Now that we’ve welcomed spring and started setting our intentions during the feast of Imbolc, it’s now time to further work on these topics with the full moon of February, also known as the Snow Moon. In 2025, this full moon can be seen by the evening of February 12th.

A moon, by any other name, would shine as bright…

The names of the full moon of February that you might be most familiar with are said to be rooted in Native American folklore and traditions. For example, Snow Moon, refers to the fact that the heaviest snow (but potentially also the last snow) is said to fall around this period, and Hunger Moon, refers to the fact that food was scarce due to limited hunting possibilities. Other names include Storm Moon, Ice Moon and Quickening moon. In Dutch, this full moon is sometimes referred to as the “dooimaan”, which translates as “thaw moon”.

When the moon rides at Her peak, then your heart’s desire seek.

Wiccan Rede

Meaning and associations

Like Imbolc, the Snow Moon reminds us of the awakening of mother earth. Seeds are growing in the soil, the first flowers appear, and hibernating animals slowly but steadily come out of hiding.

Like everything in nature, humans are full of this potential for renewal in this period as well. Full moons are always considered to be the peak of moon power, making them the ideal time to harvest the results of plans sown during new moons. However, as this month’s theme is strongly linked to intentions too, the Snow Moon is the ideal moon of the year to work on future plans. Many among us create New Year’s resolutions, while others have put their intentions for the upcoming spring in the protecting hands of the Goddess. The Snow Moon brings around a time to reflect upon those intentions: Which of our plans are feasible? To which ones should we give the most energy and attention? This is the time to move forward towards your heart’s desire, but we should be clever about it as well and not get distracted or waste energy on ideas that will not come to fruition.

This idea of letting go of those ideas and plans (or putting them on the back-burner anyway), is also mirrored in the moon cycle. After all, as of the day after the full moon, the moon will appear smaller again each day, as if she too is cleansing away everything that no longer serves her.

Celebrating the Esbat

While celebrating/honouring the different phases of the moon cycle or conducting rituals during the full moon are concepts that are present in many different religions, Wiccans tend to refer to it as “Esbats“. These are solitary or coven practices that often coincide with a full moon or a new moon, but which are not held during one of the 8 sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. Being an Eclectic Paganist myself, I too use this name to refer to my full moon rituals. Personally, I prefer to attend drum circles on the night of the full moon and sing and make music together, but there are many other rituals that are ideal on full moons like making moon water, taking a moon bath, writing your dreams down in a dream journal, and making protection charms.

Given the theme of this specific full moon, the following rituals are particularly well-suited:

• Ritual baths: a way to wash away anything that doesn’t serve you anymore and a time to reflect on your intentions for the upcoming period. You can use moon water, essential oils, and quartz to support your magical powers. Take your time to clear your mind, relax, and focus on what you want to come to pass. Then, with intention, wash everything off of you that you do not want to take with you in the future. Pro tip: light some candles and play some music to make this a well-deserved witchy me-time moment.
• Yelling your plans into the storm: weather in February tends to be quite unstable, so storms are to be expected. One ritual suggested by Lunadea (see biography) is to go outside during a storm, and yell your plans, hopes and wishes at the top of your voice into the storm’s wind.
• Divination: difficulty deciding which plans to focus on? Divination might be your friend. Full moons are ideal for divination via, for example, tarot cards or runes. Combined with the specific February energy relating to new beginnings and plans, this is a very strong moment to glance into the future and see which plans will come to fruition given the right energy, attention, and motivation, and which ones are best left alone or put on hold.
• Cleansing and charging your witchy attributes and crystals: the light of a full moon can not only remove any negativity or heaviness from items (or persons, for that matter), it can also charge them with renewed energy. As the theme of this full moon is cleansing and renewing, no better moon to do so than this one!
• Telling your wishes to a Rowan tree: various religions and traditions consider Rowan trees to be powerful magical plants linked to protection and blossoming of life. In the Celtic tree calendar, Rowan is associated with the month of February. Therefore, the Snow Moon is an ideal moment to include Rowan in your magical practice. For example, Lunadea suggests to tell your wishes and dreams to a Rowan tree and to hang a white ribbon in its branches for each of them.

Rowan is a tree of power, causing life and magick to flower.

Wiccan Rede

Blessed be, my dear!

Bibliography

• BOLAND – Moonology (Goodreads)
• KANE – Magie van de maan | Moon Magic (Goodreads)
• LUNADEA – De 13 volle manen (Goodreads)
• SQUIRE – De magie van Moeder Aarde | The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Earth Magick (Goodreads)
• SQUIRE – De magie van Moeder Natuur | The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Natural Magick (Goodreads)
• TSCHIRCH – De magische energie van natuurrituelen | Rituale für die Seele (Goodreads)