Reader Question: Moon Phases in the Southern Hemisphere
Monday July 28, 2008
A reader who lives below the equator asks, "Please help those of us in the southern hemisphere -- was July's full moon still a Blessing Moon?"
That's a good one, and I'm hoping we'll hear from some of our readers in your area with their take on things. In the meantime, keep in mind that what most modern-day Pagans and Wiccans use as moon names are rooted in cultures that originated in the northern hemisphere -- the Native Americans, the Celts, etc. Even if you were to flip-flop all the moon names by six months, I'm not entirely sure that it would still be ideal, because in theory every bioregion has its own agricultural markers and naming practices. If I'm part of an indigenous tribe in New Zealand, for instance, my concept of what harvest season entails may be very different than someone who is part of an indigenous tribe in western Canada. For more information, you can read Moon Names in the Southern Hemisphere. Southern hemisphere readers, chime in! What system do you use for your moon names each month?
That's a good one, and I'm hoping we'll hear from some of our readers in your area with their take on things. In the meantime, keep in mind that what most modern-day Pagans and Wiccans use as moon names are rooted in cultures that originated in the northern hemisphere -- the Native Americans, the Celts, etc. Even if you were to flip-flop all the moon names by six months, I'm not entirely sure that it would still be ideal, because in theory every bioregion has its own agricultural markers and naming practices. If I'm part of an indigenous tribe in New Zealand, for instance, my concept of what harvest season entails may be very different than someone who is part of an indigenous tribe in western Canada. For more information, you can read Moon Names in the Southern Hemisphere. Southern hemisphere readers, chime in! What system do you use for your moon names each month?
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