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A few years ago, back in 2017 I believe, I went out on a quest.
I’d heard about these full moon rituals and full moon circles and was floored. Why hadn’t I seen any of these happening in my city? Did you have to be a part of some secret club or something?
How badly I wanted to find one! I didn’t even know completely what it would consist of, or how you even do a full moon ritual or full moon circle- I just knew I needed to attend one.
So I listened to that inner call, and started searching.
Turns out, you don’t have to be a part of any secret clubs. You just have to know where to look and hope your city is with the vibes.
I searched and searched- first using hashtags on instagram. #citymooncircle #fullmooncircle #fullmooncircles…Nothing relevant. Ugh.
I did, however, see one of our local metaphysical stores pop up. I’d been there a few times to buy oracle decks, crystals, incense and smoke cleansing sticks.
They posted a picture of some crystals and my mind bounced from the full moon circle thing to these pretty stones.
Oooh. I need that one! Pretty little labradorite or something. I went to their website and looked up the hours. I’m an aries y’all. We’re impulsive. (I see it, I want it, I need it)
Turns out they closed at 6 that day. Plenty of time for me to go buy some moreeeee crystalllllssss!
Mind bounced again. “Ooh, thats right, full moon ritual!” That’s what I was looking for. Not crystals. *face palm*
Anyways, I clicked on their events tab out of curiosity and my eyes sparkled. I’d landed. A full moon circle. Right here in my hometown. In the back of the metaphysical store I frequent. Next week.
Perfect. I just had to follow the thread!
For anyone who tells you that your “distractions” are not serving you… they lied. Sometimes distractions are a guide to something our soul needs. (Not always, that’s why we use discernment right…more on that later).
Long story short- I had found the full moon circle. I jumped, and reserved my space.
Then I got nervous. What if its weird? What if I get uncomfortable or they expect me to know more about this than I do? Will anyone my age be there? Ugh it’s just 20 bucks I can always just not go.
Deep breath. Ok. Who’s leading this thing anyways?
Clicks.Back.back.back.-finally returned to the events tab that mentioned the full moon circle.
Led by Michelle Mahlman. Hmm. Sounds nice.
*runs to google* “Michelle Mahlman moon circles.”
Yelp comes up and returns some info on a Holistic Life Coach.
Glowing reviews. “A life changer.” A healer. Among so many other things.
I got excited and my anxiety settled.
But just for good measure, I searched her up on instagram.
Not only was she beautiful, but she looked familiar. Like, soul family familiar.
I had a good feeling this was going to be exactly the sister connection my soul was searching for. The reason I started this little quest for moon circle connection.
So, I closed up the laptop and decided this was gonna be great. Officially excited and now I just had to wait.
The following week rolled around and I got ready for my very first full moon circle.
Brought my notebook and a water bottle. Stuck a few crystals in my pocket, and off I went.
I walked into the store and the lady at the counter apparently knew why I was there (lol those psychics) and pointed me to the room in the back.
I smiled and headed in.
There were a few other people there, all friendly and greeted with a smile and introduction.
Immediately, I felt at ease.
It’s so powerful when we join together with the intention of healing.
Michelle introduced herself, and I felt an instant sense of calm and understanding. (You can find her at Michelle Mahlman or @michellemahlman on Insta)
We started with a meditation. She gently guided us as we grounded our energy and inter-wove our intentions into the space.
Then we went around and shared what we’d like to release with the full moon.
We did another moment of meditation to anchor in the light, then went around and shared what we’re grateful for to really elevate the energy.
It was about an hour and a half of powerful releasing and creating space.
Might sound simple but I’ll elaborate more on how you can practice full moon rituals to create more space in your life. Moon circles are just the beginning!
How to Use Full Moon Rituals to Create Space in Your Life
This powerful practice of moon circles and full moon ritual can truly change your life.
The key is intention.
When you set the intention to release all of the extra baggage, the negative thoughts, the limiting beliefs, the bad habits- you free up so much space for goodness to rush into your life.
It’s all about plugging into the power source- the present moment.
Honoring the cycles of nature and knowing that if we choose to flow with her, she will gladly and lovingly support us and our dreams.
That being said, when the moon is full- there is no better time to release, clear, and completely let go.
There are so many ways we can work with the full moon and its energy. So many different rituals you can perform, circles you can join, and actions you can align with.
I’ll go over a few different rituals you can use to harness and work with the energy of the full moon.
Are full moon rituals and full moon circles the same thing?
Quick answer, no.
A full moon circle IS a full moon ritual. But a full moon ritual is not always a full moon circle. I’ll explain.
Here are some different full moon ritual ideas you can use to harness the energy of the full moon.
#1: Attend (or host) a Full Moon Circle
If you have no idea where to start, you can do as I did above!
Search hashtags on instagram using the name of your city + full moon circle, google search “moon circles near me” or check out a virtual full moon gathering.
This option is great for beginners because you will have someone to guide you along the way and who will be likely to share tidbits of insight and information about the power of working with the full moon.
This was my first exposure to full moon rituals and I’m so thankful for the introduction that it provided me.
Now I work with ALL phases of the moon, and am always paying attention to her phase. The power of tuning into the moon’s energy has been a massive tool for my expansion and awakening.
#2: Bath Soak Ritual
Tools: Bathtub, Epsom Salt, Essential Oils, Candles
If you’ve read all or a lot of my blog posts, you’re probably thinking “do you recommend anything else on this blog besides salt baths?” Lol, short answer- yes *eye roll* however, if I haven’t encouraged you to soak in a salt bath yet, maybe I need to step it up. They are so incredibly healing on all levels!
