January’s Wolf Moon, the first of the decade, is a full moon lunar eclipse in cancer. The penumbral lunar eclipse is where the moon passed into, then back out of, Earth’s fuzzy shadow – its umbra – for a few hours.
Eclipses illuminate our own buried feelings and connect to healing, like the dulled lower-right of the Moon which is Earths shadow projected onto the lunar surface. Lunar eclipses can reveal a shadow, that tells us to look beyond the surface of things and dig deeper, and to keep compassionate and trusted friends close by. In some Native American cultures, wolves are revered as witches in wolf’s clothing. They also represent freedom and independence. The heart knows what it wants, so tap into the deep ocean of internal feelings and emotion.
The werewolf is a creature of legend and myth, many of which tell tales of those who transformed, or who can transform at will, into a wolf. In medieval folklore, a werewolf is a human who possesses the ability, or potential to transform. Trust your instinct for metamorphoses – the belief in werewolves reflects superstitions of human capacity to metamorphose – so admitting the urge, and acting on it, can be liberating.
Shape-shifters and witches are anthropomorphic creatures, much like the wolves. Cancer full wolf moon lunar eclipse also reveals the inclination for financial security and a need to be prudent. Is there a need for better food, hydration, ample sleep in your life? Wolf moon is a reminder to eat mindfully, sleep when you need to, indulge responsibly and love yourself.
Eclipses activate intuition. Whether being bitten, scratched or inspired by a werewolf, the full moon is an impetus for change and a culmination of an individual’s need to transform or transcend the mundane ~ but really what is the difference? We change what we must and we are seekers of enlightenment. The full moon and the myth of the wolf are pushing us toward becoming more successful seekers of change.