Today—for the first time since the year 2000—a full moon has coincided with Friday the 13th.
This moon is a Harvest Moon, because it occurs near the autumnal equinox (which falls on September 23 this year). It's also called a micromoon, because it will appear about 14% smaller than an ordinary full moon due to the Earth's current position in the atmosphere.
Friday the 13th, of course, is famous for being a date when mischief and mishaps are more likely to occur than usual, and full moons have long been linked to chaos and lunacy (and they actually really do tend to coincide with an increase in crime). In some ways, the full moon and Friday the 13th are a match made in heaven.
These days, though, it kind of feels like we're living in a perpetual Friday the 13th-meets-full-moon universe. With all the chaos around us, with climate change ravaging the planet and with the Internet's cacophony reporting another tragedy every minute, it's not like we've been living in a peaceful, sane world. (Of course, things could always get worse).
Still, maybe today is a good day to step back, take a deep breath, and recognize the truly chaotic nature of the world we're living in. Even if we're not consciously aware of it, our bodies have been registering and storing all the information we're taking in. Our brains are very good at reconciling incompatible information, creating the world we want to see, but today we might try to look around and peer beyond our illusions. Instead of trying to resist the weirdness of the world, maybe we should try to face the strange (as David Bowie so wisely advised).
david bowie - changeswww.youtube.com
According to the astrologer Lisa Stardust, this moon will be "an extremely intense time for us all," adding that "We will feel caught between two worlds — the spiritual and the material realms." Astrologically speaking, this season's full moon is in Pisces, a traditionally emotional sign also usually associated with opposing energies and balance. Pisces season is about "the harmony of light and darkness," according to this month's Cosmic Kudalini newsletter, so it's the perfect time to work on making peace with the contradictions within yourself and the world. "There is no stark divide, but rather a flowing balance that seems to be in flux, reminding us that life is constant change. To recognize and honor the inevitability of change, whilst flowing with it (not resisting), is to live in harmony with the Universe."
The intensity of this occasion means that it's the perfect occasion to practice self-care, whatever that means to you. Maybe that means staying inside, lighting incense, praying to Hecate, studying the High Priestess tarot card, and journaling about the successes of the past year and your goals for the future. You can also try practicing a full moon ritual, which could be as simple as just going out and letting the moonlight shine upon you. If you want to shake things up a bit, you could try practicing cannabis magick or sex magick. Regardless of what you choose to do, make sure you're mindful about it and are honoring the history of the tradition you're operating in.
The full moon is also a great time for bath magick or for immersing yourself in some kind of body of water, since the full moon has such a powerful sway on the tides. Try concocting a potion to pour into your bath, lighting candles, and letting the water wash away the past.
Regardless of how you choose to spend this night, just realize that—like most days—things will probably go haywire; such is the nature of living in a universe that tends towards chaos, disorder, and expansion. Just be safe, hold on tight, and enjoy the spooky energy if you can. We won't have another full moon on a Friday the 13th until 2049.
