For all its fantastical elements, this week's episode of American Horror Story actually name-dropped a real-life cosmic occurrence: the Dying Grass Moon. In the show, this refers to a phase of the moon that lasts for six days before the full moon. During this time, spirits can "slip the veil between the shadow world and ours," a.k.a. the world of the living. Spooky? Yes. True? Well, it may come as a shock, but it's safe to say that Ryan Murphy took some creative license here.
The Dying Grass Moon is actually just another term for October's regular full moon, which is more commonly referred to as the Blood Moon in Pagan traditions or the Hunter's Moon among certain Native American tribes. This year, it will rise at 12:24 a.m. EDT on October 16.
In nature-based faiths, the Blood Moon serves as a reminder that the harvest season will soon come to a close — Samhain, on October 31, is the final harvest festival of the year. It's viewed as a time to prepare for winter and to reflect on our own mortality and ancestors. Animals are getting ready to hibernate. Trees are shedding their leaves and some plants are even dying. Nature is about to go dormant. Why shouldn't you spend time thinking about how you can best care for yourself during the dark, cold months to come?
The idea is to take this opportunity to think about all of this now, so that by the time the Mourning Moon comes around next month, you're sure about what you need to get through winter and what you can leave behind.
That said, here's one thing that AHS got right — it is believed that the borders between the living and the dead blur around this time of year. But instead of interpreting that as something creepy, that mostly means that this is a wonderful time to set intentions around your own spiritual growth. Maybe you reflect on something you learned from your deceased loved ones. Maybe you return to an old personal ritual or start a new one.
Whether you call it the Blood Moon, Hunter's Moon, or Dying Grass Moon, this can be your chance to take a moment and breathe before winter, the holidays, and, looking even further ahead, the new year. Like we said, this is ultimately a personal choice (unless you happen to be a particularly disposable AHS character — then, you may have cause for concern).
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