Full Buck Moon and Hungry Ghost Moon: July 8-9, 2017

The bright full moon of July 2017 can be used to empower yourself for the upcoming lunar month. Contrasts are abundant and we realize that so many things need to change. At times we feel helpless and hopeless as we watch humanity spin out of control. We also begin to recognize how our individual thoughts and actions alter the experience. This month YOU have the opportunity to step into your power.

Officially occurring at 4:09 AM UTC on July 9, this full moon bridges both the 8th and 9th depending upon where you live. In North America, native peoples gave names to the moons to indicate what to expect in that lunar month.

Full Buck Moon

This lunar month is named for the time when young male deer grow full antlers, identifying their gender. The growth of antlers by deer is an outstanding representation of personal change. Antlers are one of the fastest emerging tissues of all mammals, potentially growing by ½ inch per day during prime season. Beginning to bud in early spring, the antlers are both sensitive and delicate. As they reach full size in July, the antlers begin to harden into the bony material we are familiar with. The Full Buck Moon identifies the time when young male deer are ready to claim their power and position in the forest.

The July full moon is also called the Full Thunder Moon (named after heavy rainstorms and weather changes common to this time of year), and the Full Hay Moon (the time when harvesting of hay begins).

In the Southern Hemisphere, the moon this month is called Full Wolf Moon, the Old Moon, or the Ice Moon. It is a time when winter expands and hunger increases. This month you are more dependent upon what you have already collected and stored. Consider ways to expand your resources, making things stretch to fill voids.

Hungry Ghost Moon

Celebration and purification at the Hungry Ghost Festival in China

In China, the Hungry Ghost Festival is held during the full moon in the middle of July. The festival has the goal of honoring the spirits of ancestors who crave our attention and love; in order to serve the spirits gifts of food and drink are often left out in the night.

However there is more energy involved in this full moon. In Taoist and Buddhist traditions, Hungry Ghosts are the souls of those who have died through violent means or in states of depression or unhappiness. According to legend, at this time of year the gates of Hell are opened and the tormented souls return to our realm, seeking retribution. As this lunar month unfolds, pay attention to the living as well as the dead. There are many souls in this world who require love and sustenance, do what you can to give it to them.

In order to please these wandering souls and to ward off bad luck, feasts are held which provide an abundance of food. Leftovers are shared with all who ask, serving the intention of bettering the lives of living souls and satiating the needs of sullen ancestors. As protection from the Hungry Souls, incense is burned in the doorways of houses at night. In Chinese tradition incense represents prosperity; the more you burn the greater your capacity for abundance. The power of incense also serves to cleanse the air and purify the energy of your surroundings, protecting you from evil.

This Month’s Guidance

The Buck Moon brings to us the ability to accelerate our personal change. Since the directions taken by humanity are driven by the sum total of human consciousness, each of us adds our own flavor to the mix. Ultimately you can only take responsibility for your own energy; however know that the more you raise your vibration, the more people you influence. This month, begin within and radiate outwards.

As you create your experience, it helps to understand the conundrum of existence. We are in charge of our present and our future; each choice we make affects the outcome. At the same time we are affected by the past. Our ancestors, genetics, past lives and experiences in this lifetime all affect our viewpoint and belief systems.

Though there may be universal truths that can be revealed, most beliefs are simply opinions. Your opinion is not necessarily right or wrong, just the choice that you have made. Once we recognize that beliefs are a construct that we choose to guide our path, we can then decide whether that belief serves us or not.

The concept of awakening involves expanding personal understanding beyond stories and opinions. Learn to see the bigger picture behind every picture. Choose to investigate whatever draws your attention and expand your knowledge. At the same time, allow yourself to feel pleasure and gratitude for the simple things in life.

Conscious evolution is the act of accelerating your personal growth. It involves enhanced awareness and focused effort on adjusting your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual state of being. The journey is wondrous and energies are high. This lunar month, take advantage of the opportunity to shift yourself.

You can determine the times of moonrise and moonset for your location using this Moon Calculator

Full Cold Moon: December 29, 2016 (Full Long Nights Moon, Winter Moon)
Full Wolf Moon: January 12, 2017 (Full Old Moon, Moon After Yule)
Full Snow Moon: February 10-11, 2017 (Full Hunger Moon, Bone Moon, Little Famine Moon)
Full Crow Moon: March 12, 2017 (Full Worm Moon, Crust Moon, Sap Moon, Maple Sugar Moon)
Full Cherry Moon: April 11, 2017 (Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon)
Full Flower Moon: May 10, 2017 (Full Corn Planting Moon, Milk Moon)
Full Strawberry Moon: June 9, 2017 (Rose Moon, Mead Moon)
Full Buck Moon: July 8-9, 2017 (Thunder Moon, Hay Moon)
Full Sturgeon Moon: August 7, 2017 (Full Red Moon, Green Corn Moon, Grain Moon)
Full Corn Moon: September 6, 2017 (Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon)
Full Hunter’s Moon: October 5, 2017 (Dying Moon, Travel Moon, Blood Moon)
Full Beaver Moon: November 4, 2017 (Frost Moon, White Moon)
Full Cold Moon: December 3, 2017 (Long Night’s Moon, Winter Moon)

 
©Copyright 2017 Glenn Stewart Coles
 

Add Comment