Happy Full Moon! Hoooowwwwllll!!!!
In honor of today’s Full Moon, I’d love to offer you an outline to creating your own personal Full Moon Ritual. During New Moon time, Nature typically encourages and supports Rituals that are “calling in” new aspects of life and cultivating new beginnings. During Full Moon time, Nature typically encourages and supports Rituals that are emphasizing a feeling of celebration or releasing something.
As always, (and I can not emphasize this enough) let my offering be a starting point, a spring board, for your own guidance to work. I would suggest reading through this page, dreaming up and planning your Ritual, and then setting aside a sacred time to hold it.
May you be inspired and be led by your own heart and guidance.
Step One: Getting Centered
The first step in anything is the moment before the “thing” happens. This is PART of the Ritual. In sports, you must pull back before you can swing the club, bat, throw the ball. Getting centered is your Ritual foreplay.
“Getting Centered” doesn’t have to take long, but it should be meaningful to you. This is just another way of saying that you are taking some moments to relax, connect to that which you consider to be sacred, remove distractions, and connect to your inner guidance. You are signaling to the deepest part of yourself that you are stepping into a different realm. You are readying yourself to communicate with a different part of life than you might usually communicate with.
For Example:
You might want to simply light a candle, take a bath, rub oil on your skin, or slip into something that feels special to you. Anything that signifies you are moving into a space that is special.
Step Two: Getting Clear on WHAT you are here to release/ celebrate, and going inward
While there doesn’t need to be a “result” or “product” from a Ritual, it is helpful to be clear on the reason for holding a Ritual. For our purposes of this Full Moon Ritual, I’d like to invite you to celebrate one thing about where you are in your life right now, or to release something that has been burdening you.
Once you are clear, take a moment to move more deeply inside yourself. You can do this by meditating, closing your eyes, and/ or journaling about why you are doing this Ritual and what it means to you. Simply hold the intention of the Ritual in your mind and allow yourself to move more deeply towards that space.
For Example:
I am deciding to hold a Ritual for myself honoring and celebrating the ways I have taken care of myself over the last year. Or I am holding this Ritual in order to release a self judgement I have been carrying around with me.
Step Three: Write down an Intention
Next, I would encourage you to write down ONE clear sentence that explains what this Ritual is for you.
The simplicity of this step can really help you carry this energy forward or truly release that which you are aiming to let go of. This is a way of writing this experience on your heart. By writing it down, you are bringing this Ritual into the physical realm (as opposed to keeping it in your own mind).
For Example:
You may choose to write something like:
Today, I celebrate the multitude of ways I have taken care of myself and I remember that I can count on myself to continue to do so.
Today, I release the pain I have cause myself by judging my worth based on my productivity and I will release that judgement today.
This sentence can be ANYTHING you desire. I would just encourage you to make it something you can remember without having to look at your journal. Make it something you can feel in your bones.
Step Four: Do One Physical Action
Taking our intention and moving it further into the physical realm can help us to seal in our purpose for Ritual. I like to get some element of nature and/or my physical body involved in this step. This can be as elaborate or simple as you wish to make it.
For Example:
You might want to dance to celebrate
You might want to (safely) burn a slip of paper that has what you are releasing written on it.
You might want to make an art piece that represents this celebration.
You might want to lay on the Earth, or build a Fire, or feel the Wind on your face.
Step Five: Close the Ritual
Just as we consciously started our Ritual, it’s important for us to signal to ourselves that we are finished. This helps us know that our work is done and we are moving back into other aspects of our life. This is a way we can practice emotional safety so that we feel ready to meet the demands and unexpected moments that may await us in our lives. I would recommend you check in with yourself here and take the time you need to truly close. If you held a Ritual that was emotional or difficult, you might need more time here and that’s okay.
For Example:
You might blow out your candle. You might want to eat a meal to help ground yourself back into your physical body. You may like to take a nap or head to sleep. You may give yourself a hug. You might simply change clothes or put on a cozy jacket or sweater.
How’d it Go?
How was your Ritual? What did you craft for yourself?
Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear!
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Amanda is the Director of Communications & Creative Development for The Wild Woman Project, as well as: Wild Woman Project Circle Leader, a member of the Love Crew at the annual WILD WOMAN FEST, and a Mentor for The Wild Woman Project Circle Leader Training Program. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from California State University, Fullerton where she intensively studied Movement for the Stage. A self described Mystic, Artist, Witch, People Person, Beverage Aficionado from Los Angeles California; She is particularly passionate about the space where Art, Activism, and Spirit collide.
Hi Amanda!
Long before becoming a healer, I studied theatre too!
There certainly is an apex between performing arts and spirituality, isn’t there? I find it particularly acute when celebrating pagan calendar events.
Ritual is a great way for anyone interested in spiritual matters to connect with their creativity, especially if they are uncomfortable with casting “spells.”
This was a great way to get us to think about how we want to do that.
Thanks!
Oh thank you so much Carrie! Yes, I completely agree with you! Theatre did start as a Ritual! How lovely to remember and call upon that lineage. Thank you so much for your thoughts and for reading. xx