The Hunter’s Moon
Rituals, Aromatherapy Recipes & Lore for the Season of Release
There’s a particular kind of light that arrives with the October full moon. The leaves are down, the garden is going to sleep, and a huge golden moon lifts over the bare trees. This year, the Full Hunter’s Moon peaks on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 12:12 A.M. Eastern time. Here in Alberta, that means late on Sunday evening, October 25 (around 10:12 p.m.). The moon looks full for about three days, so both evenings are lovely for watching it rise.
Below you’ll find a simple ritual, four aromatherapy recipes, and the legends and old wives’ tales that make this moon so magical. Start with the ritual and the blends, then settle in with the stories.
A Simple Hunter’s Moon Ritual
The Hunter’s Moon is traditionally about two things: hunting for what you need to get through the winter, and releasing what you don’t need to carry into it. Astrologers place this full moon in Taurus, the sign of the senses, security, and values, which makes it a good time to think about what truly nourishes you.
- Set the scene. Dim the lights, light a candle, and sit near a window where you can see the moon.
- Write two lists. The first is “What am I hunting for this winter?” (rest, courage, security, a new skill, more joy). The second is “What am I ready to release?” (a grudge, an old worry, clutter, a habit).
- Release. Burn the second list safely in a fireproof dish, or tear it up and bury it in the garden. A single dried bay leaf with a word of release written on it is a traditional alternative. Always burn in a fireproof bowl, away from anything flammable.
- Keep the first list. Tuck it somewhere you’ll see it through the winter.
- Close with gratitude. Take three slow breaths and thank the season, the harvest, and yourself.
Moon water. Leave a clean glass jar of water outside or on a windowsill overnight to “charge” under the moon. It’s traditionally used for misting, bathing, and watering houseplants. Treat it as a ritual water, not a drinking water.
Smoke cleansing, respectfully. White sage is sacred to many Indigenous peoples and has been heavily overharvested. If you like to cleanse your space, try a simmer pot of cedar, juniper, and rosemary, or simply open the windows and ring a bell.
Aromatherapy Recipes for the Hunter’s Moon
The oils that suit this moon are the grounding woods, resins, and evergreens: cedarwood, black spruce, juniper berry, vetiver, frankincense, cypress, and a touch of sweet orange for warmth.
Diffuser blend: Hunter’s Trail
Grounding and woodsy, like a walk through the autumn forest.
- 3 drops cedarwood
- 2 drops black spruce
- 1 drop juniper berry
- 1 drop vetiver
Diffuser blend: Letting Go
For the release ritual, and for Metal’s season.
- 3 drops frankincense
- 2 drops cypress
- 2 drops sweet orange
Moonlit sleep blend
For the restless full-moon nights.
- 3 drops lavender
- 2 drops Roman chamomile
- 1 drop cedarwood
Diffuse for 30 to 60 minutes before bed rather than all night.
Moon anointing oil
For the pulse points or the heart centre during your ritual.
- 10 ml sunflower oil in a small roller bottle
- 2 drops cedarwood
- 1 drop frankincense
- 1 drop vetiver
That’s about a 2% dilution. Sunflower oil is a lovely choice, a sun-coloured oil to carry the moon’s blend.
Moon mist
For the bedroom, the altar, or the car.
Fill a 100 ml glass spray bottle with a floral hydrolat, such as lavender, and add a splash of your moon water. Mist lightly. Keep it in the fridge and use within a week or two, since water-based sprays spoil quickly.
Safety notes: Patch test any blend first and avoid broken skin. Juniper berry and cypress are best avoided in pregnancy. If you’re pregnant, nursing, or managing a health condition, check with your healthcare provider or a qualified aromatherapist first. Keep oils away from children and pets, and remember that cats are especially sensitive, so diffuse in a room they can leave freely.
The Hunter’s Moon & the Metal Element
Autumn belongs to Metal in the Five Elements, which governs the lungs and large intestine. Metal is the element of letting go, and its emotion is grief. The release portion of the ritual above is exactly what this season asks of us. Traditional supports for Metal include deep breathing, decluttering, journaling, pears, and pungent foods like onion, garlic, and radish.
Why Is It Called the Hunter’s Moon?
The Hunter’s Moon is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. This year the Harvest Moon was on September 26.
The old story goes like this. By October the crops were in and the fields were cut bare. Deer, hares, and other game came out to feed on the gleanings, easy to spot in the bright moonlight. Families needed to lay in meat for winter, so the moon that lit the hunt took its name from it.
Fun fact: Most nights, the moon rises about 50 minutes later than the night before. Around the Harvest and Hunter’s Moons, at northern latitudes like ours, that delay shrinks to roughly half an hour or less. The moon rises near sunset several evenings in a row, giving our ancestors bonus light right when they needed it.
It has other names too. “Blood Moon” is sometimes used, either for the blood of the autumn hunt or for the orange-red colour a low moon can take on near the horizon. Many First Nations have their own names for this moon, such as the Falling Leaves Moon and the Migrating Moon. Names differ from nation to nation and carry their own teachings, so they’re best learned from the people who hold them.
Legends Under the October Moon
Artemis and Diana. In Greek and Roman myth, the moon and the hunt belong to the same goddess. Artemis, and her Roman counterpart Diana, was a huntress, protector of wild creatures, and lady of the moon.
The Wild Hunt. Across northern Europe, folklore tells of a ghostly procession of riders and hounds, often led by Odin (Woden), thundering across the sky on stormy autumn and winter nights. People would bolt their doors and leave offerings. A bright October moon with racing clouds across its face is the kind of sky that tale was born under.
The Moon Festival of China. At the Harvest Moon, Chinese families gather for the Mid-Autumn Festival with lanterns and moon cakes. They tell of Chang’e, the moon goddess, and the Jade Rabbit who pounds the elixir of life on the moon. Many cultures see a rabbit in the moon rather than a face.
Samhain and the thinning veil. In Celtic-inspired traditions, the Hunter’s Moon brightens the road to Samhain (October 31 to November 1). This is the time when the veil between the living and the departed is said to be thinnest, and a time to honour ancestors.
Old Wives’ Tales & Weather Lore
- “Clear moon, frost soon.” Cloudless autumn nights lose heat fast, so this one has real truth in it. Gardeners watch for it.
- “Ring around the moon, rain or snow soon.” The halo is moonlight passing through ice crystals in high clouds, which often arrive ahead of a weather change.
- Babies born the day after a full moon are said to enjoy endurance and success.
- Don’t sleep with moonlight on your face. Old tales say it makes you “moonstruck,” and the word lunatic comes from Luna, the moon.
- Restless sleep at the full moon. One small 2013 lab study found people took longer to fall asleep around the full moon. Later research has been mixed, but many of us still swear we toss and turn.
- Garden by the moon. Lunar gardening lore treats the days leading up to the full moon as the time for above-ground crops, and the days after for roots. In Zone 3, this is also the time to plant garlic, mulch the perennials, and put the beds to rest.
A Closing Thought
Go outside on the evening of the 25th, wrap up warm, and watch the moon rise over the bare branches. Before you head back in, take one slow breath for whatever you’re releasing, and one for whatever you’re hunting for. Winter is coming, and so is a bit of rest.
Looking for essential oils, hydrolats, carrier oils, or spiritual sprays to make these blends? Visit susancossi.com.
Susan Cossi
IFPA-Accredited Clinical Aromatherapist and Holistic Health Practitioner | Holistic Teachings Inc. | susancossi.com
This article is for educational and entertainment purposes. Folklore and ritual are shared as cultural traditions and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment, especially if you are pregnant, take medications, or have a medical condition.