The Full Moon held powerful symbolism for people in the past and it still does today. Find out some beliefs about what the Full Moon means and learn some superstitions, rituals, and some Full Moon spells.
Looking up at the silvery moon on a night when it is full may fill you with excitement, awe, or fear. People can just naturally tell that the moon is powerful, and when it is full, it is in all its glory! Some people believe the Full Moon represents a deity, and others believe it causes mayhem, bad luck, and unleashes terrifying creatures. Just what does it mean when the moon is full, and what does it mean spiritually? Read on to find out!
What is the Full Moon?
There is never a time when the moon itself changes. Our view of it does. The moon has four primary phases, or quarters. The first is the New Moon, the next is the First Quarter, then the Full Moon, and finally the Last Quarter. The Full Moon is when we can see the entire surface of the moon. Earth is located in between the sun and moon, and the moon, itself does not give off the silvery glow on its own. It is illuminated by the sun. When the sun fully illuminates it, we can see the entire thing.
Full Moons are generally 29.53 days apart, and each Full Moon has its own name. January is the Wolf Moon, for example. It is named after wolves who are hunting food for the winter. In between the four primary moon phases are four more called the Waxing Crescent Moon, Waxing Gibbous Moon, the Waning Gibbous Moon, and the Waning Crescent Moon. When the moon is waxing, that means it appears to get larger. When it is waning, that means it appears to grow smaller. The moon is in the crescent and gibbous phases for about a week. Read about Moon Signs here: What Moon Sign Am I?
Why is the Moon Important?
The moon has been with the earth for billions of years and we need it to keep our planet balanced. First, without our moon, the nights would be much darker. Next, it slowed our planet down. Earth used to turn on its axis every 6 hours before, and our weather was a lot more volatile. The moon also pulled the planet’s waters toward the equator, and the waters would be near the Poles if it weren’t for that. The moon created the tides, which pulls water on and off the beaches. It is believed by some scientists that action helped move some species from water to dwell on land, resulting in evolution. If this is true, without the moon, there might be no land-dwelling species- and no people today. Read about Black Moon Lilith Signs here: What is My Lilith Sign?
Full Moon Spiritual Meaning
Seeing how important the moon, our closest neighbor is, there should be no question about how important the moon is. Some people see the moon as only a satellite to earth, but other people view it as something much more spiritually significant. Some people rely on it for keeping track of time and see that as sacred. Others see it as an embodiment of the feminine divine. To some people the moon represents human emotions.
Keeping Time
As early as 8,000 BCE, people in Aberdeenshire, Scotland had constructed a series of pits they used to tell time with. The site is now called Warren Field, and these pits line up with seasonal events that are both solar and lunar events, and it is significant because this was constructed by hunter gatherer people as opposed to farming people. It is believed this was used to note the seasons and the migratory movements of animals people would eat. The Hijri Calendar is another lunar calendar, and days are from sundown to sundown instead of sunrise to sunrise. This calendar is used to mark religious observances in some places, and in other places, it is used exclusively. Read about the spiritual meaning of love here: What is the Spiritual Meaning of Love?
The Goddess
To some people, the moon represents a goddess, all goddesses, or feminine spirituality. In some religions, the father god is represented by the sun , daytime, action, and success. The goddess is represented by the moon, nighttime, nurturing, and harmonizing. Traditional Mayas consider the moon to be a goddess, and the phases of the moon coincide with the phases of the life of a woman. Their goddess is a goddess of life, fertility, and growth for both human beings and animals, but she is also a goddess of disease. Greek goddess Selene is the goddess of the moon who drives her chariot through the sky, carrying the moon. Not everybody had a moon goddess, some had their own moon god like the Norse god Mani and the Hindu moon god Chandra.
Emotions
Like the moon changes phases, leading seemingly a complex life, humans have a plethora of emotions. Sensitive emotions are believed to be amplified by the moon, and some people even believe the moon makes us more passionate. Some say the moon creates the mood for romance and others say it makes us more irrational. Various medical and scientific tests have been done, and there is no solid evidence the moon creates or disturbs our emotions. However, classically, emotions associated with the Full Moon are despair, anxiety, romantic love, and sensitivity. The moon is said to make people’s psychic powers stronger and you can read about clairvoyant psychic gifts here: What is Clairvoyant Psychic Reading?
Full Moon Ceremonies
Different people celebrate their Full Moon rites differently, but one man had a special idea of how to do that. Gerald Gardner attached great meaning to the Full Moon, and believed it was an important time to come together to worship and ask the goddess he worshiped for healing, magic, and help. In his Charge of the Goddess, which was an adaption of the writings of Aleister Crowley, he quoted his goddess as saying, “Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries and magics. There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets. “ So, on the night of the Full Moon, he and his brethren gathered to work their magic. The complete Charge of the Goddess can be read here: Internet Book of Shadows: The Charge of the Goddess (D. Valiente) (sacred-texts.com)
A simple Full Moon ceremony can entail blessing food and drink with the light of the Full Moon, and blessing your belongings at your magical altar. Before you begin, decide where you will hold your ritual. If possible, do it under the light of the Full Moon. If that isn’t possible, you can open a window and let the moonlight in. Whether you are outside or indoors, don’t worry about visibility. The night may be cloudy, and you can’t catch a view of the moon. That’s okay, because it is still there, and its power is still at its strongest. Set up your ritual space to your preference and take a moment to breathe deep and focus. Take food and drink and hold them up, presenting them to the Full moon, and say words like “ Bright Full Moon, bless this food and drink with your radiant power. Within you lies the strength to rule the tides, control the movement of the earth, and create the very existence of time , itself. Grant us your strength and join your magic with ours.”
