Magical Monday: Moon Cakes and Chang-O

Chang-O, the Chinese goddess who lives on the moon, is traditionally celebrated with a lunar festival near the fall equinox, and today I wanted to share a simple spell with you to connect with this goddess (and the power of the moon) no matter the season.

Spell for Sustenance

Let the moon fill you, body and soul.

You will need:

• A recipe for moon cakes (as elaborate as simple as you wish)

1. On the night before the full moon, back your moon cakes as the recipe directs. You can use fancy molds, which is more traditional, but I usually just use muffin tins.
2. If possible, let the cakes cool near a closed window overnight.
3. On the night of the full moon, take two moon cakes outside, or, if you don’t have a backyard or a porch, open a window in a place where you can be alone.
4. Offer one moon cake to the sky, saying, “Chang-O, may you never hunger, even as you wax and wane.”
5. Hold the second cake up in front of your heart. Say, “Chang-O, may I never hunger, may my body and soul be filled with your light and love.”
6. Eat your moon cake, and think about the things in your life that give you sustenance. What keeps you going? What fills your belly, and what fills your heart?
7. Leave Chang-O’s cake outside, or if you are inside, set it on the window sill and plan to place it outside the next time you leave your home.