A Guide to Full Moon Rituals for Self-Love, Abundance, and Protection
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The full moon’s iconic, radiant glow has adorned countless night skies, influencing ancient mythology, astrology, and spiritual practices. Below, discover how various cultures have come to celebrate the moon, how the full moon relates to astrology, and the beginner-friendly lunar rituals and practices you can implement year-round.
Ancient Worship of the Moon
Because it’s visible to the naked eye, the moon has long been venerated across cultures. When you look up at the moon in the night sky, it’s the same glow ancient people laid their eyes on, connecting us with our ancestors through time. One of the earliest recorded forms of astrology was the tracking of the solar and lunar eclipse cycles by Babylonian astrologers. Through their careful observations, they recognized eclipses as omens of challenging events, such as the ending of empires or the death of a king.
Then, in ancient Greece, there was the moon goddess Selene, also called Luna in Rome, who was worshiped during new and full moons. The Grecians also had a goddess named Hecate, associated with the moon, night, magic, spells, and necromancy. In Mayan civilization, there was a moon goddess of fertility, happiness, and medicine named Ixchel, who was revered by women on Isla Mujeres (Woman Island). The island was originally part of the province Ekab but was later renamed by colonizers due to the statues and idols of Ixchel scattered around the island, as well as her many female followers.
In ancient Egypt, there was Thoth, a god linked to the moon—and later called Hermes and linked to Mercury by the Romans—responsible for writing, magic, sciences, and knowledge. Across the globe in China, there is also the Lunar New Year, one of the most significant and ancient moon-based celebrations, which has been around for thousands of years and is still practiced today. It marks the start of the traditional lunar calendar and is also called the Spring Festival.
The Astrology of the Full Moon
A full moon occurs when the sun and moon are in opposing signs, creating a hard aspect, or a challenging planetary connection, that astrologers call an opposition. As a result, when a full moon occurs, it can influence the reconciliation of contrasting energies, desires, or external circumstances, potentially leading to pivotal moments of growth and change.
With its gravitational pull, the moon also affects the rise and fall of large bodies of water here on Earth. In astrology, water is the element of emotions and feelings, and the moon fittingly rules over the water sign Cancer, associated with the mother, femininity, fertility, emotions, lineage, and the home. The moon spends around two and a half days in one zodiac sign and takes approximately 29 days to cycle through the entire zodiac. There are typically 12 full moons in a year, but around every two and a half years, there are 13—also called a blue moon—with each one holding a different significance.
Full moons are all about release, culmination, bringing buried emotions to the surface, heightening our intuition, and providing opportunities for reflection and transformation. Depending on the zodiac sign, house, and aspects the moon is making to other planets in your birth chart, full moons can also influence various areas of your life throughout the year. While the full moons might always look the same in the sky, there is a unique astrological force behind each one.
Below, find an overview of each full moon throughout the year. It’s important to note that even though the zodiac signs remain the same, each full moon’s effect varies from year to year due to planetary aspects, and its impact on your astrological chart can differ as well. This guide provides a basic and general overview of the themes of each full moon; you can calculate the dates of upcoming full moons for the year of your choice using a moon calendar, and compare them to your own birth chart.
Leo Full Moon: Moon in Leo and Sun in Aquarius
Occurring during Aquarius season, the Leo full moon encourages raw self-expression and individuality. This period is typically marked by a desire to start a new creative project, release others’ opinions of you, and rethink your passions and how you want to express yourself to the world.
Virgo Full Moon: Moon in Virgo and Sun in Pisces
The Virgo full moon blends practicality with spirituality. Activating during Pisces season, it’s a time for self-improvement, healing, organization, and detailed work in order to start the upcoming astrological new year (spring equinox) fresh and energized.
Libra Full Moon: Moon in Libra and Sun in Aries
The Libra full moon generally highlights themes of balance, relationships, and personal identity. It’s a time to examine the give and take in partnerships. Happening during Aries season, relationship dynamics come into focus, and negotiations might be necessary.
Scorpio Full Moon: Moon in Scorpio and Sun in Taurus
The Scorpio full moon highlights themes of security and transformation. This occurs during Taurus season and encourages you to examine your financial life, especially in terms of relationships, trust, and intimacy.
Sagittarius Full Moon: Moon in Sagittarius and Sun in Gemini
Shining its light during Gemini season, the Sagittarius full moon is marked by a desire for adventure, exploration, and intellectual growth. It’s a time of expanding horizons and embracing diverse perspectives.
