Blood Moon or Hunter's Moon This Weekend

The full moon coming this weekend is known as the Blood Moon or Hunter's Moon. It gets that name from the fact that this is the time of the year when our ancestors would hunt and cull their herds and butcher meat to carry them through the winter. To this day, this time of year still brings the hunting season.

By this time of year, people would also have chopped enough firewood for the winter months in addition to having gathered and dried herbs, and set aside staple foods from the harvests.

In the month of the Blood Moon also comes the holidays where we say farewell to our family and friends who crossed the veil into the next realm this year. It was also a somber time for our ancestors who faced the reality that those who were ill or elderly might not make it through another dark, cold winter.

So it is appropriate to give some thought to these things this weekend in our personal rituals. Have we done the hard work to prepare us for what is next? The holidays on which we say farewell to our dead comes at the end of the month with Halloween, Samhain, and Day of the Dead. Who are the people we need to acknowledge? We can gather our thoughts about them now. Have we put some extra food and candles in our pantries and have some batteries to power some of our devices just in case a winter storm interrupts our normal business and our ability to get around?

Interesting how constant some of our symbology had remained for centuries. For example, ancient hunters wore skins and antlers from their successful hunts and used them as ritual tools for future successful hunts. Hunters still hold on to antlers or mount heads of their kills for trophies.

Even if you do not go out and shoot animals and butcher the meat yourself, we who are meat eaters, can give thanks for those who do. What are you hunting for in your life? A job? A change of career? A relationship? Improved health? More knowledge? New place to live? New friends? More love? New adventures?

Everyone is hunting for something. Use this full moon to align your purposes with the ancient cycles and energies of nature. May you have a successful hunt!