The Wolf Moon

When I woke up this morning I noticed that a bright light was shining through the edge of our bedroom blinds. At first I thought that I had slept in, which is a very rare occurrence. Then, when I checked the time (it was five-thirty) I realized that what I was seeing was moonlight. Quickly I put on my hiking clothes, left the bedroom and then stepped out onto the deck, which is when I saw that the whole countryside was silvered with a bright pearlescent light, and a huge moon hung in a dark blue sky. It was an extraordinarily beautiful sight. I stood and soaked in the view for some time, my mind quiet and my heart full.

   The first full moon of the year, the Full Wolf Moon, is set to rise on January third, this evening, and just like the moon that I saw this morning it will bathe the winter landscape in a luminous, silver light. This moon carries deep spiritual and historical significance, providing nature and moon lovers alike with an opportunity to connect with ancient traditions.

   The first Full Moon of 2026 is also a Supermoon. This spectacular sight occurs on the night of Saturday, January the third. As it is a Supermoon—occurring when the Moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth—it will appear noticeably larger and brighter than a typical full Moon.

   At a Full Moon, the Moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun, so the face of the Moon facing towards the Earth will be entirely illuminated by the Sun’s rays. 

   Look for the January Moon to rise from the eastern horizon around sunset that evening. By midnight, the Wolf Moon glows bright and round overhead. By sunrise, it will disappear into the western horizon.

   The Full Moon names used today come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each Full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the Full Moon itself.

   It’s thought that January’s Full Moon came to be known as the Wolf Moon because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at this time. It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that isn’t accurate.
 Howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard throughout wintertime as the wolves communicate to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory, and coordinate hunting. 

   In old winter lore, people watched this moon to understand their own endurance. Wolves survive the leanest stretch of the year through connection: traveling together, protecting their young, sharing warmth. Their howls are a way of staying linked across vast distances of snow and silence. So the Wolf Moon became a symbol of community, intuition, and the inner fire that refuses to go out-even when the landscape sleeps.

Wolf Moon

The January moon is ripe. It spills its light

 into the dark night, an extrovert needing to be


the center of attention. There is a reason


wolves howl when the moon reveals the fullness

of itself, and although I haven't done so,


I've felt the urge—a longing so ancient and wild

as if in a time past we came from an enchanted place,

a place so beautiful we want only to return.


Now the moon casts its cold white light
onto everything—

the fields glitter and the lake


gives itself up to receive the radiance

of that dominating presence.

We may lose ourselves in brilliance,


an attraction that smolders, just waiting to be lit.


No secrets, no dark and quiet corners.


The moon demands clarity.

Come into the light.

~ Lois Parker Edstrom

Art by Eira