While compiling the astrological information for this issue, I came across something I found noteworthy: there are two eclipses in March this year. A total penumbral lunar eclipse will occur on the 14th, and a total solar eclipse will happen on the 29th (though Michigan locals won’t be able to see it).
Now, I don’t know the astrological significance of two eclipses in a month (assuming there is one), but this whole solar/lunar thing has got me thinking about polarity. As it turns out, March is a good month for it.
March is named for the Roman god of war, Mars, because it is the first month after the frost that is suitable for making war. There is another side to Mars that most people are unaware of, though, that I think it’s important to bring to light. Initially, when the Etruscans were referring to him as Maris, he was an agricultural god. His spheres included fertility, vegetation, and the protection of cattle and fields.
So, why would a farmer’s god become a warrior’s god? Simply put, to protect the homeland, fields, cattle, and children. There are times in the life of every person (and god, apparently) when we have to change our nature to fit the circumstances. The greatest peacekeepers may be called upon to become warmakers, and vice versa. Does this fundamentally change our identity? No, of course not. We are what we are, but that doesn’t mean we always have to exhibit the same qualities despite changes in the world. Anyone unwilling to change and flow with the world around them tends to find that flow as a wearing force, instead of a driving force.
All of these things are good to think about this time of year, when we oscillate between the chill of winter and that wet, earthy smell of new spring. With the change of seasons, our lifestyles must also shift. If we continue to wear our winter gear on those warm days, we’re gonna be uncomfortable. If we jump the gun and wear shorts and t-shirts on the cold days, we’re also gonna be uncomfortable. Does the way we dress for the climate change who we are fundamentally? No, of course not. We adapt.
It’s important to remember that life demands a wide variety of things from us all. To handle everything in the same way, even if that way is peaceful, is to deny much of what happens in the world around us. An enlightened person watches for the individual needs of his situation, and changes to accommodate.
Mars knew that, though he rarely gets any credit for it.