𝖜𝖊𝖎𝖗𝖉 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍

• digital grimoire, research, notes, useful information •

[witchxpunk]

Side note:

I reblog/reblogged a lot of random stuff and spells over the years. Most of which I have not vetted or thoroughly read. And at this point, I'm less interested in finding how to spells with instructions and more interested in the discussion, discourse, theories, UPG's, etc and how creative people can be.

I don't want or need the same wheel of the year or 100 versions of a happiness spell. And this blog will probably go through a shift.

I won't go through deleting too much, because it's good to see what you used to think and how you've "grown", and because I know some of this stuff is useful and people do like access to it.

[catchymemes]

MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE MANIFESTING A GOOD JUNE

[breelandwalker]

It's St. Patrick's Day and all anyone wants to talk about is that stupid apocryphal nonsense about snakes.

-sigh- No one ever talks about the werewolves.

[breelandwalker]

Well that was a fair bit of a clamor, wasn't it? 😂

Grab yourself a cuppa and gather round, my darlings. It's storytime.

There are many mentions of wolves and men who turn into them or take on their aspects in Irish folklore. There's the friendly Faoladh or Conriocht, whose mischief is usually limited to stealing laundry from drying lines and pies from windowsills. Some might mention the Fianna or the Luchthonn, who were known to wear disguises and wolfskins during their raids and were even said to howl like beasts to terrify their foes. Others might invoke the name of Laignech Fáelad, the legendary wolf-warrior and brother to one of the early kings of Ossory.

So perhaps it's no coincidence that it's to Ossory that we will be going for our tale.

There's a 12th-century medieval legend attributed to Gerald of Wales that tells of an unnamed priest who encountered a wolf in the forest while traveling. He was terrified, as anyone would be when meeting a hungry beast in the deep dark woods, and he begged the wolf to spare his life. But the wolf spoke to him and said, "Please don't be frightened of me. In the name of God, I mean you no harm."

Naturally, the priest was amazed by this and asked the wolf to explain. The wolf settled back on his haunches and told the priest of a village in Ossory which was cursed by a visiting missionary. When the man brought them the word of God, the villagers would not listen. Instead, they laughed and jeered and howled until the missionary could not hear himself speak.

"So be it!" shouted the missionary, in a rage. "If you will roar and howl at the word of God like beasts, then beasts you shall be!"

From that day forward, every seven years, two people from the village, a man and a woman, would be compelled to leave their homes, assume the shape and habits of wolves, and live in the forest as wild animals, preying on livestock and their former neighbors. At the end of those seven years, if they survived, they would be able to shed their wolfskins and return to civilization, with two others then leaving to take their place.

"My mate," the wolf said, "is terribly sick. I do not think she will live to return to the village. Would you take pity on her and give her last rites, so that her soul may at least be spared?"

Moved by the story, the priest followed the wolf to his dying mate and gave her last rites. The wolf removed part of the pelt covering his mate to reveal an elderly human woman, both to show the truth of his story and to reassure the priest that he had not committed blasphemy. Then the wolf led the priest safely out of the forest, giving him a number of prophecies about the future of the land among the way.

Now, there's some debate as to whether the missionary in this tale is St. Naal / Natalis of Kilkenny or St. Patrick. (The two are sometimes conflated, not least because there is a separate tale of St. Patrick cursing a Welsh king to become a wolf.) Some versions of the tale hold that the say that the villagers spent their lives in a seven year cycle - seven years human, seven years wolf - until the end of the their lives. Other versions say that whole population of the village were turned into wolves and that to this day, their descendants retain the ability to shapeshift between human and animal, if they know the right words to say and can get hold of a wolfskin.

This story follows the template of many medieval tales which show some kind of monstrous transformation being visited upon the sinful or those who refused to convert. It's a popular boogeyman trope - be good and say your prayers or you might be turned into something horrible.

