Hunter Full Moon
The October Full Moon arrives with an invitation for deep healing, as we take the time to honour our accomplishments, offer gratitude for what has carried us this far, and gently release what no longer serves us in the next cycle.
Traditionally known as the Hunter’s Moon, when hunters prepared for the coming winter, the October Full Moon is also called the Falling Leaves Moon, the Dying Grass Moon, and the Travel Moon—names that touch upon the seasonal rhythms of autumn, a time of migration and movement, when animals travel, people prepare for winter, and journeys are taken before the harsher weather set in.
On an inner level, they also reflect the turning of a season, the shedding of what no longer serves us, and the journeys of transition we must take within ourselves as we prepare for the next chapter of our lives.
Full Moons bring closure to the cycles of the sign they illuminate, and the October Full Moon wraps up a six-month journey that began with the New Moon in Aries at the end of March this year.
During the past six months, you may have learned some important lessons around your worth and relationships, made some important decisions, and taken a few steps towards a better balance between giving and receiving in your life.
Reflect back to the New Moon in Aries this past March. Where were you then, and what intentions and desires did you set in motion? Some of these may now be returning—ready to be refined or to manifest, if the timing is right, as this Full Moon brings the cycle to completion.
The October Full Moon wraps up these lessons in a healing balm of (self-) compassion, allowing you not only to feel proud of your resilience and ability to overcome, but also to begin valuing the lessons for what they have brought into your life: the wisdom of what to leave behind and the clarity of what no longer serves or nourishes you.
Feel the Feels
Under this Full Moon, you can let go a little and allow your soul to bask in the healing beams of the moon, which soothe and comfort you with a soft whisper: “Everything is all right.”
Allow yourself to feel everything, and know that one day, everything you went through will become a gift for someone else.
The saying “there is a gift in everything” can sometimes mask the harsh reality of emotional and spiritual bypassing, preventing us from truly sitting with the pain we need to feel. But under this Full Moon, these words ring true.
There is a gift in what you have learned—the only way you could have learned it. The Full Moon in Aries stands as your glowing ally, shining upon you, soothing you, and preparing you for your next cycle. It is here to assist in in feeling a deep compassion towards yourself for the steps you took in the past and acknowledge, that you could not have learned what you have learned in any other way.
FULL MOON RITUAL
STEP OUTSIDE under the light of the Falling Leaves Moon.
Pick up a few leaves, and for each one, WHISPER a word of gratitude.
Then RELEASE them
back to the night, bidding them ‘farewell’, letting your blessings TRAVEL with them
—OUTWARD to the Earth,
UPWARD
to the Moon,
and INWARD
to your own heart.
Choose Yourself
The October Full Moon brings the gift of authentic relating, inviting us to choose ourselves before seeking to be chosen by another, as she shines a light on where we need to put ourselves first.
This is the time to make sure that we aren’t neglecting ourselves, our needs, and our desires—what truly nurtures us. Around this time, our relationships may rearrange, shift their form, or upgrade, as we get clearer and more confident about what we truly need and desire.
This Full Moon invites us to observe where we are drawn to pleasing others at the expense of our own desires, where we withhold our truth to be liked or accepted, where it is difficult to assert ourselves, share our wants with confidence, take initiative, or take risks—and where we feel uncomfortable owning our desires, anger, and personal expression.
During the days of the Full Moon, take time to reflect on what is worth fighting for and protecting, and what “fighting” truly means to you. Different choices are needed if we aim to write a different story. This is the time to connect with our strength, power, and courage—to evaluate how much energy we dedicate to nurturing our relationships with others versus how much we dedicate to nurturing our relationship with ourselves, our needs, and our desires.
This is the time to fill our own cup, to choose ourselves, and to care for and respect ourselves before seeking to be chosen, cared for, and respected by another. A time to be reminded that authentic connection with others is impossible if our own needs and desires are unacknowledged—or if we don’t even know what they are.
During this Full Moon, we are being offered support to break free from relationships, jobs, and commitments that are not nourishing, or aligned with our values, purpose, and Soul’s path and expression.
This is a good time to take a risk, make a bid for power, and go after what you want.
Make sure you are acting from authenticity and personal passion, as this will mobilize your energy in the right direction toward the intentions you wish to manifest.
Full Moon Blessings,
Sidsel Solmer Eriksen, Founding Editor
October Full Moon Practices
Gratitude Ritual
Go outside for an autumn walk.
Notice the colours around you, and breathe in the scents of the season.
Gather 3–5 leaves. Sit down with them and take a moment to observe their colours and shapes.
Now, name each leaf with a word that expresses something you are grateful for.
Release the leaves once more, and let the wind carry them away—offering your gratitude back to the season, the earth, and the cycle of change.
Rest & Reflect
Under the light of the October Full Moon, take some time to reflect on your own hero’s or heroine’s journey, drawing circles and binding ties around the culmination of your personal life experiences.
Sometimes, when we focus too much on the future, we fail to harness gratitude for who we have already become and all the places where we have grown.
If necessary, write down all your wins—the things you have overcome or manifested over the past six months, including those that were only dreams back then.