The Super Amazing Blood Wolf-Storm Moon Thingie

Last updated on: January 17, 2019 at 12:50 pm by Laura Tempest Zakroff

The Super Amazing Blood Wolf-Storm Moon Thingie 2019-01-17T12:50:23-08:00 Laura Tempest Zakroff

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So the nice folks over at Refinery29 asked me about my thoughts on the “Super Blood Wolf Moon.” I warned them that I am more practical than mystical, especially when it comes to things that tend to get hyped up in the media. Like really, every lunar happening seems to be a “super amazing” event and I’m just over here going, “….”. But they liked what I wrote and included some of it in the article. Here is the nice short piece they put up today.

I wrote a LOT more than what got put in the article (I think what I wrote is actually longer than the whole piece). They had also asked about rituals, so I had come up with a basic thing anyone could do. Since the ritual working didn’t get included and I had a lot more info to share (especially the part about the Storm Moon vs. Wolf Moon), I figured y’all might enjoy the whole thing in its entirety:

Photo by Tuesday Temptation on Unsplash

Very simply, any time someone describes a Full Moon as “super“, what they are referring to is the relative proximity of the Moon in its orbit to the Earth during the full part of its cycle. This closeness makes the Moon visually appear a little bigger for us in the sky than usual – though this can happen several times during a lunar year. “Blood” refers to the reddish hue the Earth’s shadow casts on the Moon during a lunar eclipse. Lastly, every full moon of the lunar cycle has a nickname of some sort. “Wolf Moon” is one of the more common names for the Full Moon in January. According to folklore, as there’s less food available in midwinter, and the nights still long and dark, the howling of wolves felt dangerously close to the people. Interestingly enough, some lunar calendars designate the Wolf Moon to be the first Full Moon to take place after the Winter Solstice, and we already had one of those in December. So technically as far those traditions are concerned, this upcoming Full Moon is the Storm Moon, not the Wolf Moon. The name doesn’t really matter so much, though “Super Blood Wolf Moon” does sound pretty cool.

Photo by Thomas Bonometti on Unsplash

Lunar eclipses have long been associated with change, mystery, and often upheaval. As this one coincides with the first Full Moon of the regular calendar year, it’s a good time to contemplate what things (ideas, habits, practices) you may wish to leave behind, and what you want to bring into your life and build upon for the year to come. As the Full Moon affects the tides, we can also tap into that force to cause changes in our own lives.

Here is a very simple ritual (that anyone can do) which is ideal to perform during the hour upon which the eclipse takes place. Select a pair of candles – one white for “building,” one black or red for “leaving” (or whatever color you feel most connects to that idea.) I recommend using small votive, short tapers, or tea lights, as they last generally about an hour. On a fire-safe surface, like a mirror or tile, set up the candles in holders so they are secure. Determine 1-2 words of what you wish to leave behind, and 1-2 words of what you want to manifest. First carve or write your words on the “leave behind” candle, light it and say, “I burn away that which I no longer need. As the shadow crosses the Moon, so shall this too pass.” Then turn your attention to the “building” candle, and carve/write your words upon it. Light it and say, “I have made room for change. As the light prevails, so shall new possibilities be illuminated in my life.” Observe the moon, and if you can safely let the candles burn out, then do so. If that’s not an option, respectfully extinguish them after the hour is up.

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash

So there you have it. My take on the Super Blood Wolf (Storm) Moon. If it inspires you to do something, then go ahead and do a thing. If not, I’m certainly not going to be the one checking your Witch card for points. 😉

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