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The Full Moon Esbat

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The Full Moon Esbat

Postby SifGreyWillow on Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:00 pm

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The Full Moon Esbat

Full Moon Esbats are important to the Witch. For one thing, the Moon is at her peak, and that alone is cause for celebration, since her growth in the sky is a natural phenomenon. But for the Witch, it goes much deeper than that. Because this fullness signifies the pregnancy of Moon coming to term - and there's nothing as powerful as containing a seperate life within-Her magickal energies are more potent than at any other time of the month. This means that any request-no matter how difficult-has a better chance of being granted during this time. So the Witch not only celebrates the fullness of the Moon, but harvests that energy for magickal purposes.

Each Full Moon Esbat centers around formal circle-casting. And though the Charge of the Goddess is always recited, the Charge of the God is omitted. This is, in no way, a slight against the God. Since the Moon is ruled by the Goddess and it's Her energy that we celebrate at this time, the God simply steps back to let Her shine.

The Moons

Even though there are only twelve months in our calendar year, there are thirteen moons in a lunar year. This means that in every year, two Full Moons fall in one month. The second appearance is commonly known as the Blue Moon, and make the month containing it a very powerful one.

December - The Oak Moon

The oak tree has long symbolized the amle aspect of Divinity and the natural flow between the worlds of mundanity and spirituality. One reason is that it's trunk and branches grow and stretch fervently toward the sky in the physical world, while it's roots dig deeply inot the hidden planes of the underworld. Another reason has to do with the Holly King, who symbolizes the waning year. The Oak King takes his place at Winter Solstice, and brings the returning light of the newborn Sun with Him. And, of course, there's the mistletoe. Even in the dormancy of winter, this new life sprouts from it's branches.

As the Oak Moon waxes full in the December sky, remember that you plan an integral part in the workings of the Cosmos, just as you do in the world you wake to everyday. Celebrate the return of the Divine Child and New Light by adorning yourself with sprigs of mistletoe, and give candles to others as a reminder that they are each individual flames of the Coming Sun with their own paths to light.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear white and yellow to welcome the Sun.

- Decorate alters with holly, mistletoe, and Sun symbols.

- Use white candles and burn Full Moon or frankincense incense.

- Mark the Circle perimeter with yellow candles or sunflower seeds. If using seeds, keep some for spring planting and spread rest for the birds.

- Adorn a candle holder with holly, then secure a white candle inside. Name the candle for any problems or bad habits you have picked up in the past year. Light the candle and release those energies. Let the candle burn all the way down, then toss the holly on the hearth fire or burn in a fireproof dish and scatter the ashes in the winds. Know that life has begun anew.

January - The Wolf Moon

This moon is named for the wolf for two reasons: for one thing it occurs during the time of year when predator food supplies are scarce, and this brings wolves into villages in search of something to eat. The other thing has to do with family and togetherness. Wolves live in packs, and, like humans, they keep the same families for life. They not only depend on their families for love, wisdom and moral support, they depend on their families for their lives. Without them, many wolves simply pine away and cease to exist.

As the Wolf Moon rises high in the sky, heed the lesson of the predator of the same name. Spend some quality time with both blood-relatives and extended family. Remember that you are who you are because of what they have given. Thank them and show your appreciation. Lend you support. And don't forget that the Gods are family too. A few words of thanks in their direction will go far in the coming year.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear shades of burgandy or rose as a symbol ov family love and togetherness.

- Decorate the alter with photos of family and friends, mementos of special occassions, and apples.

- Use rose-colored or burgandy candles and burn Full Moon, or pine incense.

- Asperge the circle with a pine branch to symbolize eternal life and growth.

- Serve sugar cookies and apple juice for libation.

- Spend some time in Circle working on family issues.

February - The Storm Moon

During the fullness of this moon, we honor the silent winter storms that cover teh Earth with frosty ice and snow. Beneath the irridescent blanket, Mother Nature rests and regenerates, renewing Her energy for the growing season ahead.

