Moon Rituals
The NEW MOON is the birthing cycle of the moon's various phases. The new moon phase is an optimal time for planning and seeding your intentions. Seedlings need a period of gestation before they break through the soil and reach for the sunlight. This is also true for our ideas and our desires. The dark side of the moon, with its mysterious unseen forces, offers a nurturing environment where our intentions can establish roots before their miraculous manifestations begin to sprout and reach out to the stars.
Ceremony for Birthing Your Wishes and Desires:
Setting aside a few minutes each month during the new moon phase to focus on yours wishes and desires will help give you clarity of mind and fill your heart with promise. When it comes to setting goals or planning ahead for your future there is no better time to get started than during the new moon. Any intentions stated or written down carries power, so please take care in considering the things that you really want. The saying "Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it." is fair warning whenever setting your new moon intentions into motion. But, no worries. The moon has its phases and so do our individual wants and needs. This is why it is a good practice to rededicate your list of intentions each month when another new moon visits.
Prep for Upcoming New Moon Manifestation
1. Check a moon phase calendar for the next upcoming new moon.
2. Set aside 20-30 minutes to do the ritual itself.
3. Supply suggestions:
* notebooks
* pen and colored markers
* scissors
* scotch tape
* candle
* matches
* incense
* smudge sticks
* meditation CDs
4. Prepare yourself a sacred space where to perform the ceremony when the new moon arrives
Setting your New Moon Intentions in Motion
1. Cleanse your sacred area with an opening prayer, a sage smudging, and/or by burning some incense.
2. Light one or more candles [link url=http://healing.about.com/library/candlelights/bl_candle_random.htm].
3. Center your being and calm yourself in whatever way is appropriate for you. Take some deep cleansing breaths, slip in a meditation CD to listen to, and/or leisurely sip on a cup of relaxing herbal tea.
4. Open your notebook, and date the first page. Write down these words "I accept these things into my life now or something better for my highest good and for the highest good of all concerned." or something similar.
Below your affirmation statement, begin writing down your desires. Your list may consist of only one item or you may have several pages written down. Try not to limit yourself. If having many things in your life helps to fulfill you then don't deny yourself wanting these things.
5. During the month when an item on your new moon list comes to you, don't merely cross it off of your list, take the time to rewrite the list in its entirety eliminating the manifested item from the listing. This is highly recommended. At the same time you may add whatever else that you have decided you would like. Feel free to reword any of the original phrases if they better fit your life now. It is natural that your desires will change as time advances.
6. A second notebook will be used as a manifestation scrapbook where you paste in pictures or catalog clippings of items that you want to manifest. This is a fun project so enjoy yourself. You will soon be amazed how these things begin to find their way into your life once you start this process.
Rededicating your New Moon Intentions :
Each month at the new moon rededicate your intentions by renewing your list at a repeated ritual. This is accomplished by rewriting your list out using a fresh sheet of paper. Don't get in the habit of simply scratching out the items you no longer desire and adding the new stuff to the bottom of your old list. You don't want clutter and sloppiness energies messing up your new stuff do you? Disregard any items that no longer feed your soul and add new things that do.
It is helpful to salt and pepper your manifest list with smaller items that will manifest quickly, such as tickets to the ballet, lunch with a friend, or a day at the spa. You may think that smaller things are too trivial to put on your intention list... Wrong! Things that tend to manifest with little effort still deserve to be written down. Write down everything that you desire, no matter how little or simple. If it is something that makes you happy, write it down. Manifesting smaller items on our lists actually creates a steady flow of energy to the list. These smaller manifestations create movement, allowing an ebb and flow of the tides. We are dealing here with the moon cycles after all. Besides, sometimes we forget to appreciate the smaller pleasures in our lives while we are waiting for the BIG stuff to come in. If you only write statements like, "I want to win the lottery" in your notebook then you are limiting yourself by not allowing abundance to flow to you from other avenues.
Reader Response regarding this ritual :
New moon ceremonies have to do with creation, manifestation, birth, and rebirth.
The full moon completes the cycle, representing death, change, or tying up loose ends. The full moon symbolizes the end chapter, shedding light on the things that we no longer need to hold on to.