So if you feel so inclined to be rebellious and pagan today, put aside the serpent motifs and raise a glass…and a good long howl. 😁

[tinymintywolf]

this vine was the only thing i could think about throughout the entire movie

[songsomi]

[greenwitchcrafts]

March 2026 Witch guide

March 2026 Witch Guide

New Moon: March 18th

First Quarter: March 25th

Full moon: March 3rd

Last Quarter: March 11th

Sabbats: Ostara- March 20th

March Storm Moon

Also known as: Chaste Moon, Hrethmonath, Lenting Moon, Lentzinmanoth, Seed Moon & Worm Moon

Element: Water

Zodiac: Pisces & Aries

Nature spirts: Air spirts, water spirts & mer-people

Deities: Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Cybele, Isis, Luna & Minerva

Animals: Boar, cougar & hedgehog

Birds: Sea crow & sea eagle

Colors: Pale green, red-violet & yellow

Trees: Alder, dogwood & honeysuckle

Herbs: Apple blossom, high John root, Irish moss, pennyroyal, wood betony & yellow dock

Flowers: Daffodil, jonquil & violet

Scents: Apple blossom & honeysuckle

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, obsidian, onyx, red zircon & topaz

Issues, intentions & powers: Astral, banishing, beginnings, empowerment, fertility & purification

Energy: Balance, beginnings, dream work, energy breaking into the open, exploring, growth, inner development, prospering, spiritual debt & truth seeking

March’s full Moon is often called the Worm Moon. It was thought this name referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring.

However, In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) & other Native American tribes & wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees & other winter hideouts at this time.

• Storm moon comes from heavy rains & gray skies abound — the earth is being showered with the life-giving water it needs to have a fertile & healthy growing season. This is also a time of equal parts light & darkness, so a time of balance.

This month’s full moon is a blood moon which is a full moon that coincides with a full lunar eclipse. This moon can have an unusually reddish appearance

Ostara

Known as: Alban Eilir, Lady Day, Spring Equinox & Vernal Equinox

Season: Spring

Element: Fire

Symbols: 8-Spoked wheel, butterflies, chicks, decorated baskets, eggs, feathers, hares, rabbits, seeds, shamrocks, spring flowers & sunwheels

Colors: Green, light-blue, indigo, pink, red, silver, violet, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: African violet, apple blossom, columbine, crocus, daffodil, daisy, florals, ginger, honey, honeysuckle, jasmine, jonquil, lilac, lotus, magnolia, narcissus, orange blossom, primrose, rain, rose, sage & strawberry

Animals: Bees, boar, butterflies, hare, hedgehogs, horse, rabbit, ram, sheep & snake

Birds: Chicks, cormorant, hawk, robin, sparrow & swallow

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, red jasper & rose quartz

Mythical: Pooka & phoenix

Food: Asparagus, dairy foods, dill, eggs, fruit, honey, honey-cakes, lamb, leafy green vegetables, mead, pine nuts, pumpkin, radish, seafoods, spring onions, sprouts & sunflower seeds

Herbs/Plants: Acorn, broom, ginger, gorse, hyssop, high John root, Irish Moss, lemon grass, olive, strawberry, woodruff

Flowers: Apple blossom, columbine, crocus, daffodil, dandelion, daisy, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, jonquil, lilac, lily, linden, orange blossom, narcissus, peony, primrose, rose, snowdrop, tansy, tulip, violet

Trees: Alder, apple, ash, birch, dogwood, hawthorn, maple, yew

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Amalthea, Ariadne, Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Blodewedd, Coatlicue, Cybele, Demeter, Diana, Eos, Epona, Flora, Freya, Gaia, Guinevere, Hera, Idunn, Iris, Ishtar, Isis, Juno, Libera, Maia, Minerva, Ostara, Persephone, Rati, Renpet, Umaj, Venus, Vesta & Vila

Gods: Adonis, Aengus MacOg, Attis, Celi, Cernunnos, Coel, Dalon ap Landu, The Dagda, Dumuzi, Eros, The Green Man, Kama, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Ovis, Pan & Thor

