The Full Moon’s power is a wonder to many, but for magical practitioners, it presents a unique opportunity to harness the natural energy of the universe and use it to influence our everyday lives. But did you know that you can perform spell work during any moon phase? In fact, certain moon phases are better suited for particular types of magickal rituals.
There are many reasons one may choose to work with the moon. Some are captivated by this celestial being, while others practice with the intent to connect with nature and the Divine Feminine. A practitioner may work with the moon to grow close to a lunar deity such as Cerridwen, Diana, or Hekate.
New Moon or Dark Moon 🌑
The dark moon is a time of new beginnings, enlightenment, and forming new intentions. When the new moon is upon us, its energy makes us deeply intuitive and allows us a loving connection with the divine feminine.
New Moon Ritual Ideas
While many practitioners love celebrating the Full Moon, the grace and divinity of the New Moon are often overlooked. This moon phase is an incredible time to harness the powers of divination and deity work, explore the astral plane, and set intentions for the coming lunar month. You can cleanse and refresh your altar during the New Moon or leave offerings for your ancestors or deities.
New Moon Cleansing Ritual
The New Moon is a great time to cleanse your home of stagnant and negative energies to make way for the blessing that a new month brings. Begin by physically cleaning your home or bedroom. Remove trash, debris, dirty laundry, and even excess clutter if you feel inclined. Next, clean the floor, making sure to sweep some of the dust out over the threshold.
These physical acts may not seem spiritual at first. Still, through them, we are able to identify negativity that collects in our everyday environment and banish it by literally casting it out.
Once the physical portion of the ritual is complete, you can begin the spiritual cleansing. I like to light incense and carry it throughout the house with a window or door left open to release energy that doesn’t belong. Others cleanse with sound by ringing bells or playing music. There are many ways to do this, so don’t feel bound to just one. That said, be respectful of closed practices such as smudging with sage, which is a tradition reserved for the native peoples of North America.
Customize this ritual further by sprucing your home to your liking. Decorate, light candles, and enjoy the fresh vibes of the New Moon.
Waxing Moon 🌒
The waxing moon lends its energy to attraction, building up, and bringing in, while the moon grows in size for almost half of the lunar cycle 🌒 🌓 🌔. It’s a lovely time to create and perform benevolent spellwork. During this time, focus on all that you wish to attract in your life. What sort of positivity would you bring in if you could?
The Waxing Moon includes:
Waxing Moon Ritual Ideas
During the waxing moon, dedicate your time to spell work and creative tasks. Crafting wands or pendulums, dressing candles, and preparing items for your practice during this time ensures that your ingredients take on positive energy. Participate in kitchen witchery, blessing your family with love, luck, abundance, and good food. Candle spells, spell jars, and other rituals can be cast during the waxing moon to increase their benefits.
Waxing Moon Money Bowl
With the power of the waxing moon helping you to draw in positivity and abundance, take advantage of this money bowl spell that you can create once and reactivate during each waxing moon phase.
In a bowl, gather a bay leaf and some cash or pocket change. Add green aventurine, pyrite, or other crystals representing abundance. You may also add anything significant to your income, such as a business card for your business or a trinket from your workplace. Pair with a candle spell (burned in a separate, fire-safe dish!) to imbue your money bowl with intent.
Once finished, remember to add (and remove!) any cash and pocket change you can spare. This exchange keeps the money’s energy flowing and abundant. You can then make a monthly ritual of relighting your candle for a little while during the waxing moon and swirling the contents of the bowl clockwise.
Full Moon 🌕
When the moon is full, it is at its peak. The Full Moon heightens emotions while thinning the veil. This intense energy fills even the least sensitive of humans with a sense of wondrous power that may leave them feeling restless. For some mysterious reason, the Full Moon arouses both spirits and ne’er-do-wells alike, inspiring fear in humans all over the globe.
Full Moon Ritual Ideas
What rituals can you do on a full moon? The Full Moon’s power and intensity are like no other phase – so harness it while it’s here. Charge your crystals, wands, tarot decks, and other tools, or make moon water. The moon’s phase and the zodiac sign it appears in both weigh heavily on the moon’s energy, so consider the varying effects the signs may have on your moon water. You can also perform powerful spellwork and divination during this time.
Full Moon Grounding Ritual
During the Full Moon, it’s important to be mindful of the excess energies that are flowing through you and to harness them in a constructive way. If possible, go outside and plant your feet firmly on the ground. Visualize the energy from the moon filling you up. For just a moment, bask in this energy, feeling it course through you. Visualize that your legs are strong roots tapping into the Earth’s surface and releasing that energy back into the Earth. Remain here in meditation for as long as you need.
Waning Moon 🌖
As the moon’s light begins to fade, it takes our darkness with it. The waning moon is the half of the lunar cycle which is best for cleansing, banishing evil, and releasing things that no longer serve us.
The Waning Moon includes:
Waning Moon Ritual Ideas
During the waning moon, take advantage of banishing and protection magic. Place protective wards or runes, release yourself from ties that bind you, or perform baneful magic, if you must. It’s also conducive to self-care practices that release unwanted energies from the body and spirit.
Waning Moon Ritual Bath or Bonfire
Run a bath filled with your favorite cleansing herbs, such as lavender, lemon, or eucalyptus. As you bathe, imagine all the negativity or attributes you wish to release leaving your body.
If you’re more of a fire sign or just don’t like baths, you can perform a burning ritual to release unwanted energies instead. Just write down everything you wish to release on a bay leaf or scrap of paper and burn it in a fire-safe location.
Moon Magick FAQ
What should you not do on a full moon?
Start new projects and set new intentions. While you may be surging with power during this time, the Full Moon’s influence guides us to release this energy and that which does not serve us. It can be difficult to hold back on things during this time, so it’s important to take your time and trust the process.
Can the full moon drain your energy?
After a Full Moon, some people report experiencing a sort of burnout. This is because the heightened energy of the moon can intensify our own emotions and abilities, leaving us feeling drained after such a powerful exchange. This feeling of a hangover can especially affect those who utilize the moon’s powers for spell work.
Why can’t I sleep on a full moon?
There are a few reasons that you may lose sleep over a full moon. Its energy can build up in sensitive types, leaving you feeling restless and – dare I say – powerful. For those who are already intuitive, the energy of the full moon may heighten your sensitivity, making you even more aware of these changes.
For others, it may simply be the brightness of the full moon illuminating their room too much to sleep. You may need some blackout curtains!
Can you do a full moon ritual in the morning?
Absolutely! You don’t have to perform a ritual when the full moon goes exact – in fact, that’s really inconvenient for most witches. Luckily, the power of the full moon is so great that some believe you can access it up to one day before and after, gracing you with a 3-day window to harness that sweet moon energy.
