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Solitary Full Moon Ritual

8/12/2011

 
Solitary Full Moon Ritual
In two previous articles, we covered the basic steps present in most Wiccan rituals (Ritual Construction) and some important things to keep in mind when writing your own ritual (Composing a Ritual,) be it a solitary or group ritual. Now, I’ll give an example of a Full Moon ritual based upon these steps and key points to keep in mind.

This ritual is written for the solitary practitioner, but could be converted for a small group of 2 -3 people; it would not be suitable for any more than that. It is written to include only the most basic of items, for it is the intention and sincerity of the person performing the ritual that matters most –not the number of shiny tools and flaming candles.

The purpose is to align the person performing the ritual with Lunar energies and allow them to more strongly feel the effects, power, and influence of the Moon within their lives. It calls upon the Elements and Deity in the guise of Moon and Sun. This ritual is suitable to be performed in or outdoors, and should take less than an hour to complete.

If you have any questions as to format, word usage, intent, etc, don’t hesitate to comment or contact me for clarification.

For this Ritual you will Need:

  • Four Stones (about the size of your hand or larger, any type, shape, or color) or Four Candles
  • One White Candle (preferably a pillar style or taper in a candle holder)

Purification

  • Begin first by purifying yourself. This can be done through a basic Ground and Center exercise: close your eyes, breathe deeply, and as you exhale feel all stress and worries leave on your breath: breathe out all that could prevent you from focusing fully on this ritual. Repeat this until you feel light and focused.
  • Next purify the space. Move any debris or furniture out of the way so that you have enough space to move about comfortably. 

Creation of Sacred Space

  • Set about the Stones or Candles so that there is one at each compass point: North, East, South, and West. 
  • Set the White Candle at the Center of your space.
  • Light the Candle (if you’re using Candles at the Quarters, light these first, beginning at North, then East, then South, and finishing at West; light the Center Candle last.)
  • Ground and Center again, if you need to.

Casting the Circle

  • Pick up the Center Candle and walk to the North Stone. 
  • Walk the perimeter of the Circle, clockwise, holding the Candle in one hand, your other hand sweeps the edge of the Circle. Chant these, or similar words:
Cast about a Circle, round;
Strong as Iron, Light as Sound.
  • Return the Candle to the Center. ​

Inviting Various Spirits and Deities

Calling the Quarters: Invoking the Elements

  • Stand before the North Stone/Candle, raise your arms, and say:
The Moon shines bright upon the Earth;
All are gathered in Her praise.
  • Feel the Element of Earth arrive at your Circle. 
  • Stand before the East Stone/Candle, raise your arms, and say:
The Night Air decked in Silver light,
All are gathered to sing Her praise.
  • Feel the Element of Air arrive at your Circle.
  • Stand before the South Stone/Candle, raise your arms, and say:
A flash of Silver, stirring the Fire within us,
All who gather feel the warmth of Her embrace.
  •  Feel the Element of Fire arrive at your Circle.
  • Stand before the West Stone/Candle, raise your arms, and say:
Tidal waters and emotions surge in Her presence,
All are gathered in Her love.
  • Feel the Element of Water arrive at your Circle. Return to the Center of your Circle. Feel the Elemental Energies and the energy of your cast Circle around you.

 Calling the Gods: Lady Luna and Lord Sol

  • Center yourself again, if needed.
  • Remain at the Center of the Circle. Raise your arms and Call the Lady, saying:
Sweet Mother of the Starry Night,
Shining One of Beauty,
Descend here, with Your Silver Light,
Bless me with Your presence.
  • Pause and feel the gentle tingle around you and through you as the Lady arrives.
  • Center yourself again, if needed.
  • Cross your arms across your chest, fists at your shoulders. Hold your head high and Call the Lord, saying:
Strong Father of the Radiant Day,
Fiery One of Glory,
Descend here, with Your Golden Ray,
Bless me with Your presence.
  • Pause and feel the warm tingle around you and through you as the Lord arrives.

 Body of Work: Honoring the Goddess at the Full Moon

  • Center yourself again, if needed.
  • Pick up the Center Candle. Gaze at its flame for a moment, close your eyes and hold it aloft. Feel the Silver energy of the Moon swirling around you. Now say:
Mother Goddess, riding high,
shining down upon us,
Silver light that casts no Shadow,
the Sun bows in Your presence.

All are gathered here before You,
singing praises in Your name.
Glorious Celestial One,
Within, Without: All are the same.

Simple flame lit in Your honor,
naught that can compare,
wrap me in Your silver essence,
Your love, that I might share.
  • Pause and feel the Lunar energies about you. Focus on the point where you end and those energies begin, focus until that point disappears. Breath deep, and know the Lady’s presence.

