A Hunter’s Moon

On October 13th there will be a full moon. October’s full moon, according to the Farmers’ Almanac and Native American culture, is a Hunter’s Moon. It was named thus because it shed the light necessary for nocturnal hunting, adding to the winter’s supply of salted and dried meat. Very practical.

I, however, think of October’s full moon as something a bit more mystical. October moons silhouette pointy-hatted witches on broomsticks, or bats vacating the belfry, or at the very least a great-horned owl perched upon the naked branch of a gnarled oak tree. October moons exist to accentuate All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween, and light the way for hopeful trick-or-treaters. They’re mysterious and spooky.

The moon, in general, has a mystical, mythical, and magical pull on us humans, oft times causing our emotions to ebb and flow like the tide of the ocean. Wolves howl at the moon and sometimes, so do men. The words lunatic and lunacy derive from the Latin lunaticus which means “of the moon” or “moonstruck.” Women’s monthly cycles are connected to the moon by both science and lore. We love by the light of the silvery moon. If you remember, George Bailey was going to lasso the moon for Mary in It’s a Wonderful Life.

Did you know that each month’s full moon has a name? January-Wolf Moon, February-Snow Moon, March-Worm Moon, April-Pink Moon, May-Flower Moon, June-Strawberry Moon, July-Buck Moon, August-Sturgeon Moon, September-Harvest Moon, October-Hunter’s Moon, November-Beaver Moon and finally, December-Cold Moon.

The fact that Native Americans took the time to name each full moon of the year substantiates the human fascination with this luminous curiosity in the sky. I don’t know about you, but I get restless, a little forgetful, feel loosey-goosey, and just plain odd when the moon is high, and bright, and awesome. Sleep is elusive. Something primal in me awakes.

When I was a kid, my grandfather told me that the moon was made out of cheese, and in 1969 he didn’t believe astronauts had landed there. It was all a government hoax, according to him. Perhaps he was afraid his cheese theory was going to be debunked. My mom often referred to the old man in the moon, and a first lover pointed out President John F. Kennedy’s profile among the nooks and crannies of the moon’s craters. But it was my grandmother, who provided the moon metaphor that I most favor. She had a sweet tooth, and she told me that the full moon looked just like a Necco Candy Wafer floating in the night sky.

The moon captures our fancy and our imaginations. From childhood tales (Goodnight Moon and the cow jumped over it) to teens’ restless haikus to the romantic poets, it has been exalted. We are like crows when it comes the moon, captivated by its shiny allure. I think we should coin a new word—moonful, meaning there is a delightful yearning in us, a wonder, a suspicion that there is something fascinating out there that we do not completely comprehend.

This October 13th, I hope you take the time to peer up into the night sky. Face that Hunter’s Moon full on and go on a prowl within your heart. Search for what is sacred to you, priceless, inspiring, and what graces your life. Bathe in the lush light of the moon and become blissfully moonful.