Howling At The Moon
Self-Care February Day 16: Working with lunar energiesToday is a full moon. Since ancient times, people have looked to the moon for guidance and support. Farmers plant crops according to the stage of the moon, sowing seeds with the new moon and harvesting at the full.
Many people echo this practice in their spiritual rituals, setting intentions with the new moon and then releasing and forgiving at the full. You can bring the power of the moon to your business or a creative project you’re working on, starting it at the new moon and setting goals before reflecting on your progress at the full moon.
There is something magical about standing underneath a full moon on a clear sky, closing your eyes and bathing in its glow. It helps you to know that you are part of something bigger, something wonderful, giving you a pause from all the stresses and strains of daily life. It’s no surprise that there are so many deities associated with the moon.
If you use the moon to provide a framework for your personal rituals and practices, it can bring a whole new depth to your work.
Starting to work with the moon
Full moon ritual
Your full moon ritual could be something as simple as lighting a candle, burning some incense and taking some time to feel gratitude for all the cool things which have happened to you in this lunar cycle. The simple act of taking a moment to celebrate yourself can be a powerful ritual all by itself.
If you’d like to do something more involved, here’s a possible ritual you could do for the full moon. Feel free to adapt it in whatever way suits you best:
Set up your full moon altar in whatever way is meaningful to you. It could be as basic as a single pillar candle, or you might like to have representations of all the elements, e.g. a candle for fire, incense for air, a bowl of water and flowers for earth. If you work with a particular deity, you could include a representation of them. Leave your candle/incense unlit for the moment (unless you’re using loose incense, in which case get the charcoal started now).
Once you are ready, create sacred space for your ritual. You could do this by ringing a bell or singing bowl (you can find recordings of these sounds online if you don’t have instruments to hand). You could play meditation music and take a moment sitting quietly, connecting with the music. Alternatively, you could turn your attention to your breath, inhaling deeply for a few cycles, exhaling out any stress or tension. Feel the nature of the energies around you shift as you enter into sacred space. This is your time.
Light your candle/incense and as you do say, “I am honouring the full moon.” I like to light the candle and then light the incense from the candle flame as an offering.
Moving forward
You do not have to do regular rituals to work with the moon. You can keep a moon journal to stay connected on a regular basis. It could be as simple as noting down the moon phase, your mood, whether you dreamt and what it was about and anything which struck you as significant. It won’t take long before you notice patterns and once you have that information you can start using it to your advantage.
The Journey Through the Chakras retreat is in the final few days of the waning moon. It’s the perfect way to help you release that which no longer serves you so you can step into your power with the new moon. Book your ticket now to come join me for a truly magical day.