I love both Samhain and Halloween. I love full moons. So imagine my delight in learning that this October 31 would have a full moon of epic proportions! The fact that the Hunter’s Moon is the second full moon of the month and happens to fall on October 31 makes it momentous. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the last time that a full moon was seen in all U.S. time zones on October 31 was 1944 and this is not expected to happen again for another 18 to 19 years. All of this adds up to a recipe for some very intense energy.
Below are 5 methods for drawing on the power of the upcoming Hunter Moon. Many of these can be done separately or incorporated into ritual.
Charging Crystals
Full moons are a great time to charge your crystals. First, cleanse your crystals using methods such as water, sacred smoke, or salt. Be sure to do your research about what methods will work for the crystals you will be charging as some crystals can be damaged by salt and/or water. Set your crystals outside under the full moon on the night of October 31. If you are unable to set your crystals outside, you can set them on a windowsill.
If you are looking to do specific work with these crystals, you will want to make your intent for the crystals known prior to setting them out to charge. I have found that holding the crystal in my hands while visualizing and/or stating out loud my intention can be an effective way to program crystals to do a specific job. You might also consider setting up a crystal grid if you have a specific purpose in mind.
Labyrinth
Labyrinths have long been a powerful tool in my efforts to descend into my own personal Underworld and work to heal my shadow wounds. This is not surprising when you consider that for over 4,000 years labyrinths have been used for personal, psychological, and spiritual transformation. Entering a labyrinth and walking slowly to its center symbolically parallels a descent into the Underworld. I am fortunate enough to have a space on my property where I was able to build a simple three-circuit spiral labyrinth and have found the experience of walking the labyrinth – particularly in the stillness of night under a full moon – to be transcendent and impactful. A labyrinth can easily be constructed with simple items such as rocks or candles.
If the weather makes walking an outside labyrinth impractical, you can build a labyrinth inside. This can be particularly effective if you walk the labyrinth near a window where you have a view of the full moon. If you are particularly creative, you can use a permanent laundry marker to draw a large labyrinth on a light-colored sheet. I was fortunate enough to find one of these several years ago and it is one of my most treasured items. The flexibility of being able to lay this labyrinth sheet down on the floor any time I feel the need to walk a labyrinth has been a true blessing.
It has been said that when you walk into the labyrinth, you focus on the questions you have and as you walk back out of the labyrinth you listen for any messages or guidance you receive. Sometimes I will chant or recite a poem as I walk in and out of the labyrinth, noting the words that I end on as I arrive in the labyrinth’s center and as I take the first step out of the labyrinth. This upcoming full moon is a perfect time to use the labyrinth as a tool to start a journey into shadow work and seek answers to a question. If you are not able to create a labyrinth where you live, you can find one near you by using the labyrinth locator.
Moon Water
Full moon water has many uses and it is simple to make. I have had great success in using moon water for purposes such as healing, anointing, cleansing, and manifestation. Moon water can be added to a bath, dabbed on money to increase abundance, added along with essential oils to a spray bottle to be used in cleansing, incorporated in edible or medicinal products, and/or used to cleanse and/or anoint divination tools.
If you are feeling really creative and working on manifestation, you can paint a picture of what you intend to bring into your world using watercolor paints and moon water. If you are allergic to smoke, herbs such as lavender or mugwort can be added to moon water in a spray bottle to cleanse a space energetically in a similar manner as incense or a smudge stick. Moon water can be used as an offering, especially when working with ancestors given that this is the time of year when the veils are thin and we honor our dead.
To make full moon water, simply put spring water (or another source of purified water) in a glass container and set it outside or in a windowsill overnight where it will be exposed to the light of the moon. You may want to say a blessing or incantation over the jar of water. To add an extra layer of “oomph” to the water or to set it with a certain intention, you can also add items such as a piece of silver, crystals, and/or herbs. Be sure to label your water with a date.
If you intend to use the water over a long period of time, you may want to consider adding a small amount of alcohol such as vodka or a non-alcoholic alternative such apple cider vinegar. In order to make the water last longer, I will often use a dropper to extract the moon water and add it to another source of purified water, using the original bottle of moon water as the “mother” source. With a full moon as powerful as the one coming up this week, a little will go a long way!
