Flower Moon: The Astonishing Full Moon of May 2023

ByAmanda Brethauer
May Flower Moon Spiritual Meaning

In 2023, May’s Full Flower Moon is a time of celebration, spiritual rituals, and spiritual growth. This month also includes a lunar eclipse, which is considered a significant event in astrology and spiritual practices.

For spiritual practitioners who observe rituals during the Full Moon, this lunar energy brings intense spiritual energy and is an ideal time for manifesting and intention setting. Perfect for beginners!

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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When is the Full Moon in May 2023?

In 2023, May’s Full Moon is called the Flower Moon. It takes place on May 5th and peaks at 1:34 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Flower Moon 2023 Spiritual Meaning

The Full Moon of May is named the Flower Moon to symbolize – you guessed it – all the flowers bursting into bloom right now. The last bit of frost is ending, and soil that was recently hard and cold is now bursting with life and possibilities.

This full moon is all about blossoming into your best self and reaching your highest potential. It’s a powerful reminder of the cycles of life and the importance of embracing change and growth.

May’s Flower Moon signifies both fertility and healing. It is sometimes known as the Hare Moon because we know what they’re up to this time of year. We’re talking about some serious fertility people!

Flowers and herbs used for medicinal purposes are now flourishing. Remember that we’re still in the season of Beltane and many spiritual practitioners believe this Full Moon is a promising time for those trying to conceive.

Flower Moon Spiritual Meaning

Is the Full Moon of May 2023 a Supermoon?

No, the Full Moon of May, will NOT be a supermoon. However, there will be TWO supermoons in August (including a Blue Moon) this year!

Note: There are no specific rules as to how close the Moon must travel to earth to qualify as a supermoon. Depending on how you define a supermoon, there could also be one in July and one in September. However, they don’t orbit as close to the earth as the August Moons.

Will May’s Flower Moon Have A Lunar Eclipse in 2023?

Yes! May’s Full Moon will have a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. This eclipse is barely visible and will only slightly block the Full Moon. It will be visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, Africa, and the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

penumbra, (from Latin paene, “almost”; umbra, “shadow”), in astronomy, the outer part of a conical shadow, cast by a celestial body, where the light from the Sun [or other light source like the moon] is partially blocked—as compared to the umbra (q.v.), the shadow’s darkest, central part, where the light is totally excluded.

Britannica – Penumbra Eclipse

This year, October’s Full Hunter’s Moon will have a Partial Lunar Eclipse. It will be visible in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa, and most of South America, as well as the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian Oceans.

October will also have an Annular Solar Eclipse (when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, creating a “ring of fire”) on October 14, 2023. Visible in North America, South America, and the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans.

Is There a Black Moon in May 2023?

Yes! There will be a seasonal Black Moon in May 2023, because there are four New Moons this season. It’s the only Black Moon in 2023!

The next Black Moon by the seasonal definition of the term will occur on May 19, 2023. 

A Black Moon is a modern phrase that is very similar to a definition of a Blue Moon. However, it involves two NEW MOONS inside a specified time period rather than two FULL MOONS.

A Black Moon brings success and good luck. While a Black Moon is not an astronomical phrase, it’s honored and celebrated by Pagans, witches, and other spiritual practitioners.

What Pagan Holiday is associated with the Full Moon of May?

May’s Flower Moon 2023, embodies all the spirit and energy of the Beltane and the Spring season. The days continue to grow longer, the warmer temperatures continue to increase, and Mother Nature is in full bloom.

Nature is celebrating the joyous and lighthearted appearance of life with lush green leaves, rosebuds, lighthearted butterflies, and determined honey bees. May’s Flower Moon’s spiritual meaning is about love, laughter, celebration, and pleasure. Now is a strong time for potent magical energy!

Full Moon May 2023 Alternative Names

    • Milk Moon (Anglo-Saxon) from the Old English Rimilcemona. They called it the Milk Moon because cows were more frequently this time of year! (Source: Time and Date)
    • Planting Month (anisgvti) Cherokee, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina
    • Harpa Moon (Norse origins) (source: Nordic Culture – Skjalden)
    • Dancing Moon (Tahch’ahipu) Tunica, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
    • Hare Moon or Bright Moon (Celtic) (Source: Time and Date)
    • Grass Moon (Neo-Pagan)
    • Frost Moon (South African origins) (source: Centre for Astronomical Heritage)
    • Blossom Moon (waabigwani-giizis) Anishnaabe (Chippewa, Ojibwe) Great Lakes
    • Moon of Mulberry (Hash Bihi) Choctaw Southeast, Mississippi, Louisiana

    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.

    Flower Moon 2023 Correspondences

    The spiritual meaning of May’s Full Flower Moon is a powerful time for hopeful intentions, magic, joy, and happiness. To get you started, here are some spiritual correspondences and intentions!

    Flower Moon Meaning and Intentions

    • Abundance
    • Pleasure
    • Romance
    • Fertility
    • Laughter
    • Fun

    Colors

    • Orange
    • Yellow
    • Red
    • Green

    Full Moon of May Ritual Ideas

    Now is the time to bring goals and dreams to life. You might need to answer some hard questions about yourself and what needs to happen to make your intentions materialize. Don’t let anxiety or nervousness hold you back. This season is about having fun too!

