Moon Rituals

Family Full Moon Esbat

You will need:
Some bubbles
Some craft glitter (don't use the superfine stuff; it takes
Forever to
Clean up)
Some feathers
Some bells
A white candle
Some dressing oil of your choice (make sure the kids like it)
Standard Ritual Paraphernalia (ie: god/dess figures, pentacle,
Mirror,
Chalice, etc)
Some fruity incense such as strawberry
Finger foods (quesadillas, olives, carrot and celery sticks, etc)

Fruit juice or milk

Begin by setting up your altar on a low surface easily accessible
By
Children, such as a coffee table (note: I leave my god/dess
Figures up
On the altar as they are very fragile, but as my girl gets a
Little
Older and her collection increases, we will use Barbie and Ken).

Put the cakes and ale on the floor underneath the table, covered
With a
Cloth to discourage munching during ritual body. Beginning at
North,
Hold hands (works best with kids between mom and dad) and start
Casting
Circle by walking and stomping deosil singing "Old MacDonald Had
A
Farm".

Once you're done with the song or the circle (leave it up to the
Kids),
Hand the kids bubbles, feather, glitter, and bells. Grups in our
Family
Like to use them too. Call quarters using bells for north,
Feather for
East, glitter for south, and bubbles for west.

North: "Spirits and faeries of flowers and trees, come to us
Please."

East: "Spirits and faeries of winds and breezes, come to us
Please."

South: "Spirits and faeries of warmth and blazes, please come
Bless our
Spaces."

West: "Spirits and faeries of oceans and streams, come to us
Please."
At each quarter, wave or blow or scatter or ring the accompanying
Accoutrements. Laughing a lot is a good thing too.

At altar, have the adults call in the Lord and Lady as is their
Wont. As
A family, with each member holding spoon or stick or athame,
Bless salt
And water and prance about the circle each of you censing the
Circle and
Each other (note: I have also put the blessed water in spray
Bottles and
We had fun with that, but it was a little crazy). Light the
Incense and
Let everyone cense the circle. Then sit down and hug each other.

Grups begin the body of the ritual by sharing the best thing that
Has
Happened to them the past moon and what they did to celebrate it
Or
Continue it's presence. Children follow suit. Adults then share
The
Worst thing that has happened and what they did to feel better or
Change
It. Children follow suit.

Then each person takes up the candle and states something they
Would
Like to have happen (encourage realism) the next moon and what
They will
Do to help it come to pass. After everyone has had a turn or two,
Everyone dresses the candle chanting "as we will it so mote it
Be."

Then everyone lights the candle (grups do the actual lighting
With one
Of those firesticks or long matches with kids holding onto the
Adults''s
Hands). Place the candle up high when you're done, remember. Then
Everyone shares hugs and kisses, dinner is blessed and eaten in
Circle.

At this time we discuss with our children many things, ranging
From art
And schoolwork to gardening and chores. We also have a little
Quiz and
Answer time on family rules, safety rules, etc. When dinner is
Done
(don't forget the vitamins!), we all dismiss Lord and Lady and
Quarters
With simple "Thanks for coming, good to see you, come again
Soon."
Children help with cleanup, and then a nice pile of family ensues
In
Front of the telly, or with a storybook.

Please make sure everyone goes to the bathroom first. This is a
Short
Ritual, about forty five minutes long. You can also do it at the
Dinner
Table since it's a dinner ritual, but we like to do it in the
Greatroom
Where we can dance and prance around.

****

New Moon Ritual
Solitary New Moon ritual
Special tools:
cedar or sage smudging wand
white candle
Cast the circle Use the smudging wand to purify the space as you move around the circle.

Invocation to the Goddess (ring bell with arms in Goddess position, arms in a V above your head)

"Great Hecate Queen of the Underworld Protectress of all Wicca

It is my will on this night of the new moon to overcome my shadows and bring about change

I invite you to my circle to assist and protect me in my rite."

Invocation to the God (hold athame with your hands in the God position, crossed over your chest)

"Great Anubis, God of Protection

It is my will on this night of the new moon to overcome my shadows to bring about change.

I invite you to my circle to assist me and protect me in my rite.

Statement of intent Dark is the night as I reach this turning point Here is a time of death, yet a time of rebirth.

Endings and beginnings, Ebbings and flowings A journey done and a journey yet to start.

As the wheel turns, I see birth, death and rebirth and I know that every end is a beginning. "

Meditation Remember a time in your life when you were miserable, depressed and felt like you couldn't go on. Let the painful memories overtake you, feeling yourself weaken and become frightened. Put yourself back in that pain-filled time in your life. As you meditate on that
time, sink down the floor and curl up in an embryonic position. You are completely obsessed by pain and depression. The shadows around you lengthen and darkness spreads.

Then! Arise! Light your white candle and hold it high overhead. Say:

"In darkness, there is light! I feel energy and life returning to me!

I feel my heartbeat strong

I feel the power of the universe and the power of the Goddess and God within me."

Pass the candle over your body, tuning in completely with the light, feeling its power heal and protect you. Allow its rays to completely penetrate your being, healing and cleansing
you. As you are doing this, chant Let the light cast out all darkness Cakes
and wine Thank the God and Goddess for their presence Close the circle