Tarot cards: The Empress, The Fool, The Magician, The Priestess, Strength, Justice & The Star

Spellwork: Altar rededication, beginnings, fire magick, new employment & new projects

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, balance, beauty, fertility, growth, life, light, love, rebirth & renewal

Ostara

Ostara gets it’s name from Eostre, however the celebration isn’t based on her even though she is said to be interpreted as the goddess of spring, fertility & the dawn. There is very little information on Eostre and none have shown up before the eighth century because of disagreements on she had Celtic or Germanic origins.

People tend to believe Ostara is an ancient holiday at it’s core with an ancient goddess, but that may not be the truth. While most gods & goddesses have many myths & stories surrounding them, the same cannot be said about Eostre

It is still up for debate whether or not this goddess ever existed or if she was revered & celebrated the ways she’s been in the more recent years.

•Like many other spring celebrations in other cultures, Ostara symbolizes fertility, rebirth & renewal. This time of year marking the beginning of the agricultural cycle when farmers would start planting seeds.

No-salt dough offering coin craft:

Spring is a wonderful start to leave offerings to nature or start an outdoor altar, it’s great way to be outside & connect with your practice. However with any outdoor working, you want to be sure whatever you leave doesn’t negatively impact the environment or critters around the area. These no salt dough coins can be a replacement both indoors & outdoors for food offering when leaving food or drinks on your altar isn’t practical.

Prep time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour

Ingredients

1/2cup of cornstarch

1cup baking soda

2/4cup water

Preparation

Step 1Preheat your oven to the lowest setting or 170 degrees F

Step 2Start by cleaning & cleansing your space

Step 3Mix the cornstarch and baking soda together in a medium/large sauce pan, using a whisk (or fork) to break up any clumps until it dissolves

Step 4Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat

Step 5Stir until the mixture thickens with a wooden spoon

Step 6Remove from the heat immediately and turn it out on a flat surface

Step 7knead the mixture until it forms dough but be careful as it should still should be hot

Step 8Form it into a ball and wrap it in plastic so it doesn't dry out

Step 9Wait 5-10 minutes, then unwrap to knead again until the dough is smooth

Step 10Pull off a thumb sized amount of dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten it with your palm. While doing this you can say prayers of thanks or spells into them

Step 11Optional: Add runes, words of thanks, symbols, ect into the dough with a knife or toothpick

Step 12Place coins on parchment paper lined sheet pan and bake for 45 minutes, flipping half way though

Step 13Take them out and let cool on a rack if you have it. Be sure to let cool completely before storing them

Activities:

•Go on a hike/walk & look for signs of spring

• Add Ostara symbols to decorate your altar space

• Plant vegetable &/or flower seedlings indoors after blessing the seeds

• Color bight, decorate & hunt eggs

• Set your intentions for the weeks/months ahead

• Start a new class or hobby

• Create eggshell candles

• Make plans & new routines for the future

• Participate in rituals & ceremonies that connect you with energy & the life force of nature

• Have a feast with your friends &/family with sprouts & leafy greens

• Bake hot cross buns

• Clean & de-clutter your home

• Try a re-birthing/ renewing ritual

• Bring fresh flowers or plants into into the home

• Host a spring & floral themed tea party

• Make egg based food dishes & desserts

• Assist houseless individuals as most temporary shelters will soon be closing

Related festivals:

• Nowruz: March 20th-

Nowruz marks the first day of spring & renewal of nature. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox. It is also celebrated as the beginning of the new year by people all around the world for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East & other regions.

It promotes values of peace & solidarity between generations & within families as well as reconciliation & neighborliness. Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect & the ideals of peace and good neighborliness.

Traditional customs of Nowruz include fire & water, ritual dances, gift exchanges, reciting poetry, symbolic objects & more; these customs differ between the diverse peoples & countries that celebrate the festival.

