Snow Moon (a.k.a. Quickening Moon) Dreamboard. Made Feb. 18-19, 2011. (Click to enlarge.)
Yesterday was the full moon, known as the Snow Moon and also as the Quickening Moon. I started laying mine out, with intentions of finishing it and posting yesterday with everyone else in the dreamboarding circle (hosted by Jamie Ridler at her online home, Jamie Ridler Studios). But, it just wasn’t ready.
I always get a particular feeling when I know my dreamboard is ready, and the way it was laid out last night, it wasn’t. I was unsure about some of the images, and of the placement, so I decided to sleep on it and finished it this afternoon.
About the Snow Moon, Jamie says:
“It’s such a perfect time to connect to the tenderest of dreams, those that have been hiding underneath the mounds of winter’s snow.
“This month, may your dreamboard reveal the hopes and imaginings that lie deep within your heart.”
Lovely and true sentiments. However, we have had a rough winter here this time around, and I’m so sick of snow I could scream. Thankfully, it seems spring has come early (nearly sending me into a full-blown Hallelujah Chorus). This is why I prefer to call this moon the Quickening Moon.
In the piece I found on the Quickening Moon, it said:
“This is a month when new life is beginning, but still lies dormant. Pregnant animals, due in the spring, begin to feel the quickening of their unborn young. The earth itself is quickening, as seeds and bulbs far beneath the soil begin their journey towards the light. We know these things are coming — and we know also that this is a good month to make plans for the future. We can dream and hope, and set goals for ourselves. Accept responsibility for mistakes you’ve made in the past, and move on.” – Patti Wigington, About.com: Paganism/Wicca
This nails what I’m feeling these days, the quickening, the sprouting of roots, the speeding out of Winter and toward Spring.
In making my dreamboard, I chose my images intuitively. That’s why it took longer to finish, why I let it lie, blocked out but not glued down, overnight and reworked sections today. Some I had in last night were there because they worked with the color scheme or for logical reasons, but that just didn’t feel right. I think with this one, yes, there is a lot that’s evident from the surface, but there’s a lot that lies under the surface, too, in symbol.
For instance, now that it’s all put together, I’ve looked up what the animals symbolize. Butterflies are a symbol of transformation (duh), hummingbirds symbolize joy (among other things), woodpeckers symbolize awakening, and pelicans (the white bird with its beak in the water) symbolize charity, redemption, and open-heartedness, depending on the culture. All four elements–earth, air, water, and fire–are represented, but air and water most prominently, suggesting I’ll be dealing a lot with intellect and consciousness (air), and emotion and the subconscious (water).
On the surface, I see nature, “smooth sailing,” direction, magic, spirit, and whimsy. I love the open window, with its curtains blowing in the breeze. In addition to the animal symbols, I notice right away the girl floating above her bed toward her window (whimsy), the reflecting pond in the center at the top (magic), that there are water people emerging from the lake in picture with the little boy and his Dad (magic!), and the compass in the center (direction). I’m sure I’ll notice more as the month goes along, but these are my first impressions.
Looks like it’s going to be a good month ahead!
What are your hopes and dreams for the coming month, dear reader? Whatever they are, I hope they come to you.
