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From super blood wolf moons to full flower moons, people love a catchy moon moniker, and the upcoming full moon on June 14, 2022 is one of the most playful (and most appealing) thus far: the “strawberry supermoon.” At 7:52 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, the “strawberry supermoon” will be as closest point to the Earth that it can get. So, ready your telescopes and prepare to stare up at the moonrise in the night sky. We should also prepare to look inward, as the next full moon will show us the importance of uncertainty, truth and revelation, and creativity.
Before you get disappointed, let’s clarify the name: a “strawberry supermoon” does not, unfortunately, mean a pink moon will show up in the night sky. In honor of the fact that this is a Sagittarius full moon, and Sagittarius seeks truth, it’s noteworthy to explain that phrases such as “strawberry moon,” “worm moon,” “buck moon” (expect that one in July 2022), and so forth are not astrological terms, but scientific and cultural ones. According to the long-trusted Farmer’s Almanac, these moon monikers are not universal but taken from specific cultural groups and regions of the globe. In this case, “strawberry moon” is from the Native American tribe, the Algonquins, but the Cherokees call it “Green Corn Moon,” the Cree call it “Hatching Moon” and across the pond some European cultural groups called it “Rose Moon,” “Honey Moon,” or “Mead Moon.”
Farmers’ Almanac explains that the “Strawberry” name “has been used by Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples, among others, to mark the ripening of ‘June-bearing’ strawberries that are ready to be gathered.” It goes on to note that, across the pond, Europeans have had historical names for the June full moon: Because marriages often happened in June (which is named for the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno), they deemed it a “Honey Moon” or “Mead Moon,” thanks to the honeyed mead consumed at wedding celebrations.
NASA explains that a supermoon occurs “when a full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee.” (Interestingly, while an astrologer named Richard Nolle coined the phrase in 1979, it is not widely used in astrological study. However, some astrologers do use something known as declination which has some ties to “perigee.”) As far as astrologers are concerned, most would look at sign placement, house placement, and aspects to planets before looking at more details.
What is the significance of a supermoon?
While supermoons aren’t traditionally considered part of astrology, full moons are very much used in astrology. We look at full moons (and all moon phases, for that matter) for prediction purposes, progressing the chart, and natal chart analysis.
New moons are when we plan, plant (literally or figuratively), and manifest; this is why I chose to get married on a new moon, not a full moon.
Full moons, on the other hand, are when the things we have planted bloom. It is the culmination and release of the energy so it is a wonderful time to say goodbye to what no longer serves you — be it a habit, a relationship (though we don’t always get a choice on that one), or worn-out objects. It is also a time of revelation filled with merriment, fun, and partying.An easy way to remember the symbolism of new and full moons is by thinking back many, many years ago to a time without electricity. New moons are when the sky is almost completely dark; stargazing may have offered some directional information, but no meaningful light. There was a mystery and even a bit of a danger to the world. Early humans had to be careful and cautious. Full moons, on the other hand, being larger and more massive to the naked eye than the brightest star in the sky, give off so much light that they were often times when groups would gather for celebration and ritual. My astrology teacher Anne Ortelee once said that “full moons are also a time when secrets are revealed and everyone will see that couple canoodling in the bushes.” As such, we often get new information on a full moon.
How Neptune will impact the June 14 full moon
So, what’s the deal with the full moon arriving on June 14, astrologically speaking? This particular full moon is in Sagittarius, a sign that wants to understand great questions — and to have fun while doing it. In short, this full moon wants us to kick back, let our hair down, and ponder the cosmos. But when we observe our nearest neighbor, this lit-up ball of wonder in the sky, we look not only at the sign its in but how it is interacting with other planets as well; astrologers call these aspects.
The Sag full moon, which yearns for truth and revelation, is making a square angle to Neptune, the planet of fantasy, illusion, and dreams, in Pisces, its own sign. Neptune is a wonderful planet, as it brings divinely inspired creativity: music, art, and film are all ruled by Neptune. But when it is making a square, it can be a frustrating and confusing energy, as it may obfuscate the truth. (We all love watching a great film, for instance, but few want to live in a fantasy world 24/7. How would we get anything done?) The irony here is that we have a full moon that wants us to know and a Neptune that wants us to be comfortable with the unknown.
How to let yourself go, according to an astrologer
The best way to work with this energy is to let yourself just be. Give in to the Neptunian dreaminess, the unknown, and the uncertainty of life. We live in a culture of doing, achieving, and action. The Sagittarius full moon will also make a weak trine at an approximate 120° angle with Mars (planet of action) and Jupiter (planet of expansion). This will give the illusion, a Neptunian word, that this is a marvelous time to get down to business as we get a surge of go-getter energy from these two planets in Aries; let the energy course within you and just be. Sometimes, you can hold onto energy; you don’t always need to do something with it.
Whatever you are doing on June 13, 14, and 15, let it be Neptunian — that is, allow it to be incomplete, imperfect, foggy, perhaps a little unclear. Make loose, hopeful plans, whether that means showing up to a sold-out show that you may or may not get into (but desperately want to see) or take an impromptu road trip with a friend, partner, or even alone without making a sure-fire plan of what it’ll entail.
If you already have a spiritual practice or creative practice, this is a great time for that. Meditation, journaling, drawing, writing poetry and fiction, taking a walk, or even experimenting with a little more color than you’re used to. In its lower expression, Neptune draw us towards escapism, fantasy, and addiction, so while you may be drawn to just zone out and block out the world, if you accept the uncertainty, you might get some quiet Sagittarius full moon wisdom.
Originally published in Allure.com
