Spells & Magic: A Short Ritual To Honour The Moon

You can do this simple pagan ritual to honor the moon on your own, or with others, indoors or outdoors. It is a perfect ceremony to do on the full moon (Or any moon phase).

You will need:
Candles in candle holders (tea lights in tea light holders are best from a safety point of view), a wand (you can use an ordinary stick from the garden as a wand, it works just fine, or you can just point with your finger), a goblet of white wine or spring water, a plate with enough moon-shaped biscuits for everyone present plus one extra (shortbread biccies are perfect).

Prepare the space and yourself:
Sweep the space where the ritual is to be held with a besom (or an ordinary broom or brush if you don’t have a besom) to symbolically cleanse the area. Then place and light a candle in the east, south, west and north of the space, plus another candle in the center.
Stand within the prepared space and take three deep breaths in and out to clear your mind and ready yourself for the ritual.

Now you cast a circle:
Take the wand and inscribe a circle in the air all around the space by holding the wand out and visualizing that you are drawing a protective ring of light. The circle will need to be large enough for you and anyone else you are doing the ritual with to move about in.
You don’t have to say any words while casting the circle, as it is the visualization that is important. But, if you want to, you can say something like: “Let this circle of light protect all within it.”

Welcome the directions (often called “the quarters”):
Turn to the east and say: “I welcome the east, where the dawn breaks in the morning sky.”
Turn to the south and say: “I welcome the south, where the fiery sun is highest at midday.”
Turn to the west and say: “I welcome the west, where twilight lingers over the ocean at eventide.”
Turn to the north and say: “I welcome the north, where the darkness of the night cloaks the earth.”
Move in the center and say: “I stand at the center, where all times and all directions meet and are as one”

Raising magical energy:
This is usually done by singing, chanting, drumming or dancing. If you like, you can simply chant “Om”.

Prayer to the moon:
Say:
“Silver circle in the silent sky
For all of history you have watched over us
And guided our paths in the dark of night
We whisper to you our secrets
Our hopes, and fears, and dreams.
Grant us your blessings on this night
And light our way into the time to come.”

Spell work (optional):
If you want to cast a spell or do other magic work within your circle, this is the time to do it. Suitable things could be a spell to send get well wishes to someone or a candle spell for whatever you want.

Wine and biscuits:
Say: “Lord and Lady of the Moon, please bless this food and drink.” Then take a sip (or a few) from the wine or water and eat one of the biscuits.
If you are doing this ritual outdoors, the rest of the liquid in the goblet and the spare biscuit should then be poured and crumbled on to the ground as an offering. Say: “Please accept this offering of food and drink.”
If you are doing the ritual indoors, save the offering until you can get to a suitable outdoor space, such as your garden, after you have finished your ritual.

Ending the ritual:
Turn to each of the directions in reverse order and say: “Thank you for attending my rite, I bid you farewell”
Then visualize the circle of light dissipating, or unwinding, and say: “The circle is open.”