- Photo taken at the Blue Moon on August 31, 2023
The Blue Moon is a full moon that is considered special. Each season usually has three full moons, but since the cycle of the moon, like that of women, is 28 days, but each month contains usually around 30 it happens that a season with four full moons occurs, thus giving rise to the thirteenth full moon.
Therefore, when two full moons fall in the same month, the second is so called "Blue Moon", however, nothing to do with the color of the moon which only due to atmospheric phenomena can take on a bluish color but which is therefore not associated with this event .
Curious, however, is the association with this definition "blue moon" which is thought to have different origins, the most common being that linked to an ancient English saying from around 1500 which read: "If they say the moon is blue; we must believe that is true" which literally translated "if you say that the moon is blue, you have to believe it's true" to ironically tell a clearly absurd and therefore surreal fact.
However, the first definition of this term was initially linked to an almanac historically used in agriculture to make decisions on sowing and harvesting. However, this early definition was based on a seasonal pattern, whereby the Blue Moon was the third full Moon in a season where there are four.
Subsequently this saying was reworked as happens for many ancient English sayings related to the moon in "Once in a Blue Moon" referring to something that rarely happens, then quoted in an article from which it also takes its title, from an American magazine where the definition of the almanac is also reinterpreted.
In the past therefore the term Blue Moon was referred to the third Full Moon when there were four Full Moons in a season since precisely this type of Blue Moon is calculated according to the seasons, it can only happen in November, February, May or August, i.e. about a month before the Equinox or Solstice.
The most recent and widespread meaning of the Blue Moon (i.e. the second full moon in a solar month) is really recent and ended up becoming the most popular and widespread meaning in use today almost all over the world, thus replacing the original tradition.
According to some, however, the name blue moon is associated with the writing of the calendars in which the color of the second moon was changed in order to be able to identify and distinguish it, but there are theories in which it is thought that this definition dates back to even more ancient times and to native tribes where they associated the colors of this special moon to a specific cycle of energies and astronomical phenomena.
The energies linked to this moon are very powerful, in fact it is advisable to prepare and collect the moon water to keep to charge your tools, take purifying baths and create amulets and protective jewels. Also suitable for divination and meditation practices. As in all full moons, during this phase the lunar energy is at its maximum power, it is the right time for the most complex rituals of enhancement, for purifying but also thanksgiving rites.