Since it's important that we renew our energy as well, this is a good time to kick back and relax, and take some time for ourselves. This doesn't just mean physical time, though. We need spirital time too. Time to take that inner journey and find out who we are and where we're going. Our growing season will come soon enough. And when it does, we need to be ready.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear tranquil shades of blue to honor the Earth's dreaming period.

- Decorate the altar with paper stars and snowflake designs, and symbols of peaceful rest. Try a quilt for the altar cloth.

- Use blue candles and burn Full Moon or sandalwood incense.

- Serve butter cookies and hot chocolate for libation.

March - The Chaste Moon

Because this Moon waxes full when snow is still on the ground in many places, it holds the power of purity, innocence, and joy. It speaks to teh child within us - a reminder of a time when life was simple, a time when a smile went a long way, and everything imagineable seemed possible. Because of this, the Chaste Moon makes us want to laugh, run and play, turn cartwheels and have fun.

Beneath her light, we find solutions to messy situations. Barriers flex and give way, and our personal goals are suddenly attainable. The Chaste Moon brings us the opportunity to toss out that which is old and useless. Her coming is the signal to turn a page in life's book and start a new chapter.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear white to honor innocence and joy.

- Decorate the altar with white flowers - narcissus and other early bloomers.

- Cast the Circle using the wand, cleanse it with burning sage, and use white candles.

- Serve chocolates or chocolate chip cookies and milk for libation.

April - The Seed Moon

With the coming of the Seed Moon, Mother Earth begins to stir. The snow melts, and bulbs - which only yesterday were a tiny sprout of green - burst into full blossom. Squirrels play among the budding treetops, and birds hurriedly search for nest-building materials. Spring has finally come, and with it, a ton of work. All of Nature is busy just trying to keep up.

We, too, feel the need to shake off winter's state of inertia, get up, get out, and do something. Just as it stirs beneath the Earth's surface, the need to create stirs deep within our spirits and wells up inside of us. Her wild and unbridled energy beckons us to till our spiritual gardens and plant them with qualities that better our lives and bring us into harmony with nature and humankind.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear green to honor the Earth's sprouting.

- Decorate the altar with wildflowers and spring greenery

- Use green candles and burn full moon or a soft floral incense.

- Asperge the Circle with a newly budded tree branch, then set it aside for burning in the Beltane fire later.

- Serve milk and poppyseed rolls or sesame sprinkled bread for libation.
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Re: The Full Moon Esbat

Postby SifGreyWillow on Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:01 pm

May - The Hare Moon

As the Hare Moon grows to fullness in the sky, She grants the Earth limitless fertility. Lawns and meadows green with new life. Garden flowers blossom and wildflowers thrive. Even the animals are busy. The need for reproduction rises high, for it's time for their families to grow and thrive.

The fertility of the Hare Moon grows within us too. We feel the need to be productive, to carry out plans, and to weed out the obstacles that keep us from reaching our goals. Her potent energy calls us to plant and fertilize our spiritual gardens as well as our physical ones. and, of course, love is in the air. With lightened steps and happy heart, we welcome her coming.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear soft greens, yellows, and peaches to symbolize happiness and fertility.

- Decorate the altar with pictures of rabbits, spring greenery and flowers, or anything else that says joy and fertility to you.

- Use green and yellow candles and burn Full Moon or fruity smelling incense.

- Asperge the Circle with a bunch of wildflowers.

- Try to hold your ritual outside.

- Serve sugared violets (violet flowers first dipped in egg white and then in sugar) or lemon cookies, and strawberry wine or Kool-Aid for libation.

