Harvest Moon 2022: The Delightful Spiritual Meaning of the September Full Moon 
Harvest moons are considered a particularly lucky full moon, and 2022 is no different. The Harvest Moon is often the brightest full moon of the year because it occurs closest to the Autumn Equinox.
Harvest Moons have been associated with harvest festivals for hundreds of years. Celebrations are held on the full moon closest to the harvest, landing in September or October in North America.
Every full moon has its own name based on the month or the season in which it appears. Creating a name for each full Moon allowed people to reflect on each season and how it affects them AND the natural world. There can be some variation on the Full Moon names due to the origins from whence they came.
Most Full Moon names are English translations of Native American names, others are rooted in Celtic, European (Anglo-Saxon and Germanic), and more recent Neo-Pagan origins. I created a guide to each Full Moon, complete with their meanings and how you can celebrate
Please note that I make every effort to ensure this information is correct and accurate through my own experiences and referencing sources throughout AND at the bottom of this article.
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What is a Harvest Moon?
The Harvest Full Moon of September can be a little tricky! Most Full Moons correlate with the month it lands in. However, the full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox is considered the Harvest Moon. Typically the Harvest Moon lands in September, but occasionally it lands in October (about every three years).
The Harvest Moon rises just after the sun sets for a few nights in a row. Due to the atmosphere, the Harvest Moon has a pumpkin orange glow! Perfect for bringing in the magical season of Autumn!
Many harvest-related customs have their origin in the animistic belief in a spirit such as the Corn Mother or Rice Mother, and the semiworship of the last sheaf was the great feature of the harvest home.
Britannica – Harvest Agricultural Season
When is the Harvest Full Moon in September 2022?
The Harvest Moon rises shortly after sunset. The bright moonbeams of September’s Full Moon were extremely helpful for busy farmers harvesting their crops and allowed them to work long hours into the night. This is how the Harvest Moon’s name came to be!
In 2022, September’s Full Moon is called the Harvest Moon. It takes place on September 10th and peaks at 5:59 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Near the time of the autumnal equinox, the angle of the moon’s orbit relative to the Earth’s horizon is at its minimum, causing the full moon to rise above the horizon much faster than usual.
Since the difference of the moon’s rising time on successive nights barely varies, the moon appears to rise at nearly the same hour for several nights in succession.
Because the harvest moon, like any full moon, must rise near the hour of sunset, harvest workers in the Northern Hemisphere may be aided by bright moonlight after sunset on several successive evenings.
Britannica – Harvest Moon
September Harvest Moon Spiritual Meaning in 2022
September Moon’s spiritual meaning is all about balance and abundance. It’s a time to honor and appreciate your home; a time for reflection and gratitude.
Full moons always symbolize a time of climactic conclusion, but this is felt even more deeply now as we near the changing of seasons and the cooler months ahead are imminent.
We are beginning to turn inward during this time of balance; as is the natural world around us. We feel the coming of the darkness and are pulled towards our spiritual side in a new way.
You may even feel drawn to different music as well! The happy-go-lucky music of summer becomes more moody, nostalgic, and poetic as you drift into the Autumn season.
Now is a lovely time to realign with your spirit, soul, and Self. September’s Harvest Moon helps to settle us all into a much slower pace and rhythm. Immerse yourself and enjoy these last days of warmth so you can gladly enter the darkness of Winter.
September Harvest Moon Alternative Names
- Fall Moon (Ukiuqsraq) Inupiat Language, Alaska
- Nut Moon (dulisdi) Cherokee, Carolinas
- Drying Grass Moon Cheyenne Great Plains
- Corn Moon (when October’s Full Moon lands closest to the Autumn Equinox)
- Singing Moon (sometimes called Song Moon) Celtic
- Barley Moon (Old English)
For a list of even more Native American Moon names, check out American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association’s article here or Western Washington University’s article here.
For Abrahamic traditions the full moon of September can be important, as for Jewish people it’s the one that precedes the High Holy Day of Rosh Hashonah which starts on Sept. 25.
Muslims use a lunar calendar, so the full moon is in the middle of the month (in this case, called Safar).
Space – Harvest Moon 2022: When and how to see September’s full moon
September Harvest Moon Journaling Prompts
- As summer comes to a close, is there anything else you’d like to complete before the cold and dark Winter months arrive?
- Create a bucket list full of ideas to celebrate Autumn
- What accomplishments, skills, and creativity do you want to bring with you into the Autumn season? What bad habits, regrets, and negative thoughts will you release?
- Write down any recipes, infusions, or herbal creations you’d like to create with seasonal herbs, flowers, or veggies. What are their magical correspondences and intentions?
