Eyes to the skies: October Full Moon

Here's what you need to know

Hello!

A very warm October greeting to all my Seasonal Retreat members.

Did anyone else see the Northern Lights last night? They were so beautiful. I still can’t believe we get to see them in the UK. I don’t ever remember seeing them when I was growing up, then all of a sudden this year they seem to be everywhere. I don’t really understand it but I’m not complaining at all, it’s pure magic.

Anyway, I wanted to write to you today to let you know about another celestial event; October’s Full Moon which falls next week on the 17th October (give or take, depending on your time zone which you can check here.)

Consider this your gentle reminder to try and catch it if you can. It’s the second in a run of four Supermoons, so it brings with it a super-boost of lunar energy.

Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash

What’s a Supermoon?

A Supermoon is a Full Moon that happens when the Moon is at its closest point to us, so it looks bigger and brighter than usual. A Supermoon has all the power of a Full Moon, plus a little extra.

Supermoons are thought to cause higher than usual tides, (sometimes called Supermoon tides) and it follows that they are also likely to have a powerful effect on our own bodies and energy levels too.

What’s so special about the Hunter’s Moon?

In many cultures, the month of October was the month for hunting, slaughtering livestock and stocking up on meat supplies ahead of the Winter. Hence the name Hunter’s Moon, or Blood Moon which is thought to be Anglo Saxon in origin.

It’s a little gruesome, but there are some other, more poetic names for this month that don’t involve hunting animals. According to the Farmers Almanac, some of the Native American names for this moon are:

• Drying Rice Moon (Dakota)

• Falling Leaves Moon (Anishinaabe)

• Freezing Moon (Ojibwe)

• Ice Moon (Haida)

• Migrating Moon (Cree)

All of which combine to read like a beautiful October poem!

Interestingly, the Anglo Saxon name for the month of October was Winterfylleth, which means "winter" and "full moon". This is because the Anglo Saxon year only had two seasons; Winter and Summer, and October’s Full Moon was considered the official start of Winter.

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How you can harness the Hunter’s Moon energy:

If you ignore the rather bloodthirsty name, the October Full Moon can be considered a good time to prepare for the darker half of the year.

1. Now is the moment to get things in order, to look ahead and get provisions in for the Winter. Not meat necessarily! But anything you personally need to make the Winter months a little easier and more comfortable.

2. And as with any Full Moon, now is a good time to be sociable, to make time for friends and family and to celebrate achievements and milestones while you have that little extra boost of lunar energy.

3. October is also the migrating season for many birds. This moment of departure and change can be a good reminder to let go of anything you no longer want to carry with you, and wave goodbye to any bad energy. Directly after a Full Moon is a good time to let go of things and simplify where needed. So when the Full Moon starts to wane and you see the birds migrating overhead this month, give them a few of your worries and concerns to take with them.

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And on that note, I wish you all a bright and energetic run up to the Full Moon next week.

(And if you’re in the North of the UK, look up at the skies this evening as you might get a chance to see the Northern Lights again tonight.)

Take care,
Vicky xx