The Blood Moon And The Total Lunar Eclipse

I saw the Blood Moon

before breakfast, not at noon

The total lunar eclipse was here

It will not be here again for many a year.

2040 is what I hear.

****

In a year, I hear it is 13 full moons

Some grew up with their own dishes and spoons

during this time of the month, I started at age ten.

A blue moon isn't supposed to happen often.

****

Long ago, a month was from one full moon to the next

I don't believe that is in any text.

Our stories are not written; it is an oral tradition

We call our full moon gatherings a celebration!

****

Some Are Affected Way More Than Another!

Some are more on certain months, while some are on others.

Sometimes people have the worst dreams on a full moon.

Other times it just feels like a dream, it is a time to cocoon,

and to go back to sleep, even if it is only noon.

****

Author's Note: Many people who are involved in law enforcement, hospital personnel, psychiatric clinics, crisis shelters, and call centers will tell you that when they see a full moon, they expect extra work.

I have been told by hospital personnel that some full moons bring more deliveries of babies. Some will bring in more heart attacks. And sometimes it is something that looks like cartoons.

In law enforcement programs, there are more crimes reported and more people brought into jails. Then, more people will bring in the bails.

I work at a mental health crisis shelter, and certain full moons will affect some people who are schizophrenic or have bipolar disorder, or who are depressed or suffer from panic or anxiety disorders.

People with alcoholism are often affected, as I saw in substance abuse treatment programs and other programs where I worked. During that time of the month, we were given heads-up orders.

**

The full moon is a topic discussed in my Native American culture. At that time of the month, sometimes, 4 days before to 4 days after the full moon, women will gather.

When women are close to each other, they often have their time of the month together.

Men would leave for a few days to a week, during that time in years past. It is a powerful time.

In my Anishinabe community, as women, we were told that we did not need to go into the sweat lodge for cleansing, as our moon time is our cleansing time and would take care of that for us anytime.

**

In 1978, when we got our religious freedom back in the US,

Some women from Canada came to Minnesota to tell us

that our water was in danger and that it is the job of the women to protect nibi.

They spoke of the importance of our families and future generations of people. They never said it was just for Native American women, but rather all women you see.

They talked about restarting the full-moon ceremony.

Women gathered, talked, offered tobacco, and sang songs. Many women were doing this on their own and still do, including me.

****

It was okay to stay home during moon time at my house growing up back then.

We would keep it as our monthly time from our mother if we could, and go to school. It was difficult when you cycled together to keep that a secret back when.

It was encouraged to rest and care for myself during that time. We had our own dishes and a few things that we should watch for, and there were tears.

I was later told that these were things that had been passed down for many thousands of years.

Our culture has an oral tradition, and stories pass that information on in the women's teachings. Many of our people have lost those teachings way back in yesteryears.