March Magick: The Worm Moon

Happy 1st of March, witches!

Since bidding farewell to our Winter Witch, the Cailleach, tell us - are you sprinting towards the sun? Or are you still finding your footing amongst the seasonal shift? 

We're somewhere in the middle. Maybe you are too?

How fitting that this month speaks to balance. A few weeks ago, we had a new moon in Pisces, and in one week, a full moon in Virgo knocks on our door. Appropriately named the Worm Moon, the third full moon of the year is also the final full moon of winter.

A sign that sunny, springtime days are nearly here…

If we feel called to step beyond our comfort zones and start new adventures, follow those instincts! With Aries season on the horizon, now is the perfect time to advocate for our desires and champion a cause. Yes, the Worm Moon asks that we do something that makes us feel alive.

So, why the 'Worm' Moon?

Although March can be a cold and stormy month, you've likely seen our dirt-loving friends wiggling around in the newly thawed earth. Perhaps you've also noticed the birds singing their approval?

While the name 'Worm Moon' feels fitting as we prepare for our garden spells, we might also know it as the Sugar or Sap Moon (a nod to the soon-to-be-tapped Maple trees) the Crow Moon (Delaware Native American origin), the Chaste Moon (Medieval origin), or my favorite, the Moon of Winds (Celtic origin).

Needless to say, spring is nigh - so says the birds, the weather, and the upcoming equinox. Remember when we said this month is all about balance? Around March 20th, modern Pagan and Witchcraft communities in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate the Spring Equinox through ritual and familial gatherings. In the Southern Hemisphere, people will light a candle for Mabon, the Autumn Equinox.

Traditionally, equinoxes symbolize balance, equality, and receptivity. They are invitations to turn inward and ask ourselves where we're supported. Are we happy? How do we feel (emotionally, physically, magickally)? Do we desire more alone time, space, or community? What feels overbearing, out-of-sync, and keeps us separated from our dreams?

Because, no matter the season, no matter the setbacks, we must remember our dreams. For many humans, it's these visions of what-could-be that keep us moving, motivated, and inspired to be a little better, a little wiser, and a little kinder than the day before.

In some modern Pagan and Witchcraft communities, the Spring Equinox is called Ostara. Sometimes described as Pagan Easter, families celebrate another turn of the seasonal wheel by decorating eggs, engaging in flower magick, and revisiting seasonal folklore.

While the origin of this sabbat will forever be elusive (like all good stories), theirs is a tale about a Germanic goddess by the same name – sometimes spelled Eostre.

The story goes like this:

Once upon a time, just before the Spring Equinox, Ostara rescued a bird. This bird wasn't in a nest or tree but on the ground and nearly frozen. To save the creature, Ostara transformed the bird into a hare. The bird, now a hare, survives and surprisingly, maintains the ability to lay eggs. As thanks, each year, the hare decorates eggs and leaves them out for Ostara, hoping she'll find them. 

According to folklore and myth, hares symbolize fertility, love, and a quick, clever spirit. However, in some cases, the hare is also a trickster. In fact, our ancestral witches were often accused of shapeshifting into hares to evade capture. Even today, a gathering of hares is called a Hares Parliament. Rumor says this isn't a meeting between animals, but a gathering of witches. 

We see this in the Celtic tale of Oisin when a warrior shoots a hare while hunting. The animal is injured, but alive, and takes off into the woods. The man follows suit, using a trail of blood as his guide. But, when the hunter spots his prize, instead of an animal writhing in pain, he discovers a woman sitting on a throne. There is no hare in sight, although the woman does possess a suspicious wound on her leg…

Hares are friends of witches, which means they know the Goddess. Sacred to Artemisand Aphrodite, their images were engraved into ancient tombs, symbolizing endurance and resilience through each transformation.

So tell us, witches - how will you honor the hare this month? And the Spring Equinox? And the Worm Moon? And the garden? Like so many budding Green Witches, Little Witch will be reacquainting herself with the bees, birds, our dirt-loving friends, and seed spells.

Enjoy the Worm Moon, Witches!