Abinaka Kishibu Kati (Dance Full Moon)

Abinaka  Kati (Dance Moon)

The Full Moon for February is the Dance or Yaboa Moon  on February 24th.

This has no connection to the Catholic Saint Valentine or the commercial event that takes place on February 14th.

On the Islands this moon is connected to courting, attracting mates prior to the mating season of March - May (with the coming rains of the Taino New Year marked by the heliacal rising of the Pleiades star system).

The Image above depicts two Yaboa (Yellow Crowned Night Herons) engulfed in a courting display.

Courting Yellow-crowned Night-Herons perform display flights, along with a neck-stretching display: the male slowly raises and then quickly retracts his head while fanning his long shoulder plumes. The female will sometimes reciprocate. They form socially monogamous pairs, and some maintain their bonds from year to year.

Among Taino totems the Caiman (Crocodile) also starts the courting ritual during late January into February.

Courtship takes place in January and February, when males attract females to mate. Courting can last as long as two months. During mating season American crocodiles display territoriality by males engaging each other in competition for access to females. Males roar loudly, raising their heads and opening their mouths, displaying their impressive teeth as part of the mechanism to attract mates. Females respond to male roars with roars of their own.Courtship takes place in January and February, when males attract females to mate. Courting can last as long as two months. During mating season American crocodiles display territoriality by males engaging each other in competition for access to females. Males roar loudly, raising their heads and opening their mouths, displaying their impressive teeth as part of the mechanism to attract mates. Females respond to male roars with roars of their own.

Courtship takes place in January and February, when males attract females to mate. Courting can last as long as two months. During mating season American crocodiles display territoriality by males engaging each other in competition for access to females. Males roar loudly, raising their heads and opening their mouths, displaying their impressive teeth as part of the mechanism to attract mates. Females respond to male roars with roars of their own.

Courtship takes place in January and February, when males attract females to mate. Courting can last as long as two months. During mating season American crocodiles display territoriality by males engaging each other in competition for access to females. The mating dance involves almost all the senses. Males begin by bellowing above water, while producing low-frequency infrasound, which humans cannot hear. "You can feel the vibrations traveling through the water and you can even see pressure waves," Britton told LiveScience.

Males may also slap their snouts on the water, blow water from their noses or perform certain arched postures. At closer ranges, they may release an oily musk, which floats on the surface of the water, to further entice the female. Though the male is leading the dance, the female is participating with her own set of auditory, visual and olfactory signals during this time. The pair is in constant communication, Britton said
excerpts from interview with Australian Croc specialist at https://www.livescience.com/28145-animal-sex-crocodiles.html

Spiritual Significance

For our Ancestors the records show that for courting There would be exchange of symbolic items  to signify interest in marriage and also to demonstrate that they are equipped to take care of each other .

Like the plants and animals that are preparing for the coming bounty from the rainy season we too spiritually must court and dance in thought, action and deed to attract the experiences we seek.

All forms of Dance hold aesthetic and symbolic value, they are expression of soul and as we have learned from our animal relatives are able to convey the message that we are ready, we are worthy and we are committed to live our life purpose.

MEDITATION
This Full Moon is a time of expression, a time of commitment a time of attracting what we seek.
I encourage practicing a simple ceremony below to help connect with this moment:

1. Create Sacred Space - Call on your ancestors, your guides, the ways your ancestors would have. Ask them to help focus your mind and heart to the task at hand, so you may be prepared to show yourself worthy for all that you seek, to attract the energy necessary to manifest your desire with the coming seasons of abundance.

2. Place your hands over your heart, right hand over left hand. Take 7 deep breaths and visualise with each inhale energy from Atabey (Mother Earth) going into your heart and with each exhale leaving from your being out through your feet to be grounded into the earth.

3. With your eyes close while standing or sitting on a chair, start stomping your left foot, activating the left side of your body which is connected to the right hemisphere of your brain (deals with creativity). 

4. As you stomp visualise your spiritual guides around you and with each step hands still on heart see them stepping around you in a clockwise circle.  Allow your stomps to get stronger and in your heart ask them what can you do to strengthen your connection with them.

5.When you feel in your heart it is time to give them thanks for their guidance and the energy given to you. Note the guidance they give may simply be telling you some other physical movement to ad  to your dance.

energy is present 2 days before and 2 days after the Full moon so you have time to practice.