The first full moon of the year and a new decade rises tonight. Known by many names including the quiet moon, ice moon, and the moon after yule, the most well known name of the January moon is the wolf moon. This is the name I prefer and the one I find the most inspiring. In folklore this full moon gets its name from the sound of wolves howling, supposedly in hunger, during the long nights. While I enjoy the evocative imagery of the lore, for me the first month of the year is a time to reflect on the things I have accomplished as well as the goals and wishes I have for the year ahead. I think of this time as one of change and and the wolf symbolises both strength and transformation.
Last year was a busy and very challenging one for me both personally and professionally and so I intend to use this night of the full moon to create a personal ritual to recharge my body and mind, to reconnect with my self, my intuition, and nature.
This is my own personal full moon ritual and it may not work for everyone. I highly encourage you to experiment and personalise your own ritual.
Full Wolf Moon Ritual
O Practice yoga or another light meditative exercise
O Cleanse and charge crystals and gemstones in the moonlight
O Make moon water
O Have a bath
O Trim hair
O Read and meditate
At the end of the day I will do a short yoga session to help my body relax, recharge and shed the tensions of the day. Afterwards I will place crystals and gemstones in the moonlight in a shallow dish of water outside to cleanse and charge them. I prefer to use crystals and stones that are associated with the month, for example: Hematite, Ruby, Selenite, Moonstone, Opal, Garnet, Jet, Onyx, and Obsidian. You can, of course use any you like. I will also set a glass of drinking water outside or on a window sill to absorb the moonlight. I will drink this glass of water the next day, but it can also be used for spells or blessings.
Then it’s time for a nice relaxing hot bath. For the wolf moon I will light pine scented candles and use epsom salts and lavender in the water. Usually in the bath I will listen to music or read, but for the full moon ritual I prefer to simply be in the water without any distractions so I can focus on my inner voice. The time of the full moon is said to promote growth and fertility so I will often trim my hair in order to encourage it to grow.
Finally, once I am clean and free from tension I will spend the rest of the evening reading and meditating. I will curl up by the fire with a cup of tea and read a book. Tonight in celebration of the wolf moon I will be reading The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould. I chose a book about werewolves as I want to explore the themes of transformation and connection to nature, as well as having an added element of horror which seems appropriate for the long winter nights. I will jot down my thoughts and ideas in my journal and then I’ll head off to bed. I will keep the curtains open to sleep in the moonlight and as I drift off I’ll listen for the distant howling of wolves.