The Whole of the Moon

The full moon holds so much magic and mystery. There are legends from every corner of the world, tapping into that primordial consciousness. According to About.com, some of these legends, myths & folklore include:

• The word lunatic comes from the Latin luna, because it was believed that people were more likely to exhibit aberrant behavior during a full moon. Although studies have been done showing that emergency room visits and accidents are increased during the full moon period, there has yet to be conclusive evidence for causation.

   

• The moon seems to have an effect on animals as well as people. A Florida expert on animal behavior reports that hamsters spin in their wheels far more aggressively during the moon's full phase. Deer and other herbivores in the wild tend to ovulate at the full moon, and in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the full moon is mating time for coral.

   

• The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, was inspired by the strange -- and yet very true -- case of Charles Hyde, a London man who committed a series of crimes at the time of the full moon.

   

• There is a British legend that if Christmas fell on the day of a dark Moon, the following year's harvest would be a bountiful one. Some parts of the British Isles believed that a waxing moon on Christmas meant a good crop the next fall, but a waning moon indicated a bad one would come.

   

• In some countries, a halo around the moon means bad weather is coming.

   

• The first time you see a crescent moon for the month, take all your spare coins out of your pocket, and put them in the other pocket. This will ensure good luck for the next month.

   

• Some people believe that the fifth day after a full moon is the perfect time to try to conceive a child.

   

• In some Chinese religions, offerings are made to the ancestors on the night of a full moon.

   

• In some Native American legends, the moon is held captive by a hostile tribe. A pair of antelope hope to rescue the moon and take it the village of a good tribe, but Coyote, the trickster, interferes. The antelope chase Coyote, who tosses the moon into a river each night, just out of reach of the antelope.

In many cultures, the full moons have names. The two cultures most commonly associated with this are the Celts 

and Native American, 

and from there it's been diluted

Month	Moon	Ritual Suggestion
January	Wolf Moon	Plan a ritual of protection around your home and family.
February	Storm Moon	Plan a ritual to ask the Old Ones for help in planning your future.
March	Chaste Moon	Plan a ritual to plant your desires.
April	Seed Moon	Plan a ritual to physically plant your seeds of desire in Mother Earth.
May	Hare Moon	Plan a ritual to reaffirm your goals.
June	Dyad Moon	Plan a ritual to balance your spiritual and physical desires.
July	Mead Moon	Plan a ritual to decide what you will do once your goals have been met.
August	Wort Moon	Plan a ritual to preserve what you already have.
September	Barley Moon	Plan a ritual of Thanksgiving for all the Old.
October	Blood Moon	Plan another ritual of Thanksgiving.
November	Snow Moon	Plan for a ritual to work on ridding yourself of negative thoughts and vibrations.
December	Oak Moon	Plan for a ritual to help you remain steadfast in your convictions

During the full moon, I focus on bringing my goals into fruition. I've had a couple of weeks to put my action plan into place. It's gut check time. Are things working? Do I need to tweak things? 

I use a kundalini practice designed by Yogi Bajan to celebrate the full moon:

Sit in an Easy Pose, with a light jalandhar bandh.

Mudra: Keep the spine straight. Let the arms extend straight and rest over the knees. Make Buddhi Mudra with both hands (touch the thumb tips to the tips of the little fingers). The other fingers are relaxed but straight. Become completely still, physically and mentally, like a calm ocean. If listening to the mantra on a tape, listen to the chant for a minute. Feel its rhythm in every cell. Then join in the mantra.

Mantra:
SAA RAY SAA SAA, SAA RAY SAA SAA,
SAA RAY SAA SAA, SAA RUNG
HAR RAY HAR HAR, HAR RAY HAR HAR,
HAR RAY HAR HAR, HAR RUNG

Time: Continue for 11-31 minutes

I also charge my crystals during the full moon. I put them on the windowsill, and let them soak up the energy. I also put a jar of water in the moonlight and make moon water. I use it through the month to help with energy levels. If I'm feeling extra creative (& organized) I'll also make moon tea. 

You need: 

Large jar with lid

Herbal tea (note: I love, love, love tusli or lemon balm tea made this way)

Water

Put water in jar, add tea, cover, put in moonlight. In the morning, you have magical moonlight tea.