Ritual for the Full Moon in Cancer

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Last night, we held the first Full Moon Circle at Gaze Yoga and even if you weren’t able to make it, here’s a few ways you can also work with this moon on your own.

The moon has reached it's peak in this lunar cycle on Monday, January 17th and for the next two weeks it will grow smaller until the next New Moon on February 1, at 12:46 AM ET.

(The part of me that loves fresh starts is obsessed with the fact that the next New Moon happens on the first of the month -- what a great time to initiate a new project or intention!)

For the next two weeks, I encourage you to consider what needs to be released so you can make room for whatever you want to create in February. If you have an Essential Oil Moon Kit, this is when you can start to work with your Waning Moon Oil.

This Full Moon was in Cancer, which is all about home and nurturing. In the Full Moon Circle, we worked with two essential oils to help us to discover more of what nurtures us as well as what boundaries are necessary to establish to allow for that nurturing. We also did a releasing ritual to help further let go of what was coming up.

Here’s how you can do your own ritual at home.

  • Begin by clearing your ritual space and cleansing your body. It can be as simple as washing your hands and brushing your teeth; if you’ve got time taking a bath or shower is also great.

  • If you'd like, light a candle and/or burn some incense. Take a few moments to do some mindful breathing to come into your body and connect with your heart.

  • If you've got Lavender essential oil available to you, inhale it's scent and consider: What nurtures me? How do I nurture myself?

  • If you've got Blue Tansy essential oil available to you, inhale it's scent and consider it's message: It's okay to say no to something you've already said yes to. Ask yourself: What do I need to say, “no,” to right now? What will creating this boundary make space for in my life?

  • Allow yourself to journal about these questions and be open to what arises. Even if you don't have the specific oils, you can substitute with scents that speak to you or journal without the aromas.

  • Look at what you’ve written and come up with a word, phrase, or sentence that expresses what feels right for you to let go of right now. Write this on a piece of paper and place it in some water. You can then dispose of it by burying it in the earth or flushing it down the toilet (being mindful of how much paper is being used and the condition of the sewer system you're using). If neither of those are available to you, you can also take your wet paper and place it in the trash.

Ritual is such a wonderful way to create a physical representation of what you desire to create in the world. It helps you get one step closer to taking what's in your mind and making it your reality.

The moon will continue to wane over the next few weeks so if your journaling highlights certain actions to take, be sure to heed your own insights. Doing this work now will help you to create the space for your next round of creating with the moon in early February.

As I like to say, the Moon is always somewhere in its cycle.

Learning how to work with these cycles can help you feel less like you're going in circles and instead see the progression of the upward spiral in your life.

I hope this is helpful for you to take some time for yourself this week, you most certainly deserve it.

You can also write your answers to the journal questions here. By posting publicly, you’ll get the power of having others witness your intentions.

  • What nurtures you? How do you nurture yourself?

  • What do you need to say, “no,” to right now? What will creating this boundary make space for in your life?

I’ll be cheering you on in the comments, so don’t be shy. The gift of community is that it enhances our intentions.

The Next Full Moon Circle is scheduled for February 16 at Gaze Yoga. Reserve your space in the circle today.