I was always the kid who was scared of the dark…now, I’m the adult who loves the moon and the night sky. With names like Super Blood Wolf Moon, it’s hard not to get excited, right?? Fortunately, my writing gives me the perfect excuse to research and then share information.

The moon plays an integral part in my series. The tagline for Book 2 is actually ‘A red moon means war.’ Both my Romani/ Gypsies clans and Rahki warrior Tribes have close connections to nature and that includes the moon. Even though we no longer live by the moon’s schedule, there’s certainly a lot of mystery and power given to this celestial body in our society today. We even have many expressions featuring the moon:

-once in a blue moon

-over the moon

-I love you to the moon and back

-a man on the moon

-the dark side of the moon

-howling at the moon

-shoot for the moon, you may still hit a star

There are also old wives’ tales about fertility and more babies being born under a full moon. Many teachers still claim kids are wilder during full moons. The moon factors into myths about vampires and werewolves that delight us today. One could even believe a cow jumped over the moon or a rabbit lives on it. Slightly more modern tales include aliens and Nazis on the moon while many theorize the US moon landing was a hoax. The moon remains firmly lodged in a magical place in our society.

In earlier times (and in my series), the moon factored into daily life a bit differently. The Wolf Moon we all heard so much about earlier? It was named such because during harsh winters of January the wolves howled more (hunting was hard, mating season was starting).

Each name pertained to what was happening at that time. It was about survival and passing down knowledge to children to ensure future generations survived too. To me, it symbolizes what it means to live in the moment. There truly is a season for everything – a time, a purpose. It’s easy to lose that knowledge of cycles and connection to natural rhythms when our days are continually lit by blue screens.

Life lessons aren’t limited to the full moon though. The moon itself appears to ebb and flow with life energy in a regular cycle. Watching the moon reminds me that all things change – change is part of the cycle of life.  It also reminds me that regardless of how big, beautiful, and mysterious the moon appears, it isn’t the center of the universe and is connected to other celestial bodies.

Those reminders change my perception of whatever little annoyances are bothering me at any given moment.  While I feel smaller occupying my place in the universe, I feel a stronger connection to it and relish being part of something much larger than myself.

To get back to the fun names, here’s a quick overview of a few more terms:

Blue moon – second full moon in a season/ month

Blood moon – Earth’s moon is in a total lunar eclipse (next one is in 2021)

Super moon – approximately coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit

Lunar eclipse – Moon passes directly behind Earth and into its shadow

Whether you believe in magic or not, the moon has the power to change people. I don’t mean changing people into werewolves (though I may write a story or two about Lycan shifters in the future). Each time I hear expressions and see the moon getting national news coverage, I smile and take a deep breath. I put life on hold and go outside to see full moons. That’s a change in behavior and that truly is magic to me.

I wanted to share that magic with you…sprinkle a bit of magic moon dust on you so you can smile, take a deep breath, and aim for the moon!  Maybe, just maybe, you can enjoy your own little place in the universe a bit more.

If you are a fellow selenophile (person who loves the moon), feel free to leave a comment and share your experiences!