• Holi: March 4th-

Holi is a popular & significant Hindu festival celebrated as the The festival of colors, Love &Spring. It commemorates eternal and divine love of the deities Radha & Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebratess the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. Holi originated & is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia & parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.

The festival has many purposes; most prominently, it celebrates the beginning of spring. In 17th century literature, it was identified as a festival that celebrated agriculture, commemorated good spring harvests & the fertile land. It’s believed to be a time to enjoying spring’s abundant colours & say farewell to winter. To many Hindus, Holi festivities mark an occasion to reset & renew ruptured relationships, end conflicts, & rid themselves of accumulated emotional impurities from the past

It also has a religious purpose, symbolically signified by the legend of Holika. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Little Holi. People gather near fires, sing & dance. The next day, Holi, also known as Dhuli in Sanskrit, or Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated.

•Easter: April 5th-

Also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival & cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, & penance.

Easter traditions vary across the Christian world & include sunrise services or late-night vigils, exclamations & exchanges of Paschal greetings, flowering the cross & the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb) among many others. The Easter lily is a symbol of the resurrection in Western Christianity traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day & for the rest of Eastertide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter & are observed by both Christians & some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing, the Easter Bunny & egg hunting.

Other celebrations:

• Festival of Luna: March 31st-

Is a feast day honoring the Goddess Luna who is seen as the divine embodiment of the Moon.

The Temple of Luna was a temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome, dedicated to Luna, the moon goddess. Its dedication was celebrated on March 31st, thus the celebration.

According to Tacitus, it was built by king Servius Tullius. However, the first confirmed reference to a temple to Luna dates to 182 BC & refers to one of its doors being knocked off its posts by a miraculous blast of air & shot into the back of the Temple of Ceres. That account probably places the temple at the north end of the hill, just above porta Trigemina. The temple was struck by lightning around the time of the death of Cinna, as was the temple of Ceres. After the destruction of Corinth, Lucius Mummius Achaicus dedicated some of his spoils from the city to this temple. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD & not rebuilt.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

Encyclopedia Britannica

A Witch’s Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2026 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

Llewellyn’s Sabbats Almanac 2026

Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials: Ostara

[cloveconifer]

Y'all know it's okay to just try stuff in witchcraft, right?

Across the internet, I see a lot of people who seem to be asking for permission to do what they want. While I see some validity in getting wisdom from others, I worry that the people asking these questions might miss out on the experience they could get from going ahead and making a good faith attempt.

"Can I do this spell even if I don't have rosemary?" I don't know. Try it!

"Can I use fruit juice as an offering to my goddess?" I don't know. Ask her!

"Can I include a pocket watch in my magic?" I don't know. See if it works!

Of course, it's not a good idea to jump in and try something that could be harmful, but if you're not hurting yourself or others and you're not appropriating from a closed practice, just give it a go! You're allowed. You're a witch with magic and power and discernment of your own. You don't have to get permission from a bunch of internet strangers. Have fun trying new things!

[poeticnorth]

Pagan writers when talking about female deities: "They're a mother goddess"

Pagan writers when talking about male deities: "Well, their role and function is a lot more complicated and important than just just being a father god, and here's a 10k word essay discussing why they're more than just a father god"

[homewardskies]

OOOOO I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS

This is what originally turned me away from Wicca (among other reasons). So many books, blogs, and other resources seem to have so much built-in misogyny that it boggles my mind.

It's part of why I hate the invention of the "Mother-Maiden-Crone" archetype so much.

No, Hekate is not MMC. She is a powerful force of sorcery and liminality. No, the Morrigan is not MMC. She is a Goddess of bloodshed, mercy, and power.

Reducing such multi-faceted entities, such influential spirits, down to the box that patriarchal systems tried to fit them in is so disrespectful.

Freya, Frigg, Aphrodite, Hekate, Athena, etc. Do many Goddesses have aspects of fertility, nurturing, parenthood? Yeah, they do, just like Zeus, Ares, and Njordr. Is that all they are? Is that even the core of what they influence? Not always.

