Snow Moon Meditation Script & Mandala Vinyasa Flow
The Storm/Hunger Moon, or Ice/Budding Moon an Indoor Practice
"Keeping Warmth in a Bag" - Slavey Indigenous Tribe from Canada
Find a comfortable seated position.
The Snow Moon is a time to reflect on our patterns, habits, and stories we hold onto which may not serve us. We often hold onto these narratives because it creates a safe haven; a known. A snow globe.
Under the full snow moon, we are given the moonlight to see a loom, or needles and yarn, and we can weave a new blanket of safety and warmth. Wrap ourselves with a new security, and explore deeper meanings and truths in order to become better human beings.
The snow moon is a period when we can practice Pratyahara — or sense withdrawal. This is a state found in shavasana and meditation.
As you settle into your seat, imagine the snow globe is now the sphere of the snow moon and you are seated within your blanket, inside the moon, protected by a snow cave. The snow cave, like an igloo, withdraws you from light, sound, and the elements. We exist inside a security blanket, inside a snow cave inside a snow moon.
Take a moment to recognize your seat and the circle around your seat. Acknowledge the land underneath your seat. Your relationship with the land. Your history and the history of those built up before you. At this moment, you are captured in your moon. Time is both stationary and exploratory. Feel for a moment suspended in the Snow Moon.
Notice any warmth, or coolness on your skin. The elements around your skin. Now, from the top of your moon imagine a warm light above your head. From the crown chakra imagine an indigo aura which begins to melt the snow. Honor the melting, as water is necessary for life.
This is your thaw. Away from those things which do not serve you. The spring melt can break away bad habits and harmful patterns. Thaw away your negative narratives and nourish new pathways. Begin the change you wish to see in the world.
Place your palms in a lotus flower, a receptive cup in front of your heart. Scoop your hands in front of you as if scooping white, powdery snow. Hold the snow against your heart. Speak silently to your cup of snow. Thanking it for its ability to transform and nourish. Raise your hands above your head, let the contents of your cup stream down your arms, as rivulets of light. Warming you from head to earth. Wiggle your fingers and bring your hands to your sides.
Alternate nostril breathing. Nodi Shadhana
Full Moon Vinyasa Variation
Rise to table.
Cat & Cow warm up ending in down dog
right leg 3-legged down dog
step wide to right foot,
step wide with left foot,
garland pose
Rag Doll
Sun Salutations with Crescent Moon (Urdhva Hatasana)
Repeat (left foot), Repeat (right foot), Repeat (left foot).
Chatarunga
Chair Pose
tadasana
Crescent Moon to the Right
Tadasana
Step back with Left Foot
Cresent lunge
WII
Triangle Pose
Five pointed Star
Goddess pose
raise hands from lotus to finger tip circle over head
Five Point Star
revolve to your right, pyramid pose (narrower foot, forward fold)
release to squatting lunge right side
Garland/Malasana
squating lunge to left side
crescent lunge
pyramid pose
W2
Triangle
cresent lunge
tadasana
cresent moon to the left
chair pose
repeat with left foot stepping back, finish at original front of mat,
repeat with right foot stepping back, finish mandala
Standing balance series
Tree
Half-Moon
Floor Series
half-pigeon
Mermaid seated twist: Bharadvajasana I
Thunderbolt pose with block, cow-face arms with strap
half bow/full bow
Restorative yoga
Shavasana
Inspired by The Slavey Indigenous Folklore: Keeping Warmth in a Bag. Adapted from: Erdoes, R., & Ortiz, A. (2018). Native American myths and legends. Pantheon Books.
Before there were people, there was a long winter. The sun remained hidden by low, black clouds. It never stopped snowing. The sky was black and the earth was white with snow and ice. After this had been going on for three years, all the animals got together for a council. They were freezing and starving. The animals agreed it was from a lack of the heat. The noticed that no bears had come to the council. No one could remember seeing any bears for all three years. At that time, the bears live to the north along a great lake. So great was the lake that it had not frozen and evergreens forested the land. On the shore stood a tent with a fire burning and two brown cubs huddled together.
“Where is your mother?” the animals asked.
“She went hunting,” answered the little bears.
Th visitors looked around and saw a number of bags hanging from poles.
“What’s in the bags?” they asked.
“Our mother keeps all the elements: rain, wind, fog, and the last bag keeps our warmth. We are to protect it at all costs with our claws and sharp teeth.”
The council of animals knew that even bear cubs were dangerous, so they convened again to decide what to do. An eagle saw on the other side of the lake laid the mother bear’s canoe. Then a fish carried the smallest mouse over to the canoe. The smallest mouse chewed nearly through the paddle handle. The animals then hid so the mother bear would not see them when she came from out of the forest.
When the mother approached her home, a caribou came out of hiding.
“Children! Quick, Quick,” the mother shouted. “Help me catch this caribou for our dinner!” The cubs came scrambling out and scurried as fast as they could after the caribou. The caribou lured them deep into the evergreen forest. Meanwhile, the other animals ran into the tent and grabbed the bag of warmth.
Then the caribou looped over to the far side of the lake and began to swim across the river inlet. The mother bear and her cubs jumped into her canoe. She began to paddle after the caribou. She paddled furiously but halfway through the rolling river her paddle snapped in half and the bears pitched into the cold water. And this is how the bears coat turned white as snow.
The caribou swam back to the tent and shook all the cold water off his coat and warmed himself by the fire. Then, with all the strength of all the animals, they took the bag of warmth and ran south to the last evergreen. They climbed onto its highest branches, and opened the bag. At once, the heat rushed out and spread in every direction, melting the snow and ice and dispersing the black clouds.
After the warmth dried up the land, new trees grew and covered themselves with leaves, and the seeds beneath the earth sprouted and bloomed into flowers, and it was summer again.
When the animals convened into a council again, the bears attended. They assured all the animals that they had learned their lesson but now tired they so easily under the hot sun. The little cubs begged, could they please capture the warmth for a little while, You can see the plants no longer produce tier fruits. They need sleep and rest as well.”
And so, the other animals agreed that the bears could capture the sun for three months out of the year.
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