Fade

Contributed by Adelaida Velasquez 

Winter fades into Spring
And as I bid it farewell
And embrace warmer skies
And brighter sunlight
Part of me feels a sense of loss 

For it was during the cold
And dark
I found myself again
Was kept safe beneath the dark earth
Was kept warm by the hearth of a new home as I died
And came to life again,
Healed by the cutting away
Of withered roots
And decay

But with Spring’s arrival
There is also joy
And as I greet this new season
I can feel the hope
Feel the energies of creation
New life
Surrounding us
Inspiring us

To continue to dance
Through the
Sacred Cycle of the Year. 

Origins of April Fools’ Day – Some Not-so-Fun Facts

By Morgana RavenTree

I hate April Fools’ Day.  As a child and teenager, I was constantly falling for other kids’ (often cruel) pranks until I was so traumatized that even as an adult I became hyper-vigilant about potential “jokes” played on me.  When April Fools’ Day falls on a weekend, I barricade myself inside my home for 24 hours.  That’s how much I hate it.

That said, I wonder about the origins of April Fools’ Day.  Who thought this was a good idea?

So here, then, are some not-so-fun facts about the origins of April Fools’ Day:

·       In Iran, it is called “Dorugh-e Sizdah” (lie of Thirteen).  People and media prank on 13 Farvardin (Sizdah Bedar) which is equivalent to 1 April.  It is a tradition that takes place 13 days after the Persian new year Nowruz (Spring Equinox).  On this day, people go out and leave their houses and have fun outside mostly in natural parks.  Pranks have reportedly been played on this holiday since 536 BC in the Achaemenid Empire. (“April Fools’ Day”: Wikipedia.org)

·       An alternate theory is that we can blame this one on the Romans, who celebrated Hilaria (Latin for “joyful”) at the end of March.   Followers of the cult of Cybele would dress up in disguises and mock fellow citizens and even magistrates. (“Origins of April Fools’ Day: History.com)

·       In 1508, French poet Eloy d’Amerval referred to a poisson d’avril (April fool, literally “April’s fish”), possibly the first reference to the celebration in France.  (AFD: Wikipedia.org)

·       In the Middle Ages, New Year’s Day was celebrated on 25 March in most European towns, a holiday that in some areas of France ended on 1 April (AFD: Wikipedia.org).  In the Julian calendar, the year began around Spring Equinox.  People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.” (AFD: History.com) 

·       There is a poem by Flemish poet Eduard de Dene about a nobleman who sends his servants on foolish errands on 1 April, predating the calendar change. (AFD: Wikipedia.org)

·       In fact, April Fools’ Day was also a tradition in Great Britain before 1 January was established as the start of the calendar year.  April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century.  People would shout “April Fool” at people who fell for pranks, but the custom ceased at noon, after which time it is no longer acceptable to play pranks. (AFD: Wikipedia.org)

·       In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them. (AFD: History.com)

·       In Poland, Prima April (“First April” in Latin) as a day of pranks is a centuries-long tradition. It is a day when many pranks are played: sometimes very sophisticated hoaxes are prepared by people, media (which often cooperate to make the “information” more credible), and even public institutions. Serious activities are usually avoided; every word said on 1 April could be untrue. The conviction for this is so strong that the Polish anti-Turkish alliance with Leopold I, signed on 1 April 1683, was backdated to 31 March.  However, for some in Poland, prima April ends at noon and jokes after that hour are considered inappropriate and not classy. (AFD: Wikipedia.org)

·       In Thailand, the police warned ahead of April Fools’ in 2021 that posting or sharing fake news online could lead to maximum of five years imprisonment. (AFD: Wikipedia.org)

·       April 1^st news that was believed to be a hoax: 1946 warning about the Alaska earthquake tsunami, 1984 news that singer Marvin Gaye had been shot and killed, 1995 new that singer Selena was shot and killed, 2004 Google’s announcement about the launch of Gmail, and 2009 news that the long-running soap Guiding Light had been cancelled.

Finally, in March 2020, various organizations (including Google) and people cancelled their April Fools’ Day celebrations, or advocated against observing April Fools’ Day, as a mark of respect due to the large number of deaths that occurred during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Enjoy April Fools’ Day – I will be spending it at home.

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Morgana RavenTree is a former President of Pagan Pride LA/OC.

Ostara

These past few months seem to have been exceptionally difficult for many people on an emotional level. It’s as if everyone is waiting for the Sun to enter Aries and the shift of the equinox to begin. Usually, equinoxes are a time of psychic stress, but this year most seem to be anticipating the change, waiting for nature to rescue us from the grip of Winter who seems to not want to let up. Of, course, as Pagans, we know much of the change comes from within rather than without. The germination of seeds and turning of the land should have already started so that new life can spring forth from fertile land.