Immediate red flag if any book you're reading only has Goddesses in the footnotes, as mothers.

[ashleysjourney]

Very well said 🙏

[ruusverd]

I will start taking Maiden-Mother-Crone seriously when male deities start being assigned Boy-Father-Geezer.

[slewfootwitch]

This might be a hot take, but I don't believe magical practices and customs can be "overrated", because I don't believe witchcraft is a spectator sport that requires ratings. I believe witchcraft is very personal and that it's okay to do what works within your framework, tradition and praxis.

[breelandwalker]

Secular Celebrations - Spring Equinox

Next on the calendar is the Vernal Equinox, which marks the beginning of spring and the start of the growing season. In the northern hemisphere, this usually happens right around March 20th to March 22nd, depending on the year, while in the Southern Hemisphere, this occurs around September 20th - 23rd.

This is the time to start shaking off the winter and those cold weather blues. And as someone who is firmly on that Seasonal Affective Disorder train, believe me when I tell you that this is IMPORTANT. So when you think about what you’re going to do for the spring equinox, make sure you include self-care and a continuation of that cleaning kick you hopefully started back around Imbolc. Actually, every holiday observance should include a little bit of both of these things. Not just because they’re important, but because holidays are easy to remember, and even if you don’t always have time to fit these things into your schedule, it might be more feasible to work them into your holiday observances.

If the weather allows it, try cracking a window, even for a few minutes, and get some light and fresh air into your home. Even if it’s still chilly outside, sometimes it helps alleviate that dry, stuffy feeling we all get from being stuck inside with the heat on for months at a time. Open up those shades, let some sun in, turn on a sun lamp or one of those little antidepressant desk lights if you have one. Like the musical says, “Let the sunshine in.”

Or, if you can, get outside for a little while. Hopefully there will be a nice clear day that allows this. Look for signs of spring in your neighborhood - birds, flowers, buds on the trees, maybe some snowmelt if you live in a place that still has snow in late winter. If you have children, this might be a fun spring bingo type activity. The birds will be coming back, so scatter some seeds for them while you’re out and about. And speaking of snowmelt, melted snow and icicles can be used as a base for moonwater. Just make sure you select...er...CLEAN material to work with, and strain the meltwater through some paper towels before you store it for magical use.

You can also note the progress of seasonal changes in your journal or your planner, if you have one. This doesn’t always have a magical application, but it’s important to mental health to be able to track the passage of time through changes in your environment. If you have trouble with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or if you just hate winter, noting when the weather starts warming and the sun comes out and the early bulbs start to come up can be very encouraging.

Getting back to the subject of children’s activities, this is a great time for spring-related crafts, fingerpainting (you are NEVER too old for fingerpainting), and a discussion about why the seasons change and what it means in your household as far as traditions go. Your kids may be seeing their peers going on Easter egg hunts and getting baskets of candy, so if you’d like to do something similar but secular, maybe have a “signs of spring” scavenger hunt. If you want to decorate some eggs, go right ahead! Make some special witchy equinox eggs, why not.

If you want to make a special meal to celebrate the change in seasons, I suggest a breakfast. It’s the beginning of the yearly planting cycle, so why not mark it with the first meal of the day? Appropriate foods include bread, eggs, cheese, cured meats, preserves, sprouts, sweets, and pastries. So bust out that french toast casserole recipe, the good jams, and your best quiche lorraine and go to town!

Once you’ve recovered from the food coma, get cracking on that spring cleaning you started back on Imbolc. There’s always more to do! If you’ve finished decluttering one area, start on another. If you’ve finished one project, pick another one. Keep yourself motivated and moving as much as you can. If you’ve been meaning to start a new self care routine or exercise program, go for it. The world is waking up and coming back to life after a long winter’s nap; you can do the same.