Empowering a Sigil
A sigil is defined as a sign or symbol considered to have magical power. You don’t have to be an artist to create a sigil! I personally struggle to even draw the most basic items but I have had great success in making sigils. If you are someone who doodles in the margins of your notes as you are on the phone or in a meeting, you may find that working with sigils comes naturally. Creating a sigil for a specific intent and “charging” that sigil under the upcoming full moon is likely to be a very powerful act of magick.
First, think about what it is you want to accomplish. Do you want to create a symbol for overall health or protection or are you looking to achieve something more specific, such as landing a particular job? Once you have your intent in mind, find or create a sigil for this purpose. A search on the internet can typically help you identify existing sigils that could work for your purposes.
If you want to create your own sigil, I highly recommend you take a look at Laura Tempest Zakroff’s book entitled, Sigil Witchery: A Witch’s Guide to Crafting Magick Symbols. This book does an amazing job of not only helping the reader to understand what sigils are and how they are used, it also gives even the most non-artistic reader clear, step by step simple guidelines for creating a sigil. You can also find information on Laura’s website about online classes in Sigil Witchery.
The next step in this process is to go out in nature and find a rock that you are drawn to. This can be any kind of rock; just make sure it has a large enough surface on which to draw or paint your symbol. Once you have your rock, be sure to thank the land spirits and consider leaving an environmentally friendly offering. Use paint or a permanent marker to draw the sigil on your rock and place the rock outside or in a windowsill overnight where it will be exposed to the full moon. You may then want to carry the rock with you or place it on your altar while the sigil does its work.
Divination
The full moon has a reputation for enhancing psychic abilities. The intense energy to be felt during this upcoming blue moon only serves to heighten these senses even more. The Hunter’s Moon will help to bring clarity and unearth what is hidden in the shadows. The full moon’s position in Taurus adds a sense of groundedness to balance out the liminal energies present which makes this Samhain a perfect time to do divination.
For the best results, I recommend using a divination method that you feel most comfortable with. Runes, pendulum, dowsing rods, tarot, scrying…the possibilities seem endless! Because the veil is thin, you may want to consider focusing on using divination to help you connect with your ancestors and deceased loved ones. I personally have a tarot deck that I use solely for connecting with those who have passed over, though it’s not necessary to reserve a divination tool for this use. I also find that this can be an effective time to do a “Wheel of the Year” reading to prepare me for the 12-month cycle ahead.
Another way to take advantage of the liminal, intense energies of this full moon is to do dream incubation. Many cultures have a tradition of using dream incubation to gain clarity and/or connect with one who has passed over. In ancient Greece, querents would sleep at sacred places such as the Nekromanteion or the Temple of Delphi. There are stories throughout the British Isles of individuals sleeping at certain wells or other sacred spaces in the hopes of receiving information in their dreams.
My dream incubation efforts are most successful when I approach them with preparation such as taking a purifying bath with sea salt and mugwort prior to going to sleep, creating a dream altar, and/or using a dream doll. If you have a room in which you can sleep alone, you can set up a temporary dream temple by darkening the room, removing or covering electronics and using tools such as candles, music and/or incense to set the stage. I encourage you to record any dreams you remember as soon as you wake up the next morning. This can be done by writing in a journal, drawing a picture, or using a voice recorder to capture your verbal description of your dreams. Even if you can’t remember the specifics of the dream, be sure to capture any emotions you recall feeling.
However you choose to work with the energies of this rare and powerful upcoming full moon, be sure to have a plan for strongly grounding afterwards. The energies will be quite intense and this combined with the veil being so thin can make it easy for even the most experienced witch to find themselves a bit untethered and/or scattered once the work has been done. The energies and timing combined with the overall state of our world right now can leave us feeling very emotional so be sure to be gentle with yourself and practice intentional self-care in the days to follow.
Be sure to read my book, Persephone: Practicing the Art of Personal Power, available now!
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