“Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hello you.
It’s March! And we are so close to the soft, gentle, airy energy of spring. We can definitely feel that we are approaching the threshold of the equinox and the light half of the year. New energy has been gathering under the earth and in our bodies, squirming and moving deep within, just waiting to be released. And now, after the long, dark, cold winter the bright season of awakening and rebirth has arrived. Energy is rising, we are waking, and something new is stirring and waiting to begin.
Hope and life and lightness are in the air.
But, let’s not rush things, ok? I know I say that all of the time. Every single week, I guess. But, my personal commitment to living in rhythm with the seasons requires and inspires me to stay present, to pay attention, and to move slowly from week to week. To not rush the seasons, to really try to romanticize my everyday life, and to feel the gentle beauty of it all as it unfolds.
So, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. While we are so very close to spring now, it’s not quite here yet. We’ve got a bit of a journey left until all of the flowers have all bloomed and the daily temperature has warmed. Spring doesn’t happen overnight, of course. And the month of March is the wild, windy, rainy, sunny journey that guides us through new beginnings and ends with rebirth.
Ralph Waldo Emerson describes March weather as savage and serene, much like our lives. Tough and messy, but also hopeful and soft. It is everything all at once. An absolutely perfect description of what lies ahead for us over the next few weeks.
The morning-like rhythm of March
March is the transitional period between the slumbering dormancy of winter and the vibrant renewal of spring.
We’re past the dreamlike, liminal, pre-dawn energy of February. Now we are slowing rising with the sun. It is dawn of the new day. The sun is rising in the east, the birds are chirping, the air is cool, the animals are stirring, and everyone is waking at their own pace.
March is like the time of the day when I draw back the covers, stretch a while, get out of bed, turn on the coffee pot, wash my face, and sit down to my morning rituals and practices. I light a candle and breathe in the morning and try to fully wake up.
Mornings are not easy, but they are beautiful nevertheless. I often want to stay in bed longer than I should, fight hard to get up and moving, and then, once up, still feel a bit off as I move around like a zombie, trying to feel alive after a long night’s sleep. But, once have my coffee and settle down into a quiet moment of solitude to gather my thoughts, I find that I am fully awake and ready to begin my day. Or at least my morning routines. And, suddenly, the morning becomes a dreamy, romantic time of possibility and hope.
The month of March is our transitional morning time on the wheel of the year - moving us from the slow, sleepy grogginess of winter and into the bright, aliveness of spring.
But, it’s not an easy month. Remember, it’s savage and serene. Just like early mornings can be. Savage getting out of bed. Serene in the early morning light.
The winter-spring war
March was once celebrated as the first month of the year, when the year had only 10 months. Long ago, the year began in the spring and ended in December. The time that passed between December and March had no name. It was tough, barren time of hibernation, rest, and survival deep in the winter season.
And then, a new cycle began in March with the rebirth of the earth as she moved into spring.
The name “march” honors the Roman god Mars, the god of war and agriculture. I suppose the god of war is actually the perfect god for the first month of spring. The shifting of the seasons is much like a war between winter and spring. And the turbulent times last all month long, as winter holds her grip and then loosens it. The sun shines and the days warm, only to have a winter storm blow in again for a few days. It’s not uncommon to experience all kinds of weather within twenty-four hour period.
I imagine the winds of March blowing and swirling, bringing in cold fronts of snow and rain, and then blowing out again. Sunshine and warmth returning to heat the earth, calling the buds and flowers forth. Only to have snow and rain blow right back in again.
March is the war of winter-spring.
But, it is all of this back and forth that actually moves us forward. With each passing day, the transition is closer to being completed and the bright, warm days of spring are here to stay. This is how the seasons change. Slowly, wildly, and war-like.
But, as always, the renewal of life and the beginning of the planting and growing season arrives. Spring wins the war, for now, and the earth is reborn.
Lent - a personal, spiritual journey through March
As I sat down and thought about how I was feeling about March beginning this year and what I wanted to share with you, all I could focus on was the chaotic, savage side of March. Where was the serene side of March? Why couldn’t I feel it? Where was the hope, the excitement, the anticipation of the coming of spring? It all just felt difficult and strange, and I decided I didn’t want to leave the fresh, light, dreamy, liminal space of February.
Then, I remembered the liturgical season of Lent. I closed my eyes to breathe and meditate, and felt these words rising up from within-
spiritual practices: grounding, stabilizing, discerning
March is tough. It is, as I said before, a journey that guides us over the threshold of the equinox and into spring. It is the time of the year when the weather is at war as the seasons shift. And all of that wild, chaotic, transitional energy was making me feel off-balance and searching for a way to skip or ignore this month.
But, of course, I cannot do that. I don’t really want to do that.
So, instead, when I remembered that Lent stretches across the month of March and into April, I knew what I felt called to do.
To get me through the month, I must be willing to face the journey that lies ahead. And to keep me grounded and stable, as the winds of March blow all around me, I will spend this month focusing on the spiritual practices that connect me with the deepest parts of who I am and the highest love that I can imagine.
