October Full Hunter’s Moon 2019 – Stop Carrying Other People’s Baggage

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Full Hunter's MoonThe last full moon before Samhain is upon us.  The October Full Hunter’s Moon will occur on Sunday, October 13th, at 3:10 PM (MST).  Depending on where you live, you may wish to celebrate Saturday night or Sunday.  This year’s Hunter’s Moon won’t be visible in the sky until right around sunset that evening. It’s the only night in October when the Moon is in the sky all night long.  Also, since the Hunter’s Moon rises from the horizon sometime near sunset, it will look larger than normal.  It will also appear more orange in color.

What You’ll Need For Our 2019 Hunter’s Moon Ritual

Quarter Candles (yellow, red, blue, green)
Anthame or wand
Large White Goddess Candle – Goddess candle
Altar decorated with seasonal herbs, flowers, and foilage
Paper and pencils

Fire pit

Throughout this ritual, any text surrounded by these symbols < > should be considered instructional and not spoken aloud but done in accordance with the directions

Full Hunter’s Moon Ritual Begins

This circle forming all around, high above, across the ground, a sacred sphere has gathered here – we are now between the worlds!

Calling The Quarters

We start in the East, seeking out the great and noble spirits of AIR.  We ask for them to join us on this night; to share the wisdom of simplicity and patience; and the give us the gift of connectivity as a whisper on the winds.  For a thought can circle the world on a gentle breeze and never lose it’s energy.  <light yellow candle>

We now turn to the South, seeking out the great and noble spirits of FIRE.  We ask them to join us on this night; to cleanse that which we shall later surrender to the flames; to share in the power of rebirth and renewal; and to give us the gift of forgiveness as a life lesson.  The baggage of others can add extra weight to our soul, so tonight we must release it.  <light red candle>

Look to the West, seeking out the great and noble spirits of WATER.  We ask them to join us on this night; t0 fill each empty vessel and to quench all those who thirst; and to give us the gift of faith, for without it, we may never truly grow.  Our emotions are like delicate flowers and we must occasionally prune that which doesn’t add beauty to the landscape.  <light blue candle>

At last we turn to the North, seeking out the great and noble spirits of EARTH.  We ask for them to join us on this night; to learn the ways of the ancient herdsmen and growers; to embrace the preservation efforts of the soil, seas, and sand; and to give us the gift of fertility so that we shall multiply our crops, our herds, and our families.  As we grow in mind, also shall we grow in life.  <light green candle>

<Ritual leader should Raise their arms high>

Great Goddess, it is you who give life to all things, both large and small, you who raise the seeds from the soil, and you who provide the pathway for the enlightened.  We humbly ask for your presence tonight under the light of the moon. <Light Goddess candle>

Introduction

The Full Hunter’s Moon is one of only two full Moon names that is not tied to a specific month and is dependent on the Harvest Moon.  The Harvest Moon is connected to the autumnal equinox; it’s the name given to the closet full moon to that date each year.  The first full moon occurring after the Harvest Moon is called the Hunter’s Moon.  The Hunter’s Moon is also known as the Sanguine Moon, the Blood Moon, the Dying Grass Moon and sometimes the Travel Moon.

Full Moon names originate with the Native American tribes of North America.  Most people agree that the origin of the name, Hunter’s Moon, comes from ancient practices.  With the harvests finished, people would take to the forests, hunting for meat to dry and preserve for the winter as a supplement to food stores already gathered.  Hunters had the advantage of posting next to fields where animals would come to feed what didn’t get picked by the farmers.

Musical Interlude

This month’s selection has quite a fascinating story behind it.  The band Garmarna is performing Herr Mannelig, an old pagan folk ballad which loosely translates as “The Courting of the Mountain Troll.”  In the song, a female mountain troll attempts to bribe a young man to marry her by offering him gifts of all sorts.  She believed that marrying a human would free her from her torment as a troll.  I chose this song because it represents a part of life we all struggle with, which is abandoning who we are and our convictions in exchange for free stuff and a perceived life of comfort, yet never examining the possible consequences of those actions.  In short, nothing worthy is free and remaining true to yourself is more important than anything else, especially converting to another religion or belief.

2019 Full Hunter’s Moon – Stop Carrying the Weight of the World on Your Shoulders

This month, our lesson of the session focuses on how we weigh ourselves down with the burdens of others.  All human beings have burdens, some heavier than others, but nonetheless burdens.   Also, because we are human beings, we have a built-in desire to help those around us, when they are struggling with things.  We may see our children in distress, so we swoop in like a knight in shining armor to save the day.  Our close friends may be battling a divorce or child-custody issue, so we jump in with numerous offers of help and share in their grief.  We see disease, death, hardship and pain on a daily basis and feel we must act in some way to help those in need.  And more than often, once we get involved, the problems of those around us seem to become our problems.

Although we may not pick them up directly, those problems become part of our emotional baggage.  We worry; we feel out of control and unable to help some people due to destructive behaviors. We try to come up with ways to help them, often when they are not helping themselves.  Our built-in need to make people happy causes us to carry that other person’s load.  It’s often a lesson in futility, but one we cannot seem to stay away from, especially since deep down, we may realize that no one else cares.  We then somehow, obligate ourselves to being the one person who will save a lost soul or bring peace to the troubled ones.

