Welcome to the Snow Moon in Leo on February 1 at 22.09 UTC (check www.time anddate.com for moon rise in your location).
Known among the Hopi nation as the Moon of Purification and Renewal, the Ancient Chinese called this the Budding Moon and this Leo full moon is welcome indeed for a surge of energy and hope. The Obijwe Bear Moon and the Tlingit Black Bear Moon marks when the bear cubs are born and so new life, even as the Cherokee Hunger Moon acknowledges the scarcity of food and the need to share and nurture the vulnerable.
The evening before full moon marks the beginning of the early Celtic Spring Imbolc when in the Northern hemisphere the Maiden Goddess Brighid melted the winter snows with her willow wand. In the Southern hemisphere it is Lughnassadh the first harvest when the Grain and Solar God Llew transferred the remaining warmth of the sun to the Earth Goddess Eriu and willingly offered his life for the harvest so it would grow.
The Leo full moon says hold in there. Though much of the USA is blanketed in snow right now as are other parts of many lands in the Northern Hemisphere, warmer, brighter lighter times, emotionally if not physically in your hemisphere, are coming. Candlemas is on February 2, the festival of light and Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, which promises if the groundhog emerges and cannot see his shadow, spring will come early.
Verchiel, the golden joy bringer angel who is surrounded by sunbeams, is the angel of this full moon and he offers us the power and courage to move things forward in a dramatic and joyous way, so we can strive for what constitutes for us happiness, success and most importantly fulfilment.
In the ancient Norse world, the fusion of fire and ice brought creation into being. This is the moon for setting out your market stall of talents, and reciprocal gifts to the world creative, spiritual, relationship and career wise and generating your own sun to shine bright. In both Northern and Southern hemispheres alike, this moon and Leonine sun power, combine to melt emotional coldness and fears of pressing forward in uncertain times.
For the fusion of the Snow moon with Leo’s brilliance, offers the incentive and energy for reaching out dynamically, harnessing this brief window of light and cosmic warmth. A good time for a job interview or promotion, a chance to shine in the workplace and overcome any challenges to your authority or identity.
You can reduce too the negative effects of critical or emotionally draining people with the radiance of this Leo moon as the dual power flares greater than the separate energies. It may not yet be time for those bear cubs to explore the spring sunshine but day by day like your hopes for the future, they are growing stronger. Above all time for using those dual powers to overcome obstacles, stubborn people and those who refuse to let love and compassion warm their hearts.
- Set a bowl containing a few ice cubes in the centre of a circle of alternate gold candles or tea lights. (for Leo)and silver(for the full moon ) Use white for both if you cannot obtain gold and silver).
- Have six candles of each colour in the circle around the ice cubes in a warm room.
- Light first a silver candle saying Power of the Moon then a gold one saying, Power of the Sun continuing round the circle lighting and naming them until all twelve are lit.
- Then move your writing hand clockwise and the other counterclockwise in circles with your palms flat and facing down around the outside of the candle circle slowly, saying, May coldness melt, may anger cool and new life, joy and healing flow.
- Name an issue that concerns you most for the days ahead, clap your hands once high over the circle and say Let joy and peace prevail.
- Leave the ice to melt and the candles to burn use the time for making an effort to resolve the issue or to boost your confidence.
- When the ice is melted, pour the water outdoors if it will not freeze on the ground or under a running tap, saying, Flow and grow, it shall be so
May your Snow moon be the beginning of new happy times.