Last night’s full moon, traditionally called the Snow Moon, is also known as Shoulder to Shoulder Around the Fire Moon by Native Americans. The belief is that relationships in every avenue of your life will prosper if you welcome everyone around your fire. Embracing all with warmth and affection in turn brings joy into your own life.

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The significance behind this moon felt especially profound to me—this weekend, my only sibling, my younger brother, is getting married. And, with this wedding, we join another family with him, a ceremony that brings more people around my fire.

Last night, I stood shoulder to shoulder with my partner, father, mother, and my aunt from Minnesota, whom I have not seen in 11 years, watching the full moon rise, bathing us in its brilliant light, surrounded by boulders and avocado trees.

We stood there, linked by shoulders, breathing in the qualities of moonlight: coolness, receptiveness, and inward reflection. And, most importantly, joy.

A friend visiting from South Africa, who I was blessed to meet in my yoga training, told me about the significance behind this full moon. Yesterday, I themed my gentle yoga class after it—bringing in the energy of the full moon and asking students to metaphorically invite those they wish to join them around their own fires.

Writing Exercise: I invite you to do the same. Who do you want to invite to sit shoulder to shoulder with you around your fire? It could be family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, pets, or qualities you would like to cultivate in your life such as peace or stillness. Bring each into focus. Take a moment to imagine each person or quality sitting next to you, embracing them with warmth and affection. Capture in writing who appeared next to your fire and all sensations that arose. Set an intention for how you will embrace each of them.

To cultivating joy and brushing shoulders—I invite you all around my fire,

C Amber