25 Ways to Honor the Full Moon

25 ways to honor the full moon

Do you always mean to do something for the full moon, but it passes you by unrecognized?  Or you do celebrate, but you’re tired of the same old “full moon chores”?  The following list of 25 Ways to Honor & Connect with the Full Moon includes some fresh, inspiring ideas to energize your creativity and zap the life back into your Esbat experience.

Set your intention for the month. 

A full moon cycle is plenty of time to take your whole life in another direction!   Set your goal the night of the full moon.  As the moon wanes, clear away obstacles that stand between you and success, and as it waxes, focus on nurturing your efforts until they bear fruition.

Try dream magick.  

If you’ve never dropped down the rabbit hole of dream magick, doooooo it!  Experiment with dream work by trying this personal experiment with your dreams, which you may begin either during the dark moon and continue to the full moon or begin on the full moon and continue to the next full moon for a full cycle of warping your dream/waking life.  You will have insights—guaranteed.

Gather graveyard dirt—if you dare.  

An experience a teen witch might appreciate.  At my age, being caught in a graveyard in the middle of the night would definitely solidify my already emerging neighborhood reputation for eccentricity.  But if you’re a kid, it can be fun.  Even the most grounded among us feels a little jolt of adrenaline at the thought of wandering into a cemetery at night..  Gathering dirt under the moon in this mood charges it with the power of your bravery.

Go out for Cakes & Ale. 

Instead of holding cakes and ale at the ritual site, go out to a pub or brewery.  We went to a German restaurant for cakes & ale once, it was fabulous!

Make a batch of moon water. 

Versatile and infinitely useful in ritual, I try to keep a supply of moon water in my cabinet of supplies.  I frequently scold myself for forgetting when I run low and letting the esbat pass, but the full moon makes the best opportunity to craft a bottle.

Boil your cauldron. 

Put a large pot on the stove, fill with water and bring to boil.  Add any combination of the following dried herbs: mugwort, wormwood, lavender, cinnamon, peppermint, chamomile.  Let your potion boil for 30 minutes to bless home or clear old energies.

Rework your altar. 

If you have a working altar, it very likely needs a clean sweep at least once a month.  The full moon makes an ideal time to spruce up the mojo.  Wipe off incense ashes, polish your stones and smudge.  Or, go for a total makeover.  Paint the table or shelf where your altar sits or finally bust out your compass app to figure out once and for all which way north is.

Make a spell box.

A spell box is exactly what it sounds like.  Choose a box, simple or beautiful, and fill it with your spell ingredients.  Bless and leave on the altar for a full moon cycle.  This scavenger hunt spell box makes a great, easy-to-customize box spell.

Take a ritual bath. 

Draw a hot bath, turn out the lights and use candles.  Add natural bath salts, essential oil and/or a muslin bag of herbs to the bath water.  Soak and use the time to meditate quietly or bless yourself.

Make moon cakes. 

If you’re “kitchen oriented,” the internet abounds with recipes for moon cakes.  This one is especially lovely, and makes an elegant evening project—with your kitchen window open to the full moon, of course.

Try fasting.

If you’re in good health and you’ve never tried fasting for spiritual reasons, it’s an amazing experience for many people. +

Begin a long fast on the full moon, or simply do a 24-hour fast to honor the Esbat or in place of an offering.

Smoke out your house. 

Using smudge or loose incense in a fire-safe dish, burn herbs and blow the smoke into all the corners and around the doors and windows.  Be sure to pay special attention to rooms where family arguments happened over the last month, as well as the bedrooms of anyone who was sick.  Or, try one of these ideas for energy clearing.

Bond with your familiars. 

Animals tend to be connected their most primal energies during the full moon.  Pay careful attention for a glance through that window into their souls.

Practice yoga under the moonlight. 

Sublimely calming, moonlit yoga soothes frayed nerves and invites quiet contemplation.  This article on how to make your mind/body practice more spiritual lists some ideas to get you in the mood.

Go for the skyclad experience.  

If this is your thing, by all means, have at it while the weather’s warm.  I’m told it’s “the only way to fly.”

Try the Free Will of Fate tarot spread. 

Wondering where the next month is going?  Try this tarot spread for insight into where you’re headed and how to navigate the road in front of you.

Write a list of regrets and burn it.  

Don’t dismiss the power of this simple ritual.  We often torment ourselves with what we should have/could have/would have done instead.  But mistakes are essential to the learning process.  Without mistakes, there can be no progress.  If the heaviness of regret weighs you down, write it on paper.  Be brutal.  Write down all the cruel things you say to yourself and then really reflect on them.  Ask yourself if you’d talk to another person the way you talk to yourself.  If the answer is no, set that bad boy on fire and let the smoke carry away your grief.  Promise to leave it in the goddess’ hands and walk away without looking back—-literally.

Harvest herbs. 

The full moon makes the best time to go looking for ritual herbs.  Even if you don’t tend a garden and it’s the dead of winter, there’s almost always something available in the wastelands around you to snatch up.  In the coldest climates, evergreens and hardwoods harvest year-round, and many other climates have a 12-month growing season.

Open a bottle of wine. 

If you like wine, the full moon offers you a lovely excuse to pop a cork.  Make it magical by pairing your wine appropriately with the ritual and season.

Find a public ritual. 

Many occult shops, local pagan groups and Unitarian Universalist churches offer public moon rituals that welcome anyone who wants to attend.  Particularly if you are new to paganism, these events provide a wonderful local resource to learn and grow.

Have a moonlit picnic. 

While I don’t recommend public parks at night, even a candlelit meal on your balcony sets a beautiful mood.  Share with a like-minded friend and consider setting aside a portion of the meal as an offering if you’re tradition calls for it.

Host a “moon dance” for the kids. 

Is everyone in your coven struggling through the Mother phase and hard up for babysitters when the full moon rolls around?  Tell them to bring the kids!  I always struggle to think of ways for children to participate that aren’t overly formal or serious, and a moon dance is neither!  All you need is a backyard or (even better) a safely fenced-in rooftop terrace.  Encourage everyone to bring percussion instruments or just load your phone with esbat-friendly music.   

Visit or call a friend in need. 

Odds are, you know someone who needs you.  Maybe your neighbor raising three kids on her own will let you watch the little ones while she takes her first hot bath in a decade.  Maybe your grandmother hasn’t had anyone besides solicitors ring her doorbell in weeks.  Or, maybe you have wicked math skillz to teach a disadvantaged child at your local youth center.  Absolutely nothing on this list will make you feel better than doing something for someone else, which is the essence of spiritual gratitude.  Give yourself the gift of giving.

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2 Comments

  1. Hello, are you on Instagram or YouTube? I love your content and would love to see more! Thank you !

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