March: Moon of the Wind Ritual

The earth awakens as the bonds of winter loosen. This windy month blows away the staleness of winter and with it we cast away the things we need to remove from our lives. Holding on to things that no longer belong in our lives can keep us from moving forward. Just as our homes need a spring-cleaning, so, too, do our emotional and spiritual lives.

Other Names for this Moon:

• Quickening Moon
• Wind Moon
• Hare Moon

In the Celtic Tree Calendar:
March 1-17: Ash—in addition to being associated with the sea, ash also has connections with the runes and besom brooms

March 18-31: Alder—associated with courage, strength, and evolving one's sprit; Celtic hero Bran.

Background for This Ritual:
A place has been indicated in the group ritual where this is most appropriate for the Priestess or Priest to read both Parts I and II to everyone. Solo practitioners will want to read Part I before beginning the ritual and Part II where indicated.

Part I: March is a time to make ready for spring. Waters run freely from snowmelt, and bright yellow daffodils beckon the sun's warmth. Nights are still tinged with frost, but it is time to begin preparations for spring, time to clear away winter's rubble from the garden and from your life—both physically and spiritually.

The ash, which is a tree for part of this month, is one of the traditional materials for a besom broom along with birch and willow. Besoms are used frequently in fertility rituals and handfasting ceremonies. Associated the element water, they not only sweep physical dirt from an area that is to be made sacred, but also psychic dirt and negative energy. Alder, the other tree of March, provides strength and courage to clear away things from your life and to start fresh.

In this time of clearing away and making ready for spring, use your besom to symbolically remove negativity from your life. Action begins with intention: tonight send the intention to clear out anything that may be holding you back or preventing you from growing in some way.

Part II: Hold your broom in front of you with both hands, handle pointing up. Raise it so your hands are at chest level and the brush is resting gently on the floor.

Close your eyes and draw earth energy up through your body and through the broom feel it come up through your spine to your heart center and through the besom, along your arms to your heart. Feel this strong connection of your energy, Mother Earth's energy, and the spirit of the besom. Feel this combine into one smooth flow.

Give thought to what you need to remove and clear away from your life. Spring is almost here and it is time to make ready for new spiritual growth. Just as you clear a garden for the new season, so, too, must you clear your soul and psyche. When you have fixed your mind on the things that need removal, open your eyes.

Themes

• Cast out unneeded things from our lives (spring cleaning)
• Make room for new growth and new things to enter our lives.

Preparation
Items needed for this ritual include the following:

• A besom broom or a bundle of twigs, straw, or heather for each participant
• Six gemstones or crystals to use in place of candles for the altar, one in each color for directions/elements according to your tradition.
• Two white quartz or purple amethyst for the Goddess and God

Group Ritual
Priestess Life is stirring and beginning to burst forth from the womb of the earth. The world is rousing into motion after a winter's slumber. It is time to awaken our hearts to this quickening rhythm.

Casting the Circle
Priestess From one to the other our circle is cast.

The priestess places her left hand on the shoulder of the person next to her. With her right hand, she raises the brush end of her besom broom toward the altar. Each person repeats the phrase around the circle, following suit until a connection is made around the room and all besoms are raised.

Priestess By the magic of these besoms we have created sacred space.

Calling the Quarters
Each participant doing an evocation should have his or her gemstone or crystal before the ritual starts. After speaking, he or she places it on the altar.

North Spirits of the earth, we beckon ye from the north. You have sustained us through the winter. We now ask that you help us stretch and grow. Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

All Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

East Spirits of air, we beckon ye from the east. With your mighty winds of March we ask that you blow away the staleness of winter. Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

All Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

South Spirits of fire, we beckon ye from the south. We ask that you purify our hearts and lives as we clear away the remnants of winter. Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

All Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

West Spirits of water, we beckon ye from the west. We ask that you bathe us in your cleansing streams as we prepare for the months ahead. Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

All Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

Priest We beckon ye Dagda, Great Lord of All. As spring gains a firm foothold we ask that you help us prepare our path ahead through the coming months. Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

All Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

Priestess We beckon ye Dana, Great Lady of All. As the warmth of spring approaches we ask that you help us open our hearts to receive your guidance. Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

All Join us under Luna's watchful gaze.

Background
Share Parts I and II of the background information here.

Priest Move in close to the center of our circle and raise your besom so that we touch the brushes of our brooms above the altar. Send energy to the center of our besom circle. Feel it build and add strength to each of us.

Now draw your besom up from the circle, over your head in an arch, and down to the floor. Sweep along the floor from the center and out to the edge of our circle. With each motion visualize that you are casting out that which you wish to be rid of. Each smooth, long motion lightens your life. Once you reach the edge of the circle you may want to lift the broom and dance in place. Once everyone has reached the edge we will move deosil around the circle to share strength in casting away unwanted things. As we do this we also strengthen our circle and connection with one another.

The Priestess begins the chant:

After circling around the altar a few times, the Priest and Priestess slow the chant and bring the movement to a halt.

Priestess It is time to move back into the everyday realm. You may want to sit on the floor or put your hands on the floor. Close your eyes for a moment. Take time to let your energy flow down through your body, down through you and into the earth. Touch your energy to Mother Earth. Feel her balance bring you to center. When you are ready, open your eyes.

Closing
Each participant faces his or her respective direction while speaking. The Priest and Priestess stand in front of the altar. The stones or crystals placed on the altar can remain here.

Priestess Dana, Great Lady of All, thank you for your guidance in removing that which is unwanted and unneeded from our lives. Thank you for your presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell.

All We bid thee farewell. Blessed be.

Priest Dagda, Great Lord of All, thank you for your help in sweeping away negative energy from our lives. Thank you for your presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell.

All We bid thee farewell. Blessed be.

West Spirits of the west, of water, thank you for washing away that which is unneeded in our lives. Thank you for your presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell.

All We bid thee farewell. Blessed be.

South Spirits of south, of fire, thank you for burning away that which is unwanted in our lives. Thank you for your presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell.

All We bid thee farewell. Blessed be.

East Spirits of east, of air, thank you for blowing away that which is unneeded in our lives. Thank you for your presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell.

All We bid thee farewell. Blessed be.

North Spirits of north, of earth, thank you for removing that which is unwanted in our lives. Thank you for your presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell.

All We bid thee farewell. Blessed be.

Everyone joins hands around the circle with their besoms held in their left. Let the broom end of the besoms rest on the floor.

Priestess Star light, star bright
It is time to take flight.
Besom sturdy held upright,
Off we go through dark of night.
Blessed be.

All Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.

Excerpted from A Year of Ritual, by Sandra Kynes