Well, it's the first Full Moon of 2023 - I'm still getting used to being in this new year. This first Full Moon occurred in the sign of Cancer as every Full Moon is in the opposite sign to the Sun. With Cancer being a water sign, it shaped up to be rather an emotional time, especially the day of the Full Moon, but it wasn't a "painful" process.
I wasn't able to attend the live Full Moon ritual but I was able to watch the replay and still work with the energies of the Full Moon and Cancer. So here's my experience!
Before this Full Moon ritual, there was an announcement that I would need 2 vessels of water on hand at some point. In preparation to participate, I made sure that I had two different glasses holding water. Water held rather an importance for this ritual, because Cancer is a water sign but also because the Moon has great affects on this element - think of the tides and how they are ruled by the moon.
During this ritual, it was mentioned that this particular Full Moon is known as the Wolf Moon due to the fact that, historically, wolves are more likely to be heard howling at this time of year. The Wolf Moon apparently gives us the opportunity for deeper self-reflection, which was part of the meditation journey of this ritual.
For the meditation journey itself, I found myself in a winter setting, surrounded by cold, crisp snow but this didn't mean the air was damp in any way. I was in a circular hut, like a roundhouse that the ancient Celts are believed to have lived in. There was a burning fire set into the middle of the floor with a cauldron of some soup bubbling away above it. Hanging from the inner beams of the roundhouse were some bundles of drying herbs. In the roof of the roundhouse, there was a smoke hole to allow the smoke to escape. From this place of safety, I could hear wolves howling outside but they sounded full of sorrow, sadness, and a tinge of loneliness.
Because of how the wolves sounded, I looked within to discover what beliefs or fears I felt able to release, and whether there was anything that I was holding onto that was draining my soul's nourishment. From some conversations with friends earlier that week, I have a lack of self-belief and because of this I feel like I had to look for validation and/or approval from others. I feel like it was time to release the lack of self-compassion and self-forgiveness because I can try too hard or push myself to do too much.
Armed with this knowledge, I then whispered these things to one of the vessels of water and I did this three time to give them power and release them from within myself. This was really powerful because I felt like it was time for me to do this and work on myself.
Dropping back into the roundhouse, I then noticed the moon shining through the smoke-hole and feeling lighter. But at the same time as feeling lighter, I also felt like I was missing something - almost like I needed to replace the things I released with better things, things I hadn't yet discovered within myself.
With the moon's light, there came a new sound from the wolves that wasn't filled with sorrow, sadness and loneliness.This time, it sounded like a song of nourishment, strength, and a belief in my self and my own power. It was a song of family, connection, acceptance, purpose, self-belief and conviction of self.
With this knowledge, I whispered it into the second vessel of water - not the first one. Again, I whispered it three times and then took 3 sips of water to allow these things to flow within me and fill the space vacated from the first wolf interaction. After this, I then listened to the song of the wolves and heard the celebration, joy, connection and connectedness, and allowed it to flow over, around and within me.
After leaving this meditation space, I realised that I have a blanket that actually has a wolf on it that is howling in front of a large full moon. I love this blanket and I realised that I use it to give me comfort when I'm struggling within but more recently, it has become the favourite sleeping-place of one of my feline familiars.
The first vessel of water that was charged with the things I wanted to release was thrown away. I chose to pour it down the toilet as I could then symbolically flush the energy out of my space and home. The second vessel of water was then charged overnight in the light of the Full Moon and then used to brew a mug of Rose tea, which I use for my self-love practices.
This was a really powerful experience as it coincided with some conversations and interactions with other people that have helped me to realise that I don't need to hold onto the feelings of lack anymore. I am working on these issues I have and am now looking forward to a brighter, lighter future.
I feel like this is the perfect energy held within the Death card in tarot: it's all about releasing the things that no longer serve us, experiencing a personal transformation and allowing better and newer things to grow in place of the things that are released. The Death card, to me, very much has a lot of Winter energy and, as it is winter where I am, it's very appropriate for this experience.
I hope this inspires you to explore self-reflection and what you might need to release to make way for better things. You always have the opportunity to experience this as it doesn't have to be around a particular Full Moon or season.
Peace and love to all!!!!
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