Full Mother's Moon Esbat Ritual

May - Honoring the Goddess We honor the Mother Moon at every Full Moon Esbat, but the May Full Moon is the Mother's Moon, and it is during this esbat that we make a particular effort to honor the Goddess in all her forms.

The Moon Goddess represents receptive, reflective, and intuitive energies, and shows us the cycle of life through her monthly waxing, waning, and rebirth. Mother Earth represents fertility and the Creative Void. Sister Water, controlled by the Moon, brings flowing, cooling energies into our lives. The Maiden, Mother, and Crone goddesses in the pantheons of the world each illumine a different aspect of the Divine Feminine.

Many people celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May by honoring the human mother who brought them into the world for this incarnation. Flowers, cards, candy, and other gifts may be given to honor the gift of life that she gave to us.

While you may or may not celebrate Mother's Day, the Full Mother's Moon is a time when all of us can celebrate the fullness of the Goddess's energy in our lives.

The Waxing and Full Moon phases are most commonly used for attacting energies and accepting power. During this ritual, use the symbolism of the Full Mother Moon to feel the fullness of the Goddess's energy in your life, and give thanks to her for her gift of life to you.

I designed this ritual for the May, 2001, Full Mother's Moon Esbat.

Purpose: To honor the Goddess. Tools

One or more gifts for the Goddess. You can choose a particular Goddess or Goddess aspect to honor, or honor the Divine Feminine as a whole Gifts for the Maiden might include white flowers; for the Mother, red; for the Crone, purple Flowers may be floated in water in a cauldron to honor the Creative Void of the Divine feminine and the element of water A blooming potted flower can symbolize the fertility of the Earth Mother and the element of earth. If it is one that can be planted outside after the ritual, it can be a living reminder of this ritual. You can also use a crystal, such as moonstone A white candle For the purposes of this ritual, I am using a cup of soil, a cup of water, a piece of moonstone, a blooming cut flower, and a white candle.

The Working Mother Moon, throughout the year you bestow your gifts upon me.

You watch over and protect me at night, bringing me sweet dreams, peace, and protection.[i]

Place the moonstone on the altar.

You control the ebb and flow of the tides, and bring the life-giving, cleansing energies of water into my life. Place the cup of water on the altar.

The fertility of your earth sustains and grounds me. Place the cup of soil on the altar.

You are the sacred Mother, from whose womb I entered this world, and into whose rest I will return. Place the cut flower on the altar.

Great Goddess, please accept these offerings I place here in your honor. May they strengthen my bonds with you.[ii] So mote it be. Place stone on offering plate.

Sending the Energy[iii] She changes everything she touches; everything she touches changes.

As I light this candle, may the Goddess know of my love for her, Now, and evermore.

Light the white candle.

Allow the candle to burn throughout the rest of the Esbat and until it burns out naturally.

After the Ritual Once the candle has burned out, take any remaining wax, the moonstone, the cup of water, the container of soil, and the flower outside to leave as offerings. Place the wax, flower, and moonstone on the ground, and then empty the containers of water and soil onto the ground also, preferably under a tree.

Earth Mother, please consecrate and accept the energies I offer you, in your honor, and for the Highest Good of all.[iv]

:
: