Welcome the Full Flower Moon
by creating a flower essence.
This voiceover is an audio version of the newsletter below. It is unedited, so please excuse any um’s or stutters. Luckily, it was earlier enough before the road construction trucks rolled in. They are slowly paving the road off the mountain this week.
Honoring the Flower Moon
The Full Moon arrives around 10 am on Thursday in the mountains. The name Flower Moon has its origins in various Native American tribes, particularly those of the Algonquin people. The Algonquin tribes, who lived in the northeastern part of North America, had a deep connection to the land and its natural cycles.
The Flower Moon in May signified the time when flowers were in full bloom, a period of renewal, growth, and abundance in nature. By naming the Full Moons, the Native American tribes acknowledged the significance of the natural world and its rhythms in their daily lives. These moon names not only served as a way to mark time but also as a way to express their deep reverence for the Earth and its cycles.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac began publishing the names for the Full Moons and their monthly lunation cycles back in the 1930s. The names were a collection of Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Each full moon has its unique name based on the natural phenomena occurring during that particular time of the year. The full moon in May is also known as the Milk Moon, Corn Planting Moon, and Hare Moon in different cultures.
I honor and continue to learn the various names of the moons throughout the year. One way that I like to work with a Full Moon is to make a flower essence on a sunny morning.
The use of flower essences further highlights the deep connection between flowers and healing. Flower essences are believed to capture the energetic imprint of a flower and have been used for centuries to promote emotional well-being and spiritual growth.
It is a simple, fun way to connect to the flowers in your environment and create an intention for future use.
Creating a Blackberry Flower Essence
My land is covered with wild blackberry plants and bushes. They grow alongside my driveway and completely cover the old garden and homestead. Blackberry plants can grow 20-40 ft (6-12 m) long and 10 ft (3 m) in a year. During the second year, the flowers and fruit are produced.
The rigid thorns and prickles can scratch and dig into skin and grab onto clothes and hair. On the flip side, they have delicate white flowers and the smell is intoxicating. I snipped a small branch to sit on my “desk” out on the porch to inspire me as I write today. It reminds me to focus on the writing and share from the heart. My flower essence sits outside on the deck, allowing the sun to warm the water.
When I first arrived on the land, I hiked to an old nearby farmstead with plastic buckets and kids in tow. We patiently and diligently picked the small seeded fruit. Our hands were dyed bright pink and the sun baked our faces. Our arms and legs were decorated with red slashes from the briars. This was a rare outing due to the painstaking work and the lack of interest of my kiddos. Once the blackberries spread on our land, it became a simpler process and now protect my arms and legs with clothes.
After harvesting, I froze the berries on sheet pans in our large chest freezer. Once frozen, I placed them into gallon freezer bags for later use. I use them for summer smoothies and oxymels.
Some say blackberry plants are “weeds” to be removed from gardens and lawns. I love the idea that they are tenacious and continue to pop up. They are determined to grow and bloom.
Today, I am harnessing that vital energy into an essence that I can use throughout the year.
You can find the detailed instructions at Blythe Mountain Spirit.
I checked the weather today and noticed that there was a small window of sunshine before the clouds rolled in. I quietly walked around the property to ask which plant was willing to take part in my flower essence. It may seem silly or odd to ask and converse with plants, but I believe that certain plants speak to us at different times in our lives.
After listening to the beautiful book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, I am respectful of what I harvest and use on the land. I feel honored to live and enjoy the plants that reside alongside me.
Before checking the internet, I connected with the plant and what it could offer me. Only afterward I did do a quick search on blackberry flower essences and noticed the words manifestation and anchoring thoughts.
Perfect.
I have a collection of small bottles that are carefully labeled and stored in a kitchen drawer. I use them throughout the year and replace them with new flower essences once the flowers bloom again.
I incorporate them into my sadhana, or personal practice. I hold the bottle and recite a mantra or intention. Sometimes I add a dropper full to water, but I usually take it directly in my mouth. I take one with me during my travels for additional support depending on the circumstances.
It is a simple way to bring more intention into my life.
The Flower Moon serves as a reminder of the beauty and resilience of nature, highlighting the cyclical nature of life and the importance of embracing change and growth.
If you are interested in learning and working with the various moons, I send out a newsletter Whispers from the Wood from Blythe Mountain Spirit every Full and New Moon. I share insights into the specific astrological significances, how to work with the moon, and journal prompts. I also share my adventures, books and podcasts that inspired me.
What is being illuminated in your life right now?
Why do you think that is?
I hope that you enjoy and celebrate the fullness in your lives.
Talk to you soon,
Blythe
Oh! This is beautiful. Last night we saw the Flower Moon, it was cradled in a nest of clouds. I love the moon, and have moved to a place where the moon and the ocean meet. Last night my partner and I exclaimed joyfully at the moon sparkling through the clouds in a way I’d never seen before. I love that the moon continues to surprise me and that I never once have looked at the moon and taken it for granted.
Thank you for this writing. I’m looking so forward to sitting in the yard at the back of our home to see what things are growing there and to help transform it into a more wilded version of itself.
Hi Rob!
Thank you for reading and sharing your memories and thoughts. My father-in-law found numerous arrowheads in the dirt while he was playing and planting the garden. I am curious to learn more about the tribes that lived and traveled through this land. The Cherokee National Forest abuts our land, but I don't know more than that. It is fascinating to me to imagine how other people lived here. There are many native plants and flowers, but I do crave some other bushes and plants to add more color. There is a lot of green! We do have wild strawberries, but they are so tiny that I usually pop them in my mouth. Delicious! Enjoy your weekend and flowers.