Beware the Ides!!!

 Well, maybe? I don't know, I would have to see... according to one site, 

Mar 15 — Sun in Pisces conjunct Neptune in Pisces

    

This artistic aspect allows us to explore our creative side and get deep with our feelings. A good time to express ourselves with big artistic projects or confess our feelings to our crushes.

Beware the crushes!

Happy March everyone.  The weather person this morning tells me this is the beginning of "meteorological spring." Really I prefer to keep to the astronomical dates, but here at Sacred Hart Suburban Wildlife Preserve, we're likely to get winter-esque weather until late April.  So they can call it whenever they want I guess.

From my 12 Days of Yule rune pulls, March brings us to Gebo, or "Gift."  At the time, I was interpreting in terms of New Year resolutions, and time to reach out if your resolve is waning.  Ask for help or assistance, or even a little inspiration and feedback. 

I find myself thinking about Gebo more broadly though. Gifts to the ancients were not just meaningless trinkets. They formed and cemented bonds of social and economic connections.  In anthropology we talk about "balanced reciprocity," which is where I give you a chicken and you give me some wool.  Or whatever. The point is, an exchange takes place immediately (or the arrangements are at least settled) between two parties.  Satisfactory exchanges lead to more exchanges and so the social and economic ties between the two parties and their families gets strengthened with each exchange.  If one fails to follow through with their end of the bargain, trouble begins. Not just for the individuals themselves, but the threat is to the whole social order of the community.

We also talk about "generalized reciprocity."  This is where something is given or promised in exchange for nothing in particular, and may be not even with the same person as received the "gift."

We can think of the old custom of taking in travelers for the night.  You took them in because you knew that at some point, someone would take you in.  It wouldn't need to be the same person.  We see the same idea, really, in our modern slogan of 'pay it forward.'  I couldn't possibly repay my mentors for all that they have given me, but I can certainly be that mentor for someone else.

In this sense, gifts are not 'trinkets,' as I said. They all come with an obligation attached to repay the person or to pay it forward.  So for March, Gebo is reminding us to look to where we are obligated. Are there thank you notes still lingering to be written?  (That counts!)  Do we owe someone a favor?  Is there some way we can 'pay forward?'  

Think about it!

(Note: It may be tempting to think about all the people that owe US favors. BUT...you cannot control others, only yourself.)