June - The Dyad Moon

The Dyad Moon is an important one because it honors the Lord and Lady's marriage and it's consummation upon the earth. They dance across the land in the joyous splendor that comes from being in love. And the ecstasy and passion of their mating dance is reflected in every step they take. Flowers burst into full blossom; tree limbs grow heavy with green leaves; the winds and rains of spring subside now, too, giving way to blue skies and the warmth of the Sun. All is right with the Earth and everyone on it.

On a mundane level, the energy of this Moon provides a good time to finish projects. Productivity levels run high. Goals - even difficult ones - are suddenly within our grasp. And because the Lord and Lady also tourch our hearts in their dancing, love and romance also comes into play. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most powerful Moons of the year for the Witch. It's the time when even the impossible is likely.

Celebration Ideas

- Dress in bright colors and adorn yourself with flowers of the season.

- Use gold and silver candles and decorate the alter with fresh flowers and wedding paraphernalia. Burn Full Moon or Jasmine incense.

- Cast the Circle with a bouquet of flowers tied with colored ribbons.

- Serve cake and champagne or flavored sparkling water for libation.

July - The Mead Moon

The appearance of the full, round Mead Moon heralds the end of fertility and the beginning of life anew. Hives fill with honey. Animals give birth and baby birds hatch. Butterflies and cicadas burst forth, too, their shell-like cocoons only a reminder of what they were before. All of Nature is busy now. It's a time of care, nurturement, and transformation.

The Mead Moon brings a time of metamorphosis for us, too. A time to reinvent our lives, change our personal realities, and become what we were meant to be. But before we can do that, we must often change our perceptions of life and see it with a fresh eye. Fortunately, this isn't as difficult as it seems. With the whole world in a state of transformation, it's easy for us to follow suit.

Celebration Ideas

- Dress in shades of yellow and amber to commemorate the honey harvest.

- Use yellow and orange candles and burn Full Moon or frankincense and myrrh incense.

- Decorate the altar with flowers, dandelions, and the transformative gifts of nature. Cicada shells, butterfly cocoons, hatched bird eggs, and shed feathers are great ideas.

- Serve lemon cookies and honey-sweetened tea for libation.

August - The Wort Moon

The Wort Moon is named as such because the Anglo-Saxon word wort means herb. That being the case, her rise in the sky signals the time that herbs have reached their full potential. They stand tall and lush, flowering and fruitful - the product of spring winds and rains and summer sun. Their aroma fills the air. It lingers and beckons in the summer heat - begging us to choose - begging for inclusion in our magickal work.

This Moon also heralds the beginning of our personal spiritual harvests. And because of this, magical efforts seem to come to fruition more easily. Personal psychism abounds, divinatory readings become clear, and dreams are laden with prophesy and vision. For this reason, it's important to give the Spirit World it's due, and offer yourself as harvest for its work. In doing this, you'll discover wondrous things about your inner being that you never knew were so. Things that can only make your personal magick more powerful.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear shades of orange and green to honor the herb harvest, and adorn your hair with wreaths of herbs or greenery.

- Use orange candles and burn Full Moon or mixture of sage, lavender, and rosemary incense.

- Decorate the altar with bunches of vervain or fresh herbs, tied with ribbons.

- Asperge the Circle with bouquet of herbs or plants and your favorite herbal tea.

- Serve herbal cookies (just add a tablespoon of lavender or lemon balm to your favorite sugar recipe) and herbal tea for libation.

September - The Barley Moon

The Barley Moon also signigies harvest, but her message is much different than tht of the Wort Moon; it heralds the reaping of grain fields. This is important to the Witch because grain holds the mysteries and cycles of life, death, and rebirth within its core. Each kernal is the product of the first grain ever grown. And yet this life renews itself every year to lend its energy and nourish our bodies. There is little else on Earth more ancient or powerful.

In celebrating the Barley Moon, remember that we have much in common with the grain. We are each decended from the first pair of human beings, and their blood stil courses through our veins. It sustains and energizes us. It gives us life and fertile life force. And that even though personal ancestry plays a part in our individual identities, we are all related, one to each other, and bound together for all of eternity. Simply put, we each form a link in the chain of eternal life.

