* 2/27 to 3/12: Losar/Tibetan Buddhist New Year (Year 2144: the Fire Bird) & Monlam Chenmo/Great Prayer Festival--Commemorates miracles performed by the Buddha. Rituals, dances, and sculptures are offered to drive out evil spirits and to protect and benefit all sentient beings.* 3/1 to 3/31: Gender Equality Month--Time to honor both genders; time to meditate on the equality of women and men, on the respect due to both women and men, and on Goddess-God manifesting as woman and man.* 3/1 to 4/15 (OC 2/27 to 4/7): Ash Wednesday (Pure Monday) and Lent--Christian time of purification by self-reflection, peace-making, reparation for harm done, and helping those in need. Lenten Truce (through Easter).* 3/4: Mindfulness Day--Zen Buddhist day for being mindful that you are connected to each and every sentient being that has ever existed.[caption id="attachment_8662" align="alignright" width="235"]
Image: Patricia Ariel[/caption]* 3/4 eve to 3/5 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis - as creatrix, midwife of birthing creatures, protector of the young, and punisher of child abusers.* 3/5: Old Romano-Egyptian festival honoring Goddess Isis as Lady of the Moon and Ruler of the Sea.* 3/5: Day Tibetan Buddhists meditate on and emulate Bodhisattva Goddess Green Tara’s loving-kindness to self and others.* 3/5: Day commemorating the birth of Taoist Lao-Tzu (570? BCE). Taoists live simply and tranquilly, respect life, and recognize the equality of all.* 3/8: International Women’s Day--Day to mourn victims of gender-based oppression and misogyny (past and present), make peace, and celebrate women’s empowerment.* 3/8 eve to 3/12 eve: Jewish fast of Esther, Shabbat, and fest of Purim--Recalls a planned massacre of Persian Jews and their deliverance by Queen Esther; time for helping those in need.* 3/8 to 3/13: Holi--Hindu festival celebrating the courting of God Shiva by Goddess Parvati, and the efforts on Her behalf by Kama (God of Love) and Rati (Goddess of Passion).* 3/9 eve to 3/12 eve: Anthesteria--Old Greek festival honoring Dionysos as Plouton, God of the Dead, and welcoming the visiting dead from Elysium.* 3/10: Death day of Harriet Tubman (1913), who risked her life to guide slaves to freedom.* 3/12 (2:00 a.m.): Daylight Savings Time begins - set clocks ahead 1 hour.
* 3/12 (10:54 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (Leaf/Seedling Moon).* 3/14: Sikh New Year (Nanakshahi Era 549 begins).* 3/15 to 3/21: Old Anglo-Teutonic festival of Goddess Ostara, celebrating the annual rebirth. Her Hare gave gifts of eggs - signifying rebirth.* 3/16: Chinese Buddhist festival of Bodhisattva Kuan Yin; celebrates Her “birth.” She declared women the spiritual equals of men.* 3/17: St. Patrick’s Day--Old European festival marking rebirth of the Green Man (God as deciduous vegetation); merged with the Christian feast of St. Patrick.* 3/18: Day the first woman served as imam, leading a public, mixed-gender, Muslim congregation in Jum’ah prayer, and delivering the sermon (2005).* 3/18 eve to 3/25 eve: Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries--Old Greek festival celebrating the marriage of Goddess Kore and God Dionysos, following their return from Elysium.* 3/19: Christian feast of St. Joseph, partner of Blessed Mary and foster-father of Blessed Jesus - honors him as nurturer, teacher, protector, and guide of all fathers.* 3/19 to 3/23: Old Roman festival of Goddess Minerva - as font of artistic inspiration.
* 3/20 (6:29 a.m. EDT): Spring Equinox--Marks the beginning of Spring and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates first, annual, and perpetual Creation with egg hunts and exchanges.* 3/20: Old Slavic Jare--God Jarilo reunites with Goddess Morana. Their love and happiness bring the world light, warmth, and fertility.* 3/21: Nowruz--Persian New Year.* 3/21: Naw Ruz--Baha’i New Year (Year 173) and feast honoring the one Deity as Baha - Splendor.* 3/21: Beginning of Aries (the Ram/Ewe/Lamb).* 3/21: Taoist festival honoring the Shen (Deities) of Water, East, and Spring; prayers are made for growth. Taoists seek enlightenment and live in harmony with Nature.* 3/21: Haru-no-Higan--Day Japanese Buddhists mark the time of change by meditating on the impermanence of death.* 3/21: World Forest Day--Day to celebrate the complex living community of trees, plants, birds, and mammals that live in forests world-wide.* 3/22: World Water Day--Day to recognize the world’s dependence on clean fresh water.* 3/25 (OC 4/7): Annunciation Day--Christian feast commemorating Blessed Mary’s fiat - choosing to conceive Child Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.* 3/26: Christian feast of Blessed Mary, partner of St. Joseph and mother of Blessed Jesus - honors her as nurturer, teacher, protector, and guide of all mothers.* 3/26: Birthday of Joseph Campbell (1904), who found Deity within all religions and myths.
* 3/27 (10:57 p.m. EDT): New Moon.* 3/27 to 3/30: Iroquois Thunder Ceremony--in thanksgiving for the rains. Iroquois believe Awenhai/Sky Woman descended from the Sky and created Earth.* 3/28: Death day of Scott Cunningham (1993), who taught a reverent, ethical, egalitarian, and ecological form of Wicca.* 3/28 to 4/5: Navaratri--Hindu festival honoring Great Goddess Maha Devi as Gauri - life, growth, and fruition. Tantric Hindus recognize gender equality and reject caste.Excerpted fromTHE MYSTIC'S WHEEL OF THE YEAR 2017A Multifaith Calendar Reflecting Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality© 2016 Marija Miovskiwww.WheeloftheYear.comSave
