Full Moon Tonight: Delving Inward

Tonight is a Full Moon. As such, I always go through a mental check list of the various influences upon any particular moon. I also start thinking about what my Esbat rite will consist of later. Of these two, I am going to list out the various things that come to mind, and I’m going to practice the fourth word of the Witch for the second.

There are four things that come to mind:

According to the Beth-Luis-Fearn Calendar as developed by CoR and promulgated throughout the internet via some of their lore listed within Beth-Luis-Nion calendar information posted by the Faerie Faith folk out of Georgia tonight is the Full Moon of Ruis. This Moon Month is associated with the sea as the tomb/womb of death and rebirth. It is the only Moon on the calendar that does not have a set length from Full Moon to Full Moon. Instead, the Ruis Moon begins at the 13^th Full Moon from the calculated first back in November and ends at Samhain. This year the Ruis Moon month is three days long, a number associated with the three phases of the moon. Ruis is the period of descent into the tomb whereby the Lady will pass through the gates unto Her throne, ending at Samhain.

The next thing I thought of is that according to traditional lore associated with the full moon, and can be found in farmer’s almanacs, is that tonight is the Blood Moon. The Blood Moon is named so for two reasons. The first is that at this time of year with the field harvest done there was more time for the hunting of various animals before having to hunker down in doors. The Blood Moon is the blood of the hunt; so interesting associations there with the lore of Ruis and Samhain. It is also the moon by which farmers mark the culling of the herds; where old animals, animals not likely to survive the winter, and any needed for feeding people during winter were slaughtered. This traditional slaughter is the final harvest of the year. I am sure everyone can easily see why this moon is called the Blood Moon.

The next thing I thought of is that this Full Moon falls on a Monday which is magickally associated with the planetary powers of the moon. The moon is associated with the Underworld, rivers and other bodies of water, the mind in psychic function, mystery, silence, and the inner secrets of existence.

Additionally, tonight is the ninth day within the sign of Scorpio. Nine is numerologically associated with the moon, our Lady as Maiden, intuition, and the balance between logic and symbolic. The sign of Scorpio is a water sign, which puts it in the realm of emotions and the inward self, and is ruled by Pluto. Interestingly the planet (or once planet if you prefer) is named after an Underworld God: Pluto. This planet is about the relationship between personal and non-personal power and our ability to deal with severe change such as that brought on by death and/or birth. Scorpio itself is a very passionate sign, it’s kind of emotion is all about intensity.

There you have it; the lore and influences around tonight’s full moon. Happy Esbating!

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."