Savor the Sweetness of the Strawberry Moon
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The cycles of the moon offer potency to anything we set into motion. The sweetness is there for the taking.
The moon has always had a powerful pull in my life. I’ve surfed, danced, and hiked for miles under its brilliant reflection. As I near the anniversary of my birth; yet another spin around the sun, it is the moon that has my full attention.
As I looked at the date of the full moon in June, I became nearly giddy when I realized that it would be full on my birthday. It also got me thinking more deeply about the ways that we mark the cycles of our lives. As we spin around the sun; and the tides, the moon, and our emotions continue to ebb and flow, it is the rituals we bring into our lives that can help us create meaning, and remind us to celebrate the richness and blessings we receive.
The full moon in June is known as the Strawberry Moon by the Algonquin Indian tribes and in Europe as the Rose Moon. Both of these names came from what is ripe and blooming at this time of year. This full moon is also in the sign of Sagittarius. Astrologer, spiritual psychologist, and friend Michele Lacroix suggests that this moon is “about opening, unwinding, and untangling.” She suggests it is a potent time for letting go of the past and "to take time to listen with all your heart for your reason you are on the earth at this time." Our access to spiritual guidance is heightened now, and there is the “opportunity to receive downloaded energy,(raising our vibration), and information that is ready to be shared and expressed into our world.”
The question then becomes, how do we create the space in our lives to tap into all of this juicy sweetness? Here are three ideas:
- Take to the Waters. Water has long been used for purification on all levels. Go to a water source; the ocean, a stream, or a lake will all work. Enter the water with the intention of releasing what is no longer serving you. Let the water wash away the residue of what you are finished with. If you can't immerse yourself in water, set out a container of water under the light of the full moon, and welcome that charged water by drinking it or wash yourself with it.
- Go Within. Take time to tap into your intuitive guidance through meditation. You may find this through stillness, or you may decide to take a journey. Some of my most profound experiences with the full moon have been hiking through the vast expanse of the Haleakala Crater on the island of Maui, spectacular under the light of the moon. Be sure you know the trail well before you embark on this type of adventure.
- Celebrate the Sweetness. It’s much too easy to get caught up in the striving and continuous doing of life. The full moon can be a time for release (read “A Full Moon Ritual for Release.”) and it can also be a time to honor the intentions you set forth with the new moon. Each of us is deeply blessed in ways that we may not fully recognize. By recognizing and honoring the gifts our lives, we support our own joy and resilience. This year, I will honor the sweetness of life by dancing with friends under the light of the full moon.
The cycles of, and in, our lives offer an opportunity to explore more deeply what we have learned, how we have grown, and what we are ready to release. The cycles of the moon offer potency to anything we set into motion. The sweetness is there for the taking.
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About the Author
Kalia Kelmenson is the creator of The Salt in Us where she helps water-loving women harvest the wisdom of their grief and pain so they can find freedom and flow in their life. She explores science and spirit at the intersection of mind-body medicine.