Then, take something special that belongs to you that you want blessed. Maybe you want to work toward your first home, or the purchase of a new car. Put your house keys, car keys, or wallet on your altar. If you want to do some self-work, put a picture of yourself, or a small mirror on the altar, so you may gaze into it , and look at yourself after it has been blessed. Once everybody has their items on the altar they want blessed, say something like “As you blessed what we nourish ourselves with, so bless these things that represent who we are, what we are working towards, and the future we are moving into.“ Hold this up to the Full Moon like you did the food and drink. Before you finish your ritual, make sure to thank the Full Moon by leaving a single beautiful flower as an offering or pouring out offerings of water. A piece of silver or moonstone buried in the ground as an offering is acceptable also. Read about using crystals to help heal anxiety here: The Best Stones for Anxiety
Full Moon Magic Spells
Maybe you don’t want to do a full ceremony, but you still want to use the magic of the Full Moon. You can do some spellwork. You can place some fresh water in the light of the Full Moon to gather its powers. You can simply allow yourself to be submerged in the light of the Full Moon. You can also absorb the Full Moon’s energy to empower the feminine side of yourself.
Moon Water
Moon Water is easy to make. Get a clear jar, bottle, or bowl, and fill it with some water. Then place this somewhere that the light of the Full Moon can completely illuminate it. You can put special things in the water to make it extra potent. Some people will use things associated with the moon like pearls, mother of pearl, silver, moonstone, or seashells for this. You can also place things you want blessed by the Moon Water. If you are wishing for healing, you can write your healing prayer on the side of the jar, or write it on a piece of paper you sit the jar on top of. A lot of people will either drink, bathe with, or anoint themselves or others with the Moon Water to absorb its blessings. Cancer is ruled by the Moon and you can read about that Zodiac Sign here: Cancer Zodiac Traits and Love Compatibility
Moon Bath
You can always use Moon water to take a bath, or you can do something else much simpler. Instead of placing water in the light of the Full Moon, you can simply go outside to absorb the Full Moon’s power. Hook up your dogs and go for a peaceful walk together under the light of the Full moon. Sit in silent meditation at home while you bathe in the Full Moon’s light. Stand at a shore at a beach, pond, lake, or even a swimming pool, and gaze at the Full Moon by looking at the surface of the water to gain wisdom, insight, and psychic messages from the images you see. Even if you can’t go outside when the moon is full, you can still take a Moon Bath by a window as you gaze up at the beautiful Full Moon.
Feminine Empowerment
The Full Moon represents the full power of the goddess. This great mother goddess is the creatrix of all in the world, and she grants her powers to all who ask. Compassion, nurturing, healing, wisdom, self-love, sensuality, and fertility are all things she embodies. She also embraces all the ages of women. In youth, and maidenhood, the beauty and wonderment women in their young age guides them to the second stage of their life, which is the age of motherhood. Even women who don’t raise children mother the people they love. In her elder years, the woman becomes the wide crone, who welcomes those who need her teachings.
Some people think being empowered to embrace your feminine attributes is only possible for women, but men and women both hold these powerful gifts within themselves. Being empowered by the Full Moon will help to balance your feminine attributes with your masculine attributes of leadership, assertiveness, ambition, energy, and success. You can say a prayer to the Full Moon to make you more compassionate of people you don’t understand, to help you reach out to people who have a difficult time listening, or to find time to teach those who have asked you to.
Full Moon Superstitions
Since as long as can be remembered people have believed the Full Moon was either lucky or unlucky. Some people think that if you make a wish under the Full Moon, the wish has a better chance of coming true. Other people believe it is easier to conceive a child when the moon is full. If you hold a moonstone in your mouth on a Full Moon it is believed to tell you your future.
Some people believe the Full Moon makes people insane and that crimes, fights, and nervous breakdowns happen more often when the moon is full. However, science has never been able to prove this. Some say dogs are more likely to bite when the moon is full, but again, there is no proof. So don’t be afraid of the Full Moon. Nobody has ever been able to prove it causes bad things to happen. Nobody can even prove werewolves exist! Read on to learn the reality of werewolves and find out if you have ever seen one: Do Werewolves Exist?
The Full Moon has always captivated us, and it always will. Do a Full Moon ceremony with friends or do a solitary ritual to draw in the Full Moon’s blessings. Keep time with the moon or give a gift of thanks to the moon for helping the earth for so many years to be the wonderful planet it is!
You can also speak with a psychic during any phase of the moon. Make sure to sign up for our Horoscopes to find out the power of your Sun Sign.
About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Spiritual Blossom, and she writes for The Green Egg. She has written for Mysticsense and PaganPagesOrg emag.
