Here’s the deal with rituals. They aren’t necessarily this big elaborate production, and you certainly don’t have to be an astrological guru, wellness expert, or have endless hours of extra time everyday to perform them.

Rituals are just daily activities done with intention and mindfulness. That’s it. 

So a full moon ritual is just bringing intention and mindfulness to this particular day. The full moon is all about endings, so no pressure to start anything new, in fact, it’s better that you don’t. Instead a full moon is the time to reflect and release. I wanted to share a super simple Full Moon Ritual that you can do (even if you aren’t that into this kind of stuff.)

1. Cleanse

So, to perform a full moon ritual I like to start with lighting some candles around the house and tidying up a bit. Just simple tidying like sweeping, vacuuming, and fluffing the the pillows kind of thing. Just so my space feels put together and relaxing. (If you have time for a deep clean, that of course works too!)

2. Reflect 

Next, I like to get out a notebook and cup of tea, or glass of wine, or your favorite mocktail and sit with intention of listing all of the things in my life that ARE working for me and the things that AREN’T. Basically a quick Marie-Kondo scan of everything from thoughts, to foods, to people in my life, to clothes in my closet. What sparks joy and what doesn’t? What habits are bringing me closer to my goals and what aren’t? That kind of thing.

Ideally I would have made a list of intentions back on the New Moon and I could see what has been working towards achieving those goals and what hasn’t, but even if you didn’t make these intentions, you can still reflect and release what isn’t working in your life. 

3. Release

Out of all of the things I wrote down that aren’t serving me I try and pick one or two to really focus my intention on releasing. If it’s a habit I set up a strategy going forward to set myself up for success, if it’s a thought pattern I pick a new one to replace it with, or if it's a toxic person in my life, I decide then and there that I can release that person from my life. Sometimes you just have to give yourself permission. 

Next, I always take the full moon as a reminder to audit physical things in my space. I will walk around my house and see what is working and what isn't.  I will shuffle through my closet and identify things I no longer wear or love that I can donate, or maybe that aren’t in season right now that can be packed away until next year. Even just organizing is helpful. The full moon energy can be great at driving this productivity too. 

4. Full Moon Bath

Since we are 60% water and the moon controls the tide, it’s no wonder that the moon has an influence over us. Taking a bath on a full moon can help connect us more to nature and encourage us to get grounded in the full moon energy. We want to continue this idea of release, so allow your bath to release any tension, circling thoughts of to-do lists, or anything else that just feels stuck. 

I love adding herbs like rose petals, calendula, or chamomile, and bath salts (like these!) to my baths to enhance the whole experience.

That's it!

I hope you leave this ritual feeling like you're holding onto only what's good for you and that you were able to release anything weighing you down physically or mentally. 

The full moon comes every 29-ish days, so you can make this a monthly ritual to reflect and release. Ahhh don't you just feel better after this?

 

(Oh! One more thing.)

*If you are into the more mystical side of things, then pull out your palo santo or sage (of course both that are ethically sourced) and cleanse your space during the tidying up phase. 

If you have crystals, the full moon is the perfect time to charge them with that big full moon energy, so set them outside to bask in the glow of the moon overnight.

If you have an oracle deck, tarot deck, or deck of symbols consider pulling a card for guidance in releasing what is no longer serving you.