- Create an Autumn affirmation or mantra you’d like to embrace this season
September Harvest Moon Spiritual Correspondences
The Harvest Moon symbolizes the connection between life and death, decay, natural cycles, and seasonal times. To get you started, here are some spiritual correspondences and intentions!
Spiritual Meaning and Intentions
- Gratitude
- Abundance
- Harvesting and agriculture
- Transitions
- Balance
- Home and hearth
Colors
- Brown
- Burnt Orange
- Deep Red
- Amber
- Dark Green
- Earth tones
Crystals
- Citrine
- Amber
- Quartz
- Aventurine
- Gold
- Ruby
- Tiger’s Eye
Sacred Space Decoration Ideas
- Apples
- Peaches
- Wheat/ Barley / Grains
- Corn – maize, blue, or gold
- Fallen leaves
- Pumpkins or gourds
- Flax seeds
How To Celebrate and Ritual Ideas For September’s Harvest Moon
The Harvest Moon is a celebration of abundance and time to give thanks to Nature. Here are a few celebration ideas to get you started.
If you’re looking for even more ideas, check out Full Moon Rituals You Need To Know!
Seek Out Nature’s Seasonal Abundance
The Harvest Moon’s spiritual meaning is all about abundance due to the flourishing crops of September. If you have your own garden, find ways to bring its beauty into your home. Harvest flowers, herbs, or leaves and incorporate them into a beautiful arrangement or bouquet. You could also hang them to dry and use later in oils, as smoke cleansers, or Yule decor.
If you don’t have a garden, find a way to get outside and do some foraging. Collect natural items for art projects or your altar. Flowers could be pressed and framed or included in your grimoire or journal. You can also bring a sketchbook or sit peacefully and enjoy the beautiful Autumn season.
Set Intentions with Moon Water
September is a lovely time to meditate beneath the Moon because the evenings and nights are cooler. Sit with your hands on each side of your Moon Water and envision your gratitude, light, and intentions filling up the Moon water.
Here are 50 Creative Ways To Use Moon Water, or you can say a chant if you’d like to help focus your intent:
As I sit beneath the Full Moon tonight,
I’m filled with an illuminating and positive light,
I am grateful for_______ and __________,
I honor these last days of summer and warmth,
May this next season bring love, growth, and joy,
to myself and those I love
Anointing Oils
If you created any herbal-infused oils over the summer, use them! Try adding dried/crushed lavender to Jojoba or Sweet Almond Oil. After a bath or before meditation, take a moment to be fully present and hydrate your body with your oils. Focus on your intentions or what you are grateful for. You can also add some of your Moon Water to it!
A favorite ritual of mine is to focus completely on each body part as you rub the oil into your skin. Think about at least one thing you appreciate about that part of your body. How does it help you each day?
Try incorporating a bath ritual as well. Use oils, bath salts, herbs (like lavender), bubbles, candles, or music to help immerse you in this present moment and set intentions. Take a moment to relax and just be!
Hearth and Home
Incorporating the hearth and home into your Harvest Moon spiritual meaning and rituals easily refresh the energy in your home! Throw open the windows and let that cool and fresh Autumn breeze drift into your home or sacred space.
Autumn encourages us to nest, and it feels incredible to have a fresh, clean, and organized home. It makes a huge difference once we start spending more time inside. Finish your ritual off with your favorite Autumn scent, light a candle, burn an incense, bake an apple crisp, or dissolve a wax melt.
This doesn’t need to be exclusive to your home, though! Your car or office would be some other great options to refresh!
Once your home is cleaned and revitalized, why not spend some time organizing it? Go through your closets, drawers, or cupboards and donate anything you’re not using, don’t find valuable, or give you unwanted feelings of stress or guilt. Evaluate if the things in your home or space are helping you move forward or are actually holding you back.
Prep Food For The Winter
The nights are longer and more balanced with the daylight, so take advantage of the warm and pleasant weather. Autumn is the season to reap what you have sown while having gratitude for the abundance. Find ways to fully indulge in the current season and prepare for the cold days ahead, either literally or metaphorically.
You can see that I fermented some cherry tomatoes fresh from my garden in garlic, rosemary, and basil (also from my garden). This year, I’m also trying my hand at making zucchini-kraut because my husband loves sauerkraut. Fingers crossed it turns out yummy! You can also try canning or freezing summer produce and herbs!
You can check out more of the Full Moon series here:
I hope you found this article helpful!! Enjoy September’s Harvest Moon 2022, and remember as always…..
Sources
I started reading n stumbled so easily n smoothly on your website it was so amazing to read in a relaxing afternoon on a Saturday. I found the most beautiful poem that truly inspired me about the beginning of fall and the end of summer it gave me so much hope just reading it after the months of going through this year surging the pandemic I am grateful for life n breath in its own self to be alive is to love others always thank you .