Have you ever celebrated the Full Moon with a Moon ritual? A Full Moon ritual is an activity that embraces the Full phase of the Moon, and it can include dancing, drum circles, candles, incense, a ritual bath, crystal cleansing, meditation, making music, or even yoga. The sky is the limit when it comes to the Moon.

　　While Full Moon rituals may currently be growing in popularity, people have long understood what the Moon represents and celebrated its role in our life. The Moon is connected to our intuitive nature, life’s mysteries, the realm of emotions, and the cycles inherent within life.

　　Moon rituals may be more popular within pagan or metaphysical circles, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t meant for everyone. Anyone can create or practice a Moon ritual, regardless of their religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs. Working with the Moon doesn’t require any special skill or affiliation; it only requires an interest in and connection to the lunar cycles that guide our lives.

　　We can’t help but be affected by the Moon’s cycles: lunar cycles guide the ocean’s tides, the farmer’s crops, and our collective emotions. The Moon is ever-present in not only our lives but our psyche and working with her energies can help us build a better connection to our own spiritual nature.

　　

Your Unique Connection

Think of the Moon almost as a shared, global mother. While we each have a connection to the Moon, your own connection is unique. It is personal, and as such, your Moon rituals should be personalized. One walk through your local New Age shop or a quick Google search will render many, many books and articles highlighting certain Full Moon rituals and traditions. These are an excellent place to start, and they can encourage you to begin building and improving upon your relationship with the Moon.

　　But within the realm of Moon rituals, finding your own method is key. You want to create a space that speaks to you, that resonates with your spirit. While you may be able to follow someone else’s guide for Moon rituals without issue, you’ll find the process more rewarding if you put your own spin on it.

　　

The Meaning of the Full Moon

The Moon goes through a 28-day cycle wherein it moves from New, when we cannot see the Moon in the sky, to Full, when it is at its biggest and brightest. When the Moon is full, our emotions are heightened, our dreams may be more vivid, and there can be palpable tension in the atmosphere.

　　Anecdotally, it is thought that people act more erratic or nutty during the Full Moon. In fact, the word lunatic is derived from the Latin word luna, which means Moon. So, if your emotions go a little haywire during a Full Moon, you can give yourself a break and blame a bit of that energy on the spilling Moon.

　　

What’s the Point of a Ritual?

A Moon ritual helps you solidify your relationship with lunar energies, as well as yourself. Moon rituals are a spiritual practice that brings you closer to your center, and they’re totally optional. You don’t necessarily have to do anything differently during a Full Moon, but if you find yourself drawn toward the idea of practicing mystical and spiritual traditions in honor of the lunar cycles, do yourself a favor and explore that desire. After all, if you don’t find that the ritual resonates with your spirit, you never have to do it again.

　　Read this next: New Moon Cleansing Rituals for Your Zodiac Sign

　　

Creating Your Own Full Moon Ritual:

The first step is finding out when the next Full Moon will occur. Once you’ve marked it in your calendar, it’s time to plan your ritual.

　　It’s easy to find myriad variations of hundreds of Moon rituals on the internet and within the magical pages of a spellbook, but the personalization of a Moon ritual is half the fun. You may think you’ll need a bevy of new metaphysical tools, but you don’t—chances are, you have more than what you would need for a spiritual, engaging ritual around your house already.

　　Some people choose to share their rituals on social media, which can be a fun way to engage with others and let them in on your ritual. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, try to keep yourself unplugged at least for your first experience with lunar traditional practices. Part of the magic of a Moon ritual is engaging your uninterrupted spirit and soaking in the fragrance of your willpower and intention. While social media can be an easy way to share your life with others, these moments that ask you to embrace your truest center flourish best when you aren’t distracted by the flash of a camera or the buzz of a phone.

　　You may want to start by looking through existing Moon rituals and picking out the pieces that speak to you most clearly—perhaps you’re drawn to candles over incense, a ritual bath over a drum circle, or you may prefer to burn a scroll of your intentions rather than burying it in the Earth. As you’re reading, ask yourself which portions of a Moon ritual make your heart flutter and write them down. Use your favorite tasks to create your own unique tradition.

　　

Ask yourself what areas of your life need clarification.

The Full Moon is physically and metaphorically bright, shining light on the shadowed aspects of ourselves and our lives. Think about the situations or events you’d like to manifest in your life. Ask yourself who you want to become and how. You may choose to create a journal for your Moon rituals, and you can keep track of your questions and desires this way. This can also be a fun way to track the Moon’s cycles and your own emotions that accompany each phase.

　　

Choose your sacred space.

If the weather is nice, you may choose to perform your ritual under the light of the Moon. Outdoor rituals have the added benefit of being in nature and allowing it to become part of your ritual. However, there are benefits to being indoors, in your own safe and familiar space. The point is, it doesn’t matter where you perform your ritual, as long as you’re comfortable.

　　

Gather your tools.

Grab your favorite crystals, incense, sage, candles, notebooks, pens, or Tarot cards. Whatever tools you have that speak to you will work fabulously. The point of a Moon ritual is opening your own heart to the subconscious energies of the Moon, and only you know which metaphysical tools speak the loudest to you.

　　

Perform your ritual.

Once you’ve decided which ideas you like most—whether you choose to take a ritual Moon bath, dance under the Moonlight, journal your intentions and desires, or burn incense and meditate with crystals—it’s time to perform your ritual. Follow your intuition and go with the lunar flow. And, if you really like the vibe of the ritual you’ve created, write down the steps and tools included in your Moon ritual journal!

　　Creating your own Moon ritual should be an exhilarating, engaging process. Try not to worry about the “right” or “wrong” way to do it, and instead focus on following your heart, your bliss, and the light of the Moon.

　　Related Article: New Moon Cleansing Rituals for Your Zodiac Sign