Also called March full moon, Crow Moon, Sap Moon, Lenten Moon
The Worm Moon is the popular name for March's full moon, the last full moon of winter or the first of spring. Its rite is a soil-waking blessing for seeds, gardens and fresh starts.
Tonight's moon is read when the page loads.
Take care: Keep any candle on a fireproof dish and never leave it burning unattended. If you go outside at night, dress for the weather, take a light and tell someone where you are. Moon names tied to specific Native nations belong to living languages and ceremonies. Read them as those nations' own knowledge, not as rites to copy; the steps here are an open seasonal practice anyone can do.
Carver's year began with the first new moon after the spring equinox, and he called that month the Worm Moon. His explanation was not earthworms but grubs and larvae coming out of the bark and wood where they had sheltered all winter.
Ojibwe language resources give March names such as Onaabani-giizis, Snowcrust Moon, and Ziizbaakdoke-giizis, Sugaring Moon, for the season of maple sap. Which name is used depends on the community and on how early spring reaches it.
The 1937 Maine Farmers' Almanac put the Lenten Moon among its winter moons, a church-calendar name pointing to the fast before Easter. It reflects the European side of the almanac tradition.
Most modern articles say the Worm Moon is named for earthworms rising as the ground thaws, and the Old Farmer's Almanac gives that reading. The oldest printed source, Jonathan Carver's 1778 travel book, explains it differently: the worms of his Worm Moon were insect larvae leaving tree bark after winter. Carver placed this month first in the year, starting from the new moon after the spring equinox.
The almanac also lists other March names, such as Sugar Moon for the Ojibwe, Sore Eyes Moon for the Dakota, Lakota and Assiniboine, from sunlight glaring off snow, and Crow Comes Back Moon for the Northern Ojibwe. Alongside them stands the Lenten Moon of English usage. The worm name won out in the popular list partly because it is short and memorable.
Make a wish and blow the white seed head of a dandelion; if every seed flies in one breath, the wish is said to come true. The same puffs were once counted to tell the time or ask about love.
Decorating eggs at the spring equinox or Easter to call in spring, fertility and protection, drawing on the Ukrainian pysanka and other wax-resist egg traditions. Ostara itself is a modern Pagan name built on Bede's brief mention of the goddess Ēostre.
The Pink Moon is the popular name for April's full moon, named for moss phlox, an early spring wildflower, and not for any pink color in the moon itself. Its rite is a flower blessing for tenderness and new growth.
Tell us what you need and we will craft a custom spell, charm or reading for it. Or call to book a reading or a road blessing in person.
