Ripe Berry Moon

“Life is a circle, from birth to death to rebirth.  Humans, like the seasons, pass through many phases during their lives.  The moon stones of the Medicine Wheel give us a way of understanding and celebrating these changes.  The moon during which you were born determines your starting point on the wheel.”[1]

Does your birthday fall between July 23rd and August 22nd?

If so, you are a child of the Ripe Berry Moon! Your guardians are the Sturgeon or the Salmon - either can be your Animal Spirit Guide; Shawnodese - the South Wind Spirit Keeper; Coyote - the South Wind Animal Spirit Guide; and lastly the Thunderbird Clan. Your time of birth is most auspicious in the natural world.

People born under this moon are natural motivators that are driven by the need to create. They are inspired to create works that leave an impression, and express themselves best through music, art and poetry. Your lesson as a child of the Salmon Moon is to use your mood and emotion to your advantage.

Be confident in yourself and your work; enthusiasm will follow and infect those around you.

Just be careful to not be overly confident, it will result in some conflicts with your friends. You will find those born under the Long Snows Moon (Nov 22 – Dec 21) and those born under the Budding Trees Moon (March 21 – April 19) forge the greatest bonds with you. Ripe Berry Moon children tend to invest a lot into their relationships and are easily hurt when affection is not returned.

Those born under this moon have no shortage of friends and often travel in “schools” like their animal totem. Salmon do not shy away from challenges and swim upstream to get back to their spawning grounds. They risk their lives to go where they need to be despite the hardships that occur. Salmon are capable of surviving through most occurrences, because they have mastered the ability to swim through rough currents.

As Sturgeon or Salmon Moon children, you swim through your life facing all sorts of challenges, but you face them head on. You may find your most difficult challenges will occur on Saturdays between eleven o’clock and one o’clock morning or afternoon.

The Ripe Berry Moon’s crystal is Garnet, a unique red or green crystal that holds energies associated with success, survival instincts, and passion.

Use garnet crystals to enhance your artistic capabilities. You will notice your attention to detail has heightened after you tap into the energies of garnet through your Medicine Wheel. It can provide that sense of drive and inspiration you may need when you have a mental block.

Some people know garnet as the stone of commitment. Allow it to show you the path of devotion and adjust your flow of energy.

Ripe Berry Moon is also associated with golden colored crystals.

Golden crystals combine the enlightenment of pure yellow and the joyfulness of orange to produce the king of colors - gold. We instinctively seek this color. It makes us feel rich, secure, and successful. It is the color of many symbols of power and wealth.

This is a time in the year when we rejoice in the energy of the sun and the growth it creates, which nourishes the body and the soul. The rays of a golden crystal fulfill us and give us the enthusiasm and excitement that make life a wonderful adventure.