The Full Moon

Number 9 in my Folk Witchery series.

The Full Moon is the most important monthly occurence for Witches. It is the time when we get together for a Full Moon Esbat.

In the days before electric lights and street lighting the only light you ever saw outdoors during the night was the light of the stars and the moon. And only when the moon was full was there enough light to see where you were going at night.

The Full Moon is looked on as the time of the month when the Lunar powers are at their greatest strength. When the full silver disc of the moon is showing, then the power of the Bright Goddess is at its height.

Folk Witchery is natural magic, that is: magic which is an interaction between the Witch and the natural world and its rhythms.

It is possible and sometimes even necessary to work against those natural tides, but it does mean you need to work twice as hard. It is the difference between pushing a heavy barrow up a hill and allowing a slope to carry the barrow downhill for you.

So what should you do at the Full Moon? This is, of course, a great opportunity for spell casting and to make even greater use of the magical tides, see what day of the week the Full moon falls on. This week the Full Moon  falls on a Thursday (6th Nov 2014) which is the day of Jupiter, but do remember that the moon will appear full for a day either side of this, so you can also make use of the Full Moon magical energy boost on Wednesday and Friday.

Wednesday is the day of Mercury, associated with travel and communication, so a day for spells such as encouraging someone to get in touch, or be persuaded to your point of view, or to bless a journey.
Thursday is Jupiter's day, associated with wealth and money, so any kind of spell to do with financial matters such as seeking a better job or a wage increase, or a boost to your business.
Friday is the day of Venus (and also the traditional day for Witch meetings) spells tonight for love, seduction, friendship and harmony.

It is traditional to do at least part of your ritual out of doors where you can see the moon. Alternately if you have a room the moon shines into simply open the window and do your ritual there.
If neither of these is possible, go outside before you start your ritual and blow a kiss to the moon and make a wish.

If the night is dark and cloudy and there is no way you can see the moon, then remember that above all the moon is simply the symbol of the powers of the Goddess and work your ritual indoors.

Your ritual for the Full Moon can be a simple as you like.
You already now know the basics for any ritual:
Have a preparatory bath
Cast your circle
Consecrate salt and water
Bless yourself and anyone else in your circle.

At the Full Moon it is traditional to invite the Goddess into the circle and into the person of the priestess conducting the rite. The priestess then acts as the Goddess adding power to your spells and perhaps giving special messages to those present.
This process is known as Drawing Down the Moon.

However what is rarely mentioned is that:
a)  you can do it yourself, alone
b)  you can do it whether you are male or female
(the moon in many cultures has a male deity associated with it, in ancient Egypt there are both male and female moon deities, so you really can take your own choice)

In our Samhain ritual we invited the God and Goddess into our circle, so we can use the same words to do this again.
Then say:

I ask that the powers of the Full Moon descend into the body 

of your priest/priestess

(remember to stand with your arms curved out and upwards like the shape of the crescent moon)

Next the Goddess/God may choose to speak through the celebrant, or speak to you if you are working the ritual alone.
It is at this point when you may choose to recite the Charge of the Goddess. This is based on an invocation from the book Aradia, the Gospel of the Witches by C G Leland (version ed. by C P Sempers) available from Raven £4.95).

Whenever ye have need of anything

Once in the month, and when the moon is full, 

Ye shall assemble in some desert place,

Or in a forest all together join

To adore the potent spirit of your queen, Great Diana,

You who would learn all sorcery, 

Yet have not won its deepest secrets

To them will I teach, in truth all things as yet unknown.

There are actually many versions of this invocation, Raven also supplies a laminated poster version which is longer and more detailed (£1.95). So it is up to you whether you use it, or which version, or the God/Goddess may choose to speak something entirely different through you. Oh and of course you can change the name of the deity in the invocation to suit your personal preference.

Next do your magic spell, or some scrying or divination.
After that bless biscuits and drink as we did at the Samhain ritual. Remember to save a little of each to give to the spirits after you have finished your rite.

Then go to your altar and facing north - arms in invocation pose - say:

Lord and Lady of Witchdom, I thank you for attending my rite

As you return now to your place of power in peace and friendship

I wish you hail and farewell.

A nice touch now is to draw a pentacle in the air using your athame, wand or index finger.
Then kiss your hand and blow the kiss towards the north.