Full Moon ○

In the sky

At the full moon, the Earth sits between the Sun and the Moon, and the whole face is lit. It rises at sunset and shines all night. Many traditions treat it as a time of culmination, clarity and gratitude, and of releasing what you no longer need.

What is a full moon?

At the full moon the Earth sits between the Sun and the Moon, so the whole face we see is lit. It rises around sunset, is highest around midnight and sets around sunrise: the only phase that is in the sky all night. The exact moment of full moon is a single instant, but the Moon looks full for about a night either side.

Spiritual meaning of the full moon

Across cultures the full moon is a time of culmination and clarity: what began at the new moon has come to fullness and can be seen clearly. It is linked with gratitude, celebration and release, letting go of what you no longer need as the light begins to wane. Many religious festivals are timed to it, and in yoga it is a natural point to pause and take stock.

Full moon festivals

• Guru Purnima (June or July): a day for honouring teachers, important in yoga and Hindu traditions
• Buddha Purnima, or Vesak (April or May): the birth, awakening and passing of the Buddha
• Holi (February or March): the festival of colours, on the full moon of Phalguna
• Sharad Purnima (October): the autumn harvest full moon
• The Mid-Autumn Festival in China and Vietnam, on the full moon of the eighth lunar month
• Easter, set by the first full moon after the March equinox

Full moon names

Each month’s full moon has a traditional name. The best-known set, popularised by the Old Farmer’s Almanac, draws on Native American, early American and European names for the northern hemisphere.

• January: Wolf Moon; February: Snow Moon; March: Worm Moon
• April: Pink Moon; May: Flower Moon; June: Strawberry Moon
• July: Buck Moon; August: Sturgeon Moon; September: Corn or Harvest Moon
• October: Hunter’s Moon; November: Beaver Moon; December: Cold Moon
• Harvest Moon: the full moon closest to the September equinox, in September or October
• Blue Moon: the second full moon in a calendar month, or the third of four in a season
• Supermoon: a full moon near the Moon’s closest point to Earth, up to about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the smallest full moon of the year
• Blood Moon: a total lunar eclipse, when the Moon turns red; lunar eclipses only happen at full moon

Does the full moon affect sleep or mood?

The “full moon effect” is a popular idea, but large studies of hospital admissions, emergency visits and crime have not found a consistent link. Sleep is the one area with some evidence: a few studies suggest people go to bed later and sleep a little less in the nights before a full moon, perhaps because of the extra evening light. The effect is small and studies disagree. Large cycle-tracking datasets have also found no consistent link between periods and the full moon.

The full moon in astrology

At the full moon the Moon is opposite the Sun, so it sits in the zodiac sign opposite the Sun’s. A full moon in Scorpio, for example, happens while the Sun is in Taurus, in late April or May. Astrologers read each full moon as a culmination of that sign’s themes. The upcoming full moons and their signs are listed beside this page.

Bring it into your practice

Some people feel more energetic at the full moon, others more restless. Calming breathing, cooling practices and an evening wind-down help bring the day to a gentle close.

In some Ashtanga Yoga communities, full moon days are traditionally taken as rest days from the main practice.

A pose for this phase

Supported Bridge

Open the pose guide

A practice for this phase

Sheetali (cooling breath)

A traditionally cooling breath for a bright, full night.

Open the practice

Questions to sit with

• What am I grateful for in this cycle?
• What am I ready to let go of?

A few lines for yourself Download my notes

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Questions