“Exploring the Mystical Origins and Modern Significance of the Strawberry Moon and Other Full Moon Names”

The Full Moon has long captured our fascination and stirred our imagination. Whether it’s the Algonquin tribes of North America, the ancient Hindus, or the Buddhists in Sri Lanka, many cultures have been inspired by the Full Moon. Each full Moon in each month has its own name and its own significance. In June, we have the Strawberry Moon, the Mead or Honey Moon, the Rose Moon, the Flower Moon, the Hot Moon, and the Hoe Moon, among others. The Full Moon for June 2023 will be on Saturday, June 3, 2023, and it will be visible for three days, from Friday night through Monday morning.

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The Strawberry Moon

The Algonquin tribes in the northeastern United States called the Full Moon in June the Strawberry Moon. This name came from the short season for harvesting strawberries in this region. Interestingly, the name has stuck even though the season for harvesting strawberries has changed in modern times. Today, strawberries are available for much of the year, thanks to modern transportation. One can still see the connection between the Moon and the Earth, a connection that our ancestors felt profoundly.

The Mead or Honey Moon

The Full Moon in June is also called the Mead or Honey Moon in European folklore. Mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water and sometimes with fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The time around the end of June is, according to some writings, when honey was ready for harvesting. Therefore, June became the “sweetest” month of the year, and the Full Moon in June was called the Honey or Mead Moon. The custom of calling the first month of marriage the “honeymoon” may be related to the Honey Moon because of the sweetness of this Moon. However, the evidence to support this theory is scarce.