Tuesday August 1, 2023
– Full Moon Phase – illumination, realization, fulfillment, shadow, relationships, experience
– Moon in AQUARIUS –
– Retrograde Planets 2023 –
Pluto – May 1 – Oct 11
Saturn – Jun 17 – Nov 4
Neptune – Jun 30 – Dec 6
Venus – Jul 22 – Sep 3
Chiron – Jul 23 – Dec 26
Mercury – Aug 23 – Sep 15
Uranus – Aug 28 – Jan 27
Jupiter – Sep 4 – Dec 3
– Best Days (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – Aug 1st – Set Eggs, Jar Jams/Jellies, Potty Train, Wash Wooden Floors, Dig Post Holes, Slaughter, Castrate Farm Animals, Kill Plant Pests, Quit Smoking, Wean, Host a Party, Paint, Start Diet to Lose Weight, Cut Hair to Slow Growth, Mow to Slow Growth
– Planting Calendar (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – Aug 1st – Barren day, fine for killing plant pests.
– Aspect of the Aeon Sophia: (Wisdom): – Kali – Goddess of Beginnings and Endings
– Aspect of the Aeon Thelete: (Will/Desire): Kathe – God of the South, God of Frequencies, Harmonics, and Waves
– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Month – New Moon in CANCER SUN/MOON – 25 CANCER: a leader of men wrapped in an invisible mantle of power (EARTH – 25 CAPRICORN: an Oriental rug dealer in store filled with precious ornamental rugs )
SUN – 10 LEO: early morning dew
EARTH – 10 AQUARIUS: a popularity that proves to be fleeting
Full Sturgeon Moon
The following is borrowed greatly from the Farmer’s Almanac. Please visit them and buy their stuff. Great organization in my world as they are a wealth of great stories and advice – the kind society is trying to “help” you forget.
The full Moon August 2023 is the full “Sturgeon Moon.” Named for abundant fishing, particularly of lake sturgeon in late summer, the August Moon also has a variety of other names, each with connections to different cultures and the bounty of the season.
Just as all monthly full Moons have a variety of different names according to different cultures and in different parts of the world, the Sturgeon Moon isn’t the only name for August’s full Moon.
Many native peoples have full Moon names associated with various crops, harvests, and growing seasons, as the full Moon can be an indication of when it is time to take advantage of that bounty. Some names are more general, such as the
“Harvest Moon” used by the Dakota, which is also a widespread name for August’s full Moon in China.
“Moon of the Ripening” from the Lakota tribe
“Grain Moon” is an Anglo-Saxon name for the full Moon in August,
“Green Corn Moon” or simply “Corn Moon” is used by the Algonquin and Ojibwe tribes
“Corn Is in the Silk Moon.” The Ponca tribe of the southern plains use a more specific name,
“Plum Moon” the Shawnee tribe of Ohio and Pennsylvania for those delicious fruits.
“Feather Shedding Moon” by the Passamaquoddy tribe of the northeast, the
“Geese Shedding Their Feathers Moon” by the Arapaho of the central plains, and the
“Moon Young Ducks Begin to Fly” by the Cree of eastern and central Canada.
Not all full Moon names relate to plants, but may still connect to nature. In August, temperatures rise and streams and rivers can dry up, leading to the name
“Dry Moon” by the Catawba of South Carolina,
“Drying Up Moon” by the Cherokee in the central eastern United States.
“Hot Moon” from the Tunica tribe of Louisiana and the Shoshone tribe of Nevada and Wyoming
“Red Moon” is a name used by many different cultures in many areas because of the red haze from Summer heat
“Lightning Moon” for August’s full Moon is common in Europe and in Neo-Pagan traditions.
“Mountain Shadows Moon” – The Tlingit tribe of the Pacific Northwest and into Alaska call the August full Moon in reference to the changing angle of the Earth and how it impacts the look of the rugged mountains in those regions.
“Snow Moon,” “Storm Moon.” “Hunger Moon” are heard in the Southern Hemisphere refers not to weather, but to the scarcity of food during August.
Whatever August represents to you – good fishing, harvesting food, fresh summer corn, thunderstorms, heavy heat, or even mid-winter, there is a full Moon name perfect for the eighth month of the year.
____________
Enough of the Farmer’s Almanac explanations. I do love all they have to say about these days. So much of this history is lost or has been forgotten in our modern, urban lifestyles. With light pollution and so much to see after the sun goes down, people often forget to look up.
This time of year we are also looking at Supermoons – where the lunar disk often looks bigger and brighter in the sky – especially at moonrise and moonset. More people actually notice it, so it is a good time to talk about it.
I look for the Full Moons as they are at the maximum expression of the lunar cycle. The Earth sits exactly between the Moon and the Sun. It is literally being squeezed between the gravitational forces of the two. Sometimes this energy can be intense. It causes higher tides. and squeezes all of the water on the planet. And since our bodies are about 66% water, it is directly acting on us, though we are not usually aware of it.
Besides that. I think Full Moons are exciting.
Back on July 17th, the New Moon expressed the energy for the month. You can check it out here:
NEW MOON REPORT
Colorado Day
Another state holiday named to honor the day Colorado became a state. Here are a few ways to celebrate the state’s birthday in and around Denver. Free museum admissions, governor’s mansion tours, alpaca petting zoos and performances from the State Bagpiper. Somehow I feel these will pale in comparison to the celebrations that will start this afternoon at 4:20 PM. Hey. It’s Colorado.