A Coincidence of Cycles: Blue Moon

I am not sure about others, but dates and times seem a little less rigid for me. I often must think for a moment or two to settle on what day of the week it is. I am not sure if it is the aftermath of the pandemic or if it is the result of working from home for the last four years, but it gives me pause to think.

I never feel that the civic calendar is the rule for the planet, nor the cosmos. It is an artificial structure that seems to coincide well with the solar year. Add a day every four years, and we have a working system.

Blue Moon

Tonight, is the Blue Moon of August and it is a beautiful sight: rising large, brilliant in the eastern sky, almost touching the eastern horizon. It is a magnificent site, especially when one considers that this heavenly body, this Shining One, is an almost constant companion in the night sky.

While many of us have seen Full Moons many times, it never ceases to amaze and inspire. This one is called a Super Moon. I think they are all super moons.

Coincidence

When the coincidence of cycles, civic and lunar, occur, we are sometimes amazed by the event. In this case, the lunar cycle does what it always does, fundamentally, it repeats a full cycle in roughly 29 days. Since there are 31 days in August, two full moon events coincide within one civic month to cause a Blue Moon, which happens every year or two.

When we think about the possibility of two full moons within a monthly wrapper, it does seem unlikely and amazing. And, since we live our lives by the civic calendar, this seems very special. If we step back a bit and look at the event through the lens of the lunar cycles, it seems less impressive and just the-way-it-should-be.

I watch in wonder

Nevertheless, a spectacular moon, regardless of date or position within a month is always a cause for celebration. The stars and planets are always present in the night sky when it is unobstructed. Yet, to watch the progression of the Moon from new to 1^st quarter to full to 3^rd quarter to dark, is an wonderous piece of astral theatre, that is often reprieved and is never boring. I look at the sky and especially the Moon every night.

I watch in wonder.

I like to light a candle for the full moon (well, for every phase, truth be told), but I think an appropriate working for the Blue Moon is to light two candles, to commemorate the presence of two great lights during this month. I wrote a prayer for the Blue Moon, which I offer to you now.