Ritual is a direct expression of intention.

All our major religions, and many of our alternative spiritual paths, are filled with precepts and strict tenets for properly practicing ritual. I have been teaching spirituality workshops since the 1980's, and have seen over and over again, that ceremony created directly from the heart, with intention, is more powerful than any set of rules or codes created by some external authority.

What I recommend for Moon ritual is to use your creativity and follow your bliss. But for those of you who need a bit of direction, here goes.

Depending on the season, location for a ritual can be outdoors with Mother Nature and her inhabitants, or in the privacy of your home. I usually like to set up an altar of some kind. This can be as elaborate as you wish or as simple as a steady surface to light and place a candle. Some people like to add incense or objects to an altar: photographs of loved ones and deities, pictures that represent future goals, gifts from the Earth like stones, feathers, flowers, foods.
I like to change my altar to suit my needs.

At the beginning of any ritual, I like to invite in the energies of love, guidance, transformation, insight, clarity, forgiveness, and selflessness. Feel free to call on whomever you wish, including the power of the four directions, the Earth and the Heavens.

The bi-monthly Moon Messages I post are a guide for you to know what forces are at work at any given time of the Moon cycle. Rituals should reflect your intended goals for best use of these energies.

In general, at a New Moon ritual I like to write down my intention, especially if I am using ritual to initiate a new project or purpose, or goal. New Moons are powerful times to do serious work on self-healing and letting go of unhealthy behavior and patterning. I use the two-week waxing phase from New to Full Moon to work with what I have written by reading it every morning and each night before bed until the the Moon is full. On this night I use part of my Full Moon ritual to release the intention to the Universe by burying the paper in the ground, or burning it in a conch shell or cauldron.

Full Moon ritual is a time for celebration and release. It is important to have fun during these ceremonies. Share your creativity with friends. Cook a wonderful meal, drum, sing, dance, create a group story, make something beautiful to reflect the fullness you feel.

Powerful ritual is all about connecting with your own source of spirituality, not about rules that may or may not feel right to you. When you feel it in your heart you have done everything properly!

Blessings!

Lisa

© 2001 Lisa Dale Miller