Blessing Moon Esbat Ritual

By Ishtar Tariel Nimara Ebonwing

The July Full Moon, this ritual was performed in 2007.

This is an esbat ritual for the full moon known as the blessing moon. This is the perfect time to augments spells that honor the mother goddess as she gains her full power. This is the time of culmination, completion, nurturing and the ripening. The full moon in July is called the Blessing moon. These are the hottest days of summer and the time of thunderstorms. Sithor, the Egyptian dog star, was considered a second sun and would actually rise with the sun. This is also when the Nile's annual flood would happen and renew the land. This time of year was also called the “dog days of summer” after the dog star.

Full moon magic can be used three days before or three days after the actual date of the full moon. Sometimes this duration is shorter, but it depends on your tradition and personal beliefs. Full moon magic is a good time to add potency to spells. You can also make full moon water, use blessings for cleansing and purifying, healing, protection and wards, fertility and home matters, money and business and augmenting psychic powers.

Although it didn't specify to specialize your Esbat ritual to a specific Esbat, I decided that it would be helpful if I did that myself. I included a bibliography at the end with the sources I used to write the Ritual. Because this time of the year tempers tend to be short and patience runs thin, its is and ideal time to request patience, peace and soft rains to calm frayed nerves. I decided that by specializing the esbat it would have more personal meaning for myself and others who were using it.

Tools Needed:

Athame (you can use your finger instead)

Besom (Optional)

Altar

Tools you will need for any personal spells

Supplies Needed:

Candles (in the colors you'll need for your spell, altar and an additional white candle)

Supplies for any other spells you will be casting

Something to mark the directions is handy (such as a blue candle in the west, ect), or even a symbol, totem or other item to help you remember which direction is which.

Blessing Moon Ritual

Begin by clearing and releasing all excess energy from yourself then stand in or near the place you first wish to cleanse for your ritual. You can invite any of your Spirit Guides if you like. Take a moment, then decide on your intention and speak something like:

Behold, I do cleanse this place

Keeping pure this sacred space

I send negativity to the Mother

To recycle for something other

Visualize cleansing, white shining flames filling the room until it is simply pure, white light filling the area. You can see it as black “dust” and you can see the white light pushing it out of the area, back to the Deity where it can be used for other, more positive purposes.

If you have a besom and you would like to use it in the ritual, you can visualize the white light emanating from the besom and you begin sweeping counterclockwise (tuathail). You sweep out the black “dust” that is tainting your holy space by starting form the inside of your sacred space, then outwards. As you sweep, you can chant:

This circle I cleanse with this broom

May no evil now enter this room

Next, visualize the white light that has filled the room, filling now with a pure blue light and take your athame and draw a circle around you deocil, starting in the east, or walk the circle if its large. Draw the circle three times and as you do so, chant:

I do hereby bless this space

Blessed be to Mother's grace

From the mundane I cut away

To enter the realm of Gods and Fae

As you cut yourself form the mundane world and enter into the “magical” world, see the cut of the athame turning into brilliant blue flames and the blue light that was filling the room is now bolstering the blue flames, creating a powerful shield.

Now you call the quarters. You begin by letting brilliant alabaster light fill the circle. Start at the east and raise your athame and say:

Eastern Guardian of Air's power

Mind and Intellect's watchtower

Elemental of Air, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Visualize a column of light rising up and as this is for the blessing moon, you could envision them as sleek hounds in the guardian colors guarding your circle. Dogs are symbolic of loyalty, companionship and protection. Step to the South, raise your athame and say:

Southern Guardian of Fire's power

Passion and action's watchtower

Elemental of Fire, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Step to the West, raise your athame and say:

Western Guardian of water's power

Emotion's sacred watchtower

Elemental of water, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Step to the North, raise your athame and say:

Northern Guardian of Earth's power

Integration's honored watchtower

Elemental of earth, I call to thee

Protect this circle from negativity

Now, go stand in front of your altar and raise your Athame skyward and say:

Goddess and God celestial and above

I ask for protection, power and love

Now, light a white candle and say:

Full moon, mothering and bright

I give honor to your blessing light

Now, is when you should ask for what you would like to do or if you have a spell, this is when you would cast that spell. As I wrote earlier, this is the ideal time to cast spells to increase patience or to reduce irritation.

When you are done casting your spell, hold aloft the white candle of the full moon and say:

Shining moon, full and brightly gleaming

I supplicate in your moonlight streaming.

Grant the dear wish I greatly desire

By witness of air, earth, water and fire

Free will to all and harm to none

as I do will, my will be done

Now, make offerings and libations. Now it is time to thank the guardians of your circle. Begin in the east and raise your Athame:

Elemental of Air, I thank you,

If you are going, I bid adieu,