Full Wolf Moon in Cancer

Full Wolf Moon in Cancer

Transformational | Deep Feeling

By: Joanna Jones   18^th January, 2022

The first Full Moon of the year is the Wolf Moon.  This one (17 Jan, ’22) is in the zodiacal constellation of Cancer at 27°50’.  And man was she a breathtaking beauty coming up from the horizon yesterday evening!  The Full Moon energy can be felt about three days before, on the day of, and about three days after the actual 100% illumination of the moon.

The Full Moons of the year were named by the Native Americans many moons ago.  It was also called the Cold Moon.  Each has its own story.  It is said that the Wolf Moon got its name because wolves howled particularly loudly at the moon during this time of the year as their prey became scarcer with the colder season.  There is an eerie element to the unmet needs of packs of wolves in the cold of a winter night.  Sound waves travel slower in colder air making the longing howls louder and heard further away adding to the tangible essence of this Wolf Moon.

This translates to evoking a primal desire to be free, untamed, and wild!  There is a craving and desire to pursue what we are naturally drawn to.  This is a perfect moon to set intentions and goals as we are tapped into this primal energy that will carry our focused desires to the reaches of the universe to bring them back to us.

The moon is at home in the astrological sign of Cancer (this is the constellation that rules this "body").  As a water sign, Cancer is all about feelings, emotions, intuition, family, and home life.  When a ("planetary") body is in its home sign (no the moon is NOT a planet, it's the lingo), the energies and essence of both are magnified and intensified!  What does that mean for us with this Full Moon?  There is a deep well of an emotional undercurrent from which to pour into manifestations, and deep healings.  This moon will allude to relationships with family, parents, children, our home life and our primal need for security and nurturing! 

A couple of simple Full Moon Rituals I like to practice include going to the beach (I live in SWFL so that makes this on doable any time of year) and sitting out by a fire under the moon.  

The Beach gives me an opportunity to utilize the essence of the ocean (or a body of water - we have the Gulf of Mexico here in SWFL), especially when working with a water element sign.  It is cleansing and energizing at the same time while being powerful, just as our emotions sometimes need and can be.  I like to take with me: a white or beeswax candle, some essential oils (such as Sandalwood, Frankincense, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Jasmine and Rose for Full Moons & Lavendar, Peppermint, Rosewood, and Basil particularly for the astrological sign of Cancer), crystals (like Rose Quartz, Red Jasper, Carnelian, and Moonstone), a tapestry (to sit on, or put anything I don't want to lay on the sand), a bowl (probably a couple of them, a fireproof one for the candle, and one to put some water in), pen and paper. 

Once I am at the beach, facing North: I lay out my tapestry to sit on; collect some water in one of my bowls and lay it in front of me; I put some sand in my second bowl before placing my candle on it and lighting, laying this bowl before me as well; I then make a grid (on my tapestry if I have smaller crystals; or directly on the sand if I have larger crystals) as I am intuitively guided to with the crystals; I place a few drops of an essential oil blend I've made in the bowl of water and/or on myself.  Now that I have my space set: I meditate to clear my mind and settle my body, I allow the rhythmic sound of the crashing waves to take with them any disharmony within (or allow the still waters to calm, as the waters are calm, whatever turbulence I may have within); I then tap into the particular energy of this Cancerian Full Wolf Moon and focus my attention on what exactly I want to manifest.  Once I have a clear idea of what I want, I write my intentions/goals on a piece of paper and fold it once I've finished writing; at that moment, I use my lit candle to light my folded paper with my intentions/goals on fire (please be careful as to not burn yourself, or let it get out of control); once it has burned all the way through, I do one of three things: I either allow the ashes to be taken away by the wind, out the last bit of the fire in the bowl of water before me, or I bury the ashes; I then sit for as long as my heart feels, to soak in my ritual and the beautiful moon's energy. 

Once I am ready to leave: I out my candle in the sand in my bowl (I remove any cooled wax and dispose of it in a proper wastebin), returning the sand to the earth, as well as the water (and ashes), I clean up my space (remember: LEAVE NO TRACE), and return to the world knowing that I've released my desires into the universe!

Sitting in front of a fire, below the moon is such an amazing experience on a cold night!  I do prefer to utilize water for water element signs, however, who can pass up the warmth of the fire during winter (we don't get too many "cold winter" nights here in SWFL) and what a perfect way to release our intentions/goals to the universe than with a roaring fire? 

I like to ideally start my fire with a flint and kindle (I will NOT use propane/fuel for this sort of fire - the actual setting of the fire can be a very meditative process/experience), I will use a match should I have any difficulties.  If you do not already know how to set a fire, there are many resources online or some experienced friends/neighbors who may be able to help you (please do so safely!).  Once the fire is going, I use any of the aforementioned essential oils, I create a blend that I rub a few drops onto myself; I sit and enjoy its warmth as I drift into a meditation to relax and calm my mind and emotional body; once I've settled, I focus on my intentions/goals and write them down on a piece of paper; upon completion, I fold up the piece of paper and place it into the fire; I continue to focus on the energy of the particular moon and enjoy the fire! 

Of course, as always, I clean up my space, LEAVING NO TRACE, and return to the world, with my seeds of desires planted in the fabric of the universe!