If this sounds like anything you are going through or have any part in, I implore you to stop immediately.  Take a step back from things and try to realize that in many cases, you are enabling the behavior to continue.  The conflicted person may already be reliant on what you are doing, rather than trying to solve their own problems.  Oddly enough, but it’s a weight off of their back to have you carrying the load and sometimes that’s all they need.  It’s a one-way scenario, but most people don’t realize it until it’s become burdensome for them as well.  At that point, confusion sets in and the burden grows in size.  You may feel guilt or shame for not helping (at least in your current mindset).

Fear not.  You can still be helpful to those in need without absorbing the negative energies of whatever the world around you is spewing.  You can be sensitive to the needs of others but walk away unscathed.  Be helpful but do not take ownership of anything that isn’t yours; even if the negativity comes from your spouse, children, or partner.  Offer advice, but do not place yourself anywhere in the pathway of executing that advice – for example, you may suggest a person seeks council, but not with you, nor should you make a recommendation.

Learn to establish personal boundaries and how to say NO.  You are responsible for you.  Those around you are responsible for themselves.  Do not let the negativity of someone else bring you to a lower vibration.  If someone is constantly negative, you may have to cut that cord and move on.  It’s not your job to tell them why you left either – let them figure it out on their own.  If you try, you’ll likely get sucked back into the same cesspool of negative energy.  If a person in your circle isn’t either helping you grow, cheering your successes, or sharing positive energy, then ask yourself why they are in your circle.  A mutual relationship is balanced and both parties give and take.  Any other relationship is an energy vampire sucking from you and giving you nothing but grief in return.

Throughout all your daily encounters, remember to stay grounded, carry the appropriate crystals, talisman, or other warding charms, and take care of yourself first, second, and always.  Stop trying to please everyone.  Don’t take things personally when someone says something that doesn’t align with your way of thinking.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.  When we stop absorbing and carrying the weight of other people’s issues, we have more time to grow, learn, and develop into a higher being.  Your personal space can be filled with anything you allow; make the right choices.

Hunter's moonCleansing and Clearing

As we do on each full moon, we come here to release negativity; to burn that which needs burning, to choose to walk away from that which weighs heavily on our hearts, and ultimately to reduce mental clutter.   As we have learned, we all carry weights that we should not be burdened with.  I challenged each of you to examine what is weighing you down, and ask yourself if it is truly your problem or someone else’s problem that seemed to stick to you.  This may offer you clarity for the first time in your life, if you’ve never done this type of deep self-analysis.  Take a few minutes and reflect.

<take a few moments, or more, to allow for the group to self-reflect>

Remember that cleansing is a personal choice and no one will judge you for releasing things, or for holding onto them.  We’ve just discussed how the issues of those around us can drag us down, but some of you may need more time to reflect on that topic, and it’s highly suggested that if you feel that way, you should meditate on the subject.  The decision cleanse is 100% personal and not transferable.  Remember that a life filled with negativity will breed more negativity, but one filled with light, will be a shining beacon that attracts additional light.

<Offer participants pen & paper to write down anything they wish to permanently banish from their lives>

Once you are ready, please approach the fire and burn away that which no longer serves you !

<once everyone is finished, take a few moments to meditate in silence>

Cleaning and releasing are the first steps to bettering your spiritual workings.  Once you’ve chose to discard the unwanted things, do not allow new or different types of negative energy to refill the spaces you’ve just created.  Trade the bad for something better; something enlightening and pure, but don’t wait for it; time can be a vicious master if you allow it to.  Leave here with a smile on your face, the understanding that there is more to life than just existing, and that change is always part of our lives, but also that you’ve got this!  Change won’t stop you from growing.  Stop sitting on the sidelines and engage with the things that take existence to living.  Blessed Be!

2019 Harvest Moon

Closing the 2019 Hunter’s Moon Circle

Spirits of the North, we bid you farewell on this glorious night – leave us with the understanding that, what we need will be provided, what we seek shall be discovered, and what we desire, may not always be what we need to grow spiritually. <extinguish green candle>

Spirits of the West, we thank you for the many thousands of blessings you have given us – leave us tonight with clean hearts, open minds, and a gentle feeling of peace, but also a willingness to help others without taking on their problems as our own. <extinguish blue candle>

Spirits of the South, we honor you for sharing your energies with us tonight – say farewell but leave us with the strength and vision to see through the smoke, the fortitude to stick to the path we have chosen, and the vision to set achievable goals for our own growth.  <extinguish red candle>

Spirits of the East, leave us in perfect harmony and balance – spill forth your great winds so that they can carry away the smoke and ashes of that which we have released tonight.  Leave us with swiftness of caring, direction of gratitude, and the humility of a servant.  <extinguish yellow candle>

Great Goddess, without your light, we would never know the beauty that the world has; without your encouragement, we would never have developed and grown as a human race; without your continued guidance, we might have strayed from the path – for those things and so much more, we humbly thank you and the unconditional love shared with us this night and every night.  <extinguish Goddess Candle>

The circle is open but never broken,

Merry Meet, Merry Part, And Merry Meet Again!

Huzzah!

Additional Readings

If you’d like to browse other Full Moon Rituals available, check out the Rites & Rituals Archives on The Gypsy Thread.

 

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1 Comment

  • My daughter and followed this last night for our first Full Moon observance. It was the perfect time to find your website! It resonated with us more than you know, and it opened disccussion between us about how to make some changes for thr better. Thank you for all that you do. It has helped our transition into awareness immensely! We look forwards to following your website!

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