Thanking the Attending Spirits and Deities

​Thanking the Gods: as One

  • Stand, arms raised, and say these or similar words:
Merciful Mother, Fearsome Father,
I stand here, your Child,
Thankful for All that I am: All that You have given.
Though, often I may forget my place in It All,
Always am I aware of my Connection to It All.
In Your Honor and Grace.
  • Extinguish the Center Candle.

​Thanking the Elements

  • Stand at the North Stone/Candle, arms raised, and say these or similar words:
The Lady sleeps and all the Earth is quiet.
  • Stand at the West Stone/Candle, arms raised, and say:
The Lady sleeps and deep Waters hold still.
  • Stand at the South Stone/Candle, arms raised, and say:
The Lady sleeps and Embers grow cold.
  • Stand at the East Stone/Candle, arms raised, and say:
The Lady sleeps and the Winds are stayed.

​Dissolving Sacred Space

  • Stand at the North Stone/Candle, walk the perimeter of the Circle, counterclockwise. Have one hand sweep the edge of the Circle as you walk, pulling the energy of the Circle back into you.
  • The Circle is open and the Rite is ended.
Diamond
10/22/2013 07:25:56 am

Hi! I just started my learning a couple of weeks ago and I really wanted to do something for the full moon, I was so happy to find this since the items I needed to do it were easy to get. This was my first ritual and I wouldn't really call it a success( I didn't give myself a lot of time to prepare, I was just so excited and I didn't want to have to wait until the next full moon) I was able to remember the last little bit and recite it on my own, but I was so awkward with the rest XD I could feel the Goddess's amusement at my fumbling.. but this was a fun experience! Thank you for posting this! Blessed Be! :)

Althaea
10/22/2013 07:49:56 am

I'm glad to hear that this ritual worked well for you! :) As I mentioned at the beginning, tools aren't really necessary for honoring one's Gods, what is important is your intent and sincerity, and it sounds as if you had that part nailed!

Best of luck to you in your studies and practice. :)

Namsste!

kelsey
4/7/2015 11:28:14 am

what is the candle that you use your talking about for the middle is it the red candle? or can it be silver for the moon. for the center candle???

Althaea
4/7/2015 11:36:47 am

Hello, Kelsey!

This ritual requires only one candle for use as representation of the Moon's light and power and as an offering of light to the archetype of the Moon as Divine power. Above, I recommend white, but silver would also be suitable.

The only other materials you need for this ritual are either four stones or four candles (any color, or all the same color) to mark the quarters.

This ritual does NOT require any sort of altar setup and is specifically desiged with that in mind in order to emphasize the importance of one's intent, attitude, and approach to ritual, as well as to demonstrate that, when it comes to religious witchcraft, tools aren't always necessary and should not be a hindrance. Flexibility is a great and necessary trait.

I hope this clarifies!

Namaste.

SHOBHA
7/1/2015 02:47:09 am

Hi Althaea,
This is a beautiful and simple solitary full moon ritual. I love it and I'm going to try it tonight July 1st, since it's full moon. Do you also have Solitary rituals for the Sabbats? Thank you so much.
Blessed be

Althaea
7/1/2015 03:24:43 am

Hello Shobha,

This is the only full ritual script that I have up at this time, but there are 2 articles linked at the beginning of this ritual to help you in crafting your own rituals that you may find useful. However, I do have short articles with celebration ideas for the Sabbats, as well as a few narratives of rituals that I've taken part in, both of which you can find here http://www.ladyalthaea.com/articles.html (Look for the sections "Rituals" and "Wheel of the Year.")

I hope this ritual works well for you!

Namaste.

Anna
7/1/2015 07:35:02 am

I really like this, I too will try this tonight, I have been studying for a year and have attended several rites but have yet to do one on my own, I'm very exited to try this one it seems simple, not to complex so that i can focus on connecting with the God and Goddess, thank you for sharing this

Althaea
7/1/2015 08:00:44 am

Best of luck to you, Anna! That is exactly the intent of this ritual. Too many rituals are needlessly complicated, calling for altar set ups cluttered with tools that have no use in the ritual and are hard to come by. But, the point of ritual is to leave changed from how you were when you entered. With this ritual, the hope is that you leave changed due to communing with the energies of the Moon, aligning yourself with those energies, and pulling its influence into your life. I hope it works well for you and hope it inspires you to do further work on your own.

Namaste!

