October is a time of Harvest, and Release.

The air grows cooler. The leaves begin their transformation. The garden becomes quieter, the night seems a little deeper, and nature gently reminds us that nothing stays the same forever.

And in October 2026, the Full Hunter’s Moon arrives on October 26, just days before Samhain, traditionally observed from October 31 into November 1.

Together, they create a beautiful threshold and a time to honor what has been harvested, release what no longer belongs to us, remember those who came before us, and prepare our hearts for a new season.

The Hunter’s Moon

The October Full Moon is traditionally known as the Hunter’s Moon, the Full Moon following the Harvest Moon. Its name is connected to the traditional preparations for winter, when communities hunted, preserved meat, and gathered what they would need for the colder months ahead. (Time and Date)

In 2026, the Hunter’s Moon reaches peak illumination at 12:11 a.m. EDT on October 26. Because the Moon appears full for the surrounding nights, October 25 and 26 will both offer beautiful opportunities to sit beneath its light. (Time and Date)

But beyond its historical name, I think the Hunter’s Moon offers us another kind of invitation.

It asks:

What have you gathered?
What have you learned?
What are you carrying into the next season?
And what are you finally ready to leave behind?

The Full Moon has long been associated in modern spiritual practice with illumination, completion, gratitude, and release. The Hunter’s Moon adds the symbolism of preparation. We are gathering our wisdom. We are gathering our strength.

We are gathering the pieces of ourselves that may have been scattered throughout the year.

And then we decide what is worth carrying forward.

The Ancient Turning of Samhain

Samhain has much deeper roots than the modern Halloween celebration we know today.

In the ancient Celtic seasonal calendar, Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter which is the dark half of the year. It was a time when crops had been gathered, livestock were brought in, and people prepared for the months ahead. (Ireland API)

Traditionally associated with the night of October 31 and the beginning of November 1, Samhain was considered a liminal time or a threshold between seasons and, in traditional belief, between the world of the living and the world of the dead. (Ireland API)

Bonfires, feasting, offerings, disguises, and remembrance became part of the traditions surrounding this powerful seasonal transition. Over time, Samhain traditions blended with Christian observances such as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, contributing to the evolution of Halloween. (NASA Science)

And perhaps that is why October carries such a particular feeling. It is a month of endings. But endings have never meant only loss. Sometimes an ending is simply the doorway into becoming.

Where the Hunter’s Moon Meets Samhain

The Hunter’s Moon and Samhain speak a similar language.

Gather.
Give thanks.
Release.
Remember.
Prepare.
Begin again.

The Hunter’s Moon comes first, illuminating the landscape and asking us to look honestly at what we have harvested from our year.

Then Samhain arrives, inviting us to stand at the threshold between what was and what will be.

This can be a beautiful time to reflect upon the things that have changed within us. Perhaps you have outgrown an old version of yourself. Perhaps a relationship has ended. Perhaps something you once wanted no longer feels aligned with who you are becoming. Perhaps there are dreams you are ready to breathe life back into. Or perhaps you simply need to rest. There is no shame in resting.

Nature does not apologize when the trees let go of their leaves.

They know that letting go is part of the cycle.

Honoring the two

On the night of the Full Moon, create a quiet space for yourself.

You might sit outside beneath the Moon, light a candle, make a cup of herbal tea, or simply stand beneath the night sky.

Take a piece of paper and write down:

What I am grateful for. What I have learned. What I am ready to release.

Then speak your intention aloud:

“I honor what this season has taught me. I release what I no longer need.

I carry forward the wisdom, love, and strength that belong to me.”

Let the Moon witness it.

Reflections for Manifesting

Under the Hunter’s Moon, consider manifesting things connected to stability, wisdom, protection, abundance, courage, and preparation for the season ahead.

Instead of simply saying, “I want abundance,” try:

“I am creating a life where abundance has room to find me.”

Instead of: “ I want peace.” Try:

“I am making choices that allow peace to become part of my everyday life.”

The most powerful intentions are often the ones we are willing to participate in.

Honoring Samhain

When Samhain arrives, the energy shifts. The Full Moon has illuminated. Now we turn inward.

Samhain can be a beautiful time to honor ancestors, loved ones who have passed, and the people whose lives helped shape our own. Historically, traditions surrounding Samhain included food offerings and remembrance of the dead. (Ireland API)

You might create a small remembrance space with photographs, flowers, candles, or meaningful objects.

Prepare a favorite food. Light a candle for someone you miss. Speak their name. Tell a story about them.

Give thanks for the ways their presence continues to live within you.

You don’t have to practice any particular religion or tradition to understand the beauty of remembrance.

Love does not simply disappear because someone is no longer physically here.

Sometimes it becomes memory.

Sometimes it becomes wisdom. Sometimes it becomes the way we love others.

A Samhain Release Ritual

Samhain is also a powerful symbolic time for releasing the past. Write down something you are ready to leave behind. It might be a fear, an old belief, a painful memory, resentment, self-doubt, or simply a version of yourself that no longer fits.

Then say:

“I thank this experience for what it has taught me. I release what is no longer mine to carry.

I make room for what is meant to come next.”

Safely tear up the paper or dispose of it in another meaningful way. Then sit quietly. You don’t have to fill the space immediately. Sometimes the magic is in allowing the empty space to exist. Because before nature creates again, there is often a period of stillness.

Planting Intentions for the Dark Half of the Year

Samhain isn’t only about endings. It is also about the seeds we carry quietly through the darkness. Think about what you want to cultivate during the coming months.

Perhaps it is:

• deeper self-trust
• creativity
• healing
• financial stability
• stronger boundaries
• a more peaceful home
• connection with nature
• spiritual growth
• courage to become more fully yourself

Write your intentions somewhere private. You don’t have to announce them. Some seeds grow best in darkness. Let your intentions rest with you through the winter, and return to them when spring begins to stir again.

The Magic of This October

The Hunter’s Moon arrives with its ancient reminder of gathering and preparation.

Samhain follows with its invitation to cross a threshold. Together, they remind us that life moves in cycles.

So this October, perhaps don’t be afraid of the darkness. Sit with it. Listen to it. There is wisdom there.

There are times to bloom.

Times to harvest.

Times to release.

Times to rest.

And times to begin again.

Look at the Moon and remember everything you have survived. Look at the falling leaves and remember that letting go can be beautiful. Light a candle for those you love. Give thanks for what you have harvested.

Release what has become too heavy. And then, quietly, place your intentions into the soil of your spirit.

You don’t have to know exactly what comes next. You only have to trust that you are part of a much larger cycle. The Moon will wax and wane. The seasons will turn. The garden will sleep. And one day, everything will begin again.

Gentle reflection:
May this Hunter’s Moon illuminate what is ready to be released. May Samhain help us honor where we have been, who has walked beside us, and all that has shaped us. And may we enter the darker season with peaceful hearts, knowing that even in the quietest darkness, something within us is preparing to bloom.

Peace,

cath.