Hello, my friend.
Thereβs magic in the air. Do you feel it?
I am starting this letter to you at just the moment that the sun sets and the moon rises. There is only a few minutes between the two. And, tonight, where I live in the Nordic north, the full harvest moon rises in the east, 3 minutes after the sun sinks below the horizon in the west. So, I had to just sit down and mark this moment with you.
There is something magical about the harvest moon. Every year the full harvest moon just feels different than any other full moon. Perhaps it is because this is the first full moon of the official autumn season, the full moon falling closest to the equinox, my favorite time of the year. Perhaps it is because it is the full moon that ushers in the dark months of the year, which also ushers in mystery and wisdom and silence now that the nights are longer than the days. Or perhaps it is because it is the last full moon before this annual cycle of life comes to a close and we slow down and really prepare for rest and hibernation.
Of course, itβs not time for winter yet, but winter is coming. And the harvest moon, right in the middle of harvest season, reminds me to soak up and savor the beauty of everything, even as everything is dying. Somehow, the magic of the harvest moon makes endings more bearable. There is something quiet and comforting and grounding in watching the earth release and let go. The animals of the forests and fields and cities all scutter about gathering, preparing, and embracing the changing of the seasons. And I seem to find all of the scuttering and gathering and releasing and ending both cozy and inspiring.
The harvest moon just feels so earthy and stable to me. I suppose I feel like I have been coming home again, settling in a little bit at a time, since the beginning of August. But, each year, the harvest moon in late September/early October tells me that Iβve arrived. Iβm home. Literally home more, as the nights grow longer and Iβm inside more. But, also, spiritually. I have landed in the deep, dark, quiet space of my soul. I feel wisdom rising, inspiration growing, and magic flowing.
The harvest moon this year is also a super moon, appearing closer and bigger than other full moons. It feels mysterious and welcoming and important. Like it is marking a significant moment.
But, mostly, the harvest moon tonight feels personal to me. Intimate. And wise. An old, ancient symbol that guides me forward as the dark settles in.
Just as the leaves are changing and dying and surrendering to their rhythms, my dad is also nearing the end of his physical life on earth. None of us know how long he will live, but we are already experiencing goodbyes, moments of letting go, and feelings of grief as death nears. He is also going through the stages and moments of succumbing to the cycle of life, of course, though I donβt know how aware he is of any of it.
In any case, this autumn, I feel that I am one with the season. Living and feeling and moving through the energy of the season in a way I never have before. And it is both beautiful and painful all at once. I am gathering and harvesting memories and moments Iβve spent with my dad through the years. They bring both smiles and tears to my face. I find myself sitting in the dark early mornings, just being, feeling, learning to let go. I find myself walking under the trees, looking to them for inspiration and strength, teaching me to also surrender to the soft, gentle passage of time unfold.
And, for some reason, this yearβs harvest moon hangs over me as a big, magical symbol of comfort. A reminder to feel all the feelings, to let the both the champagne and the tears flow, to wrap myself in warm blankets and memories of autumns past and this present autumn as well.
So, in the midst of the grief and love of this season of endings, I feel the deep magic of the harvest moon. And I find myself rooted, grounded, and calm - in my mourning and in my celebrating. The moon reminds me to release, to simply let the rhythms and the cycles continue to flow. In doing that, then I will continue to flow in rhythm with the seasons of life as well.
Blessed full harvest moon, my friend. May you sink your roots even deeper into the season of autumn and find yourself feeling cozy and at home with the dark, the endings, the magic, and the wisdom of letting go to make space for whatever comes next.
xoxo. liz.
P.S. Iβm welcoming in spooky season and all of the magic it brings in just two days! Anyone else excited?!
Beautiful words. Sending love and strength your way x
Thank you for sharing. Sending lots of love and magic of the harvest moon!