Full Moon Esbat Ritual

By Ishtar Tariel Nimara Ebonwing

A generic ritual to honor a full moon

This is an esbat ritual for the full moon and can easily be adapted to any full 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. 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. The word Esbat is French, from s'esbattre, which when translated means "frolic joyfully."

Tools Needed:

Athame (you can use your finger instead)

Besom (Optional)

Altar

Tools you will need for any personal spells

Chalice

Bowl

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.

Full 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 area 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:

I Call to the

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 a being appropriate for the season or your tradition. Step to the South, raise your athame and say:

I Call to the

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:

I Call to the

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:

I Call to the

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 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, 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.

Now, make offerings and libations. Then say:

Full moon, mothering and bright

I give honor to your blessing light

Now it is time to thank the guardians of your circle. Begin by raising your athame aloft and point it heavenwards and say:

God and Goddess, I thank you,

If you are going, I bid adieu,