Ever since I was a child, I have been intrigued by the magic of the full moon. Where I used to live in the mountains, packs of coyotes would spend hours howling at the full moon, and on cold winter nights, I was amazed at the brilliance of the moon light reflecting on the snow covered ground. Magical things seemed more likely to happen in the moonlight, like the promise of love's first kiss, or an encounter with the faery folk.

And I'm not the only who has ever been mesmerized by this vision. For thousands of years, human kind has charted life and living by the cycles of the moon. Farmers have planned their planting and harvesting cycles around the moon cycles. Hunters have hunted by the moon's phases, and fisherman in certain cultures have found that their biggest catch happens at the full moon. Priests and priestesses have planned ceremonies to coincide with the full or new moon.

Even in our modern times, research shows us that during a full moon crime seems to increase.

It has also been found that in cultures which honor the cycles of the moon, women are held in a much higher regard than those women in cultures who do not honor the moon phases. Here it is interesting to note that women's menstrual cycles are generally governed by the moon, just as the moon governs the ocean tides. (The Latin word for Moon is Mensis.)

Many ancient calendars were actually lunar based, so they had thirteen months, and to this day, several holidays are still dated according to the moon's phase (Easter, Passover and Ramadan).

Many ancient cultures named the full moons, according to the time of year.

January
Old Moon, Wolf Moon, Quiet Moon, Moon after Yule, Ice Moon

February
Wolf Moon, Snow Moon, Ice Moon, Moon of Ice, Hunger Moon, Storm Moon

March
Lenten Moon, Storm Moon, Moon of Winds, Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, Sap Moon, Chaste Moon

April
Egg Moon, Pink Moon, Growing Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Waking Moon

May
Milk Moon, Flower Moon, Bright Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Corn Moon, Hare Moon

June
Flower Moon, Moon of Horses, Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Hot Moon, Planting Moon, Mead Moon

July
Hay Moon, Buck Moon, Moon of Claiming, Thunder Moon, Mead Moon

August
Grain Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon, Green Corn Moon, Corn Moon, Lightning Moon, Dog Moon

September
Fruit Moon, Harvest Moon, Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Singing Moon

October
Harvest Moon, Hunter's Moon, Travel Moon, Dying Grass Moon, Blood Moon

November
Hunter's Moon, Beaver Moon, Frost Moon, Snow Moon, Dark Moon

December
Oak Moon, Cold Moon, Frost Moon, Long Night's Moon, Moon Before Yule

No matter our spiritual or religious beliefs, there can be no doubt that the moon, in all her many faces, seems to have strange and mystical powers over us. And for anyone who has ever taken a moonlit stroll with a lover or loved one, there can be no doubt that we are overcome by some magical force that makes us both more inspired and more creative than during our normal playtime in the sun.

Deanna Joseph