The Ancient Wisdom of the Sturgeon Moon, a Partial Lunar Eclipse, and the Growth We Cannot Yet See
Dear Dream Catcher,
Here we are again, beneath another Full Moon.
But this one feels different.
On the night of August 27 into the early morning hours of August 28, the August Sturgeon Moon will shine in Pisces while a deep partial lunar eclipse moves across the sky. At its peak, nearly the entire face of the Moon will pass through Earth’s shadow, creating a moment when the familiar light of the Moon is transformed into something darker, deeper, and almost otherworldly.
And perhaps that is exactly what we need right now.
A Full Moon is traditionally a time of illumination—a time when things hidden beneath the surface can finally come into view. But an eclipse reminds us that sometimes we have to move through the shadows before we can see things clearly.
Maybe this Moon is asking us to do just that.
To slow down.
To listen.
To release.
And to trust what we cannot yet see.
Why Is It Called the Sturgeon Moon?
The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the lake sturgeon, an ancient freshwater fish that was once abundant throughout the Great Lakes and other North American waterways.
August was traditionally an important time for fishing, when sturgeon could be plentiful and provided an important source of food.
But the sturgeon itself is what really captures my imagination.
Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are sometimes called living fossils because their lineage reaches back roughly 150 million years. They existed long before us, surviving enormous changes in the world around them.
They have a prehistoric appearance, with long cylindrical bodies, pointed snouts, whisker-like barbels, and rows of bony plates called scutes along their backs and sides.
And they can become enormous.
Lake sturgeon can grow more than six feet long and weigh well over 100 pounds, with some exceptional individuals becoming considerably larger.
But perhaps the most fascinating thing about them isn’t their size.
It’s their patience.
The Ancient Wisdom of the Sturgeon
Sturgeon are incredibly long-lived. Some can live for many decades, and some are believed to reach more than 100 years old.
They also mature slowly.
Females may take 20 years or more to reach reproductive maturity, depending on environmental conditions.
Think about that.
In a world that constantly tells us to hurry, the sturgeon doesn’t hurry.
It simply keeps swimming.
Through changing waters.
Through changing seasons.
Through generations.
And maybe there is something there for us to learn.
We live in a world that tells us to hurry and succeed.
Hurry and heal.
Hurry and figure everything out.
Hurry and become the person you’re supposed to be.
But what if we don’t have to rush our becoming?
What if some things are simply meant to take time?
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I love the idea of having a little reminder of the sturgeon nearby—a symbol of patience, endurance, resilience, and continuing to move forward even when the waters change.
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Growth Beneath the Surface
Think about a seed beneath the soil.
From the surface, it may look like nothing is happening.
But underneath, roots are forming.
Life is developing.
Something is preparing to emerge.
Just because you cannot see the growth doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Maybe that is one of the messages this Sturgeon Moon is bringing us.
Some dreams take years to develop.
Some chapters of our lives need to unfold slowly.
Some changes happen quietly, long before anyone else can see them.
And taking time doesn’t mean you’re standing still.
Sometimes, you are growing beneath the surface.
Just like the sturgeon.
Pisces: The Waters of Dreams
This Full Moon arrives in Pisces, a water sign associated with intuition, imagination, compassion, emotions, and dreams.
Pisces reminds us that not everything meaningful can be measured.
Some things are felt.
Some things are sensed.
Some things arrive in our dreams before they ever become reality.
And like water, our lives don’t always move in straight lines.
Water finds a way around obstacles.
It bends.
It flows.
It changes direction.
But it keeps moving.
Maybe we can do the same.
We don’t have to have every answer.
We don’t have to know exactly where the current is taking us.
Sometimes we simply have to trust that we are still moving forward.
When the Moon Enters the Shadow
Then comes the eclipse.
For a moment, Earth’s shadow will pass across the Moon.
The light will change.
The familiar will look unfamiliar.
And perhaps that is the perfect metaphor for those moments in our own lives when everything suddenly feels uncertain.
There may be times when we feel like our light has disappeared.
When a dream seems too far away.
When we question our direction.
When something we once believed in no longer feels right.
But the Moon doesn’t stop existing when it enters Earth’s shadow.
Its light isn’t gone forever.
It is simply passing through a different moment.
And so are we.
A season of darkness does not mean your light is gone.
Sometimes the shadow simply gives us an opportunity to see what we couldn’t see before.
What Are You Ready to Release?
Perhaps this Full Moon is asking you to release an old fear.
An old disappointment.
An expectation that life has to unfold according to a certain timeline.
Maybe it is time to stop carrying something simply because you’ve carried it for a long time.
We are not required to bring every piece of our past into our future.
Some things are meant to teach us.
Some things are meant to change us.
And some things are simply meant to be released.
The eclipse reminds us that sometimes we have to move through the shadow before we can see the light differently.
The Sturgeon as a Symbol of Resilience
The story of the sturgeon isn’t only about ancient history.
It is also a story of survival.
Sturgeon populations were severely reduced over the years by overfishing, dams, habitat destruction, and pollution. Their eggs were also highly valued as caviar.
Yet conservation efforts have helped some populations recover.
Their story has become one of resilience and restoration.
And that makes the Sturgeon Moon even more meaningful.
Think about what the sturgeon represents:
Ancient wisdom.
Patience.
Endurance.
Adaptation.
Survival.
Resilience.
Returning to the waters where you belong.
Now place that symbolism beneath a Pisces Full Moon and a partial lunar eclipse.
Pisces is represented by two fish.
The Sturgeon Moon carries the image of one of the oldest fish species still living today.
There is something beautiful about that connection.
Perhaps the message is simple:
You don’t have to rush your journey.
Dear Dream Catcher…
So what should we carry with us beneath this August Full Moon?
Perhaps we should carry patience.
Perhaps we should carry faith in the dreams we haven’t reached yet.
Perhaps we should stop measuring our progress by how quickly things are happening.
And perhaps we should learn from the ancient sturgeon.
Keep swimming.
Even when the water is dark.
Keep moving.
Even when you cannot see the shore.
Keep dreaming.
Even when you don’t know how the dream will become reality.
Because there are things happening beneath the surface that you cannot see yet.
There are roots growing.
There are lessons taking shape.
There are doors preparing to open.
There are versions of ourselves waiting to emerge.
Maybe the eclipse is asking us to release our need to understand everything right now.
Let the shadows pass.
Let the water flow.
Let the old things drift away.
And trust what is still becoming.
A Wish Beneath the Sturgeon Moon
Tonight, Dear Dream Catcher, I want to make a different kind of wish.
Not a wish for everything to happen quickly.
Not a wish for every question to be answered.
But a wish for patience.
For courage.
For faith in the unseen.
For the ability to trust that just because I cannot see something happening doesn’t mean nothing is happening.
I want to remember that I am allowed to grow slowly.
I am allowed to change direction.
I am allowed to dream again.
And I am allowed to become someone new without knowing exactly who that person will be.
The ancient sturgeon has been swimming through changing waters for millions of years.
Perhaps its message to us is simple:
You don’t have to rush your journey.
You simply have to keep swimming.
So, Dear Dream Catcher, as the August Moon rises and the Earth’s shadow crosses its light, let’s release what we no longer need.
Let’s trust our intuition.
Let’s protect the dreams worth keeping.
And let’s remember that some of the most beautiful things in life begin quietly, beneath the surface, long before anyone else can see them.
You may be growing in ways nobody can see yet.
Keep dreaming.
Keep believing.
Keep swimming.
Until next time,
With moonlight, dreams, and an open heart, Your friend Sheri
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