Every name has a meaning. Many names are linked to ancient rites and religions and this is the case for the name of February.

I began last month's post in exactly the same way. Then I thought I was embarking on a monthly series about interesting goddess and gods beginning with the deities after which the month of January was named. It made me wonder, could each month have a secret meaning? So far the answer is yes and I think you will be quite surprised at the meanings behind this month.

Where January has roots in the names of two Roman gods, the name February has more to do with actions often take place during this transitional time.

By February 1st we are halfway between the December Solstice and the March Equinox, in Europe this meant that the intensity of winter was mostly behind us and the first signs of spring emerging, well, mostly...

The Month of Purification

The dangers of winter were far from gone however. Cold blasts of wind and humidity could cause all kinds of disease and the shortage of food just before the ground could be worked was (and still is) a problem for many agrarian people during this time of the year. Little could be done except ritual ....

Maybe for this reason more than any February 1st was celebrated as Brigid's day and still is within the modern Pagan community as the cross quarter day Imbolc. Brigid, the Celtic goddess later synchronized as the Catholic St. Brigid, holds dominions over health, protection, crafts, and animals. Protection from illness, protection of the livestock and pets were likely to be very helpful during this time.

Beyond honoring the goddess of healing and domestic protection during the first days of the months, it is said that all throughout the month of February occurred little practices of purification.

The name February originates from "Februare" which is the Latin word meaning "to purify" as well as "Februa" meaning "purification, expiatory rites". Rigorous cleaning of the home which the soap and water was of course a main course of action but so was ritual burning of purifying smoke which is what "expiatory rites" refers to.

Cleansing the home of smoke was and still is a way of clearing the house of stagnant energy as well as potentially malignant spirits. Burning of incenses is even common in Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches and is a very practical way to incorporate another layer of cleansing into this month of purification.

Why Mythology of the Months?

I feel a deep connection with the mythology of Pagan people from all over the world but, especially from Europe as that is where my ancestors hailed from. And as an English and Spanish speaker the origins of words in both languages and the possibly mythological roots associated with common words seems relevant to me. These are the reasons for this dive into the mythology of the months and the (mostly) European deities associated with each month. And this is all to explain that here ends the part of the article based in historical fact and entomology and proceeds with my personal speculation as well as elements from my own spiritual practice.

Currently, I live in South America in the Southern Hemisphere of this beautiful planet. February is summer with hints of fall here and there. And in much of the continent Febrero is the height of rainy season when humidity is a factor in causing respiratory and other illness.

Rituals for a February Cleanse

Whether it is summer or winter in your lands there are several ways to live with the timings of myth and add a little bit of ritual to your month.

• creating or burning smoke bundles ; now I am not talking about white sage which is an endangered and over harvested plant. There are literally hundreds of herbs that are great for burning.

Here I have a bundle of lavender and rose that is dried and ready to be burned over a fire safe container like glass or ceramic. Other herbs that are great for such a thing are pine needles, rosemary, thyme, garden sage, and mugwort. These are just a few options of herbs I often use and there are many more, just be sure to research any new herb before using as there are a couple that have semi-toxic smoke.

• making incense cones or disks : this is a very popular activity on social media these days! I have tried making incense cones but ultimately decided that burning these disks over charcoal bricks is the way to go. In this case I used maca powder, aromatic wood shavings, as well as powdered cinnamon and mugwort and made little disks that dried for about a week before burning them for the purposes of cleansing the home.

You can also simply buy incense sticks which tend to smell much better than homemade ones and work in pretty much the same way.

• herbal floor washes ; you could wash the floor with soap and water, OR you could add a bit of herbal enchantment by adding tea to the wash. I like to use rosemary and yarrow tea in my floor washes as both have protective attributes metaphysically and also are anti-microbial on a physical level.

February is well underway. After a few days celebrating Brigid, making candles, and petitioning her for some extra healing powers when my partner was in need of some help now I have transitioned to doing some deep cleaning practices in my home.

For the mos part these are mundane; sweeping, mopping, tidying up. But, whenever possible I like to add some mysticism and magic to the day to day.

Don't we all?

Happy month of purification to everyone!