Full Flower Moon
The May full moon, is known as the Flower Moon. It arrives on May 5 at 1:24 p.m. ET, and emotions will be running high. Not only because it will be in moody Scorpio, but because it will also be a penumbral lunar eclipse. Like all full moons, the celestial event is the perfect time to cut ties with everything that’s no longer serving you.
Though spring may still be in bloom, it’s time to close the chapter on another season of your life. Full moons only occur at the end of a lunar cycle, which means you can expect this lunation to come with many conclusions. Astrologer Brilla Samay warns that our karmic journeys for the May 5 event may even involve facing “inner darkness and transforming it into something positive and empowering,”. “Through spiritual growth, we can learn to let go of past misjudgments, release negative emotions, and embrace a more positive future”.
Here’s what you need to know about how the eclipse will impact the Full Flower Moon, and how to harness its energy.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the Flower Moon gets its name from Native American tribes that referred to the full Moon in May as the “Flower Moon” because of the flowers blooming across North America, signaling abundance after a cold, hard winter
As for how this lunation will affect the eclipse, Samay shares: “When a lunar eclipse occurs in Scorpio, it can bring about an intense karmic shift towards our psyche, finances, sexuality, and willpower”. This means full disclosure and exposure will take place.
There is undeniably a natural rhythm to the universe, whether it’s the seasons or something more cosmic, such as the phases of the Moon. We know the Moon’s gravitational pull causes predictable rises and falls in sea levels. And with our bodies being primarily made up of water, it makes sense that we can also benefit from the phases of the Moon on a much smaller scale.
How To Work With Power Of Full Flower Moon
The first thing astrologers suggests for this eclipse is to make a full moon offering. Choose an object or symbol that represents your spiritual goals or intentions, such as a crystal or a piece of jewelry. Place the object outside under the moonlight as an offering to the divine. This act of surrendering something of value can help you let go of attachment and open yourself up to the transformative power of the full moon.
Because water is a powerful element that is associated with emotions and intuition, another way to build your spiritual connection with la Luna is by taking a full moon bath. To do this, visualize the moon’s energy washing over you while soaking in the moonlight as a way of cleansing any negative energy or emotions. Use this time to set intentions for your spiritual growth and transformation.
Try not to shy away from the full moon’s energy, and instead embrace it. To do this, take a moment to dance in the moonlight. Play music that resonates with you and dance under the moonlight. Allow yourself to move freely and express any emotions that come up. Through the evoking movement of dance, you can connect with the lunar symphonies to transmute any stagnant or stale energy into something beautiful and transformative.
The most important thing to remember this lunation is to welcome every shift and emotional response you may encounter. Which that can be easier said than done, but hopefully these tips will make the impending celestial event much more manageable.
More ways to harness the power of the full flower moon.
Set Up A Alter
No matter your faith or spirituality, creating a space dedicated to your belief system is essential for focusing on and applying your beliefs to your daily life. Fill your altar with things that speak to you which can be, photos of religious or cultural deities, quotes from your favorite authors, scented or colored candles, crystals, feathers, or plants just to name a few. There is no right or wrong way to set up a alter. It is a personal space that speaks to you.
For the Full Flower Moon, you may want to rearrange your altar to incorporate your favorite spring blossoms. Use it as a source of inspiration to make change and better your life. If you don’t have space to make an altar (which can actually be as small as a windowsill), try to make a dream board instead. Being able to picture what you want in life will help you manifest those things in the future.
Spring Clean Yourself & Space
To fully ready yourself to make a shift toward more positive things, begin to clean your space of all things that bring you down, give you anxiety, and are no longer serving you. Continue to do this through the waning phases so that by the new moon, you’re absolutely willing and ready to take in all things good.
Cleaning your physical space helps to clear out any negative energy, making room for what you are asking to come in. Clear your home of clutter and things that no longer bring you joy. Open the windows to let fresh air in, put on clean bedsheets, wipe down surfaces, or water your air-purifying plants. Some people will also perform a smudging ceremony to cleanse the negative energy in the air.
Do the same with your body and mind. The evening of the Flower Moon bask in a comforting bath with a spring-scented bath bomb or better yet use flowers from your yard to connect with nature. While bathing, think about nothing but yourself, releasing what is no longer serving you and the positivity you’re about to invite into your life. If you’re not a bath person, take a shower. Focus on washing away the dirt, negative energy, and things you have collected throughout the day (or month), and imagine the water healing you as it rolls off your body.
Letter Ritual
Because the full Moon is all about completion—cleansing, releasing, and removing what no longer works for you—this is the best time to write down your deepest inner thoughts and then release all that spent energy by watching it burn up.
Make Moon Water
Some people “brew” up a batch of Moon water as part of their full Moon ritual, claiming it to be a powerful cleansing tool for the body and home. To make Moon water simply place a glass jar of water outside under the direct light of the full Moon, allowing it to soak up its powerful energy. You can add water safe crystals like amethyst, rose quartz or clear quartz. Can can also choose to add herbs such as mugwort (ruled by the Moon), lavender (for relaxation and healing), rosemary (for protection), or sweetgrass (for positive energy). You can drink it daily, reminding yourself of your intentions. You can also use it to water your plants, cleanse your home, or put it in a spray bottle with a few drops of essential oil to create a facial toner.
Burn Ritual
If it’s possible to do this ritual outside near some flowers, that would be ideal.
- Begin by lighting a candle. Find a comfortable seat and close or soften your eyes. Imagine a circle of protection around you—this could be a circle of stones, trees, or salt. Take a moment to honor and acknowledge the land that you are on.
- Next, invite the energy of spring fire, of the beauty and bloom of the May Flower Moon. Stare gently at your candle flame. Imagine a flame within you, in your gut, providing energy for change.
- What would you like to release on this full moon? What would you like to let go of that may be holding you back from reaching your dreams? Fear and anxiety tend to be big ones. These are energies of protection that are trying to keep your safe. Gently thank these parts of you and let them know that it’s time for you to move forward anyway.
- Write down what you are ready to release, and then carefully light the paper on fire over a large fireproof bowl.
- Turn your attention to the flowers around you. If you don’t have real flower, imagine your favorite bloom in your mind. See its color, its complexity. See how it grew and bloomed from the tiniest seed, deep in the darkness of the soil.
- Now hold your glass of water in your hands, and begin to think about what you want. Contemplate what you would like to see for yourself in the coming months, and consider what you will need to move towards those goals. See yourself and how you would be when these goals are achieved. Don’t just imagine it, feel it. Feel the joy throughout your body. When you’re ready, write down the energies you are calling in to help you achieve your goals.
- When this feels complete for you, pour a little bit of the water on the ashes of the paper you burned, affirming what you are choosing to move forward with into the future. Pour a bit of water onto the flowers, nourishing them with your best intentions, and returning this hopeful energy into the earth to be shared by all. Drink the rest, taking your intentions deep into your body, receiving the medicinal powers of this water infused with what you’ll need to go forward on your journey.
- When this feels complete for you, thank the circle of protection, the land, the fire, the air, and the water. Blow out the candle. Keep the paper with your intentions on it somewhere where you can refer back to it as needed.