Seasons of Wicca: The Essential Guide to Rituals and Rites to Enhance Your Spiritual Journey - Ambrosia Hawthorn 2020
May Moon
Moon Celebrations (Esbats)
Rituals to Enhance your Spiritual Journey
Gregorian Calendar: The May moon is often called the flower, hare, milk, planting, or merry moon. During this full moon, work on magic relating to passion, building energy, and trusting your intuition.
Celtic Tree Calendar: The Willow moon is celebrated until May 12 and the Hawthorn moon is celebrated from May 13 to June 9. The Celtic name for hawthorn is huath, pronounced hoh-uh. The Willow moon is associated with flexibility, knowledge, protection, and intuition, and the Hawthorn moon is associated with protection, energy, connections, hope, and pleasure.
ENERGY BUILDING ESBAT
With this esbat, you can harness the potency of the moon to build up your energy. In this ritual, you’ll create a charged bottle of oil that you can use on pressure points on your skin to boost your energy. Prior to use, test the oil on a small patch of skin on the inside of your elbow to make sure it doesn’t irritate you.
Ritual Setting
Altar
Tools and Supplies
Wand or athame
Elemental representations
Deity representation
Offering of choice—food, herbs, flowers, or crystals
For the oil
1 (2-ounce) glass dropper or roller bottle
2 ounces skincare carrier oil—jojoba, olive, or apricot kernel
3 drops eucalyptus essential oil
4 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
PRIOR TO THE RITUAL
1.Shower or bathe, visualizing all old or unwanted energies leaving your being.
2.Cleanse the altar.
PREPARING THE ALTAR
Place the tools and supplies on the altar. Place the elemental representations in a pentacle configuration. Place the deity representation at the top of the altar. Place the carrier and essential oils in the center of the pentacle.
THE RITUAL
1.Cast a circle of protection. Hold the wand or athame as an extension of your hand to gather and direct energy as you call upon the elements. Starting from the east and ending north, call upon the element of air for mental clarity, the element of fire for power, the element of water for fluidity, and the element of earth for stability.
2.Invoke the Moon Goddess by saying something like: “Goddess of the Flower Moon, Maiden of the Night, please join me on this beautiful May evening, and illuminate this esbat rite.”
3.Pour the carrier oil into the glass bottle until it is full. Then add the eucalyptus, peppermint, and rosemary essential oils one at a time.
4.Hold the bottle in your hands and say: “Oil, now infused, charge, and grant me energy as strong as the moon for the coming days.”
5.Thank the Moon Goddess and leave your offering: “Goddess of the Flower Moon, Maiden of the Night, I thank you for your assistance tonight and leave you this offering.”
6.Release the elements in reverse order by beginning facing the north and ending east, thanking each element for their assistance and bidding them farewell. Then open the circle by saying: “I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”
7.Leave the offering on the altar. Wear the oil whenever you need an energy boost.
CONNECTIONS ESBAT
Strengthening your connections with others is an important part of any healthy, long-lasting relationship. This ritual combines visualization techniques with full moon energy and a red candle to represent love.
Ritual Setting
Altar
Tools and Supplies
Wand or athame
Elemental representations
Deity representation
1 pillar or votive candle—red
Fire-safe plate or candle holder
1 rose or handful of dried rose petals
Lighter or matches
PRIOR TO THE RITUAL
1.Shower or bathe, visualizing all old or unwanted energies leaving your being.
2.Cleanse the altar.
PREPARING THE ALTAR
Place the tools and supplies on the altar. Place the elemental representations in a pentacle configuration. Place the deity representation at the top of the altar. Place the candle on the fire-safe plate in the center of the pentacle. Decorate the altar with the rose petals, focusing on your intentions.
THE RITUAL
1.Cast a circle of protection. Hold the wand or athame as an extension of your hand to gather and direct energy as you call upon the elements.
2.Turn to the east and say: “Guardian of air, I welcome you to my circle of appreciation.”
3.Turn to the south and say: “Guardian of fire, I welcome you to my circle of appreciation.”
4.Turn to the west and say: “Guardian of water, I welcome you to my circle of appreciation.”
5.Return to the north and say: “Guardian of earth, I welcome you to my circle of appreciation. With these elements, together with spirit, I cast a circle of protection above, below, within.”
6.Invoke the God and Goddess or deity of your choice by saying something like: “Goddess of the May Moon, I invite you to my circle tonight. Grant me your blessings and guidance.”
7.Light the red candle and say: “Candle of love, burn and empower, fuel my connections and strengthen my bonds.”
8.Close your eyes and visualize the candle’s red energy wrapping around your body, infusing you with its energy.
9.Thank the deities by saying: “Goddess of the May Moon, I thank you for your presence tonight.”
10.Release the elements in reverse order by beginning facing the north and ending east, thanking each element for their assistance and bidding them farewell. Then open the circle by saying: “I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”
11.Extinguish the candle or allow it to burn out. Take the rose petals outside and return them to the earth as an offering.