    Make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself with your big dreams. Create small, actionable, and practical steps to bring your goals to life! Make sure to include plenty of rest to avoid burnout. This season is about having fun too! If you’re looking for even more ideas check out Full Moon Rituals You Need To Know!

    Lunar Infused Tea

    Instead of sun tea, try a lunar-infused tea! Water and herbs can easily manifest the energy of the moon. Similar to creating Moon Water, meditate with the jar in your hands, focus, and visualize your goals and intentions before leaving the infusion to sit out all night beneath the Moon.

    In the morning, you’re left with a delicious and nourishing cold tea, ready to enjoy. Make sure to whisper your gratitude to the Moon before you walk away.

    You could also create simple (non-infused) Moon Water to anoint an object that’s closely related to your intentions. You could add it to money (wealth), your face or skin (beauty or health), a woman’s stomach (fertility), or your home’s doorway (protection or positive energy). If you’re going to ingest the magic Moon water, I would suggest using bottled or filtered water. Check out this post if you’re looking for 50 Creative Ways To Use Your Moon Water.

    Lunar Infused Tea and May Flower Moon Intentions The Peculiar Brunette

    Include Flowers in Your Rituals

    We’ve all heard the phrase “stop and smell the roses”, but we rarely take the time. Find a way to slow down and take pleasure in the floral beauty all around. Think of creative ways to incorporate them into your life or hobbies. Make it specific for the time of year using plants that are starting to bloom and grow. Mint, lilacs, pansies, dandelions, etc. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    • Press flowers that you can use in your journal, grimoire, card, gift tag, or use for artwork. Adding to a grimoire or journal page can be a great reference for later. You can include all the information you know about this specific flower.
    • Integrate some into your baking or cooking. It would be wonderful in bread, salad, or tea. You could create sugar flowers to add to cakes or cookies. You could even try my Enchanting Flower and Herb Spread.
    • Make stovetop potpourri
    • Include some in a sachet bag you can place under your pillow or in a drawer
    • Create rosewater or another floral water. You can incorporate it into rituals, on your altar, or simply spray your linens with
    • Mix with some bath salts and use for a bath
    • If you enjoy creating your own paper, adding flowers creates a wonderful botanical aesthetic
    • Mix with any other herbs you have to create your own eco-friendly smoke cleanser
    • Create a homemade salve, oil, or lotion for a Flower Moon meditation ritual.
    • Add to candles or soap

    If you’re short on time, keep it simple and buy yourself some fresh flowers. Don’t forget to fully slow down, indulge in their beauty, and enjoy their sweet scent.

    Beltane Simmer Pot
    Beautiful Flowers in my Beltane Simmer Pot

    Moonlight Meditation

    Every Full Moon is a particularly abundant and intense time for Moon magic. Since it’s so much warmer during the Flower Moon, try meditating outdoors immersed in the moonlight. You could even try going skyclad if you feel comfortable. Visualize a dazzling pure white light pouring out, cleansing, and restoring you and your crystals with Moon magic. Relax under the Moon’s soothing light as you inhale all of Nature’s beauty.

    Moonlight Meditation

    Garden Magic

    The Flower Moon is a wonderful time to enjoy your garden. Start some seedlings, or buy some young plants from the farmer’s market or a nearby nursery. Talking to your plants as you find their new home is a great way to connect with Nature. While they won’t talk back, they are living things and grow much stronger with love and affection. Try meditating next to them after they’re planted and imagine what your garden will look like in full bloom. You can even add some crystals to your garden!

    Another great way to connect with the Flower Moon is by harvesting herbs by moonlight. You could also water them beneath the Moon drenched in the glorious light. It’s been said that moonlight charges the water on a Full Moon and can benefit your plants. Some folks even plant their garden according to the phases of the moon.

    Now is also a wonderful time to connect with different types of Fae, especially in your garden. Learn more about The Fae Meaning and Mythology Secrets here.

    Flower Moon Journal Prompts For Spirituality

    Another great way to celebrate the Flower moon is by journaling your thoughts and intentions. Here are some prompts to get you started:

    • What goals or intentions have you set to manifest during this cycle? How can you bring them to fruition?
    • What have you planted in your garden? What do you plan to do with your harvest? (I live in zone 6 and start planting this time of year. However, if you need to wait a bit longer to start planting, why not draw out your garden plans? Maybe start some seeds in a container.)
    • How did you decorate your altar or sacred space with crystals, oils, candles, flowers, or personal items you love?
    • Since we’re in the season of Beltane, write about the abundance you have in your life. Not materialistically, but spiritually and emotionally
    The Peculiar Brunette

    2023 Full Moon Calendar

    Below is a schedule for 2023 Full Moons, including dates, times, and links if you’d like to read more in-depth.

    Future May Flower Moon Dates

    • May 23rd, 2024, reaching its peak at 9:53 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time)
    • May 12th, 2025, reaching its peak at 12:56 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time)

    I hope this post about the Full moon May 2023 was helpful! Lots of love to you, and remember as always…

    SOURCES

    Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “penumbra”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Jul. 1998, https://www.britannica.com/science/penumbra-eclipse.

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    2 Comments

    1. Love this! I’m so excited for the flower moon—it’s my favourite full moon of the year. Wonderful ideas for celebrating and great journal prompts! 😊

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