I’m a selenophile.
I am obsessed with the moon in all of its glorious phases.
I’ve always been drawn to the moon. I remember thinking it was perplexing that the full moon would “follow” me as a child. Wherever my mom would drive me around, I’d always be in awe that the moon chose ME to follow. (Joke was on me.)
I recall learning about the tides of the ocean and how the moon directly affects them. Tidal forces. And I’ll mention our menstrual cycles being the same as a lunar cycle. I mean, come on. That’s cool.
This moon really has a huge impact on our lives!
My infatuation with the moon really got going after I had my second son and experienced some debilitating maternal mental health issues.
I looked for everything under the sun that would explain why I was struggling with my mental health. I had been on medication for my depression after I had Eli three years before, but I thought I was tough enough to push through the second postpartum experience.
Although I needed more support than I originally expected (thank heavens for medication and therapy), I did dive deep into the moon and its phases – what they mean and how they affect me. And I still, to this day, follow the moon calendar religiously.
That being said, I am no expert. Just a mama who loves the idea that I’m connected to something bigger than myself. That something in nature directly affects my mental states. And that people have been practicing these beliefs and rituals for a long, long time (even naming all of the full moons throughout the year).
Really brings me home.
I’ll enlighten you on the two most important phases and what they mean for us.
The two most important phases of the moon
First off, the New Moon. I love a new moon. It’s invisible (literally no moon in the sky to be seen), but oh so powerful. The start of a new lunar cycle. It’s all about new beginnings, starting something fresh, setting new goals. The energy is low, so I always take note to rest and think before making big decisions. The new moon just feels good.
Exactly 14.81 days later, the Full Moon appears. And if the sky is clear of clouds and storms, you can’t miss it. That baby is big and beautiful. Shining in the sky, lighting up the darkness. The full moon is a time for reflection and celebration of life, bringing our intentions to a peak, and then finally releasing energy.
I’m sure you’ve heard someone mention that the full moon brings out the wild side of people. And that is so true – the energy that goes along with a full moon is strong! The full moon can bring out extreme emotions, either high or low.
The Hunter’s Moon.
October’s full moon is the Hunter’s Moon. Traditionally, this moon follows the Harvest Moon on the Autumnal Equinox. I’ll leave the details about this for you to research if you’re interested.
What I want to highlight is that this Hunter’s Moon was once believed to represent gathering and preparing for the winter. Reflecting on the summer months and looking forward.
Why does this moon mean so much to me?
I’m a wreck during the holidays.
The pressure of being the perfect holiday mom and making all the cookies, buying all the presents, sipping on all of the pumpkin spice lattes and peppermint mochas. It’s sometimes too much for me.
I’m a summer girl. Laid back, no pressure to perform at the highest mom level possible.
So for me, this moon reminds me that the next few months for me may be hard. I might feel a ton of pressure to make that pumpkin pie or buy that $100 lego set for Christmas.
But with this particular full moon, I’m going to try to let go of those pressures. I’m going to set some intentions for this holiday season that I can stick to.
Making memories that mean something to my family over Halloween.
Slowing down and appreciating our health and happiness for Thanksgiving.
And giving what we can to those we love for Christmas.
I’m going to bring some of that summertime ease into this holiday season. Thanks, Hunter’s Moon.
