Moon Phases and Seasons

Posted on by Astrid

I, being blind, haven’t been able to see the moon in at least a quarter of a century and for most of this time, I didn’t pay much attention to its existence. I didn’t have a clue which phase the moon was in until a year or two ago, when Apple introduced moon phases as part of its weather app. Even then, I saw the moon phase as just some random factoid I liked.

That is until a few months ago, my staff told me about a fellow client who is usually very cognitively impaired and withdrawn but lights up significantly during the time around the full moon. I haven’t yet figured out whether moon phases impact me too, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. I’m just not as aware of the moon because I can’t see it.

Which brings me to the topic of seasons. Fall here has been incredibly warm and I’m struggling to conceptualize the fact that it’s late October. I can still see whether it’s light or dark outside when I’m actually outside, but I am starting to struggle more with the concept of seasons. I do still know that it’s late October, but I don’t “feel” it, if this makes sense. I don’t know how much of this is my blindness and how much, if anything, is cognitive decline.

I’m sharing this post with Friday Writings, for which the optional prompt is the moon. Yeah, I know it’s Sunday, but who cares?

33 thoughts on “Moon Phases and Seasons”

  1. When we are gifted with posts like this I shout “who cares if a Friday challenge is shared on a Sunday” with you. LOL. Seriously, when visually impaired folks share their perceptions of color, shadows, total darkness, emotions, feelings, recognition, intuition … we as a caring, curious, compassionate society are the beneficiaries. Thank you.

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  4. I’m sure the moon’s phases do affect us, and that we mostly remain unaware of just how much and in what ways; we fail to make the connection. I would not wish to be blind! But, that being said, perhaps you are compensating by becoming more aware of your internal processes?

    Thank you for joining in on this prompt.

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    1. Thanks so much for commenting. I’m pretty sure you’re not correct about me compensating for my blindness in this way. I don’t have the best interoception and for what it’s worth, my hearing isn’t more tuned in to what matters or generally better compared to the average person. The only sense that’s developed to a greater degree than most people’s, is touch.

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  5. Thank you for sharing. I found your post very interesting in conveying how a blind person still perceives the changing of the seasons and the phases of the moon. Believe me, October doesn’t feel the same anymore to any of us. The weather is so topsy turvey and, btw, I seldom post to a prompt on the day I’m supposed to!! A pleasure to meet you.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. It makes perfect sense that due to climate change the world is off in so many ways. That is, it doesn’t make sense, but it’s the way it is, sadly.

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  8. I am sure I have said before my eldest daughter works in a care home and she has always said that some that when it’s a full moon some of the residents are more alert and active. I am sure it’s a thing.
    It looks grey and cloudy today but it’s still 16C which seems warm for this time of year. It feels more like the end of summer and not Autumn.

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  10. If the moon affects the tides why wouldn’t it affect us too… I know my dad who was a policeman noticed higher arrest rates or calls during a full moon. I know sun vs. clouds affects the public’s overall mood from my days as a cashier. And seasonal changes are definitely a thing! Take some notes and see if you can find a connection with the moon, remember the tides don’t see either. Have a great week Astrid!

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  11. Very intriguing … but I too think I’m more in tune with the seasons – I just moved back up north and love the change of such – but this year, other than the days becoming dark sooner, it feels so warm! Anyway, I do love the beauty of the moon – I’d miss that if I lost my sight. Thank you for you insight.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It’s interesting to notice how now it gets dark by 5:30PM here but I was able to still go out wearing my thin jacket rather than a winter coat or even a thicker jacket.

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  14. Moon does impact our moods. It’s so distant still … which strengthens the theory of connectedness of everything. Seasons too influence our thoughts and inspire creative indulgences. The weather globally is going haywire. We call it karmic devolution of the entire human civilization. We have not respected Nature and in turn Nature seems to be quite “upset” with us. Very nice post.

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  15. The weather is changing significantly. I celebrate the changes of the season when I feel them–or when my garden does what it’s supposed to. According to my garden now, we are still in early autumn–things are blooming, my tomatoes still have fruit, bees are still out in numbers. That is a bit insane for New York City. It is scary.

    On the topic of the moon, I’ve heard that people with bipolar disorder are particularly affected by it.

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