Rituals for a Happy Moon
Processing or “digesting” your family trauma is an essential part of building your reserves of emotional and physical energy in order to be able to fulfil your purpose in incarnation.
The moon presides over this process as the “reflective light” of our souls.
Though the Sun rules over our soul and indeed endows us with the energy to process and “digest” our worldly experiences, it is the moon who rules over the process itself.
In fact, the moon rules over our physical health in general, particularly that of women.
Remember, the moon changes, works in cycles, and teaches us about flow and adaptation. This is a gift, which women carry into the world in particular.
In order to connect with the intelligence of the moon, connect with the face of the moon that you were born beneath. Look not only at the sign and house of the moon, but also it’s phase. If your not sure about these things, consult a professional astrologer or a friend who is savvy.
Below is a chart from astrologer Demetra George which tells you a little about the personality and purpose of each phase of the moon.
Pay attention to where the moon is when you are performing your rituals and communing with your medicines. This will help you to see where it might be most beneficial to focus and direct your energy, not only in your processing, but also in how you wish to utilize the energy that it releases.
All of the below listed rituals can be customized to your birth chart. However, they are extremely powerful in and of themselves.
Moon Rituals
Setting up an altar to the moon is an amazing way to connect with the intelligence of the moon, not only because altarwork is an effective way to connect with any deity, but because the moon rules the very concept of keeping an altar!
For this reason, a moon altar can look many different ways and is incredibly adaptable to your own vision of what you wish to process and manifest throughout your work with these sacred medicines.
In general, you will want to incorporate some of the following symbols in your moon altar: round, shiny objects; reminders of the sea, water, and water creatures; images of mothering and the process of creation; images of home and shelter; Moon and mother goddesses; your ancestors.
You may also want to incorporate some stones and crystals that are ruled by the moon, such as moonstone, opal, pearl; mother of pearl, and smoky quartz. Dedicate these crystals to the moon with an intention and be sure to only employ them for that purpose. This will make them particularly potent.
Colors that are particularly sacred to the moon are white, silver, and anything light and shimmery or opalescent.
The number of the moon is 9, therefore, a very fine and useful moon altar would reflect that number in some ways. Keeping 9 tealight candles on your altar is wonderful; however, 9 could also be the number of stones, seashells, or numbers of time that you recite mantras there in the morning.
Honor your altar daily, particularly when you wake in the morning, in times of stress, when you feel great gratitude, and before you go to bed at night.
Make offerings daily, if possible, but if not, then especially on Mondays, in the hour of the moon, is possible. Light a candle, offer water and food, and sit there for 5-20 minutes in meditation to allow yourself to absorb and align with the energy of the moon.
The moon is particularly fond of milky and creamy foods, round foods, sweet and nourishing tastes, soups and stews, and mushrooms.
When you make your offering, you can also activate your medicines by placing them on the altar and dedicating them to the moon along with an intention. If you consume them after meditation, you will increase your chances of hearing messages or receiving intuitions or visions about your healing process.
Be sure to take your offerings and leftover plant matter or “marc” out to a tree within twenty four hours of putting them out or pressing them. This completes the cycle and allows old energy to be composted or “released”.
Carrying your altar with you in some way is often important for protection while traveling. In order to do this, make a little charm bag of white or shimmery material and place one of the stones from your altar inside of it along with some of your herbs and a strip of paper with the moon’s crescent-shaped sigil and your intention for healing.
Make this bag on a Monday, in the hour of the moon in front of your altar. When you are stressed, hold in your hand ask for guidance.
Wearing a stone that is sacred to the moon (particularly if the stone touches your skin) is also a particularly powerful way to “make your moon happy”.
Diagram by Demetra George