Freshen up your household wards and protections while you’re tidying. This can be as simple as “cleaning with intent,” whereby you banish negativity or bad luck or sickness along with the dirt and grime, or as complex as a full casting to patch whatever needs patching, or anything in between. Get rid of any lingering stale energy from the winter. You’ll know best what needs to be done. It never hurts to have a freshly-cleansed home.

If you’re planning to plant a garden, the Vernal Equinox is a great time to start. Whether you’re buying seeds, filling starter trays, or just sketching out what you want to plant when the ground thaws, get a jump start on your green witchery. Housewares stores should begin stocking seeds around this time, or you can order free catalogs from places like Burpee, Seed Savers, or a local biodiversity co-op to help you plan.

Of course, not all of us have green thumbs. If you’d like a garden but can’t seem to keep your sprouts going, try putting together a succulent patch. These hardy little plants are easy to care for and harder to kill than the mutant offspring of a rabid zombie and the T-1000. (I can personally speak to this - I have two sprouts of aloe that are actively growing in trays that have no dirt or water in them. It’s a little bit freaky.)

For those who are more inclined to crafty activities, you can create a fairy garden with a couple of flowerpots, some moss or lichen, and whimsical miniature decorations like fairy gardens.

You can also bring fresh flowers into your home. Give yourself a bouquet or a potted plant for a splash of color and scent. Swap that wintry pine bunting for early blooms like forsythia, dogwood, pussy willow, and cherry blossoms. Some traditions call for a bonfire in March or April, on which the old bunting will be burned, but obviously, please only do this if you’re using actual pine boughs, not plastic and silk.

And silk flowers ARE valid seasonal decorations for the witchy home, by the by. If you don’t have access to fresh foliage or can’t keep houseplants for whatever reason, go with silk ones. They can stay up for months on your walls or on your altar with just a little dusting, and provide ambience and magical symbolism with comparatively little effort. Plus, you can save them from year to year to be reused. I have a set of seasonal garlands that I hang over my altar that is entirely composed of silk flowers and leaves, and they provide a really nice aesthetic without too much worry about dead flowers or crumbling leaves catching on fire from the candles.

We experienced the promise of spring on Imbolc, and now we see that promise fulfilled at the vernal equinox. Sketch out your goals for the upcoming season. Think about the positive changes you wish to make and how you intend to grow. Meditate on the importance of keeping promises, both to yourself and to others, and on making only those promises you know you can keep.

And remember - you’ll reap what you sow later in the year, so sow ever so carefully.

-from Hex Positive, Ep. 011 - Secular Celebrations (Nov 01, 2020)

Other Posts In This Series:

Imbolc

Spring Equinox

Beltane

Midsummer

Lughnasadh

Autumn Equinox

Samhain

Yule

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop.

The Hex Positive podcast is a proud member of the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network.😊

[breelandwalker]

Blood Worm Moon - March 3 2026

The world is thawing and spring will soon be sprung. Dust off your garden tools and get ready for the Worm Moon!

Worm Moon 🌱

The Worm Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs in the month of March in the Northern Hemisphere. Most sources claim this name is taken from the renewed visible presence of vermicast (worm droppings) and earthworms themselves, as the spring thaw allows them to emerge from the soil.

There is a possible alternative explanation, involving a colonial explorer’s notes about the Naudowessie (Dakota) observation of emerging worm-like beetle larvae from the bark of trees. “Every month has with them a name expressive of its season; for instance, they call the month of March (in which their year generally begins at the first New Moon after the vernal Equinox) the Worm Month or Moon; because at this time the worms quit their retreats in the bark of the trees, wood, &c. where they have sheltered themselves during the winter.” (It’s entirely possible that this “worm” in this instance is a mistranslation of an indigenous word for “larva,” since it refers to the larval state of certain beetles. Without knowing whether the language in question makes a distinction between larval worms and earthworms, it’s impossible to tell, and I was unable to find further sources.)

