The Frost Moon
Bysios Full Moon
The Frost Moon is a more solemn celebration compared to its predecessor, The Wolf Moon. Often the last full moon of the Winter season, The Frost Moon is a time for contemplation and reflection. On this day we can cherish the last pieces of Cheimónas (Winter) - though the Winter months are often cold and harsh, there is still beauty to be found in the long nights and quiet cold. The Frost Moon is a great time for solitary ritual and meditation, a chance to mentally prepare for the forthcoming spring, and all the change that will come with it.
Creating plans and goals for the upcoming year is auspicious, as is meditation and journaling.
symbols & Decore
hair binding / veiling
Recommended
Jewelry / Adornments
Not Recommended
foods of significance
Warm Beverages Such as Hot Chocolate or Herbal Teas
Dishes That Utilize White or Jasmine Rice
Simple Sweets Such as Butter Cookies
colors of significance
Blue
Grey
Silver
White
symbols of significance
Hand Crafted Blankets and Quilts
Paper Crafts Such as Paper Stars and Paper Snowflakes
Crystal Pieces Such as Drinking Glasses and Bowls
history vs modern day
While full moons may have been celebrated in ancient times, there is little to no record of a specific festival or observance for these lunar events (unlike Noumenia, etc.)
The traditions, alignments, and recommendations for our Full Moon Festivals come from a variety of places - not all of which are Hellenic in nature. Our Full Moon Festivals are also inspired by the local flora and fauna of South Carolina (where our Temple is located) as well as from other pagan and neo-pagan Full Moon traditions.
The Frost Moon is named in reflection of the end of the Frost Season in southern coastal South Carolina, whose last frost typically takes place between Bysios 11 and Bysios 20. While frost might be viewed as damaging to plant and animal life, frost plays a key role in the natural order of temperate-deciduous forests. These kinds of forests can be found across the entirety of the eastern United States (source: NASA). The frost that occurs during these cold winter months, creates a resting period in all life - trees included. This resting period is utilized by trees to strengthen themselves, particularly in their roots and trunk, and strong winds help in the creation of thicker stems (source: Kitchen Garden).
Bysios is also the month in which we honor Diana Nemorensis, Primordial Italic Goddess of wild animals, the moon, the night, and the crossroads (among other domains). In this, The Snow Moon is a time to reflect on nature - both the current state of the natural world and the cycles therein. Nighttime rituals as well as observing the cycle of the Moon both honor Diana Nemorensis.