Capricorn Full Moon: Moon in Capricorn and Sun in Cancer
The Capricorn full moon brings attention to themes of ambition, responsibility, and emotional security. It’s a time to balance career aspirations with personal well-being. You might find yourself focusing on your long-term goals and commitments during this time in Cancer season.
Aquarius Full Moon: Moon in Aquarius and Sun in Leo
The Aquarius full moon emphasizes individuality, innovation, and community. It’s a time to celebrate your uniqueness and contribute to group dynamics. Occurring during Leo season, friendships and collaborative projects are highlighted.
Pisces Full Moon: Moon in Pisces and Sun in Virgo
The Pisces full moon combines intuition with practicality. It’s a time for spiritual exploration, compassion, and service. Occurring during Virgo season, it’s also typically when we go back to reality, schedules, school, and work after the summer season in the northern hemisphere.
Aries Full Moon: Moon in Aries and Sun in Libra
Occurring during the Libra season, the Aries full moon brings themes of individuality and partnership to the forefront. Emotions might run high, sparking a desire for independence but also balance in relationships. Changes to business partnerships and contracts can also occur.
Taurus Full Moon: Moon in Taurus and Sun in Scorpio
The Taurus full moon delves into the depths of security, sexuality, and transformation. It’s a period of intensity and profound change occurring during Scorpio season. You might confront hidden truths and desires, making it a powerful time for emotional healing and personal growth.
Gemini Full Moon: Moon in Gemini and Sun Sagittarius
The Gemini full moon fosters a sense of adventure and freedom, as well as the expansion of knowledge. It’s a time to explore new horizons and seek higher truths and occurs during Sagittarius season. Your enthusiasm for learning and new experiences might feel heightened during this time.
Cancer Full Moon: Moon in Cancer and Sun in Capricorn
The Cancer full moon brings attention to themes of home, family, and ambition. Taking place during Capricorn season, it’s a time when you might seek to balance your emotional needs with your professional goals. Changes to the structure of your home can also occur.
Exploring Full Moon Rituals
Choosing Your Full Moon
While it can be tempting to do a ritual on every full moon, you get the most from the experience when you intentionally choose which ones are aligned with your desires and intentions. Although you can use different planets, aspects, and even days of the week to astrologically plan rituals, in this section, we are focusing on full moon rituals that help boost areas like self-love, abundance, and protection.
Take a look at the condition of the moon, planetary aspects, and how it aligns with your unique birth chart. “It’s important to remember that no full moon is created equal, and from year to year, each full moon carries different energy signatures depending on which planets it’s interacting with,” says Stephanie Campos, astrologer and author of Seasons of the Zodiac: Love, Magick, and Manifestation Throughout the Astrological Year. “Always make sure to read your full moon horoscope or check with a [professional] astrologer to see if the full moon has supportive elements or if it will be more challenging.”
In case you’d like to DIY though, here is a quick guide you can start with: The first step in choosing the right full moon for your intended ritual is to take a look at the strength or weakness of the moon and the sun. The moon is strong when it’s at home in the sign of Cancer or in its exaltation in Taurus. On the other hand, it can give difficult results when in its detriment in Capricorn or in its fall in Scorpio. The sun can feel challenged if it’s in its fall position in Libra or detriment in Aquarius, while it’s happy at home in Leo or exalted in Aries.
You also can take a look at the themes of the full moon (look back at the prior section), and choose the one that matches your intentions or desire. For example: Is your desire self-love, relational harmony, or abundance? The Taurus or Libra full moon might suit your needs. Protection and ancestral healing rituals might be powerful to do under the light of the Cancer full moon. Want to boost your creative power or speed up action on a project? An Aries or Aquarius full moon might do the trick.
An advanced next step is to also see how the full moon interacts with your birth chart. “I love doing full moon rituals when the moon is in the same zodiac sign as my rising sign, sun sign, or Venus sign,” Campos says. “When a full moon is in the same sign as your rising sign, it takes place in your first house of identity and new beginnings. These lunations will always be more personal and bring attention your way.” She continues, “The sun represents our willpower, and when a full moon [illuminates] your sun, it has the potential to amplify your drive and move along your personal goals and desires. Venus is the planet of love, finances, blessings, and harmony, and when a full moon activates this planet in your birth chart, auspicious and fortunate events might unfold.”