Full Moon is an opportune time of the month for purging rituals to take place.
The light the full moon illuminates those things that are interfering with our spiritual advancements. Once we have become enlightened to ways that are blocking us, the easier to let go. The full moon ritual is for releasing or purging the things in our lives that no longer serve us such as addictions to food, drugs, or sex, relinquishing suffering involved in hurtful relationships, discharging physical and emotional pains, etc.
Several years ago on an episode of the television show "Party of Five" the character Charlie was throwing personal items that were connected to his cancer into a bonfire. His actions were in celebration of his cancer going into remission. He even tossed the shirt he was wearing into the fire because it was the shirt he wore when he was first diagnosed with cancer, or was it his pants? Anyway, this televised scene could have easily been portrayed as a full moon ceremony.
Full moon ceremonies I have participated in have been pretty simple, with perhaps a pinch or two of pagan tradition thrown in. Each person in the circle takes his turn throwing in scraps of paper into a fire that is then watched turn into ashes.
The scraps of paper have words written down on them of those things we were releasing or vowing to change in our lives. Yes, a full moon ceremony can be as simple as that.
Full Moon Purging Preparation
1. Check a moon phase calendar for the next upcoming full moon.
2. Create a sacred space and arrange a time to perform the ceremony (preferably at nighttime and outdoors under the moonlight).
3. Write down on separate slips of paper the things you want to release or change.
Supply suggestions: fire proof calderon or cooking pot to toss the burning paper inside, candle with matches or lighter, water (to put out the fire afterwards), and smudge sticks for cleansing.
Full Moon Purging
1. Cleanse your sacred area with an opening prayer, a sage smudging, and/or by burning some incense. Invite your guides, angels, masters, or teachers to be at your side throughout the ceremony.
2. Light one or more candles. Look to the skies. Breathe in the night air.
3. One by one, read out loud the words you have written on each slip of paper. Set your intention to release the item/addiction/attitude from your life. Set it to fire and place it in the calderon. If you have a campsite barbecue or bonfire going that's cool, just toss the slips of paper into the fire one by one. If you are doing this ritual with a group of others take turns reading your words. If these things are too personal to read out loud, read them silently to yourself. Just remember... our words have power. Saying - "Be Gone" audibly and loudly can be very freeing. Go ahead, howl at the moon if you've a mind to. Have some fun!
4. Thank the spirits. Be safe. Put out the fire.
This ritual is one of the most intensely beautiful and powerful that most Wiccans and Pagans can ever experience. It is one in which the practitioner invokes the Goddess directly into herself (or himself, as the case may be). In some variations of this ritual, a High Priestess (HPs) may go into a trancelike state and speak the words of the Goddess, and in others, it may be a formal monologue calling upon the Goddess in her many forms. Regardless of how you practice it, Drawing Down the Moon is best performed on the night of the full moon, or on one of the nights immediately before. For obvious reasons, it’s more suitable to be performed outside, but if the weather is inclement or your neighbors are easily startled, you can perform the ritual indoors.
Stand at your altar with your arms crossed over your chest, and feet together. Face towards the full moon. Say:
“Goddess of the Moon, You have been known by many names in many lands in many times. You are universal and constant. In the dark of night, You shine down upon us and bathe us in Your light and love. I ask You, O Divine One, to honor me by joining with me, and allowing me to feel Your presence within my heart.”
Move your feet apart to about shoulder width, and raise your arms up and out to welcome the Goddess into you. The next part is one that you can memorize and learn, or you can speak spontaneously from the heart. You will begin to feel a surge of energy, a palpable tingle – don’t worry, that’s the Goddess making Herself known to you. Feel free to change these words as you like. You are speaking for Her, in Her voice, so let Her say what She wishes. Say:
“I am the Mother of all life, the One who watches over all. I am the wind in the sky, the spark in the fire, the seedling in the earth, the water in the river. I am the vessel from which All Things spring forth.
Honor Me from within your heart! Remember that acts of love and pleasure are My rituals, and that there is beauty in all things.
Honor Me on this night of the full moon! I have been with you since the moment you were created, and shall remain with you always.
