Native American people are often associated with the spiritual world. They use the world around them to live and to make their life better. They use the rocks, the mountains, and the land to live off of and they use the sky to guide them. All the planets and animals, plants and all of nature is important to this culture. One of the most important things in the natural world to the Native Americans in the moon and they often call the moon “Grandmother Moon.”
What is Grandmother Moon?
Grandmother Moon is thought to watch the earth and to take care of things around it. She is said to control the tides in the ocean and other bodies of water. The changes in life are based around the cycles of the moon. Many Native Americans believe that there are women that watch over the earth and over the bodies of water.
Water is something that brings in life just as women have babies and because of these thoughts, Grandmother Moon is thought to be close to women. It is believed that she is the one that cleanses the menstruation cycle.
What is Moontime Ritual?
One of the rituals that the Native Americans use is the Moontime ritual. This is a time to women and is given to females so that they can cleans their mind, body, and soul. This is a time that the women have a Great Spirit, and they are powerful, and they bring in life.
The woman will take this time to talk to Grandmother Moon and to ask her to give her strength, courage, and wisdom. The mother will ask for guidance about her children and will talk about problems that she is having with the family members and friends. It is thought that Grandmother Moon would help the women to balance their energies and to trust her to keep them safe.
When Moontime happens, females will not cook, take care of the children, clean or do anything except take time to be calm, to relax and to spend time with Grandmother Moon. Women will use this time to reflect and to seek guidance and spiritual growth. This is a time that the family members will take over all of the daily activities and chores.
Full Moon Guide
There are different rituals that the Native Americans use during the full moon. Each year, the tribes will figure out what rituals they want to use based on history and based on tradition. Here are some of the full moons and what they mean:
- Wolf Moon
This moon happens in January and is a full moon. It is when the wolves cry out because they are hungry, and they are there to find their place.
- Snow Moon
In February the Snow full moon happens and this is a time when it normally snows heavy.
- Worm Moon
The Worm Moon happens in March and is a full moon and a time where the worms become alive and active and prepare for the spring to come.
- Pink or Breaking Ice Moon
This moon happens in April and this full moon represents the wildflowers that are coming because of spring. This is when the weather gets warmer, and the snow starts to melt.
- Flower or Planting Moon
In May the flower or planting full moon happens and this is when it refers to a time when the flowers will be all around. This is also a time to start planting crops for the fall harvests.
- Strawberry Moon
In June the Strawberry full moon can come and this is when it is time to gather the strawberries.
- Buck or Corn Moon
The full moon in July is the Buck or Corn moon and it is a time where the buck is fully grown and the month that corn is planted.
- Sturgeon or Fish Moon
In August this full moon happens and is a time where the fish are abundant, and the fish can be caught to last for the whole year.
- Harvest or Autumn Moon
September is a time for this moon, and it is a time to harvest the corn and the crops. It is a time when the leaves start changing colors and it gets cooler out. It is telling you that winter is going to be coming soon.
- Hunter’s Moon
This full moon happens in October and is when men will go out and hunt and will store food away for winter.
- Beaver or Dear Rutting Moon
The November full moon happens when people prepare their homes for winter just like the beaver prepares. The Native Americans often believe that they should go to their log homes and stay there for a while. The deer will often scratch their antlers against trees during this time.
- Cold or Long Night Moon
The December full moon happens when it is cold, and it is a time when the nights are long and dark. It can be super cold in some places and this moon is reference to how long the nights are during the winter.
Full Moon Rituals of Native Americans
Since there are so many full moons, the Native Americans take these times into consideration to cleanse their energy and to get rid of negativity out of their life. During the full moon and for three days, most of the people will do a special full moon ritual. Just like with the Grandmother Moon, all the people that are female will participate in this from the youngest to the oldest.
Some of the traditions are different but many of the women will sit around and tell stories, they will eat together, bless the waters and the gods, beat drums, smoke tobacco, ask for blessings and will pour water into different containers. This is a generational thing that is often passed down from generation to generation.
Lunar Planting Ritual
Full moon rituals will be different depending on your culture, but some will use it during times of planting and times of farming. This ritual is a time where the Native Americans will look at the cycles of the Grandmother Moon and will know when it is time to plant the seeds. Seeds planted during a full moon can work much better and the crops can be blessed.
Smudging Moon Ritual
Smudging is a way that you can cleanse yourself and your area from spiritual negativity. It is a ceremony that is meant to cleanse and purify. Grandmother Moon can be used to get rid of negative energies and to bless the crops and this can happen with smudging.
During this ceremony, Native Americans would use an herb such as tobacco to cleanse the area. This is used because tobacco is considered to be sacred and used for medicine. To do this, they would put dry tobacco in a bowl and light it with matches. They would then take a large feather and would wave the smoke around. At least two people at a time could use this bowl of smoke. The women would go outside, and they would blow the smoke all around the world. They would say this blessing while doing it:
“Grandmother Moon, please come and cleanse the hands of the things that we touch. We use our hands to make amazing things. Please blend our feet together and take us to the places that we need to go. Cleanse our hearts so that when you send a message, we can hear it. Cleanse your voices so that we speak the truth. Cleanse our eyes so that we can see all of your beauty. Grandmother Moon, please carry this smoke all over the world and beyond the spiritual places.”
When the tobacco is burned out, the youngest female there would take the ashes to a spot in the soil where the crops will be planted and bury it there.
Final Thoughts
Traditions of the Native American culture are very important to know because they use their traditions to connect with nature and beyond. As you learn of the different cultures and the rituals that are used, know that these things can be done even in your own culture if you so choose.