Moon Cakes and Ale: Full Moon Festival

Here is a pagan ritual I have performed on weekends, when the full moon shines bright. Over the years, I have added many embellishments, such as astrological or holiday themes. This basic ritual, Moon Cakes and Ale, however, is a timeless and powerful classic.

Gather a group of friends either outdoors under the moon or in a room large enough for dancing, drumming, and singing. Have the guests bring a cake of their choice as well as a cider, mead, beer or juice to share. Place the offerings in the center, on an altar table. Then light a sage leaf and green and brown candles for home and hearth.

Once everyone is seated, the host or designated leader intones:
Gods of nature, bless these cakes,
That we may never suffer hunger.
Goddess of the Harvest, bless this ale,
That we may never go without drink.

The eldest and the youngest of the circle rise and serve the food and drink to everyone in the circle. Last, they serve each other. The ritual leader pronounces the blessing again. Then everyone says
together, “Blessed be.”

The feasting begins, ideally followed by a lot more ale and lively dancing. A wonderful way to keep a group of friends connected is for a different person to host the circle one Saturday each month.

Count Your Blessings: Morning Moon Meditation

Plan this for an early morning when you can still see a sliver of the moon as the sun rises. Sit in a comfortable position in front of your altar and meditate. Think about your blessings. What are you grateful for at this moment? There is a powerful magic in recognizing all that you possess. Breathe steadily and deeply, inhaling and exhaling slowly for twenty minutes. Then chant:

Great Goddess, giver of all the fruits of this earth,
Of all bounty, beauty, and well-being,
Bless all who give and receive these gifts.
I am made of sacred earth, purest water,
Sacred fire, and wildest wind.
Blessings upon me. Blessings upon thee,
Mother Earth and Sister Sky.
So mote it be.

A wonderful practice is to record your gratitudes in your Book of Shadows or a thankfulness journal. At the end of the lunar year, you’ll have your own Book of Blessings you can reflect upon and share with others.

Dis-Spelling All Fear: Full Moon Rite

For overcoming panic, anxiety or your innermost fears, you can turn to your banishing block touchstone. You probably already have a crystal you turn to, but if not, allow me to recommend the rose-red marvel known as Rhodochrosite. This striking stone is also invaluable for overcoming fear and paranoia (mental unease). Rhodochrosite abets a more positive worldview. One of the simplest and best aspects of this crystal is that it will help you to sleep more peacefully, shoving apprehension, worry, and woe out of your mind so you can heal body and soul. Your dreams will be positive, too. This is a remarkable stone for affirming the self, allowing for absolute self-acceptance and self-forgiveness. Rhodochrosite brings together the spiritual plane and the material place. This crystal is important because it permits the heart to feel hurt and pain deeply, and this processing of emotions nurtures growth.

Sit on the floor, legs crossed, and breathe deeply nine times. Take the touchstone into your hands and chant:

That which came from the sky, enter into me.
As was the moon full, so am I now.
And so I go, with this light, full and bright.
So mote it be.

Repeat this at least six times, until you feel the energy of the stone passing into you. Now, go conquer!

Cauldron of Fire Ritual

Here is a wonderful way friends can help each other get rid of fears, creative blocks, and the shrill voice of the inner critic. Ideally, this spell is done during the waning moon or on November 1 or
December 31—the witchy holidays when the veil between worlds is believed to be thinnest.

Get a metal kettle and an outdoor firepot or little grill, and for each of the friends you have invited, a pen and two pieces of paper. Sit around the fire, relax, and talk about what challenges you face in attaining your artistic goals. Write on a piece of paper what comes up for you. Go around the circle and read from your list of blocks. Then, with great intention, place each paper on the fire. After
everyone is done, silently meditate, and write your hope for the future. Now, reversing the order of speaking, go around the circle and share your dreams. Fold the paper and carry it with you in your purse or wallet. Your vision for the future will take on a life of its own.

Eye Enchantment: Rite of Twilight

For most of us, the minute we open our eyes the day begins, and we put them to work for our jobs, self-care, housework, and even Facetiming loved ones and Skyping business associates. If you are
a designer or artist of any sort, you most likely use your eyes to create, so caring for them is essential. Take two small muslin bags and three ounces of dried chamomile flowers. Divide the herbs in half, stuff the bags, and sew them shut.

