The Moon and Esbats Defined
Witches love thier holidays, but they need days specifically set aside to do their magickal works for a friend in need, to set the stage for a new endeavor, etc. These work days (and nights) are called Esbats.
The Moon. For Wiccans, it is far more than a heavenly body that might catch our eye as we drive home late at night, its fullness shining trough trees or brightly overhead. For many Wiccan, she is the embodiment of the Goddess, she is Maiden, Mother and Crone.
It is also an important source of natural energy that is essential in magick, if you preform your spells and rituals at the right lunar phase. Preforming spells during the wrong phase of the moon can seriously debilitate the spell, producing no result or possibly the wrong result.
Full and New Moon celebrations are usually the days and nights of an Esbat, so as to use the correct moon phase for ultimate results. This does not mean that you cannot honor the God during an Esbat (even though the moon energy is usually attributed to the Goddess). Rituals have been written for both deities.
Full Moon energy is used for banishing unwanted influences in your life, protection magick, and divination. Planning, releasing and working backwards in time are done on the Full Moon as well.This is a time for spells that transform, increase pyschic ability, for fertility spells and invocation to lunar goddesses. This is a time of strength, love and power. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Mother aspect, give praise to Cerridwen, Isis or one of the other Mother Goddesses. It is said that Full Moon Magick can be conjured for seven days: the three days prior to the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon, and three days after. Sometimes the results of Full Moon Magick take one full moon cycle to take hold.
The New Moon is used for personal growth, healing, the blessing of a new project or venture, etc. If done correctly, success should be obtained by the first Full Moon.
Between the New and Full Moons is the period we call the Waxing Moon. This is a good time for attraction magick, especially between the New Moon and First Quarter. This is a time for spells that attract, that bring positive change, spells for love, good luck, growth. This is a time for new beginnings, to conceptualize ideas, to invoke. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Maiden aspect, give praise to Epona, Artemis or one of the other Maiden Goddesses.
Quareter moons are also excelent times to practice new skills you are learning in the craft. be sure to let the watchtowers and Gods know when you call them that you are using this time to learn and practice in this way they can confine the energy should you Ooops. It is better to practice a new skill in the craft, or a new spell before doing it for real and messing up the energys around you. It also helps to enhance spells when you final do them for real effect
The period between the Full Moon and New Moon is called the Waning Moon. This is a time for banishing and rejecting things in our lives that we no longer wish to carry around with us. Negative emotions, bad habits, diseases and ailments can successfully be banned during this time.This is a time for spells that banish, release, reverse. This is a time to break bad habits or bad addictions, to end bad relationships. This is a time of deep intuition and a time for divination. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Crone Aspect, give praise to Hecate, Morrigan or one of the other Crone Goddesses.
The three days before the New Moon is known as the Dark of the Moon. This is when you can't see the moon at all in the heavens. raditionally, this is a time when no magick is performed. It is a period to give you a break; a time of rest. Deep meditation and vision questing van be performed now, but not for a specific magickal purpose. However, Hecate rules this time, and if her magick is needed, now is when you should use it.
Wolf Moon January
Storm Moon February
Chaste Moon March
Seed Moon April
Mare Moon May
Dyad (pair) Moon June
Mead Moon July
Wryt (green plant) Moon August
Barley moon September
Blood(hunters) Moon October
Snow Moon November
Oak Moon December
Blue Moon (variable)
In addition, the Harvest Moon is the Full Moon nearest Mabon. It allowed farmers extra moonlitght hours to bring in the crops.
A Blue Moon occurs when the moon with its 28-day cycle appears twice with the same calendar month, due to that month's 31 day duration. A Blue Moon is a goal moon. It is here where you set specific long-term goals for yourself, and review accomplishments and failures since the last one.
As the Wheel of the Moon continues on its never ending course, the moon also travels through the different astrological signs, just as the sun does, only more rapidly. When the moon resides within the various signs, the sign influences the magickal aspect of the moon.
EARTH spells should be preformed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
AIR spells should be preformed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
FIRE spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
WATER spells should be preformed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Moon in ARIES is the best time for spells involving authority, rebirth, leadership; healing spells of the face and head.
Moon in TAURUS is the best time for spells involving love, money, acquisition; healing spells for the throat and neck.
Moon in GEMINI is the best time for spells involving communication, writing, travel; healing spells for the arms, hands, and lungs.
Moon in CANCER is the best time for spells involving the home and for honoring lunar gods and goddesses; healing of the chest and stomach.
Moon in LEO is the best time for spells involving authority, courage, fertility; healing of the upper back, spine, heart.
Moon in VIRGO is the best time for spells involving employment, health, diet; healing of the intestines and nervous system.
Moon in LIBRA is the best time for spells involving justice, unions, balance (spiritual and otherwise), artistry; healing of the lower back and kidneys.
Moon in SCORPIO is the best time for spells involving power, psychic growth, sex; healing of the reproductive organs.
Moon in SAGITTARIUS is the best time for spells involving travel, sports, truth, horses; healing of the liver and thighs.
Moon in CAPRICORN is the best time for spells involving organization, ambition, career, politics; healing of the knees, bones, teeth, skin.
Moon in AQUARIUS is the best time for spells involving science, freedom, friendship, breaking bad habits or addictions; healing of the calves, ankles, blood.
Moon in PISCES is the best time for spells involving music, art, telepathy, dreams; healing of the feet and lymph glands.
Some information used was taken from: To Ride a Silver Broomstick by Silver Ravenwolf
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