Image by Shrikesh Kumar

We are naturally more intuitive, receptive, and creative during the full moon. As the moon is the ruler of the waters and water governs our emotions, we can physically attune to the waters inside our bodies and consciously create a container for our emotions to be harnessed in a healing way.

Since the beginning of time, women have been gathering under the moon's light to share stories and songs, attune to the rhythms of mother nature, and bring forth the power of the divine feminine. When we create opportunities to gather with our sisters under the full moon's light, we unearth a deeper listening to our present state and a call to action to empower ourselves to live our most fulfilled life. Something wildly sacred happens when women intentionally gather during the full or new moon cycles. 

Under The Light of the Full Moon

I have early childhood memories of being awe-struck by the light of the full moon shimmering down on the lake and being attracted to its wild, radiant energy. It's no wonder that I have been hosting moon gatherings for women for over twenty years now. And when I'm not gathering with others, I create a personal ritual to awaken and align with the forces of the moon.

A beautiful vulnerability comes through our whole beings when we can directly and radically state what is currently moving through our emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental state. When we can share with a circle of women how we really feel and what is honestly going on in our lives, we can begin to free ourselves from the charge of negativity or imbalance and begin to direct our feminine power towards light, love, and transformation.

Here is a full moon ritual, it can be done in a group or by yourself. Let it be a rough guide, use your intuition, have fun planning it out, gather your sisters, and celebrate the divine feminine that dwells inside of you and the moon.

How to Create a Full Moon Ritual

1. Create An Altar

This will be the center of your ritual. Let it reflect the season, and be free to place anything symbolic to you. A candle can represent fire and passion, a bowl of water or seashell with water to represent your emotional, fluid, and nourished self, any crystals to charge in a bowl of sea-salted water for cleansing away old energies, items from nature to represent mother earth and anything else symbolic to you.

2. Cleanse the space

Smudge the room with sage, sweetgrass, Palo Santo, essential oils, or incense to create sacred space and clear away unwanted energy. Make a herbal tea blend for nourishment while you welcome in the women's circle and the light of the moon.

3. Call In The Directions

Face East and acknowledge the place of the rising sun and the visionary that dwells inside your heart.

Face South and acknowledge the element of water, your physical healing, and your ability to release old ways of being.

Face the West and honor the warrior-ess inside you, and

Face North to call in your ancestors, spirit guides, angels, and be the carrier of Joy!

Kneel to place your hands upon the earth or Pachamama, mother earth, and her healing and life-giving ways, and stand tall with arms high to acknowledge your connection to the realm of spirit, stars, and grandmother moon for all of her wisdom.

4. Meditate

Sit in silence and honor the divine feminine energy around the circle and within you. Attune to your current state, what you are ready to let go of, and what you are willing to invite into your life moving forward.

5. Talking Stick

Each woman has a turn to hold the talking stick or crystal to share, what she is ready to release, and what she is prepared to invite in. If you are alone, you can write this in your journal. As you speak and each woman listens, deeper accountability and visibility can harness your vision.

6. Create

Paint, write poetry, collage, make jewelry, bath salts, massage oils, herbal teas, etc. Creating together brings forth a grounding nature within, a feeling of connection, nourishment, and inspiration to your ritual.

7. Close sacred space

Bring the circle of women back together to share gratitude and any insights or moments of awakening during the ritual. Seal the circle by holding hands, singing mantras, or taking three full breaths together. Blow out the candles.

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Book by this Author:

BOOK: Ritual as Remedy

Ritual as Remedy: Embodied Practices for Soul Care
by Mara Branscombe

A step-by-step guide to potent self-care and soul-care rituals that awaken freedom, joy, intuition, self-love, and your inner mystic. 

Presenting an invitation to awaken your inner powers, and reclaim your soul’s purpose, this guide to ritual as spiritual self-care offers practices to help you activate heart-centered living, generate lasting transformation, and manifest your dreams.

For more info and/or to order this book, click here. Also available as a Kindle edition.

About the Author

Mara Branscombe is a yoga and meditation teacher, writer, mother, artist, ceremonialist, and spirit coach, who finds great joy in leading others along the path of self-transformation. She is passionate about weaving the art of mindfulness, self-care, mind-body practices, and earth-based rituals into her offerings. 

Visit her website at MaraBranscombe.com