Ode to the Full Moon and Summer Time

Stonehenge: wikipedia

On Tuesday evening (6/21), I carved out a little time for my full moon ritual. It was also Litha or summer solstice. Even more reason for me to acknowledge the calendar.

The thing I love about mish-mashing my way through these times is that I can make them as elaborate or as simple as I like. Tuesday was simple, but meaningful. And powerful. I would have loved doing this outside, but it wasn't going to happen... heat, humidity, haze... not a great view of the beautiful moon. And I live underneath a bunch of 100 year old trees so it is late in the evening before I see her rise. This evening, I held my ritual inside.

I gathered my tools first...

matches

candle 

(I recently purchased a small while pillar candle for this evening)

white sage

incense

(my favorites are dragon's blood and nag champa)

slips of paper

pen

fireproof bowl

I settled in front of my altar. I smudged the area and all the tools I would be using. I started off by thinking about what things I needed to release or what behaviors needed changing. These full moon rituals are like a small New Year's resolutions. Each month, I get to purge energy that is dragging me down. I wrote the things that came to mind on my slips of paper.

I arranged my altar with things that are meaningful for me. Shells, ocean water, selenite, a large shell that holds the sage, sage, candles. 

One by one, I read my slips of paper out loud... "I release this... Be gone!" One by one, I placed the strips into my bowl and set them on fire. 

When each slip of paper had been reduced to ashes, I thanked the Moon and the power and energy that surrounds this kind of evening and welcomed the summer. This was my ritual.

Each one of us can find a meaningful way to mark the sabbats and esbats. The rules, for me, are meaningless. I try to create a template and then fill it in, depending on the time and setting. It takes the stress out of the planning and makes if feel free rather than restrictive.  

If someone tries to tell you... "You need to do it precisely this way or else"... just smile and walk away. 

If you are mish-mashing your way through this journey, creating a new path, I hope you will share your thoughts with me. 

Ritual #atozblogchallenge

Submerged in the water, she imagined the details and drags of the day washing off.

Cleanse me. Prepare me

Stepping out, she wrapped herself in a dark robe, combed her long, wet hair, closed her eyes and again…

Prepare me.

These evenings were always high days for her. She made ready for days before. Tonight, the phone was off. The kids were at their dad’s house.

She peeked out the window.

Just you and me.

Walking into the garden, she saw all of her items in their places.

Candles

Sage

Matches

Wine

Chocolate

Pillows

Blanket

The fire pit had been set up earlier in the day. All she needed was to light it and it would blaze. She had become skilled at building a fire and was sure it would dance for her easily.

She looked up.

Good evening Mother Moon. I am here.

After walking her circle and lighting each candle, she lit the sage, bathing herself in the smoke as she walked around her circle a second time.

Mother Moon

Shine down on me

I’ve secrets to tell you

I’ve burdens to cast off

Bathe me in your light

As I release all that no longer

Serves me well

Her words but not her words. She never knew where the words came from. They felt ancient, almost like scripture, sacred.

The small sprig of sage still smoked. She lit it again, so that it was a small flame and used this to start her fire.

It was sure and true, lighting up and sending sparks flying into the night sky.

Before dropping her robe, she pulled small slips of paper out of the pocket. She was now skyclad. The privacy was a blessing. She could hear drumming, but it was from within her.

Please release me

From all things worldly

That do not serve me

Mother Love me*

The slips of paper were her burdens… things she had no power over and things she wanted to no longer have a hold on her.

After reading each slip, she would toss it into the blaze.

After each slip was released, she walked her circle once more.

I’m gonna break

These chains that bind*

She found her robe and snuggled into her pillows that she had nested on a blanket by the fire. The wine and chocolate were there also.

The moon watched as she thought about the positive days ahead, how she would feel, now that she had mentally let go of the things she could not control. She imagined new actions, positive thoughts and the words that she could use in the coming days. Like a daydream, she saw the scenes play out in her mind.

She slept that night, as the moon rose and the fire died.

*words from Kellianna’s Stonehenge, one of my favorite ritual songs/chants.

The Moon in My Eyes

Last night, as I was drifting off to sleep, a light peeped through my blinds. It was the moon. She does that occasionally. She peeks in and winks at me. I feel a bit like the little gray bunny in the great green room when I whisper, "Good night, Moon".

Recently, a friend said I was moon sensitive. I really liked that. I think maybe I always have been.

The moon and I now play a dance as old as time. I follow her around. Sometimes, when it's warm, I go outside and sit under her light. And I make wishes. Set intentions, if you will.

It's always a marvelous night for a Moondance.