Other North American Indigenous names for this moon include Goose Moon (Algonquin and Cree) and Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe), in reference to the reappearance of migratory birds, and Sugar Moon (Ojibwe) and Sap Moon (Shawnee), in reference to the season in which the maple sap begins to run and can be tapped for the production of maple syrup.

Fun Fact: The term “Worm Moon” only occurs in southerly indigenous nations. The March moon is commonly named for trees or birds in more northerly areas of North America because in those places, the native species of earthworms went extinct during the period when glaciers covered that portion of the continent. About 12,000 years ago when the glaciers receded, the forest grew back without earthworms. The species which now inhabit those areas are invasive or introduced specimens originating from Europe and Asia.

The March moon, if it occurs prior to the spring equinox, is also the Lenten Moon, named for the Christian holiday of Lent. If it occurs after the equinox, it is called the Paschal Full Moon, corresponding with the Christian holiday of Easter, or Paschal Sunday (This year’s Worm Moon will occur the week before the equinox and Easter Sunday will be in April.)

This year’s Worm Moon also featured a lunar eclipse, causing the full moon to briefly turn a deep red as it passes through the Earth's shadow. The peak of the full moon occurred in the early daylight hours, around 9:23am EST on March 3rd, but the moon will appear to be full tonight and the energy of the eclipse will linger. Photos are available online. (The next total lunar eclipse we'll see over North America isn't until 2028!)

What Does It Mean For Witches? 🌱

Full moons are both the beginning and end of the lunar cycle. With the Worm Moon, we can look forward to the beginning of spring and the yearly harvest cycle. So now is the perfect time for seasonal divination, plans for the coming months, and the setting of goals for the future, both short-term and long-term. You can also check in with goals you may have set back in January and record your progress. (Remember - even a little progress is still progress!)

Consider also how you can change or begin new routines and habits to improve your life, make better choices, streamline your schedule, or just give yourself a much-needed break. If there’s something hanging around that no longer serves you, now is the time to consider bidding it adieu and moving forward to a new path.

What Witchy Things Can We Do? 🌱

The Worm Moon heralds the imminent start of the planting season. If you’ve got green fingers, now is the time to begin planning your garden for the season. Prepare your sprouting trays and browse your favorite seed catalog for inspiration.

It’s also time for that all-important spring cleaning, so open up those windows on a warm day and air out all the staleness from winter. As you scrub and dust and declutter, you can also magically cleanse your space of stagnant, disruptive, or unwanted things, replacing them with your own energy and your good wishes and goals for the upcoming season.

This is also an excellent time for spells focused on fertility, optimism, and new growth. It’s important to remember that fertility spells don’t just have to focus on procreation. They can also be geared toward planting, creating, opportunity, inspiration, motivation, prosperity, abundance, and anything that requires nurturing and productivity.

As the land begins to turn toward springtime, even if the weather is still cold, take note of the changes in the flora and fauna in your area. What species can you identify? How are the animals acting? Is there anything new that you notice since last year? Tracking these changes can help you connect with your local biome and identify patterns that can help you draw forecasts for the weather, the coming crop cycle, and any personal omens you have which are connected to nature. Try this knowledge-building exercise as part of your study - Dig Through The Ditches.

Since there is a lunar eclipse set to occur, this is also an optimal time for not only the usual fulfillment and abundance magic associated with the full moon, but for any magic meant to yeet something into the all-devouring void with all your might. Contrary to certain schools of belief, eclipses do not automatically negate magical workings done on the date they occur and there are ways of employing that energy to useful purpose. Picture the earth’s shadow moving over the moon like a giant cosmic disposal bin which carries away anything thrown into it to be released into the void of space.

As always, for best results, make sure you are focused and specific with your intentions and close loopholes in your wording. Remember that YOU are the most important component in your spell, since you’re the one providing the impetus and the energy and telling the magic what to do. Don’t be afraid to clear and emphatic!