Cleansing Your Space
Another important step prior to your full moon ritual is cleansing your space and tools. “Since full moons are all about releasing, I love to do a master cleanse around a full moon to release anything that’s holding me back from the highest version of myself,” says Shereen Campbell, founder of My Little Magic Shop in New York City. “I clean my floors with cleaners that I get from a local botanica in my neighborhood. Floors hold a tremendous amount of energy, and it’s important to clear that energy to allow yourself to energetically make room to evolve.”
Then, if she thinks she needs it, Campbell will take a bath using bath salts and aromatic oils to ensure she feels relaxed and clear-headed. “It also allows me the time to sit with myself,” she says. “What’s most important is your intention. You don’t need a single tool to cleanse; you can cleanse with thought and breath. The tools are useless without intention, just like most things in life.”
Aligning With Your Ritual
After you’ve chosen the right full moon based on your intentions and cleansed your space, now it’s time to do your ritual.
For Self-Love:
Campos recommends this practical self-love ritual, perfect for a full moon in Libra or centered in your first house of self and seventh house of relationships, depending on your chart. “One of my go-to rituals for self-love is mirror work,” she explains. “Write out all of your limiting beliefs or the mean or unkind things you say about yourself in your head on a piece of paper. One by one, cross out each item, and rephrase it as a positive affirmation. For example, if one of your limiting beliefs is, ‘I’ll never be smart enough,’ consider rephrasing that as, ‘I am a forever student of the universe, and my knowledge continues to grow every day.’”
After you’ve done this, stare in the mirror, and repeat your new affirmations as you make eye contact with yourself. Pretend that the person on the other side of the mirror is a future version of you who truly believes and embodies these beliefs. Campos then recommends repeating these affirmations in the mirror every morning and night for the next 30 days. You can also record your new affirmations on a voice memo and play it before you go to sleep and right before you wake up.
For Abundance:
“A full moon in Taurus is an excellent time to not only reflect on your sense of safety and security, but to release anything that prevents you from feeling safe, secure, and abundant,” Campbell notes. “Full moons, in general, are best utilized for completion, culmination, and deciding; it’s not the best time to start something new.”
She continues, “Focus your full moon in Taurus ritual around releasing habits, beliefs, people, or circumstances that block you from abundance. Try writing down all the habits, beliefs, people, and circumstances that you sense are preventing you from seeing yourself as deserving of your dreams. Then sit, and imagine yourself without the weight of that list. Ask your guides, ancestors, and angels to gently cut ties for you. You can then dispose of that paper in a ceremonial way, including burning it or ripping it into tiny shreds of paper. Then trust that you have opened all roads that were once closed to you.”
For Protection:
“A simple protection ritual is a cord-cutting ritual in which you will only need two small ritual candles and a piece of twine,” Campbell instructs. “One candle will represent you, and the other will represent the beliefs, habits, or thoughts that connect you with the circumstance you want to protect yourself from. Once you’ve identified which candle is which, you will want to use the twine to loosely tie them together.”
Next, envision yourself as free, protected, secure, and stress-free. Then, when you are ready, light both candles. Allow them to burn out on their own, paying special attention to when the cord is severed by the fire. It can be quite a show, so be sure to keep an eye on the candles until they go out. Always consider the risk of fire, and ensure candles are securely placed in holders within stable containers. Never leave them unattended, and be sure to extinguish them properly after each use. Campbell recommends that once both candles are out, thank them for severing you from any low-vibe energy.
Manifesting With the Full Moon
Manifestation is another powerful way to harness the power of the full moon. This taps into the power of your mind, shifting your reality through thought, intention, and your energetic forcefield. Laura Chung, author of How to Manifest, recommends journaling and writing down affirmations during the full moon. “I believe full moons are a powerful time for release, which is related to the manifesting process. When you release and let something go, you make space energetically for the more aligned thing to come in.”
Chung goes on to say that nothing changes unless something changes, so if you’re intending to manifest something different than what you’re currently experiencing, something about you, your beliefs, or your energy needs to fundamentally change. Journaling and self-reflection can be a very impactful practice. She goes on to recommend: “Focus on the essence and not the form. Oftentimes, we manifest things that don’t look like what we imagine. It’s usually way better.” Chung’s favorite manifestation practice for the full moon is to write down all your fears, getting them out of your body and onto paper. Once you are done, say a little prayer or intention that you are ready to release, and burn the piece of paper (in a fire-safe vessel or area; do not leave unattended and extinguish when finished) in a final act of surrender.
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