Wonderful, Wriggly Worm Moon

At one level, I rail and groan against having been born in the month that is defined by worms. The moon in March is called the worm moon because it is the time of year when earthworms, grubs and beetle larvae (eeeuch!) all wake up from their winter sleep. Worms rise to the occasion and bring nutrients and new life to the soil, thus awakening the land after the long and cold season. When I looked more deeply into the lore surrounding the wriggly little things, I discovered quite a romance. The word “Worm” is actually the Old English for dragon and the Anglo-Saxon god, Wotan, slew the worm or dragon and cut it into nine pieces. From these pieces the fabled nine herbs grew, for which the Lacnunga or The Lay of the Nine Herbs, was written. In other lores, the worm stands for cosmic energy, because it emerges when the sap, together with creative awareness, intuition and other cosmic energies, are rising. After all, the worm is related to the serpent – so the ancients believed – which has ever been a symbol of wisdom and eternity. So there, a wealth of comfort for us all. But if you other March bunnies really can’t stand it, this month’s moon is also known as the Crow Moon, Chaste Moon, Crust Moon, Sap Moon, Sugar Moon, or Lenten Moon. Take your pick.