Celebration Ideas

- Dress in shades of yellow-gold, tan and warm brown to honor the grain harvest.

- Use yellow-gold candles and burn Full Moon or patchouli incense.

- Decorate the altar with paper chains, ancestor photos or belongings, sheaves of wheat, and other grains of the season.

- Asperge the Circle with a sheaf of grain. After Circle, place it on top of the outdoor libation spot and leave it for the birds.

- Serve oatmeal cookies or sweet bread, and either alcoholic or non-alcoholic malt beverages for libation.

- Write a thank you note to one of your ancestors and burn it in incense, letting the smoke carry your message to its recipient.
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Re: The Full Moon Esbat

Postby SifGreyWillow on Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:04 pm

October -The Blood Moon

The Blood Moon gets her name from the fact that she rises to fullness during the opening months of hunting seasons everywhere. While in ancient times, hunting was necessary to feed families, this is no longer the case. Still, it is a sacred ritual for many people. As hunters, we take full responsibility for the life we harvest. We not only eat the meat, but - just as our ancestors before us - make swift use of the animal's other gifts, giving it an immortality it might not otherwise have.

During this moon, give thanks to the animals who gave their lives that yours might continue. Include the world of fruits and vegetables as well, for make no mistake; each time one is plucked from the vine to feed you, in effect, its life is cut short, too. Then give some thought to how you might immortalize these wonderful, caring creatures in your magick. Apple seeds for love charms, lemon rind for protection magick, and small bones used in efforts of strength and power can really boost results.

Celebration Ideas

- Wear shades of red, wine and scarlet to commemorate the lives lost so that you might live.

- Use red candles and burn Full Moon or a spicy incense such as cinnimon, nutmeg or ginger.

- Decorate the altar with animal pictures, autumn leaves, Indian corn, apples and pumpkins.

- Serve red apple cider (add a little food coloring) or red wine and ginger snaps for libation.

November -The Snow Moon

The rise of the Snow Moon signals the wane of warmth and sunlight, and heralds the coming of the dark months of the year. Mother Earth yawns and stretches. She's tired from all the planting, growing, and harvesting, and prepares to take a long and well-deserved nap. As she settles in, all of Nature follows suit. Even the snow acts in kind. It covers her with flakes, providing an insulative blanket that keeps her snug in her bed, and shields her from the harsh cold of winter.

We begin to slow down too. With the Earth at rest, we spend more time indoors. We finish projects and tie up loose ends. We relax and regroup. We contemplate the goodness of the Earth and the fertile abundance she shares with us. We count our blessings. They are many and we are thankful.

Celebration Ideas

- Dress in black, purple, navy blue, and other dark colors to honor the sleeping period of the earth.

- Use purple candles and burn Full Moon, mugwort or patchouli incense.

- Decorate the altar with onions, garlic, and other vegetables that grow beneath the ground. Use a child's sheet or coverlet as the altar cloth.

- Asperge the Circle with camphor-soaked water.

- Make a list of all the people who have done something nice for you in the last year. Reflect upon how they have changed your life. Make plans to do something nice for them in reciprocation.

Esbat Incense Recipes
If you like to make your own incenses for rituals, try the following. Because individual tastes differ, the proportions of each are left up to you. Start with a little of each and experiment until you like the scent, then burn the finished product on a charcoal block.

Full Moon - Anise, lavender, rosemary

Waning or Dark Moon - Anise, camphor, lavender, wormwood

Waxing Moon - Camphor, wormwood

All information was taken from "The Craft" by Dorothy Morrison
PAGE DISCLAIMER
I am not the author of the above writing, nor do I claim any credit. The author and source,
if known, have been given proper credit.
FAIR USE LAW
This information may be used for religious education by non-profit groups, providing
information contents, copyrights and credits are not altered and/or deleted.
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