Happy Year of the Snake, My Fellow Wanderers

I like to begin my MoonLetters by honoring some names for the moon from both the original people who inhabited my homeland, as well as the cultures of my ancestors.

January 30th new moon:

• Moon of the Frogs (Samish)

• Goose Moon (Haida)

• Rowan Moon (Celtic Ogham)

• Snow Moon (Old English)

Igniting the Wild Spark

As the wheel of the year turns, we step into the energy of Imbolc—the Celtic festival of light, renewal, and awakening. This sacred time invites us to shake off the stillness of winter and embrace movement, warmth, and intention for the year ahead.

(For 8 easy ways to celebrate Imbolc, check out the following post below.)

These final months of winter are the hardest. Our vitamin D is low, we’re sick of the damp and our bodies crave the memory of the Sun. It’s no surprise to me that the goddesses we honor this time of year are the fierce ones. The crones, the she-wolves and the fire keepers.

Through telling their stories, we embody some of their wild power. It takes determination and ferocity to make it through the darkness. Even though Spring is just around the corner, we are metaphorically in the darkest time as it has been months since we’ve felt real warmth.

Below I’m sharing two lesser-known goddesses who I enjoy working with this season. The she-wolf and the Cailleach make an appearance in my art and on my altar. I hope they will inspire you as well, and help you nurture that little spark inside.

The Cailleach

Of all the aspect of the triple goddess, the archetype of the crone is most powerful this time of year.

I love the Scottish figure of the Cailleach, the wise and fierce winter goddess, who is said to reign over the cold months. She shapes the land with her powerful storms and icy breath. A fierce and formidable figure, she is often depicted as an old woman who carries a staff to control the weather.

According to folklore, on Imbolc, the Cailleach gathers firewood for the remainder of winter. If she intends to prolong the cold, she ensures the day is bright and clear so she can gather plenty of wood. If the day is dark and stormy, it means she is asleep, and winter will soon loosen its grip. As Brigid’s warmth emerges, the Cailleach’s power wanes, signaling the transition from the dark half of the year into the returning light.

In our house, we joke about the Calleach’s winter storms. She likes to bash you right when you think the weather is finally turning a corner. I can hear her cackle every time her icy winds shatter my plans to do something outside.

The Winter She-Wolf

Another ancient festival closely tied to this theme of renewal is Lupercalia, the Roman festival of fertility and purification, celebrated on February 15th.

In my early twenties I lived in Italy for 3 years and I fell in love with the ancient culture of that land. Lupercalia honors the ancient she-wolf (Lupus in Latin) who is said to have founded Rome. The festival predates Valentine’s Day and was a time of wild revelry, where participants would engage in rituals to cleanse and invigorate their bodies, ensuring fertility and abundance for the coming season. Priests known as Luperci would perform rites that symbolized the shedding of the old and the welcoming of the new, much like the transitions marked by Imbolc and the Cailleach’s seasonal shift. I like to imagine the ferocious she-wolf, howling together with her dear friend, the terrifying Cailleach.

All these stories remind us that the wild and unbounded is an essential part of the growth cycle. Sometimes we need to find our sharp teeth and claws in order to break out of our dormant seed pods.

What better way to honor the fire within, than through dance?

Join me for a special Temple Dance workshop on February 13th, designed to awaken your wild feminine spark. The theme for this Temple Dance is “She-Wolf” and we will be directly working with the energies of Lupercalia and the Cailleach. This is a space to reconnect with your body, celebrate sisterhood, and move in harmony with the season’s shifting energy.

This workshop is intentionally held on “Galentine’s Day” to make sure you are feeding your inner Eros first and foremost. Our relationship with our own, inner erotic energy is even more important than our the erotic energy we share with others. This workshop will help you fill your own cup and while accessing your sensual and playful side.

📅 Date: February 13, 2025

📍 Location: Hannah Barn, Pt. Robinson Road, Vashon Island

💃 Temple Dance is a guided somatic experience where women are encouraged to to explore a range of dance movements such as shaking, body rolls, twerking, and slow stretching. All women are welcome. No experience needed—just bring your radiant self!

Let’s honor the wisdom of the Cailleach, embrace the fire of Imbolc, and dance into this season of transformation together. Please email me directly for more information or to join us for the Lupercalia Temple Dance on February 13th.

With love and wild energy,

Gabrielle

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