The Hunter Moon: A Mythical Lens
On October 28th, the 11th Full Moon of the year, the Hunter Moon, rides across our night sky.
In the old world (and in parts of our modern world), humans collected, stored, and preserved food beneath the Hunter Moon. While Mother Earth was busy shedding her summer skin and preparing for her winter slumber, humans labored harder than ever.
During the Full Hunter Moon, gardeners would take to their fields where the wheat was already wilted and browned, but root vegetables flourished. Pumpkins and gourds of every color would creep and climb toward the light, eventually claiming a sunny perch to enjoy the sun's weakening rays.
During the Full Hunter Moon, hunters would take to the woods where animals and spirits mingled freely. This year, if you're feeling adventurous, ask the Hunter to take you along for a ride. Perhaps he'll share a few tales of Cernunnos, Herne the Hunter, the Oak King, or the demise of the Horned God…
According to Wheel of the Year lore, the God takes his first breath at the Winter Solstice. He matures, marries the Goddess in spring, and, like the sun, grows stronger and more radiant as Midsummer nears. At the Summer Solstice, the God's life force begins to wane. The earth blooms, but with each harvest, the God grows older and weaker. When the Fall Equinox arrives, he passes the Wheel of the Year to his beloved, the Moon, and at Samhain, when shadow season returns, the Dying God takes his final breath. He passes through the veil knowing that, come Midwinter, he'll return.
From a mythical lens, the Hunter suggests we support our communities, take no more than we need, and respect all that we carry. The Hunter represents death; on the earthly plane, he's the compost from which new life arises. In her book, The Spiral Dance, Starhawk suggests that the Hunter is just one of the many masks worn by the Dying God:
“The Dying God puts on horns and becomes the Hunter, who metes out death as well as suffering it. Few of us today directly participate in life processes; we no longer raise or hunt our own meat, but get it plastic-wrapped at the supermarket. It is difficult for us to understand the concept of the Divine Hunter. But in a culture of hunters, the hunt meant life, and the hunter was the life-giver of the tribe. People identified with their food animals; hunting involved tremendous skill and knowledge of the habits and psychology of the prey. Animals were never killed needlessly, and no parts of the kill were wasted. Life was never taken without recognition and reverence for the spirit of the prey.”
We might also consider one of the Hunter's other guises, like that of the student or seeker:
“…the Hunter has another aspect: that of searching, of seeking. He embodies all quests, whether physical, spiritual, artistic, scientific, or social. His image is poemagogic: It both symbolizes and sparks the creative process, which is itself a Quest. The God seeks for the Goddess, as King Arthur seeks for the Grail, as each of us seeks for that which we have lost and for all that has never yet been found.”
For modern Witches and Pagans, the Hunter Moon is an opportunity to work with the spirit of the Hunter or Huntress, invite our shadows in for tea, and discuss which projects need finishing before winter takes root.
And for us at Little Witch Books and Pointy Hat Press, a full moon always encourages a bit of self-reflection. Right now, we're asking ourselves: How many layers of summer skin do we still need to shed? What mask(s) am I wearing right now? Shall I remove it for good – or swap it for another? Is there anything I'm carrying that would be better off donated, retired, or composted? This shadow season, what quests await my inner Hunter or Huntress?
Witches, what do you know of the Hunter and Huntress? Tell us your Full Moon plans and say hello via Instagram at @littlewitchbooks and @pointyhatpress.
P.S. Our Season of the Witch Gift Set (complete with a hardcover book, velvet logo book bag, enamel pin, and set of 3 Madam Spider gift cards) is currently on sale through the end of October!