Jacki
8/28/2015 10:15:36 pm

Merry meet , I have been studying for close on a year and love this ritual will be doing it tonight simple and lovely
Blessings

Tracy
2/10/2017 01:39:07 pm

With it being a full moon and a lunar eclipse I thought I would do a whole house cleanse before doing my first lunar ritual. I wasn't sure how big my circle of stones should be but I think it worked I felt very grounded after and quite calmed.

Althaea
2/12/2017 11:07:41 pm

Hello Tracy!

So glad to hear that the ritual worked for you. :) If you are performing the ritual alone, the size of the circle really depends on how much space you have available and how much space you feel you need. It's important to remember that the large the circle, the more energy is needed to both create and hold the circle. So, if you won't be moving too much within the ritual or any magick you're working, a circle that isn't any further out than your arms outstretched will more than suffice.

Good call on the cleansing, too! I hope your experience encourages you to continue to work with the Moon.

Mia
5/9/2017 02:56:23 am

Merry Meet! I just started learning/practicing about a month ago and I wanted to do something tomorrow for the full moon because it'll be my first as a Witch, and I want it to be special. Do you have any tips?

Althaea
5/9/2017 07:26:32 pm

Hello Mia!

Congratulations on this new chapter of your life! The path of the witch is not an easy one as the work places tremendous demands upon us, forcing us to grow and become better than we were in order to be more effective witches.

Since your experience in working with energy is minimal, I would advise simply working a ritual like this one, keeping yourself relaxed, and allowing yourself to just experience and feel the changing energies. Personally, I would hold off on any sort of spell work just yet, only because it's better to have a preliminary experience feeling and working with energy in a general sense before you try to direct it to cause change in your life.

Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't get the wording right or miss a step. The foundation of witchcraft is on being able to effectively feel and manipulate energy; allow yourself the opportunity to learn to do that effectively so you can be a competent witch.

Best of luck to you!

Sisu
6/23/2018 04:32:38 pm

Hi Althea, I would like to try this ritual on the next full moon but I’m wondering if I’m able to write down the verses or of its better to memorize them?

Jennifer
6/25/2018 12:56:51 pm

Hi there! I am wondering the same as Sisu!

Althaea
6/28/2018 10:38:55 am

Hello Sisu,

Sorry for the delayed response, for some reason I didn't get immediately notified. :/

But, yes, you can absolutely write down the verses. Write out the entire ritual if you want. Memorizing is nice, but it can get in the way because you may be so concerned with saying the "right words" that you disallow yourself to feel the energies about you.

When just starting out, do what you need to in order to be successful. Once you've got a year or so of ritual under your belt, it will be easier to just make up what needs to be said on the spot for your ritual. :)

You got this. Don't overthink it, just allow yourself to have an experience.

Grace
8/26/2018 09:31:31 am

I was told there was wine involved? That you had to have a glass and give the rest to the earth?could I still do that? If so where in this ritual would i do that?

Althaea
8/28/2018 01:11:29 am

Hello Grace,

Outside of specific religious witchcraft traditions, there are no items or rites that are mandatory. That means, if you are a solitary practitioner, there is nothing that you have to do nor that you have to include in your rituals or practice. Witchcraft is inherently secular -what each witch does or does not do is entirely up to them.

The presence of wine in ritual is not present for the purpose of getting drunk or because of some innate sacredness of the wine. Rather, wine is used for communion -the glass is raised and the wine is blessed by the Gods and imbued with Their power. That wine is then *only* dranken for the purpose of taking that Deity within you for the purpose of union.

In Hellenic practice, wine and other offerings would be poured onto the ground, in a shallow depression, when making offerings to cthonic Deities as these Deities primarily reside in the Underworld. But, generally, there is no reason to pour wine onto the ground. The Gods aren’t in the dirt and They’re perfectly capable of drinking from glasses as we are (and if you leave a glass of wine out for your Deities, spirits, or familiars you will see the level of wine decrease far faster than evaporation can account for.)

However, this ritual is not religious in nature. There are no Deities called nor present. Rather, the point of this ritual is solely to attune you to the energies of the Moon so that you can better feel its influence within your life. There is no need for communion because there is nothing to join into union with. There is no reason for offerings because there are no Gods being honored. So the inclusion of wine in this ritual would serve no purpose and defeats the practicality of it.

Of course, this raises a really important point: do not include things in your worship or practice if you don’t understand the point of them. Remember: there is nothing mandatory in witchcraft but that you actually practice witchcraft. So if you include practices because someone else says you have to but you don’t know why, you just end up wasting your time which works against your efficacy.

Wishing you efficacy and the willingness to always do the work!

Mary Allbright
7/17/2019 11:40:59 am

I loved this solitary ritual. I did it last night on the full moon of the 16th of July and felt so in tune with the Goddess and God! Thank you for this.


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