–Martinique Fisher

How Will the Full Moon of April 2023 Affect Your Zodiac Sign

By Connie Jones-Steward

The first Full Moon of Spring 2023 occurs on April 5th at 9:37 PM PST at 16 degrees in the sign of Libra. As always, the Libra Full Moon occurs opposite the Sun in Aries along the leadership/service axis and reminds us that good leaders are also good servants. It also asks us to examine our own leadership style and decide if we are more comfortable with being the type of leader who grabs the ram by the horn and charges forward or do we serve our supporters better when we lead by consensus.

Like all Full Moons, the April Full moon goes by various cultural names. One of the most common among modern neo-pagans is The Pink Moon. The name has nothing to do with the actual color of the moon. It is a nod to the wildflowers known as “pinks”; and yes, their color is pink, usually, but also purple and white. Other well-known names for the April full moon are The Egg Moon, The Fish Moon and The Peony Moon.

Full moons affect everyone. However, this lunation will have a particularly strong effect on those born with planets between 8 and 24 degrees in the signs of Libra, Gemini and Aquarius.

Here’s how your sign will be affected by the Pink Moon of 2023. This horoscope is meant to serve as guidance and inspiration as opposed to rigid dogma. It is written based on sun sign astrology. However, if you know your rising sign, you may want to read both signs and determine which resonates with you more. Perhaps there’s something you can use in each.

Aries: This moon occurs in your 7^th house, the house of relationships and marriage, where it will form an opposition to both Jupiter and Chiron. Jealousy and insecurities may emerge concerning your romantic partners. Also beware of feelings of mistrust concerning business or other partnerships. Don’t let the hot tempered Aries energy cause you to jeopardize a good relationship over perceived betrayals that may not exist.

Taurus: This full moon is forming a quincunx with Uranus in your 6^th house of health and daily routines. You could experience disruptions to your daily routine, your work life or experience an unexpected occurrence with a household pet. You could also meet someone new and interesting or receive exciting news regarding your job or health.

Gemini: The first full moon of Spring is lighting up your house of fun, self-expression, creativity, romance and children. Consider embarking on a fresh and new way to express your creativity or engaging in a spring fling or two. Just be sure to truthfully communicate your intentions to any potential short term romantic partners.

Cancer: Your 4^th house of home and family lights up under this moon. With Mars in your sign, now would be a good time to tackle home improvement projects. Be careful with saying things in the heat of the moment that might cause lasting damage to members of your household, especially your maternal figures.

Leo: Oh Boy! Leo, this moon hits your 3^rd house of communication and sextiles the asteroid Lilith. You will be at your most charming and mesmerizing. This is the time to embrace your dark feminine energy and unleash your Goddess given powers of seduction to magnetize your desires. It certainly won’t suck to be you at this time.

Virgo: The moon is lighting up your second house of personal wealth and possessions. With the asteroid Ceres currently retrograde in Virgo, this is a time to re-examine our relationship with money.

Libra: This moon is all about your literal 1^st house, that being your physical body. The loose semi-sextile to Ceres retrograde in Virgo encourages you to examine the way you take care of your body, with an emphasis on the types of food that you consume.

Scorpio: Your 12^th house of intuition and secrets is in play. Now is the time to plomb the depths of your subconscious and see what bubbles up to the surface. It’s also a time to get up close and cozy with your spirituality, perhaps engaging in some form of spiritual relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation.

Sagittarius: The moon is shining on your 11^th house of groups, organizations and wide-spread community. As we transition into the post pandemic era, now is an opportune time to get out and join organizations that align with your values or return to affiliations that may have suffered over the past 2.5 years.

Capricorn: With this lunation in your 10^th house, now would be an excellent time to focus on career matters. The Libra moon encourages you to put aside the stoic façade that comes with being a Saturn ruled Earth sign and realize that you don’t have to do it all yourself. It’s OK to seek collaboration and act as part of a team to get the job done.

Aquarius: The moon is shining on your 9^th house of expansion, growth and long-distance travel. Summer is only a few weeks away so get to planning that summer vacation already. Visit some place or culture that you are unfamiliar with. Mark Twain said it best, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness…”.

Pisces: The light of the moon is on your 8^th house of magic and chaos. The 8^th house is also the 2^nd money house or the house of “other people’s money”. This lunar cycle finds Saturn in your 8^th house sextile Mercury in Taurus. This could be a good time to work money magic. On the mundane level Saturn’s authority combined with Mercury’s communication skills and the “can we all just get along” energy of the Libra moon could make this a good time to negotiate a raise from your current employer.

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Connie Jones-Steward is a Los Angeles based astrologer, reiki master and wedding officiant. She specializes in relationship astrology, energy healing and officiating customized, modern wedding ceremonies. She can be contacted via her website, http://www.mycrystalmaven.com.