Recall also that in any environment, there comes a time when progress cannot occur until harmful elements are removed, stagnation is released, and detritus is returned to a state where it can decay and benefit new growth. Do with this what you will.

The season of greening and renewal is upon us, so it’s time to Ready, Set, GROW!

Happy Worm Moon, witches! 🌕🌱

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:

2026 Witches' Calendar

Bree’s Lunar Calendar Series

Bree’s Secular Celebrations Series

The Worm “Blood” Moon: March’s Full Moon in 2026, The Older Farmer's Almanac.

Full Moon March 2026: Change Is Worming Its Way Into Reality, The Peculiar Brunette.

Totality is over — Feast your eyes on the 1st photos of the blood moon total lunar eclipse 2026, Space.com.

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches, Bree NicGarran.

Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America, in the Years 1766, 1767 and 1768, Capt. Jonathan Carver, London, 1781. (Text available on Project Gutenberg)

Easter and the Paschal Full Moon: Determining the Date of Easter, The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to the Hex Positive podcast, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[witchxpunk]

Something poetic about sobbing in my car last night and looking up to be comforted by The Moon.

[breelandwalker]

Witchcraft Exercises

Just a quick compilation of the posts I've made about exercises to help improve your craft. These can be used as journaling prompts, inspiration for activities, or as methods for pulling yourself out of a slump and recharging your witchy inspiration.

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Witchcraft Exercise - Witchy Inspo Journal

Witchcraft Exercise - Spring Cleaning

Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Correspondences

Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Your Own Runes

Witchcraft Exercise - How to Write Your Own Spells

Witchcraft Exercise - Shakespearean Witchcraft

Witchcraft Exercise - Music To Witch By

Related Prompt - Music to Witch By

Witchcraft Exercise - Annual Review

Most of these are also available in the May 2021 bonus episode of Hex Positive (check your favorite podcatcher).

Happy Witching!

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[sciencexwitch]

I LOVE fungi, algae, lichen, and moss

[witchxpunk]

Why do spells have to rhyme?

[space-queen]

it's not a requirement :)

[illusionsgrimoire]

Hi, hello, definitely I agree that it's not a requirement BUT I have thoughts on why this can be, and how it can be used for greater effect in magic!

A lot of spell anatomy involves symbols and metaphors and structure. Something else that uses those a lot? Poetry. And songs. Prayers too, in many cases. Anything that uses language as a medium with artistic purpose, really. There's a couple reasons why.

Firstly, and most simply, it helps with recall. Before literacy was common, when stories and songs were passed along orally, language tools like rhyme, alliteration, rhythm, and repetition were used more because they help people to remember what's said, keep it in order, and not miss any words.

For example, here's a homily that I read in a book when I was about 12:

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure!"

This simple line has both rhyme and rhythm, and has lived rent free in my head for more than 20 years now.

So, by utilizing something like rhyme or repetition, a spoken spell or prayer is easier to recall without needing to look it up, and easier to teach to someone else. Think, for example, of how many songs you might know the lyrics to by heart, compared with a paragraph of text from even your most favorite prose story.

Even aside from recall, language is about communicating feelings and ideas, and evoking emotions. The sound of language, when the writer pays attention and arranges it with care, is important if you want your language and rhetoric to be powerful and memorable and get through to people. If you strengthen the writing, you strengthen the message.

You don't have to use rhyming in your spells, of course. You don't have to use words at all. But I do think language works very similarly to magic in many ways. With words, we can ask for things, banish harm, call for help, mend a hurt. We can change minds, create images, inspire confidence, express devotion, and capture attention. Is this not a form of magic, all on its own?

[witchxpunk]

Lovely additions, thank you!

[asoftwrongness]

prints | instagram | facebook | bluesky

[witchxpunk]

Why do spells have to rhyme?

[space-queen]

it's not a requirement :)

[witchxpunk]

True! Most of mine don't. Mostly it's a curiosity of why so many spells (on tumblr especially) insist on rhymes and a wondering of a possible deeper meaning or just fun.