Lent is an ancient season of the celebration of the 40 days before Easter. It is a time of repentance and spiritual devotion. A chance to strip things back in life, to keep things simple, to commit to practices of devotion and discipline in order to drop down into our humanity and connect with the divine.
It has always been my favorite season in the liturgical year of the church, though I haven’t practiced it for many years now since I am no longer a minister in a church.
Lent tells the story of Jesus sent out to wander in the desert alone for 40 days and 40 nights. It was a pilgrimage of challenges, hunger, fear, pain, and loneliness. But, it was a journey of self-discovery and resilience. It my belief that the story shows that it was only after his time in the wilderness that Jesus knew who he truly was (a human who suffered) and was fully committed to becoming who he was meant to be (divine love). At the end of his wandering, Jesus set out to peacefully share a message of love and acceptance available to all, even all the way to his death.
I have always loved journeys and pilgrimages. I crave solitude and thrive when I have time to practice the spiritual disciplines that connect me with my own humanity and divinity. Lent is a season, right in the middle of the winter-spring war, that reminds me to spend this time of the year exploring and reflecting on who I am and who I am becoming by setting aside some dedicated time for meditation, prayer, and spiritual practices that keep me grounded and centered. Practices that stabilize, inspire, and balance me.
When I remember Lent, and see March as my own personal journey from winter to spring, then I find deep meaning in letting the month unfold as wildly and savagely as it will. Because it is here, supported by grounding practices, practicing magic and rituals, that I find the simplicity and serenity of March. And the hope that spring brings.
The card of the month
March’s card is the ALTAR. This card is exactly what this month is all about. It is a sacred transitional time, and the altar is the place to which we can turn for grounding, prayers, peace, and offerings.
The card inspires me to focus on spirituality throughout March. To set aside time for solitude and rituals. To commit to a spiritual practice on a regular basis, as a way to not only stay grounded, but also to participate in listening and discernment. I want to hear my inner voice, feel the presence of spirit, listen to the call of the divine, and tap into the deepest, highest part of my being. I want to wander in my own desert and discover who I am called to be and how I can align my life with the calling, the messages, the whispers that I hear.
So, inspired by the traditions and practices of Lent, I have decided to commit to a discipline of meditation all month long. But, I am going to only take it one week at a time.
On the evening of March 1, I set up my meditation blanket, lit candles, and sat in silence for 20 minutes. It was pure bliss. I did it again last night. And I will commit to the rest of this week. My own Lenten practice. Simple, short, but so powerful.
If you feel inspired to create a spiritual practice of your own for March, then please let me know in the comments. Or, reach out to me if you want some mentoring, advice, suggestions, and tips on what to do and/or how to do it. I did my graduate work in theology, hold a Master’s Degree in Divinity, and have led spiritual retreats and sessions for years. So, I am a trained spiritual leader, in case you care about or are worried about that.
About the week ahead
I am going to tease you with the card that I pulled on the new moon on Friday for the week ahead. It is the CARNELIAN card. Carnelian is a stone/crystal that is quite powerful. It has been carried and used by leaders for thousands of years. It symbolizes creativity, passion, and leadership. I found a connection to the Egyptian goddess Isis, who I researched paper during my graduate studies. Isis was the powerful goddess of magic and wisdom, a spiritual leader who’s religion spread throughout the Greco-Roman world.
I want to return to this card next weekend on International Women’s Day. It feels like it is meant to be shared as part of
’s Siren Songs for all women to raise their voices and be the change we want to see.So, for now, as you meditate and move through this forst week of March, spend some time thinking about what kind of leader you are. I’ll be back with much more about this card on Saturday.
Where can you use your voice?
What makes a passionate, creative leader?
What kind of leaders do we need in our world today?
How can you step up and step forward in a way that is true to who you are becoming?
Savage and Serene
March is both. It is winter and spring all at once. But, seasonal transitions are hard. All transitions are hard. Wandering in the wilderness is difficult. Silent, solitary retreats and pilgrimages are challenging. Moving through the seasons is tough. Letting it all unfold as it will, one day at a time, is not always easy.
But the rhythms of the seasons and the cycles of life move on. We change and grow and evolve. And, right now, we are right in the middle of the winter-spring war. Still, there is a deeper meaning behind it all and there is a way forward for us. There is magic to be found and wisdom to discover - throughout Lent, as the seasons change, and when we spend time with our souls.
Slow down this month and create space for your own spirituality. Seek solitude as a way to stay grounded. Commit to a daily practice or ritual. Find your inner voice or the divine light that shines in you. Think of it however you will. But, discover what you are being called to as we all move into the season of rebirth and renewal together. Listen. Meditate. Feel. Journal.
What wants to rise from within you this spring?
xoxo. liz.
March playlist
We're at the threshold of spring. The light half of the year. New energy is now ready to slowly be released. After the long, dark winter, we have come to the soft, gentle, bright season of awakening and rebirth. Something new is waiting to begin.
Sacred Days + Folk Festivals this week
01 March - Women’s History Month
04 March - Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday/Fettisdagen/Semla day
05 March - Ash Wednesday. The season of Lent (40 days) begins.
08 March - International Women’s Day
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