Each month I will describe the current full moon. In addition, each month we focus on a different theme to build up a body of related knowledge so that through the months and years you can create your own web of wisdom.
This month we focus on the Welsh Dragon, a symbol of courage, growth and mystery and St David’s Day on March 1.
Happy St David’s Day to my Welsh friends everywhere and those whose spiritual roots lie in the mystical musical land, wherever they and their current family and descendants live.
On St David’s Day, March 1 we remember the red dragon, emblem for Wales.
The red dragon is associated with Celtic leaders. It is recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth writing a romanticized version of events around 1136 that while Uther, father of King Arthur, was leading his army into battle, a dragon (probably a dragon shaped comet) flared across the sky.
Arthur in spite of the medieval courtly spin was an Ancient British King of Celtic origin who united large parts of Britain in the later fifth century against hostile forces after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Geoffrey of Monmouth was writing long after the supposed event. Merlin the magician prophesied from the fiery dragon in the sky that Uther would win the battle, that the king Aurelius whom Uther was fighting for would die and Uther take his place. The battle was won and Uther adopted the name Pendragon which means the head of the dragon. When he returned in victory Uther discovered Aurelius had been poisoned and Uther was made king. Thereafter he had a golden dragon as his emblem.
That was not Merlin’s first dragon prophecy. During the earlier reign of Vortigen of Powys in Wales who married the daughter of the Roman governor, Magnus Maximus., Merlin or Myrddin, as a boy according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, saved his own life by revealing subterranean dragons.
At Dinas Emrys, near Beddgelert in Snowdonia Wales, Vortigern was trying to build a fortress but the main stone tower fell down every night. Vortigern was told by his soothsayers that only the spilled blood of a child without a father could stop the nightly earth tremors destroying the tower. Merlin came to his notice since he did not have a father. But the young Merlin told Vortigern that there were two warring dragons, a red and white one in an underground pool beneath the tower. When the builders dug deep they found the pool and on the young Merlin’s instructions the pool was drained. The dragons woke and fought each other to the death. The red dragon died first, but mortally wounded the white.
Merlin then made a prophecy that the red dragon symbolized the Celts and the white dragon the invading Anglo Saxons and that first the white dragon would be victorious but in time the red dragon would take back what was rightly his. In fact Vortigern was killed in battle but Uther and later Arthur drove back the Saxons, so it was said fulfilling the prophecy. A version of this story may be found in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Prophecies of Merlin)
The red dragon standard was actually adopted from the Roman battle standard during their occupation of Britain and after their departure it became the rallying symbol of the Celts, a number of whom had become Romanized, against the new invaders.
The Anglo Saxons had the white dragon as their battle flag and this was last seen in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings when the Normans under William the Conqueror (actually Danish Vikings who had settled in Northern France) defeated the AngloSaxon King Harold. The white dragon flag is shown on the Bayeux tapestry recording the battle. The tapestry can be seen in the mediaeval town of Bayeux in Northern France that has a beautiful cathedral.
A Dragon Ritual for accumulating and increasing wealth.
You will need:
- Nine gold coloured coins in a circle round the candle
- A red candle
- An incense stick in Dragon’s Blood or Frankincense
- A gold coloured pot or dish next to the candle.
Timing:
Any day in early March in the early morning. Prosperity magick is traditionally done in the morning to allow the day energies as they grow to bring financial growth every dawn.
The Ritual:
- Light the candle and the incense stick from it and round the circle of coins in incense smoke, using the incense stick like a smoke pen draw round the circle of coins in the air a dragon outline saying I call to me the Dragon fire, that I release at my desire. Prosperity grow more and more, every day greater than before. Dragon, I ask this shall be done, that into my life may fortune come.
- Moving clockwise touch each coin with the index finger of the hand you write with saying for each Dragon you guard this precious gold, let prosperity in my life unfold.
- Draw a second and third dragon outline one after the other round the coins clockwise and say the same words.
- Now add the coins one after the other to the pot or dish saying just once Speculate, accumulate, wealth cannot wait, But must unfold, Dragon with me share your gold.
- Blow out the candle and leave the incense to burn through.
- Add a coin every week to the pot and leave a red candle to burn next to it saying I call to me the Dragon fire, that I release at my desire. Prosperity grow more and more, every day greater than before. Dragon, I ask this shall be done, that into my life may fortune come.
- When the pot it is full give half to charity and spend the rest on something small that will make you happy.
