Howling at the Full Wolf Moon

As we approach the first full moon of 2022, I wanted to share some ways to connect yourself to the moon cycle if you feel so inclined. I’ve loved looking at the moon since I was little. As I’ve grown and discovered my own spiritual path, I find that connection deepening every day. Please keep in mind that the only thing you need to practice any level of spirituality is yourself, but being raised in a very ritualistic household, I find comfort in the ceremony of my craft. So don’t feel obligated to purchase things for each Esbat (full moon) or Sabbat (a witch’s holy day), my darlings. This is just how I do things, and everyone’s practice looks a little different. 

The first full moon of the year has a lot of different names in a lot of different cultures, but where I’m at in the U.S., the most common name I’ve heard is the Wolf Moon. This particular Wolf Moon will be in Cancer, which brings change and release to our emotional foundation. Doubly so given that the moon is the ruling celestial body of Cancer! If you like working with particular spirits, the animals associated with this Esbat are the wolf, the coyote, and the fox. If you’re into crystals and stones, then you might want to pull out your garnet, onyx, or jet for this full moon ritual. If you work more with herbs and flowers, you can take some marjoram and holy thistle to your altar. You can also use nuts, cones, crocus petals, and snowdrop petals. I generally light a white candle for the Esbats as she is big and round and bright, but black or a blue-violet color are also great for the Wolf Moon. 

It’s a quiet time in nature. The earth is asleep, making this the perfect time to bunk down and look inward, focusing on situations that involve only yourself. Though Full Moons are associated with completion, cleansing, and removing what no longer works for you, this particular moon has an air of transformation. We release and make space for the energy to come. My favorite way to release this is to howl at the moon. It can be a lonely sound, but it reminds me I am not alone. The moon is listening. I tell her everything in my howl, loud and mournful. I let go of everything cluttering my mind, my intentions, my goals. This doesn’t need to be done aloud, or even outside. Again, each practice is different. Find what feels good and right to you. Personally the noise, the vibration in my chest, resonates and helps me feel like I’ve shaken loose the cobwebs and cleaned my spiritual house. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Please keep in mind that I have only ever been a solitary practitioner. Every witch’s spells and rituals look a bit different. A full moon ritual in my house usually looks something like this: 

1. Cleanse the space. I remove any stray items I haven’t put away, and wipe down the workspace with moon water. Then I’ll light some incense and sit with a singing bowl for a few minutes while I focus on my breath and envision the sound ringing through the space bringing brightness and cleanliness to the air and energy in the room. 

2. Dress the space. This is probably my favorite part. The aesthetic of witchcraft that we see on social media just isn’t something that is really sustainable all day every day, but making a beautiful cozy space to connect to the universal consciousness really helps put me in the mindset for magic working. This is when I arrange my crystals, set out my tarot cards and protection wards to charge, light candles for my deities and invite them to join me, get the herbs or flowers I’m working with prepped, and any other tools I’ll need. This can include an athame (a knife), a wand, a mortar and pestle, a lighter, candles, a pen and paper, any sigils, whatever I need for what I’m planning to do. If I’m making moon water, I’ll set it out at this time as well. Just get everything in arms reach so I can focus on the ritual as opposed to trying to find everything.

3. Dress the candle. This is a very meditative part of the spell for me. I like to carve intention into the candle whether with words or sigils, focusing my end goal into each indent and putting my will into the wax. Once the carving is done, I melt the wax of the sigil slightly and roll it in my ground herbs/flowers. You can also use an appropriate diluted essential oil, or olive oil/jojoba oil for this. You don’t need a whole lot, just enough to allow the herbs to stick to the candle. For this full moon, I will be sprinkling moon blood on the candle as well, to bind the transformative energies of the Wolf to myself. 

4. Meditate and connect. Once the candle is ready, I light it and focus on my intention, meditating on my end goal. When I feel the idea is solidified, I choose a way to open myself to the universal consciousness. This can be done a number of ways, but I usually like to do a tarot reading followed by journaling while my candle burns. For this particular Esbat, I will be using the following incantation:

I howl to the Wolf Moon to awaken the Goddess within me. The wild woman that seeks to be set free. I ask for guidance, insight, healing, and strength as I continue towards my Higher Purpose. May I always allow myself to express who I truly am. Mother Moon, I embrace you.

I repeat this as many times as feels right, then I’ll howl until I feel I have released that which doesn’t serve me or my intention. My intention for this Wolf Moon is “I am focusing my energy inward for personal growth and fulfillment.” Using the raised vibration of this sound work, I plan to do a simple three card tarot draw. The first will represent where I need to apply the energy to achieve fulfillment through growth. The second card will represent how to apply my energy to this focus. The third and final card will represent a sign that I will receive to know I am on the right path. Then I’ll journal my intuitive thoughts and meditate on the reading until the intention candle burns out.

5. Closing the ritual. Once the candle has done its work, my energy has been taken out into the world, my intention already working me toward my goal. I say the following incantation as a closing of the connection to the universal consciousness:

Thank you for everything. All my needs are met in all areas of my life, while working towards what I desire to have in my life. I release thoughts, worries, fears, attachments, and all that which does not serve my Highest Good nor my Highest Self. And so it is. And so it is. And so it is. Blessed be.

I then thank my deities for joining me. I invite them to stay if they like, or to go if they will, then extinguish their vigil candles.

And the spell is complete! After a ritual, my energy is usually very high, so I like to calm down with some tea and bask in the knowledge that my desires are on their way to me. Again, this involves a lot of tools and candles and things, but could be done simply by writing your intention on a piece of paper, meditating with it, charging it with purpose and will, and being open to whatever thoughts come to you about the situation before burning it to release the charged energy. There is no wrong way to do witchcraft, my darlings. Let me know what you like to do that may be a bit different from what I’ve described here, and have a blessed full moon!