipse, which will create the illusion of a Blood Moon. Here we are offered a powerful opportunity for transformation. St. Patrick’s Day comes on the 17th, and March 20th brings about Ostara, the Spring Equinox which brings about a period of fertility and growth in the Northern Hemisphere. March 25th hearkens Lady Day, which celebrates the wise Crone aspect of the Goddess. On March 29th, we experience a New Moon in Aries, in which we are encouraged to break from the mold and take on independent projects. There is also a partial solar eclipse on this day, for one final transformational push.
This month’s tarot spread is sourced by Evvin. Though it was made for Samhain, the ushering of Spring can be seen as the transition from the Upper World to the UnderWorld, making March a suitable time to use it.
LIFE: What to embrace: Reverse Empress
Right now, we are holding ourselves back from living richly as the Empress, because we feel averse to donning the burden and responsibility that comes with embracing this Juno-mother archetype. Even something as rewarding as self care feels more like a duty or a chore in this moment. There is an uncertain unwieldiness when we alone feel personally responsible for our wellbeing. We are unsure if we will be able to manage both personal rule and sovereignty, while also looking out for our protection and defense. We feel we have a loose grasp on the former, and we tightly control the latter. Our left hand pins down the eagle on our shield, thus suffocating our courage, freedom, and authority in the process. As we enter spring season, the Empress shows up in the “Life” position to remind us that working with her will allow us to live fully, in the ways we always dreamed we would once we grew up and lived on our own. She promises all the fun we anticipated, with no one to tell us “no” or “not allowed.” Eating what delights us, staying up as late as we want, traveling to forbidden places, and using our free time for creation and pleasure are all fair game. We don’t have to keep giving and giving and deferring the self. We can embrace our worthiness now, by showering ourselves with the love and enjoyment we’ve been missing out on. We can soak in the sun at the beach, snuggle with our pet, cook an amazing meal on a hump day, go out for a picnic and enjoy the presence of loved ones. Ultimately living this way will draw us to our purpose, that makes us feel good and radiate from within.
DEATH: What to let go of: Reverse Two of Cups
As we exit winter, we are encouraged to let go of all the ways we show up unlovingly for ourselves each day, of the microaggressions and the ways we keep ourselves down. Which ways are we draining our own cups, and how can we let that go? Doing so will better allow us to show up with compassion and step into an Empress era. We must be willing to face discomfort and hear how the inner critic addresses us so that we may effectively counter its ongoing monologue. Where do we feel unworthy or unloved, give our time and energy away? Where do we neglect ourselves? Where do we fail to make room for the creative spirit? What in February did we leave unpurified? Where are we brushing off our intuition, opportunity for interpersonal relationship, and where do we silence and walk away from Spirit? These harsh truths are the ones we must face and bury, for the way we habitually treat ourselves and think of ourselves in each micro-moment determines the greater course of our lives.
My courage: Six of Cups
In a predominantly patriarchal system where endless productivity reigns, it is brave, even radical, to approach life’s pains with the Six of Cups. We break away from a conquer mindset and address the inner child with simple pleasures, gentle ways to stimulate and refresh the soul. We don’t bulldoze our way through–we find ways to emotionally care for the self, seek balance, express our creativity and intuition, seek knowledge and healing in the community. We revisit old wounds that we have compartmentalized and tucked away with a fresh eye, roll up our sleeves, and revisit and process them from a mature space. We now feel empowered to resolve old patterns and move forward, not strenuously but through play. We forget what we think someone else wants us to do, and seek only to please ourselves. The reverse cards in this spread are wounded archetypes we’ll want to pay special attention to. They’ll need watering, tending and care in order for us to emerge fresh on Spring Equinox. Break away from what rules feel “bad” or “shameful” to abandon–for instance holding back on living fully or challenging punitive self-talk, and consider what feels good for the soul instead.
My fears: Reverse Queen of Swords
Our fears this month center around the control we might lose if we were to release a constant state of vigilance and defensiveness. The reverse Queen of Swords looks out for our safety by never relaxing and always being on edge–this is the ill-aspected Juno-mother archetype’s way of looking out for us. This also means she never has time to herself to tend to her own needs, to rejuvenate, ground, or explore her personal genius. She feels she must always embody a Martian warrior queen aspect which manifests as severe controlling governance. She feels that she alone has to keep it all going, think of solutions on her own, and adhere to masculine standards. This state of being is akin to being placed with an Iron Maiden–it is a torturous experience that drains the life force out of you. The six of cups above offers an alternative modality for introducing a sense of safety to the system that would allow us to move to a state of growth, expansion and restoration.
To celebrate: Nine of Pentacles
In March, we’re encouraged to celebrate enhanced access to resource–sunlight, fertile energy, life springing around us, greater access to nature, and abundance in general. This also includes all that we’ve built towards over the course of the year thus far, that brings us to our current lifestyle, the habits we’ve built, health, wellbeing, resource, and our current manifested form. The reverse Queen of Swords would have us safeguard our gift like a dragon guards its treasure, but consider how this gift might expand in potency were we to share it. In a defensive state we are in a scarcity mindset, but we have yet to think of ourselves as the powerhouse that we are. We can celebrate all that we’ve done and worked towards –the present version of ourselves that we are now. We have something amazing to offer the world – March is the time to enjoy and express that fully. What do we look like when we feel boundless and abundant, when we can take the time to luxuriate in it and soak in it? March offers all the ingredients needed for personal happiness. Per The Tarot of the Holy Light, this personal happiness offers a sense of welfare and personal fulfillment, if we allow ourselves to step into the life we know is worth living.
To contemplate: Reverse Sun
As we step into Spring and work to integrate the advice from this tarot forecast, one last thing worth contemplating is the reverse Sun, which symbolizes our internal block to bright alignment. What areas of our life might be in a reverse sun, in which we deny our inner child’s authentic radiance? What parts of us are clinging to shadows, to limiting walls, and are reluctant to step out in the sun? How can we convince the part of ourselves that acts like a grumpy child who wants to stay in all day like they did in the winter to come out and play? Is there a friend we can reach out to, or an activity we can set up to look forward to? How can we reassure the part of us that feels it needs the steadying of another, because it doesn’t feel it can shine on its own? Are we depriving ourselves of basking in the sun and soaking up vitamin D, out of fear of sunburn (the negative attention we get from shining our light)? How can we better shield ourselves, without avoiding authentic expression altogether? Finally, we may have been relying on external constant that we thought we’d always have for solar energy. Here we are reminded that we must work to provide our own constant so that we and others can enjoy the fullness of our light.