On this first full moon since the Autumn Equinox, we meet the Hunter Moon. Also called the Travel Moon, Dying Grass Moon, Winter Nights Moon, Blood Moon, or similarly, Sanguine Moon, traditionally October's Moon speaks to the raw, ruddiness of the season and ancestral food cycles.

At Midharvest, when the garden grows crispy, the moon brighter, and spooky stories return at long last, our plant ally – the pumpkin – appears in droves.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention gourds, squashes, and even turnips – all vessel-like fruits and roots that according to folklore, can be hollowed out to store light, wisdom, and a bit of magick.

Since this full moon sits closest to the Fall Equinox, it's called the Harvest Moon. If that were true about October's (which does happen, just not as often), then September's moon would be known as the Corn or Barley Moon.

Perhaps we can also think of it as Persephone's Moon.

When the Autumnal Equinox arrives (Sept. 21st/22nd in the Northern Hemisphere and March 20th/21st in the Southern), Mother Nature parts the veil and we step into the dark half of the year. Unlike the Spring Equinox when we expand, stretch, and reach for the light, right now, we have our eyes on the shadows.

In ancient Rome, August's full moon was dedicated to Diana. Like her Greek counterpart Artemis, Diana is a huntress. A moon goddess through and through, Diana is sometimes called the Queen of Witches. She knows of cycles, wild medicine, and the push and pull of earthbound living.

Among spiritual communities, a stag’s antlers are associated with the Tree of Life and psychic projection. Also regeneration, and likewise, resurrection. Peaceful yet protective, the stag acts as a mediator between the spirit world and earth. While the stag embodies strength and independence (traditionally viewed as masculine characteristics), some goddesses and shapeshifters take this form when communicating with followers and conversely, distracting adversaries.

June's moon is called the Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Honey Moon, and Mead Moon. This year, it's a supermoon (the second of 2022) and a welcome reminder that all things ripen in their own time. Just like the berries in the garden, the flowers on the vine, and yes, even you. Especially you.

Nicknamed the Flower Moon, Planting Moon, Budding Moon, and Egg Laying Moon, traditionally, May is dedicated to blossoming plants and the humans who care for them.

In 2022, the Full Flower Moon coincides with a total lunar eclipse. It’s also a supermoon.