On May 5th there will be a new full moon referred to as Flower Moon and this moon is all about creativity, growth, abundance, and bringing in the new. Just picture the abundance of nature’s flowers during this month and you will see the connection. This is a time to welcome growth in all areas of your life. The flower moon at its peak on Friday, May 5, 2023 at 1:36 p.m. ET.
For some perspective you can take a look back in history as how the naming of the full moons came to be used. Early Native Americans did not record time by using the months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar but they kept track of time by observing the seasons and lunar months. For some tribes, the year contained 4 seasons and started at a certain season, such as spring or fall. Others counted 5 seasons to a year. Some tribes defined a year as 12 Moons, while others assigned it 13. Certain tribes that used the lunar calendar added an extra Moon every few years, to keep it in sync with the seasons.
Each tribe that did name the full Moons (and/or lunar months) had its own naming preferences. Some would use 12 names for the year while others might use 5, 6, or 7; also, certain names might change the next year. A full Moon name used by one tribe might differ from one used by another tribe for the same time period, or be the same name but represent a different time period. The name itself was often a description relating to a particular activity/event that usually occurred during that time in their location.
Colonial Americans co-opted some of the Native American full Moon names and applied them to their own calendar system (primarily Julian, and later, Gregorian). This is how these full moon names came to be used by non Native communities and while these names are commonly referenced in sources like the Old Farmer’s Almanac it is always importance to bring understanding as to the true originating source of these names and credit to the cultures who have brought this knowledge of the energies of the seasons and the moons to the world. Many cultures other than tribes of North America also have their own names for full moons however the ones that are most commonly used here in the US are those of North American Native tribal origin. “Flower Moon” has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, as confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario. You can learn more about the story of the Algonquin people, the Omàmiwininì here.
In support of this season for energetic healing we are offering a flower full moon meditation sound bath and guided meditation on May 4th. This guided meditation session will be focused on celebrating growth and abundance. The session will begin with an energizing selection for free dance before we open the healing space with a guided meditation before going into a sound bath before finishing with a seed mantra meditation.