April’s Pink Moon – Creating Meaning With the Help of Nature
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April's Pink Moon
After the long winter it’s time to throw your head back and howl at the Full Pink Moon April 11, 2017. This is a wonderful time of year because it expresses rebirth and growth.
From the beginning of humankind, ancient peoples named full moons throughout the year as a way to keep time and give significance and meaning to each season. Derived from Native American mythology and old European folk tales, the April full moon is known as the Pink Moon after the early spring appearance of the bright pink ground wildflower, phlox (pink moss). It’s most likely a Native American tradition because phlox is common in North America and Siberia, as opposed to Europe. And while it’s named the Pink Moon, disappointingly, its hue is not pink.
The importance of April full moons is honored with spiritual festivals and ceremony in many parts of the world. In India, Hindus celebrate the birth of Hanuman in a festival called Hanuman Jayanti. The April full moon also marks the beginning of Passover for the Jewish people. For early Christians in England, April was known by the Old English name ēastre-monaþ, or "Easter month”, after the pagan goddess Eostre. And was then adopted as Easter, in celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
The Pink Moon is the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, so its appearance in our sky is an invitation to celebrate the rebirth and renewal of the changing season. In the pagan tradition, Eostre or Ostara, maiden goddess of fertility and new beginnings is celebrated.
Eostre (meaning Eastern Star) and is often referred to as the Goddess of Dawn, since she brings the dawn from the East. Eostre’s responsibility is to banish winter by bringing spring to the earth each year. Easter has borrowed her symbols of the egg and the hare for its traditions.
Pagans celebrate Eostre by leaving something sweet, like honey or candy, on their altars, to symbolize the sweetness of the nectar offered by the spring flowers she brings. Undoubtedly, the modern tradition of the sweets-filled Easter basket comes from this ritual.
She embodies fertility, potential, and new life. Her arrival invites us to plant seeds in all areas of our lives, preparing for the promise of growth and opportunity after the hibernation of winter.
Full moon evenings are energetic peaks, therefore, they are the perfect time to perform rituals by focusing our energy on whatever we would like to cleanse or adopt in our lives.
We can change our perception at any moment, however, a full moon ritual affirms our inner transformation and significantly marks the moment of our dedication to a life of balance, peace, and harmony.
Fill a bowl with water, if possible from an ocean, river or lake, otherwise water with pink Himalayan salt or natural sea salt is a suitable option.
Place the bowl on the ground in front of you and light a floating candle in the bowl. Then drop in rose essential oil, and/or pink petal leaves. If you have pink crystals, like rose quartz, these can also be placed in the water to enhance the effects of the ritual.
Write on a piece of paper anything you wish to release. It can be a word, a sentence, or entire paragraphs full of detail—whatever feels necessary to release at the time.
Read out loud what has been written and then immerse the piece of paper in the water so that the painful energy radiating from the memories can be cleansed and transformed.
The flame from the floating candle is a purifier and will neutralize any negativity emanating from the note and will also symbolize your firm intention to let go of any difficult feelings attached to it.
Burning sage or cedar or diffusing lemon essential oil at the end of this ritual will assist with cleansing any negative energy lingering and will charge the atmosphere with a positive vibration.
In Pink Moon’s bright presence, we can then ground and center ourselves by drinking a glass of water with a few sprinkles of pink Himalayan salt in it. And with that, voicing a clear and intentional declaration of what you wish to bring forth in your life here on out.
May Pink Moon be the beginning of bringing you renewed energy and fertile blessings this spring!
-Tanya Vallianos
Tanya Vallianos, MA, LPC, ATR, NCC, EMDR III, EAP II is a psychotherapist in private practice in Fort Collins, CO. She can be reached at www.innersunhealingarts.com or 970-420-9504.