Honor Me as you seek knowledge! I am the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone, and I live within you.
Let there be beauty and strength, wisdom and honor, humility and courage within you. If you need Me, call upon Me and I shall come to you, for I am everywhere, always.
I look down upon the sands of the desert, I crash the tides upon the shore, I shine on the mighty trees of the forests, and watch with joy as Life continues every cycle.
Be true to Me, honoring that which I have created, and I shall be true to you in return.
With harm to none, so it shall be.”
Take a few moments to stand and bask in Her glow, and to meditate upon that which you have just experienced. Once the energy surge has subsided, lower your arms, and proceed with your ceremony as you normally would at the conclusion of a ritual.
Drawing Down the Moon is an altered state of consciousness, a ritual possession by the Divine. It is not uncommon to feel the energy of the Goddess for quite some time following Drawing Down the Moon, so don’t be alarmed if you feel a heightened sense of clarity over the next few days. You may also feel extremely emotional -- it's not uncommon to cry or laugh spontaneously during this rite.
Guiding angels
Just as every person has one or more Guiding Angels that help and assist them, every human activity—partnerships, businesses, organizations and relationships—also have one or more Angels that preside over offerings of grace, assistance and blessings for them. Call upon your Angels whenever you are in need.
Here are Seven Steps that will help you:
1
Ask for help
Angels offer us help 24/7; the more receptive we are, the more help they can give us. If you diminish your receptivity, you limit the Angels' ability to help you. Create your own invocations, or prayers, that specifically call for the help you need. Realize that when you call upon an Angel, what really happens is that you open yourself into greater receptivity to their assistance.
2
Realize yourself as fully worthy of Angelic assistance.
Angels work with everyone regardless of personal histories and beliefs. Angels are infinite and omnipresent – your request does not diminish them in any way, nor does it affect their ability to be with and help everyone else at the same time. They exist beyond our experience of time and space. They respond to everyone with complete unconditional love.
3
Connect with your inner divine child
Connect with your inner divine child as you call upon the Angels and ask for help. Your inner divine child is whole, innocent and true — and recognizes Angels as true and trustworthy gifts of Creator. This will help create openness, receptivity, excitement, eagerness and wonder as you prepare to receive the gifts your Angels have prepared for you.
4
Hand everything over to the Angels
Practice doing this especially during your time of invocation and prayer. Place every issue, problem, worry, and fear, as well as every good intention and positive outcome you imagine as the result of your request, into the hands of your Angels. Let go and release all expectations of how your request will be answered.
5
Express Appreciation and Gratitude
Find and express genuine appreciation and gratitude for your life exactly as it is. If you are struggling with this, ask the Angels to help you to find the love that is present in whatever difficulty you are facing. Have patience with this and let go of any expectation of how the love may be revealed to you. Love is infinite and you will find ever-deepening levels of your awareness to presence of love as you follow this practice.
6
Know that it is done
Every prayer is answered and grace is always given. If you fear that your prayer will not be answered, then ask for help in understanding and seeing your answered prayer more clearly. Trust that you will see the love in every answered prayer. You are known completely and loved unconditionally by the Angels. Nothing that will serve you is ever withheld from you.
7
Act quickly on the guidance you receive
Accept the opportunity and act upon it immediately. Angelic help is infinite and unlimited—you can not use it up or run out of it. You cannot ask for "too much" and the Angels are joyously happy to give to you without limit. The faster you act, the faster you receive more assistance!
The Magic and Mystery of Candles
There are many different books available on the subject of working with candles, however, I am of the belief that the simpler, the better. Hence, the header of Simple Candle Magick. The use of candles goes back thousands of years, both in religious and spiritual ceremonies and in basic ways such as the need for light in the darkness.
The only requirements in performing candle magick are belief, respect and genuine need. This is not recommended for trying to win the lottery, gain the love of a certain person, or any other pursuit which would involve bending or interfering with the free will of another or that would provide personal benefit based on want rather than need. This ritual is to be honored and treated with respect, and used only in the circumstance of dire need (you need $400. for rent in 4 days!) or when a genuine desire for self improvement is present.
I prefer taper candles and I say that after having experimented with different shapes and sizes. I find these work the best.
