March - The beginning of Spring. To some, the beginning of the year. Known as Windy Moon, Big Famine Moon, Moon When Eyes Are Sore from Bright Snow, Moon of Winds, Chaste Moon, and Death Moon. March is, for many, a time of waiting to be done with waiting for Spring.

I live in Southern California. March can be rainy, but it is rarely bleak. We've had, up until the last couple of days, a rather mild winter, and people are beginning to wonder if we are headed back into drought, so many of us are hoping for weather. Having said that, the last few days have reminded me of how winter can feel. If only we would have more rain.

Pagans call the Vernal Equinox (aka: the first day of Spring) "Ostara" or "Alban Eiler." It is the balance between light and dark, when the day is as long as the night. It is the second fertility festival, when the seeds are beginning to germinate and the first few sprouts are poking their heads through the earth. It is the rebirth of Nature, as embodied by the flora of the land. It is a time for rebirthing ourselves as well. Spring cleaning is more than just going through your closets, it is a form of sympathetic magic, where we get to reevaluate ourselves and make any course corrections that might need to happen.

This is especially important this year. We are marching steadily toward June, when we will each be required to stand in our Truth. If you would like your transition to me smooth, perhaps now is the time to think about what that Truth is. Ask yourself these questions:

• What do you love?
• What are the three most important values in your life?
• What are the three most distasteful qualities to you?

What you love determines who you really are. The three most important values in your life determine your personal mission statement. And the three qualities in life that are most distasteful to you define those things that will eat your soul if you allow them into your life on a regular basis. If you can answer these questions, you will have a better understanding of your Truth, and you will certainly have a measuing stick for all of the choices you encounter.

Mercury Retrograde begins March 12th. The pre-wash on that has felt especially long this go-round. I shouldn't even be feeling it yet, but Mercury has been topsy turvy in my life for at least a week, and I'm not the only one. Now, this is not the disaster people seem to think it is. I always remind people that Mercury Retrograde is nothing more than the break you are always asking the Universe for. It is a time to stop, breathe, get your feet back under you, and be conscious. It is a time to look at how you got where you are and see if there are any loose ends that need tying up. It is actually an excellent time for manifesting, because the energy is so thick and still, but you must be very present and very conscious. This retrograde involves Mercury moving from Aries back into Pisces, or from the beginning to the ending of the zodiac. Dousing our fire with water. Shifting from actions back into emotions. According to Dorothy Oja, the Pisces aspect may help us discover where we've been blind to an aspect of ourselves, or in someone else. So remember that, as you come up against scheduling and communication challenges. And let yourself be in compassion, for yourself as well as for others. Change is not something we always do gracefully.

Thursday | March 1st | noon
Labyrinth Walk
Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park | 1712 S Glendale Ave Glendale, CA 91205 | 213-792-9041
Over the season of Lent, I will be doing weekly walking meditations at the eleven-circuit labyrinth on the hill in Glendale. I invite you to join me in focusing on relasing ego attachments so we can hear more clearly that small, still, quiet voice within that is our true selves.
I will also be there Thursday 3/8, Wednesday 3/14, Thursday 3/22, and Thursday 3/29.
by donation

Friday | March 2nd | 6:00pm
Altar to the Divine Feminine
Everyday Zen Relaxation Studio | 3740 Atlantic Ave #201, Long Beach CA 90807 | 562-424-2444
As we move into the Year of the Divine Feminine, we seek to focus on and honor that part in each of us which is receptive, which dances with the energy we encounter, which seeks to be in the flow of things. We aspire to be willing to go into the silence, so that we might hear our own soft, still voice that speaks of the Truth in all things. So we create a community altar, to help us focus; to remind us of what this year us about; and to draw us together, so that we can support each other and feel supported. Please join us at First Fridays, where we will be doing an invocation ceremony to awaken the altar. We invite you to participate by bringing an object that is meaningful to you, to symbolize this aspects of the Divine Feminine that you wish to foster in yourself and in the community.
Please RSVP here - This event is free

Thursday | March 22nd | 7:30pm
New Moon & Ostara Gathering
private residence in the San Gabriel Valley | email for more info | 213-792-9041
We gather every month to set our intentions for the coming cycle. This month, we also look at the coming of Spring, and what Mercury Retrograde means to each of us. If you would like to bring the energy home with you, please bring a white seven day candle (in glass). You may also bring items to be blessed. We share a potluck feast after the ritual/meditation, so please bring a dish to share!
$15 donation requested

Wednesday | March 28th | 7:30pm
Singing Bowl Meditation
Kenneally Acupuncture & Healing Light Resource Center | 27225 Camp Plenty Rd, Canyon Country, CA | 661-252-4100
Singing Bowl Meditation, or Sound Bath, is a powerful way to bring your body to a state of calm using singing bowls as the conduit. During the Meditation, singing bowls, each keyed to a specific chakra, are played while we sit or lie down comfortably in meditative bliss. The sound floods us with ethereal vibrations which deepen our meditation and connection with All. In addition to promoting overall relaxation, increasing resistance to stress, boosting energy levels, alleviating psychosomatic pain, lessening depression and improving digestion, this practice re-balances the autonomic nervous system, and brings the body, mind and spirit to a state of equilibrium. Feel free to bring a mat or a meditation pillow. RSVPs essential!
$20