FULL MOON RITUAL

This ritual was done by BWC for the end of 2017, but you can adapt this for your own ritual.

Check your local lunar calendar to find out the exact time of the full moon if you wish.

This Full Moon Releasing Ritual has been simplified to be accessible to beginners and for any practitioner who might want to share it with close friends who are not on the path. It is for anyone who would enjoy, or benefit from, liberating all that has served its purpose this year to make room for the mysteries of the upcoming one, for adventures yet to be had and time’s tales yet to be written…

You Will Need

Cleansing tool – sage, sandalwood or paolo santo to smoke or spray.

Something to represent each element

• EARTH — soil/sand/crystal,
• FIRE— candle,
• AIR— feather/incense,
• WATER — in a bowl or a glass
• Something to symbolize the moon – I use a crystal sphere, but it could be a picture, the moon tarot card, statue of a moon goddess, whatever you like. It could even be another candle.

Ritual Candle, carve or write 2017 on it, and a plate to put it or the holder on – I like white or silver for the full moon, but it really doesn’t matter as long as it’s separate from the representation of the fire element. AND MATCHES, don’t forget the matches!
Paper (notebook) and pen
13 leaves or small pieces of paper one for each moon of 2017
A table or place to perform this ritual
A drink for yourself
Optional extras: anointing oil – something that represents the full moon, crystals to grid your space/altar, sacred robes and jewellery, tweezers or small tongs, anything that helps you create a sacred space and any tools you might regularly use in a ritual.

• First bring everything you are going to use into your chosen space.
• Shower or bathe stating your intent to cleanse and dedicate yourself to the ritual you are about to perform, verbally. It can be as simple as “I’m preparing my body for the ritual ahead” while you’re doing that imagine a shower of white light cleansing your light/aura/ethereal body. Dress in your chosen attire.
• Cleanse and dedicate your space. Smudge your area including yourself and the tools you have gathered and again, verbally state/explain what you are doing “I cleanse and dedicate this space and everything in it to the ritual ahead” If you want to give a shout out to every item, have at it, I would. I’m just trying to keep this as inclusive and as simple as I can.
• Call in each element and dedicate the item you have chosen to represent it. For example, hold the item aloft saying, “I call in the element of fire” then place it on your altar and light the candle. Hold the next item aloft and say, “I call in the element of water” place your water on the altar, then the same with Earth and Air.
• Hold your representation of the moon high and breathe deeply 13 times. Visualise the spirit/energy/goddess of the moon filling your item with power until it is saturated. Then place it on your altar saying something like “I welcome the great spirit of the moon. I am honoured by your presence and am grateful for lending me your power and guidance”
• Now grab your inscribed ritual candle and hold it in both hands, if you are anointing the candle do that now.

“I dedicate this candle to 2017. To everything that has come and gone, helped or hindered and brought pleasure or pain.”

Then light the candle and place it on your altar.

• Keep your pen and notebook handy while you stare into the flame of the ritual candle. Think about the year that has passed. What were the highlights, the lowlights, the wins and the losses, what worked and what didn’t? Scribble them down as they come to you. First honour all your successes/wins/achievements. Take a moment to be proud of what you have and have achieved.

Then look at the negative aspects. TAKE YOUR TIME AND BE HONEST! What you’re looking for are emotions, situations, people or habits that you wish to be rid of. When you think you have them all, choose the 13 most significant ones and condense each one to a single word/phrase.

For example, poverty, loneliness, anger, unhealthy-attachments, celibacy/promiscuity, disease, apathy, fear, predictability/unpredictability, grief, doubt, cowardice, conflict, toxins, depression. (a thesaurus is useful if you have one handy as they list antonyms) While you can be general, the idea is to banish the 13 most disruptive ones of 2017. When you have them write each one on the 13 bits of paper or leaves you have standing by.

• Pick up the first one (I use tweezers or tongs), take a deep breath and then burn it in the flame of the ritual candle saying something like “With gratitude and conviction, I release XYZ as it no longer serves my highest, best and sacred self…BE GONE”

While it burns, visualize the burning of the chord that you have been holding onto and forgive yourself for any failure you perceive, yours and/or others.

• After all 13 have been carried away, the ritual is essentially over. If you have time to just sit in peace and marinade in the moment, do.
• Otherwise, or when you are ready, all that is left is to thank the moon goddess/spirit for her presence and support and the power of the elements for their balance and witness. Snuff out the candles and dispose of the ritual candle and ashes by discarding them in flowing water, burying them somewhere away from your home or you can chuck them in the garbage. Just make sure you never see them again. They are gone for your life.