Seasons of Wicca: The Essential Guide to Rituals and Rites to Enhance Your Spiritual Journey - Ambrosia Hawthorn 2020
Thirteenth Moon
Moon Celebrations (Esbats)
Rituals to Enhance your Spiritual Journey
A thirteenth moon, sometimes called a blue moon, occurs when a second full moon appears in one calendar month. Because the lunar cycle is slightly shorter than a calendar month, a blue moon often happens during the first few days of a month. The energy of this moon is stronger than the other moons and is often associated with intuition, wisdom, sacred femininity, and growing knowledge.
DREAM CHARM ESBAT
Because the thirteenth full moon is ethereal by nature, it provides an ideal opportunity to perform rituals that enhance your intuition, bring you wisdom, or celebrate knowledge and learning. All these elements are found in dreams. This simple ritual involves creating a charged herbal charm bag to support peaceful dreaming.
Ritual Setting
Altar
Tools and Supplies
Wand or athame
Elemental representations
Deity representation
1 votive or pillar candle—blue, for dreaming
Fire-safe plate or candle holder
Lighter or matches
Offering of choice
3 crystals—amethyst or clear quartz
For the charm bag
Drawstring pouch
1 ounce dried lavender
1 ounce dried peppermint
1 ounce dried chamomile
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) and charm bag supplies 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 God and Goddess or deity of your choice by saying: “Mother, Maiden, and Crone, join my sacred circle.”
3.Light the candle and say: “I invoke the power of the moon to soothe my waking mind.”
4.Put the lavender, peppermint, and chamomile in the drawstring pouch, focusing on your intentions. Once finished, chant: “Herbal charm I charge under the blue moon, allow my sleeping mind to be at peace, so that I may now dream at ease.”
5.Tie the bag shut to complete the charm bag.
6.Thank the Goddess and leave your offering: “Mother, Maiden, and Crone, I thank you for your assistance tonight.”
7.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.”
8.Extinguish the candle. Leave the offering on the altar.
9.Place the charm bag under the moonlight, surrounded by the crystals to further charge it with energy.
SEALING ESBAT
In this ritual, you will “seal” your good intentions using the energy of the blue moon. You’ll write a note during the ritual and seal it in wax to preserve your intentions. To enhance the magic in this ritual, you’ll need to use handmade tea-stained paper, prepared at least a day in advance of the ritual.
Ritual Setting
Kitchen (for preparation) and altar
Tools and Supplies
Wand or athame
Elemental representations
Deity representation
Pen and tea-stained paper
Sealing wax and stamp (or ⅔ cup beeswax, ⅓ cup resin, and a button to use as a stamp)
Lighter or matches
Offering of choice
For the tea-stained paper (prepared at least a day in advance)
3 tea bags
2 cups water
Teapot
1 sheet paper
Rimmed baking sheet (larger than paper)
Large paintbrush (optional)
2 sheets waxed paper
Heavy object—another baking sheet or book
PRIOR TO THE RITUAL
1.Prepare the tea-stained paper.
EBrew the tea bags with the water in the teapot. While the tea brews, place the paper on the baking sheet.
EPour the tea directly onto the paper until you achieve your desired color. If desired, for more control over the staining, use the large paintbrush to paint the tea onto the paper.
EAllow the paper to dry overnight. To prevent the paper from warping, place it between the sheets of wax paper and flatten with the heavy object.
2.Shower or bathe, visualizing all old or unwanted energies leaving your being.
3.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 writing and sealing supplies 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 your deity of choice by saying something like: “Goddess of the Thirteenth Moon, join me in my circle and lend me your insight.”
3.Write a letter on the tea-stained paper, discussing the things you want to manifest in your life.
4.Once you have finished writing, fold the paper from the top and bottom so that one end overlaps the other, allowing you to place a wax seal.
5.Hold a flame to the sealing wax and let it drip onto the overlapped portion of the paper. Focus on your intentions to attract and manifest.
6.Once the wax has started to dry, press the stamp into the wax. Place the letter on the altar.
7.When you are ready, thank the Goddess and leave your offering: “Goddess of the Thirteenth Moon, I thank you for your insight tonight.”
8.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.”
9.Keep the letter on the altar until the things you wrote have manifested. Leave the offering on the altar.
