Ritual For Drawing Down The Moon

You may wish during this ritual to focus on a specific lunar goddess form in her full moon aspect. The most famous one still central to modern Wicca is Diana, Roman goddess of the Moon, the hunt and fertility. Though, like her Greek counterpart, Artemis, she was worshipped originally as the maiden aspect of the Moon, in time she came to represent the full moon also.

Sometimes the Triple Lunar Goddess of modern Wicca is represented by the classical deities, Diana (the Greek Artemis), Selene and Hecate, being maiden, mother and wise woman or crone.

Isis, the Egyptian goddess who was both Moon Goddess and mother of the Sun, is also a potent focus.

If you are going to use a specific goddess form, study images of her in the days before the ritual or if you have a favourite statue hold it for a few minutes before bedtime. I have a wooden figure of the Moon Mother Goddess sold to me by a Moroccan guy who said she was a patroness of his village. Whether that was a sales pitch or not, I still associate her with palm trees and a brilliant Moon in a cloudless sky. However, you may prefer to tune directly into the physical light of the silver Moon as a source of power.

You can carry out this ritual either alone or with a group. Though traditionally it is the High Priestess who draws down the Moon into herself and then channels wisdom, each member can absorb the power in his or her own way and experience the connection between the individual divine spark and the collective Divinity. The ritual I have given can easily be adapted for either a lone practitioner or a group. If there is no Moon visible because of adverse weather conditions, you can use mirrors and candles to draw down the power.

* Surround what is to be your circle with silver candles. In the centre, place a mirror flat on a table or the altar so that the Moon is reflected within it. Have a single, large, silver candle near the centre of the circle so it can also shine within the mirror. If you cannot position the mirror so that the Moon is seen within it, place additional silver candles close to create a light within it (before the ritual experiment with white candles that you can use around the home afterwards).

* If you are working in a group, each person in the ritual should stand in front of (but not too close to)their personal candle.

* Light the central candle and then take a lighted taper from it to the northernmost candle and light it, saying:

Thus do we light the circle of the Moon.

(If you are working in a group, pass the taper to the person standing at the candle, who will light it and say the words.)

* Continue in this way, re-lighting the taper if necessary from the central candle, until the entire circle of candles is alight.

* Now focus on the mirror and the light of the Moon or candle and say:

Goddess of the Moon, [name one or more], Silver Mother, come to full increase, enter now those who seek your inspiration and healing light.

* Chant: Come down, O Mother, fill the sky with thy orb, come now, come, come within.

This may develop into a song or a slow rhythmic circle dance around the mirror, as you whisper the words on the wind. * Project the moonlight, actual or visualised, so that it fills the mirror and creates a brilliant sphere of light around, over and beyond the candles, so that you (or the group) are within the sphere of the Moon.

* As the power builds, circle and chant: Within the Moon, within the power, within the Moon, now at this hour, we are the Moon.

* At this point there is silence and stillness. Then, one by one if you are in a group, speak words of wisdom, inspired by the light.

* When this is done, sit quiet in the light of the Moon or candle.

* Working widdershins from the last candle to be lit, the candles can be extinguished slowly, saying at each one:

May the light remain within as the circle is uncast without.

* Leave the central candle burning as you write and burn wishes in it, written with a silver pen on dark paper.

* Finally, light a small, silver candle on a cake and if you are working in a group, wish everyone present a happy Moonday. It is said that the first birthday candles were lit on moon-shaped cakes on the festival of the lunar goddess Artemis and as they were blown out, wishes were sent to her that they might be answered.