Place the eye bags in a bowl and pour a quarter cup of boiling water over them. Cover them and let sit for a half-hour. Squeeze the excess water out of the bags and place over your eyes. Your eyes
and your artistic vision should both be rejuvenated quickly. This healing rite is best performed at twilight but, anytime your peepers need some “TLC,” steep away.

Ready, Set, Go Spell

On a Monday, or any day you need to ready yourself for important events, meetings, or anything high-pressure, set aside a half-hour of quiet time and brew up some willpower to help you in any creative endeavors. Light a white candle anointed with peppermint oil and light spicy incense (cinnamon works well, if you can get it).

Take a sprig of mint, warm milk, and cinnamon sticks and stir together clockwise in a white mug.

Say aloud:
Herb of minthe and spicy mead,
Today is the day I shall succeed
In every word and every deed.
So mote it be.

Quaff the cup and “sit for a spell,” eyes closed, envisioning your new horizons. Keep the cinnamon sticks on your altar as a symbol of the power of encouraging words.

Truth-Seeking Spell

If you find yourself in need of help resolving a problem or uncovering new resources within yourself, try the following tried and true rite. Take a piece of plain white paper and a blue pen and have it at the ready.

On a Thursday, light some blue candles and chant the following affirmation:

Fears and doubt, begone from me!
I have the courage to break free.
I have the wisdom to know and the strength to grow.
I call upon my inner guide to hear and see my truth.

Repeat this four times while the candle burns. Embrace your intuition and trust it with all your heart. Now write down what comes into your mind with the blue pen. You may even feel tingling at the top of your head, which is a very good sign. Knowing the truth can sometimes be uncomfortable, but it is important as a guide for your life.

Dark Moon Magic: Symbol Writing

If you wish to make direct contact with your subconscious, here is a way to see through the veil between two worlds and enter the recesses of your mind. At any herbal store or metaphysical shop,
obtain dried mugwort, dried patchouli, or wormwood. The latter is a bit harder to come by, but worth the try.

Crumble any one of these herbs between your hands until it is gently ground into an almost-powdery consistency. Pour the herb into a baking pan. Make sure the crumbled herb dust is evenly spread over the surface of the pan.

Light yellow candles and close your eyes. Take the forefinger of your left hand and touch the center of the pan. Run your finger back and forth in a completely random pattern—don’t think, just rely on your instincts for two minutes. Open your eyes, look at the pattern you have drawn, and write down what the symbols and designs bring to mind. Also write down the thoughts you were having while you were drawing. This ritual is best performed in the new moon phase, but if you have an urgent need to connect with your innermost self, you can do it anytime in the darkest of the night.

Sacred Self Care: Uplifting Essential Oils

A German study conducted by Ruhr University found that “essential oils may affect a number of biological factors: heart rate, stress levels, blood pressure, breathing, and immune function." 

Essential oils are unique in that they can be both a stimulant and soothing for us humans. The same oil can have cause a different response based on the application as these oils are adaptogens, as they truly adapt to the your individual needs. If you are feeling down in the dumps, for example, bergamot can be a major pick me up and one I have depended on for years. My clients and I have come to depend on the power of these natural healers for dealing with stress, anxiety, worry and woe.

Stress-Busting Essential Oils and How to Use Them:

Put simply, essential oils have aromatic, fragrant molecules that can actually pass right through the blood/brain barrier, having a direct effect on the areas of our brain in charge of controlling feelings of stress and anxiety and even panic and depression. 

1.      Breath in deeply: Rub 1-2 drops in cupped palms and take a long, deep breath

2.      Apply to your skin: Rub 1-2 drops of oil into your temples, wrists or anywhere, for full body relaxation

3.      As a quick pick me up: Put a few drops on a handkerchief, cotton pad or on a scarf and inhale as needed. You'll get instant calming support throughout your day.

4.      As a shower infusion: Immerse yourself in an essential oil steam by adding a couple of drops in your shower. Remember to plug or cover the drain and inhale deeply.

5.      In a diffuser: To get long-lasting benefit, use a diffuser

Light Your Own Fire: Sage Wisdom

(New Moon is Optimal)

Every witch should grow a pot of sage or a big patch in a garden. Sage is a must-have on hand for clearing energy. It also increases psychic potential. Most pagans are highly imaginative and very
inventive folk. Whether your passion is growing an artful garden, throwing pots, cookery, or music, you can stay in better touch with your personal muse. Call her to you anytime, day or night,
by your own design. This is especially important if you are feeling uninspired or struggling with a bout of writer’s block.