They come in a variety of shades and burn anywhere from 3 to 5 hours.
The first step is to decide what it is you need and then to match the colour of the candle to that need.
Is it love? Or money? are you running on empty?
If it is money, or love, or health, or passion (careful with this one...passion can be too hot to handle!) or more confidence, the ability to move forward (release the past) or to communicate more readily, or to banish negative thoughts or energies or to attract a fresh start...whatever form your need takes, write it down.
If it is someone to share your life with, what does s/he look like? What are he/r characteristics?Interests? Likes? Habits? Write it down. Be clear on why you feel the need for this (unknown) person in your life. Do not have anyone specific in mind...that is a no-no and falls under the realm of 'dark' magick, as it interferes with another's free will.
To attract love, to encourage it in your own heart and to open the door to gentle and kind thoughts and deeds, USE A PINK CANDLE.
If you need emergency cash, do the same thing. Write it down. Why do you need this money? What is it's purpose? What have you done to try and access the required money prior to trying candle magick? If your health needs a boost of green earth energy, in what way? What do you need specifically?
To attract money, promote growth, expansion, better health and all types of healing and fertility vibrations, USE A GREEN CANDLE.
If you need to speak your truth (a difficult meeting is coming up, or you need to tell your boy/girl friend it isn't working), write it down. What is it you need to say? How are you feeling about saying it? How do you want to feel while saying it?
To bring in a sense of calm, serenity and ease and to promote flowing communication, USE A LIGHT BLUE CANDLE.
If you are lacking the courage to follow through on something, write it down. What is it that scares you and why? By the same token, if you wish to attract something to yourself...what is it that you wish to attract? Is it self-confidence and esteem? Personal power and pride in yourself? The ability to prevail and persevere? The right to be angry if done wrong without feeling fear of reprisal?
To attract and strengthen personal confidence and fortitude, or to attract something (golden yellow is an attracting energy) USE A YELLOW CANDLE.
If you need to put the spark of passion back into an existing relationship, or back into your career or any other connection...ask yourself why you feel you need this. Passion is a very dangerous thing and can backfire quite easily. It is red-hot and fiery and can create negative passion if not handled carefully. Write down why and how you want this need to be filled. (A lady I knew used a red candle to enhance love instead of the pink one recommended and wound up having a fiery, crazy night of passion with a fellow she felt she could fall for. She never saw him again. The fire flared bright and fast and then burned itself out.)
If there is a situation in your life which needs the fire of passion and this potent fire can be respected and controlled (you've been warned!), USE A RED CANDLE.
Do you need to ground yourself? Are you feeling 'floaty' and lack the ability to concentrate? Are you low in energy, listless and unable to make decisions effectively? Write it down. What do you need?
To facilitate the sense of grounding; to focus your energies and to connect with Mother Earth energy, USE A BROWN CANDLE.
Perhaps your need is a more social one: to attract more people, activities, community connections. What would you like to see happen in this area? Write it down.
To create more positive energy in the life and increase stamina. activity and courage, USE AN ORANGE CANDLE.
Do you feel the need to listen to yourself more? To hear that inner voice? To connect to that deep part of yourself that you know is there but have difficulty accepting and believing? Are you hungry for the spiritual and metaphysical knowledge that is right there, in front of you, but just out of reach? Write it down. What do you need?
To connect to your 'sixth' sense, or intuition, or to open the self to other senses and levels of 'reality', USE A PURPLE CANDLE.
Perhaps your need runs deeper than just listening to your intuition. Perhaps you sense that there is an aspect of your existence that you need to access, to plumb. Maybe you have 'visions' or 'glimpses' of future events, or know things that you have no visible way of knowing. What is it that you need to open up or connect to? Is it trust?
To activate and access the 'psychic' level of existence, to open the 'third eye' and allow the blossoming of alternate knowledge,
USE A DARK BLUE CANDLE.
Toxic energy is, obviously, very negative. Do you feel a blanket of doubt, nervous energy, addictive behaviour or general oppression? Are you involved with something or someone that is carrying this negative energy? Are you around this negativity and drawing it into yourself? What do you want? Is there someone/thing that you need to release in order to move forward? Ideally, you would desire to eliminate the cause of this negativity and to banish same.