That being said- a full moon bath soak is one of my favorite monthly rituals. It’s a little different from just an average bath soak. There’s a ritual aspect to it- I’ll explain.
First, make sure your bathroom and bathtub are clean. This cleaning will help to create the space that you need for this full moon releasing ritual.
Give your tub a good cleanse, be sure to use non-toxic cleaning products since you’re going to be soaking your body here after. I love and always use branch basics, or soap with tea tree oil.
Clean the edges and bottom of the tub keeping in mind that this is a part of your ritual. You’re preparing your sacred space.
Put any dirty laundry in the hamper, clear off your counters so they are as bare as possible without hiding your daily use items. Give the bathroom a quick sweep.
Once you feel content and your space is clean, time to gather your items.
Set out your favorite, most plush and comfortable towel. Grab a glass of water, wine or tea to enjoy during your bath and if you like to- maybe your journal or a book.
Bonus points if you have my Making Space for Abundance Full Moon Ritual Workbook! You can download it here. It’s full of journal prompts, meditation guides and everything you need to set the tone for a full moon release ritual.
Once all those things are set, be sure to grab a few of your favorite water tolerant crystals and don’t forget the candles!
I usually bring smoky quartz, rose quartz and clear quartz and put them in the water with me.
I set a few of my favorite beeswax candles on the edge of the tub and on the countertops.
Keep in mind not all crystals are meant to be put in water. Malachite and Selenite being two that come to mind. I know there are more stones that are NOT supposed to be put in the water… so be sure to just do a quick research before hand.
Fill the tub, be sure to add some epsom salt, essential oils and even flower petals if you’d like.
Play some binaural beats or healing frequencies. Or your favorite album or podcast.
Whatever makes you feel happy and relaxed.
Then finally, soak.
Envision any tense, heavy or negative energy being drawn out and released. Allow yourself to let go and relax.
Let the releasing be passive.
The power of release comes from our surrender.
#3: Sound Bowl Meditation (aka Sound Bath)
Another wonderful way to tap into the releasing power of the full moon is to attend a sound bath or listen to a sound bowl meditation.
Meditative Mind on youtube has tons of sound healing videos that you can use for a sound bowl meditation.
The sound frequencies from the bowls are so powerful for supporting release and insight.
You can also search youtube for “sound bath” or “full moon sound bath” and see what comes up for you.
Healing Vibrations youtube channel also has TONS of amazing sound bath / sound bowl videos. I highly recommend giving it a listen if you haven’t already!
Choose one that calls to you and set the intention of releasing to create space for abundance in your life. Allow the sound frequencies to guide your meditation and stay connected to your intention throughout.
The energy of the full moon will compliment and pair so nicely with this experience.
#4: Making Moon Water
Tools: Glass jar with a lid (mason jars work great) & water
Making moon water is so incredibly simple. All you do is take your jar and fill it with water then set it, preferably outside, under the moonlight.
As you set your jar out under the moonlight, pray or write your intentions out.
For example, “I intend for this water to absorb the energy of the full moon and become charged with its power for clearing and illuminating the abundance in my life.”
Leave the water out overnight, then collect it in the morning.
This full moon water can be used for whatever you wish!
A few examples of how to use your full moon water are:
- Water your plants with it
- Drink it
- Clean your crystals with it
- Make an energy cleansing spray. Just add a few drops of essential oil to it and put it in a spray bottle! Use it as a liquid energy purifier for yourself and your living space.
#5: Smoke Cleansing Ritual
Last but not least, the sacred smoke cleansing ritual. Normally, I combine this with some or all of the other full moon rituals, but it’s an important ritual to mention on its own.
Utilizing the power of herbs and smoke cleansing can be such a powerful way to amplify the release of unwanted energies from our physical body and space- full moon or not.
One important note I want to mention is to make sure you are sourcing your smoke cleansing materials ethically.
With the rise in popularity of this sacred practice- some herbs like sage and woods like palo santo are becoming exploited and harder for indigenous communities to access.
There are so many other herbs and materials we can use for smoke cleansing, you can also consider the following.
Alternatives to Burning Sage:
- Rosemary
- Eucalyptus
- Cedar
- Lavender
- Mugwort
- Lemongrass
- Juniper
- Pine
- Rose Buds
With that being said- there are still some places you can source your sage and palo santo from ethically.
For sage bundles I recommend Magic Star Sage.
They are both cultivating and sharing these gifts ethically and respectfully.
When burning these sacred materials to cleanse ourselves with their smoke, it is tremendously important that we thank these plants for being of service to our healing.
Acknowledge that the practice of using smoke to cleanse is a very sacred ritual and originates from indigenous cultures. Thank them for allowing this ritual to be shared in the world’s healing and do your part to learn about the history and significance of these rituals.
How to Smoke Cleanse
When you light your bundle of chosen herbs/woods, allow it to burn for a moment so that it will give off the smoke needed for cleansing.
Once lit and has a good stream of smoke coming off, trace the outline of your body as you mindfully allow the release of all unwanted or low frequency energy to dissipate.
If you’d like, you can also smoke cleanse the energy of your room or home by walking counterclockwise around the space and fanning the smoke out towards any spaces where stagnant energy may have gathered. Don’t forget the corners!
When done, open up your door to outside or your window and allow the old energy to flow out.
Again, these rituals can be done all in one night for a massive full moon releasing ritual, or they can be done one by one as you feel fit.
Hopefully this helps you to prepare for powerful release and renewal work.
By doing these full moon rituals we create so much space- and with space, abundance can flow to us freely.
What’s your favorite moon ritual? Planning on trying any of these out?
With love,
Bloom and Manifest
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