Head out to your garden or the sunny spot on the deck where your hardiest sage grows. Take three large and extra long sticks of your favorite incense and bind strands of sage around the incense with purple thread. Tie it off and you have a sage wand. Before any creative endeavor, you can light this wand and wave it around your workspace, filling the area with inspiration. Close your eyes and meditate upon the work you will begin. You have cleared your space and invited the muse; your work will be superb, worthy of notice from the gods and goddesses.

Sweet Dreams: Do It Yourself House Magic

Tranquil sleep and pleasant, illuminating dreams are the surest sign you have achieved peace of mind. An enchantment pillow will ensure you experience your fair share of nocturnal reverie and wake up refreshed. Take a pink satin pillowcase and stuff it with well-mixed dried rose petals, chamomile, mint and woolly thyme. Sew it with purple thread and, before the final stitch, whisper:

I call upon the powers of the Night to watch over me,
To hear my heart’s desires and bring me what my soul requires.
Blessings to one and all.

Knot the final stitch three times, place the pillow inside your pillowcase, and kiss the pillow. If you have been having problems sleeping, that will end this night.

Mood Magic: Blue Moon Balm

For a dreary day and a dark mood, use the strength of the olden unguent to release both mind and body. This desert plant produces a protective oil, which works as both a sunscreen and a moisturizer. Combine the following oils with either four ounces of unscented body lotion, or two ounces of olive oil or sweet almond oil:

• 2 drops chamomile oil
• 2 drops neroli
• 8 drops aloe
• 6 drops rose oil
  
  Shake the oils together and place in a corked pottery jar. Sit quietly in a room lit only by one blue candle, and rub the balm gently into your skin after a bath. 
  Pray aloud:
  Work thy spell to heal and nurse. Blessed balm, banish my pain. Harm to none and health to all.

Become An Alchemist: Lunar Libation

No matter what sign or moon phase, witch’s brews can improve your life. Tea conjures a very powerful alchemy because when you drink it, you take the magic inside. For an ambrosial brew with the power to calm any storm, add a sliver of ginger root and a pinch each of chamomile and peppermint to a cup of hot black tea. Before you drink, pray:

This day I pray for calm, for health,
And the wisdom to see the beauty of each waking moment. Blessings abound.
So mote it be.

Herbal teas can also nourish the soul and heal the body:
Blueberry leaf tea reduces mood swings, evens glucose levels, and helps varicose veins.
Nettle raises energy levels, boosts the immune system, and is packed with iron and vitamins.
Fennel awakens and uplifts, freshens the breath, and aids colon health.
Echinacea lends an increased and consistent sense of well-being, and prevents colds and flu.
Ginger root calms and cheers while aiding digestion, nausea and circulation.
Dandelion root grounds and centers, provides many minerals and nutrients, and cleanses the liver of toxins.

Inspiration Infusion: Enhance Your Mental Powers

I recommend growing a pot of hardy sage so you can always clear energy and increase your psychic potential. Another useful herb is mint, which comes from the Latin mentha, and literally means “thought.” It is called the flower of eternal refreshment. Woven into a crown, it bestows brilliance, artistic inspiration and prophetic ability. Burned, it is especially potent.

Here is a wonderfully simple tool for awakening the mind and attuning to the high powers:
Take dried mint stalks and dried sage in equal parts and roll together into a wand. Bind with multi- colored string, and before any ritual, tarot reading, or spellcrafting, “smudge” your house with the wand by lighting the leafy end and passing the smoke around. This will purify your space.

Conjuring Clairvoyance: Open Your Third Eye

Saffron water is made by boiling one teaspoon of saffron in two cups of distilled water. Dip your hands in the water, touch your “third eye” at the center of your forehead and speak aloud:

Ishtar, Athena, Diana, Astarte – fill me with your presence.
This night, I am whole. I am at peace.
With each breath, you do inspire.
So mote it be.

Henceforth, you will understand things more clearly and have foresight. This is a muscle which can be developed with more use. Practice and you’ll find you have advance notice of what is to come.