To banish negative connections, thoughts, energies or behaviours and to close the door on lingering memories or experiences, USE A BLACK CANDLE.
Do you feel the need for clarity, a new start, freshness, new faces, new places, new experiences? Is your desire to be pure of heart, despite transgressions of the past? Write it down. How do you need this new start to manifest? Do you need peace and tranquility?
To attract a new stage in life, a clean slate, a novel experience and to surround the self with pure, positive, clear and white light, USE A WHITE CANDLE.
Okay, so now you have picked the candle colour that is right for you, have spent time thinking about your intent and written it down. Right? The rest is simple. Secure the candle into a non-flamable holder and place it somewhere safe...if you have to, put it in the sink! And of course, don't leave it unattended...that goes without saying. But if you can, place it somewhere where you can sit in front of it and just be quiet with your intent. Close your eyes. Focus on your need. Direct all of your thought energy into that candle and when your thoughts are the strongest and most focused, light the candle.
That's it. Just sit for a bit and feel that smile coming...you just did something empowering! You can also combine candles...for example, if it is love you are thinking about, you may use a white candle to attach purity and peace to your request. If it is an urgent request for money or a job...you may place a yellow or gold candle nearby as an attractor.
There are follow-up burnings, as well. If you burn a black candle to end negativity, you will want to fill that space now voided with something pleasant, such as love (pink) or serenity (white or light blue).
Remember that the key to this venture is belief. If you do not believe it will work, it won't. It is the Law of Attraction in action! I know it works: I've done it many times and I have seen the results with my own eyes. Another thing: once you have completed the burn (over a series of nights, if necessary, snuff the candle between lightings), try to forget about it. Just go about your business as normal and truly attempt to release your ritual to the Universe...if you hold onto it, the Universe cannot get ahold of it and do something with it!! You have to let it go!!
As far as lighting the candle, matches are made with man made chemicals and the prime content here is one of nature...so a flint lighter, (like a Bic) which uses only a flint and gas is the best choice. If there are any remnants after the burn, either bury them in a bit of dirt in your yard or throw them into the ocean or a stream.
Do not drink or smoke funny stuff before performing this ritual. It is better to enter with clear intent, rather than foggy.
Also, the moon and its position is of some import, as well. If the situation or request is an urgent one, go ahead and do what you have to do, despite the moon. However, if you have the luxury of time, try to plan your burning with the ebb and flow of the moon:
if you want to draw something to you, do it in the two weeks prior to the full moon (waxing moon/ Y[o©û\).
If you want to push something away, do it in the two weeks following the full moon (waning moon/ úRn©û\).
In other words, when the moon is coming into her full presence, she brings light with her. When she is fading away, she is pulling her presence away. Go with her flow!
S.No. | Desire to manifest | Colour to Candle to burn | |
| | Attract a new stage in life, a clean slate, a novel experience and to surround the self with pure, positive, clear and white light | WHITE | |
| | Banish negative connections, thoughts, energies or behaviours and to close the door on lingering memories or experiences | BLACK | |
| | Activate and access the 'psychic' level of existence, to open the 'third eye' and allow the blossoming of alternate knowledge | DARK BLUE | |
| | Connect to your 'sixth' sense, or intuition, or to open the self to other senses and levels of 'reality' | PURPLE | |
| | Create more positive energy in the life and increase stamina. activity and courage | ||
| | Facilitate the sense of grounding; to focus your energies and to connect with Mother Earth energy | BROWN | |
| | Put the spark of passion back into an existing relationship, or back into your career or any other connection | RED | |
| | Attract and strengthen personal confidence and fortitude, or to attract something | YELLOW | |
| | Bring in a sense of calm, serenity and ease and to promote flowing communication | LIGHT BLUE | |
| | Attract money, promote growth, expansion, better health and all types of healing and fertility vibrations | GREEN | |
| | Attract love, to encourage it in your own heart and to open the door to gentle and kind thoughts and deeds | PINK | |
Happy Candle Burning! If you have any comments or questions, leave me a post and I will try to answer as soon as I can. Thanks!
