Full Moons
In a few weeks, we will come across another full moon, and in my attempt to discover when the next moon comes upon us, I discovered that each of the full moons within the year has its own name and each of them has been bestowed these names for a reason of their own. But what are some of these names and why have these moons been called that?
The first moon of the year is known as the Wolf Moon. This moon is named for the howling of the wolves that occurred during the moon from the wolves in the woods. One of the suggested reasons that the wolves were howling was because the effects of the cold and the lack of food in the winter had left them hungry. There are however many reasons why wolves howl in general such as to locate each other or define territory.
The April Moon is known as the Pink Moon, named so for the pink phlox wildflowers that bloom in North America. The moon was originally named this by Native Americans. Other cultures suggest other names, such as Egg Moon, Budding Moon, and even the Awakening Moon.
The moon in October or September is known as the Hunter’s Moon as the month of October was often the time when communities would hunt for food to help them to survive through the winter. The Hunter’s Moon comes directly after the Harvest Moon, a time which is determined by its proximity to the equinox.
The moon is a constant in our world and while it cannot be seen during the day, it is always been a part of human existence, as proven by the many names and meanings attached to its existence.
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