On 1 March, to be the first in your family or friends to say "White Rabbits" to herald the new month will bring you good luck throughout the month. In fact, it should be a hare and not a rabbit we call for better fortune. For Ostara, the Norse goddess of spring (her Anglo- Saxon counterpart Oestre gives us the name of Easter and oestrogen) found a white dove frozen in the snow before the Spring Equinox in the Northern hemisphere which occurs later in March. Ostara knew even if she revived it, the tiny bird would not survive the freezing conditions. So, she transformed the dove into a hare and said, Run and when people see you running they will know new life and new beginnings are coming.
It may not be possible to restore what has been lost, nor should we hold on to what we know is fading and must be let go, but we can go forward into new beginnings, new hope, rejoicing into the days ahead without fears for the future or regrets for the past.
The sixth century Welsh patron saint of Wales said as he was dying we should do the little things in life. We can so easily forget the little things, a thank you for a kindness done, a small gift for someone who is sad or sick, a friendly word and an offer of help to a harassed parent struggling with small children or an older person with heavy shopping or luggage. In the world of super heroes when we can fly to the moon and send a message in seconds across the world, people sometimes forget the small courtesies, holding a door open to someone following, giving a seat up or telling children to do so on a crowded bus or train to a pregnant woman or a person who is obviously frail or needs it. In the bustle of life we may forget to encourage our children to write a thank you note, e mail or even a video clip on social media for a present, to say please and thank you or pass food at a table to other people first. From tiny acorns mighty oaks can grow and from a small gesture of consideration, an expression of gratitude we can regrow a courteous world.
THE FULL MOON for March
March 3 is the full Worm Moon in Virgo at 11.38 UTC appearing just after sunset. It forms a full lunar eclipse in lands including North America, South America, East Asia and Australia especially the east coast. If you cannot see the eclipse in the sky, use a web camera to tune into its energies.
It is called a Blood Moon because of the dull red formed by the eclipse moon. This is also the name given to the full moon on October 26, 2026.
As the last full moon of winter its Native North American name heralds the coming Spring in Northern hemisphere. For this is the time earthworms appear on the surface of the softening earth as food for young birds and so that returning migratory birds could feed again. It is also called Sap Moon as the maple tree sap begins to flow and abundance returns; another name the Crow or Magpie moon marks when the cawing of these birds heralds the end of winter Superstition says you must greet a solitary crow or magpie bird for luck to follow you until the following full moon.
But wherever in the world you view this moon at whatever time in your own zone, this is the Full moon of Hamaliel, angel of perfection, high ethics, honesty, hard work, perseverance and patience even when the road is hard.
It shines this month over uncertain negotiations for world peace where the measured words and thoughtful actions of this Virgo moon are needed to steer the world from conflict, revenge and blame towards negotiation, and compromise. The same is true whether in the workplace, home or on social media where unless you have a positive spin or a solution to resolve a challenging situation, you should refrain from reproach , blame and criticism.
The Worm moon mitigates also the extremes of rain, tornadoes and floods.
In the modern world, where text speak rules and a phone can deliver a Luv U message in predicted text in seconds , some question why trudge through the rain with a bunch of roses for your beloved or pour out your soul in a poem that took a week to compose and then didn’t quite rhyme? But this is the moon of going the extra mile to show devotion.
In Ancient Egypt Nefertum, young god of perfection emerged from the first lotus on the first morning and thereafter recreated in his rebirth each following morning the joy of that first dawning as he returned in the early sunlight.
Perfect moments should be cherished as we step off the 24/7 road race for a few minutes, admiring the blood red moon rather than missing the moment because we are so desperate to capture it on I Phone.
This is the moon of telling a bedtime story we first heard from our grandparents complete with growly voices, for checking what is happening outside the half-hourly world news bubble of the latest disaster or scandal, focusing instead on the flowers, the trees, the flowing waters and the people we should care for most, speaking heart to heart.
Time too for talking at mealtimes to those round the table instead of responding instantly to intrusive texts from semi-strangers about trivialities. Virgo reminds us not to seize but cherish each moment and hold precious every unrepeatable pearl of time.
Finally, this is the moon for bringing order out of chaos. If your life is a frantic muddle, cluttered with unfinished tasks and seemingly impossible deadlines, on the night of the Virgo full moon , make a list in order of priority, put it away and enjoy the moon. Next morning complete just one task, make one awkward phone call or mail you have been putting off and tick it off on the diminishing list.
Use the eclipse energies to let go of anger, resentment, envy and fears as you light and snuff out a purple candle as the eclipse begins in your region or across the globe; when the moon shines bright again relight the candle and send blessings to where most needed in your life and the world
Let the moonlight guide you to thoughtful words and gentle actions, reconciliation and new beginnings and the promise of spring in your heart wherever you live.
Cassandra, March 2026.