The February Ice Moon

The temperatures have reached well below 0͒F as the winds whip across the snow kissed ground, creating tendrils of snow snakes that slither over the surfaces of road and ice. I hover as close to the wood burning stove as I can while I type this, remembering that this is indeed the month of ferocity. It is a month of jagged icicles and dangerously slick roadways. Ice abounds and winter is in full force.

It truly seems to be a month frozen in time. The signs to indicate the passing of the seasons are far and few between, as if winter refuses to lighten its grasp. The geese have not yet returned. The frogs are months away from their chorus of mating calls that echo through the forest. The ramps and trillium are still nestled tightly among their roots. The ground remains snow capped and barren, no life growing there. The trees remain frozen and leafless.

And yet, there is a stark beauty in the ferocity, the dead things and limbo of seasons. The crystal palaces that form upon the landscape after a snowstorm cocoons us into our own kingdom of wonder. The absolute silence that wafts over the forest beyond my porch after nightfall is transcendent. It seems you could almost hear the soul of the world (anima mundi) speak if you listen close enough to that sort of darkness. It is a darkness of thieves and assassins, predators and lovers.

When my Slavic ancestors first named this Luty or the Ice Moon, it was not so different. It was the harshest moon as food stores dwindled to near nothing and winter raged on outside. But just as I see the magic in this absence of life, they too saw reason for celebration. This moon cycle was heavily dedicated to Veles; a shapeshifter god of the forest, cattle, and the underworld. Some of his most common forms were of the bear (thought of as the king of the forest), a bull (to represent cattle and peasants) and a snake (as guide to the underworld).

The ancient Slavs dedicated nearly two weeks in the beginning of February to this animal god with one of their most notable celebrations being the Wolves Weddings. Volk, the word for wolf, is closely related to Veles and so he was seen as a Wolve’s Matchmaker or Wolve’s Shepherd. This was the beginning of the mating season for wolves and so it was a time for “animal weddings” in the Old Slavic world. Rituals were performed every day of the week to keep animals safe from sickness, produce healthy animal offspring and ward off evil spirits. It was a time no doubt when many animals were lost to the winter’s harsh grasp, and honoring Veles this moon cycle was a way to strengthen them for the last leg of the season.

This may also bring to mind the ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia, thought to be a distant ancestor to Valentine's Day. This celebration which also takes place under the Ice Moon was one that also hoped to ward off evil and encourage fertility. The origins of Lupercalia come from an incident in the time of mythologies when a Roman king ordered his nephews be thrown in a river to drown for breaking their vows of celibacy. Once thrown in, they became entangled in the branches of a fig tree where they were rescued by a she-wolf. This she-wolf cared for them and raised them as her own. Lupercalia is thought to be an homage to that she-wolf, hence its relation to the current Latin name for the wolf, Canis lupus.

The deeper we dive into this Ice Moon, the more we see the importance of the wolf during this moment in time. Whether because of their mating season or their ancient role in mythology, they remain an emblem of perseverance and courage which we can take to heart during the hollows of the Ice Moon.

Another word associated with Veles and wolves was volkhv, which were Slavic shamans. As Veles was a god of both earthly and underworldly aspects, so too was he associated with shamans whose power flowed between the planes of existence. This notion of having a foot in both worlds reminds us that spring is on its way, though we still have some deep winter journeying to do. Here we see again how highly our ancestors valued wolf to have them so closely related in name to their shamans.

 So even though the seasons seem to have stood still in this moment, that undeniable circadian rhythm moves on through animals and spirit as our ancestors once knew. While many of us aren’t in consistent interaction with livestock or animals of the wild, there are still ways to celebrate this month of ice.

One of my favorite things to do to embrace this frozen month is to follow the animal tracks in the snow. Leave behind the beaten trail and follow that thread that ties us to the critters and creatures, knowing that we can always follow our snowy footprints back if we wander too far. It reminds me that there is still movement, still life happening. I come across a new or interesting track every now and then that makes me see the woods differently, knowing who stalks these understories.

There are even some moments when I’m crunching along some windswept snow bank that I can feel the hair stand up on my neck, my ears perking at each sound. The feeling of something watching comes from some deep primal reservoir that has not been lost to us. The snow deafens all life below, but amplifies every sound that occurs above.

I imagine again the wolves of Veles in these moments. The grey wolf disappeared from Michigan, where I live, a century ago from hunting and poisoning. However, just a few decades ago, wolves came home. They crossed from Wisconsin back into the upper peninsula of their own accord where today there are more than 700 wandering the thick forests and lakeshores. And this time, the humans they found here were different. The indigenous Anishinabek of these lands see wolf as their brother. The settlers saw this as a second chance for reparation. Wolf is now protected by law and love. There are of course still conflicts with those that see wolf as a threat, but most are wiser and willing to fight for this magnificent apex predator.

The adaptability and resilience of the wolf is something that holds strong with me during this month of Wolf Weddings. Wolf is a wonderful animal to hold space for during the ice moon no matter where you live. Wolf talismans can be added to altars. Research your local records to see if wolves ever roamed your area. Find the closest wolf refuge. Journal about how tapping into wolf energy may benefit you. Listen to wolf songs during meditation to get a feel for this energy.

The Woodspell tonic that I love working with this season is Huntress. She is a grounding tonic to soothe gut and mind; all of the things a she-wolf needs to keep her eye on the prize (especially spring). This is a way to channel Wolf energy for the cold stretch ahead. Try drinking it with fresh pine tea for an extra boost of forest medicine.

Imagine as we journey through this season your skin growing thick with fur, your feet and hands transforming to paws with razor sharp claws, your heart fortifying itself into steadfast resolve. The cold will soon end, but until then, let this strength carry us fiercely into the snowstorm.

Michigan wolf on Isle Royale