February Full Moon

Earlier I wrote about February being the month of uncertainty. If there is one thing you can be certain about this particular February is the cold factor!! It has been cold and there hasn’t been a lot of sunny days!

Another certainty is that there will be a Full Moon … it may not be visible in the sky … but there will definitely be a Full Moon! February’s Full Moon, like most Full Moons, have a number of different names associated with it. The Cherokee refer to it as the Bony Full Moon, while the Choctaw call it the Little Famine Moon. Both of these names hint at the village’s dwindling food supplies. It is also commonly referred to as the Full Snow Moon, when the winter skies often open up and produce their heaviest snow falls. It is the month often considered to be one of transition … once this month is over we begin to look forward to warmer weather, sunnier days, and the opportunity to get outside for longer periods of time!

This year’s February Full Moon also comes with 2 retrogrades … Mercury and Saturn. On Monday, February 18th, we entered into Saturn’s retrograde period, which will last until July 8th. On Saturday, February 23rd, Mercury begins its turn into retrograde and goes stationary direct on Sunday, March 17th. So, what does all of this mean?

Saturn’s retrograde brings with it a time of review … a time to review personal boundaries, goals and obligations. A Mercury retrograde brings into effect Murphy’s law … “Whatever can go wrong, will!” Communication, transportation, mechanical equipment, and projects seem to experience glitches or failures during this time. The effects of Mercury’s retrograde can often be felt days or even a couple of weeks prior to its actual emergence, and can linger for any number of days after it has gone direct. All of this adding to February’s theme of uncertainty.

So many people are feeling the sense of being ‘lost’ … not knowing what they can do to extract themselves from a place of doubt, worry and concern. Too many people are talking about their need to change their everyday lives … doubting that they can make a difference, worried about their future and the future of their loved ones, and concerned about their choices and decisions, and the effects those have in the short and long term. Too often we get bogged down with the negativity that pervades our space, our thoughts, our minds, our airwaves, our hope. We forget we have options … choices we can make to change how we see, live and feel life. We sometimes confuse what really matters to us with what others tell us should matter. And sometimes we simply find ourselves going along with the masses because it seems easier than finding our own way to peace of mind, truth and contentment.

Take the time this Full Snow Moon to quiet your mind. Set aside all of the chatter in your head and begin a slow review of your own personal goals. Are these goals about material gains, or are they about emotional and spiritual growth? What boundaries have you established for yourself? Are they open to new experiences, ideas, people and concepts? Are they rigid and restrictive, preventing you from experiencing the multi-facets of life? Or, do they not exist at all? When things don’t work out quite the way you planned, do you give up or make a few modifications and try again? Recognize that all  of the world is experiencing the same shifts and changes you are … their experience is just a little different from yours!