The full Sturgeon Moon gets it’s name from Native American tribes located in the vicinity of the Great Lakes. August was a time when sturgeon were abundant and easy to catch from Lake Superior and the other large lakes. Other tribes had different names for this moon. These are Green Corn Moon, Fruit Moon, Barley Moon, Grain Moon, and Red Moon. Most of the names are tied to crops that would be harvested in different areas around the country. The latter name, Red Moon is due to the fact that the moon rising in August always seems to have a reddish cast to it. The Ojibwe called the August full moon the Blueberry Moon, while the Dakota Sioux knew it as The Moon When All Things Ripen.
In 2018, the sturgeon moon will be full on August 26th at 5:56 AM (MST).
What You’ll Need For This Ritual
Quarter Candles (yellow, red, blue, green)
Anthame
Large White Goddess Candle – I prefer a three wick candle to symbolize the triple Goddess
Paper and pencils
Winter Preservation Spell Bottle (Instructions can be found at this link) – this portion of the ritual is optional, but if you are following as written, then you will need to add sealing wax to your item list (and any seal you wish to use)
Throughout this ritual, any text surrounded by these symbols < > should be considered instructional and not spoken aloud but done in accordance with the directions
Full Sturgeon Moon Ritual Begins
I cast this circle round and round from earth to sky, from sky to ground. I conjure now this sacred space outside of time, outside of place. The circle is cast, we are between the worlds.
Calling the Quarters
East
I call the element of air to come to our circle, bringing the gentle reassurance, but unpredictability – ranging from the mildest breeze to the immense power in the eye of the hurricane <light yellow candle>
South
I call the element of fire to come to our circle, bringing the warmth and comfort of the fireplace hearth and the passion of the raging wildfire, which burns the land clean so that it may grow again <light red candle>
West
I call the element of water to come to our circle, bringing the soothing murmur of the babbling brook and the cleansing rush and power of the ocean tides <light blue candle>
North
I call the element of earth to come to our circle, bringing the steady heartbeat of the land beneath our feet and the solid power of the planet turning in space <light green candle>
Great Goddess, mother of all of us; hold us in your loving arms and help us to find our way to our own inner courage. Lend us your warrior’s strength and your wisdom. So mote it be <light Goddess candle>
Introduction to Understanding
Each full moon, we gather together to release negativity, to burn that which needs burning, and ultimately to cleanse our mental palate from things which are cluttering it up. Much of the negativity in our lives occurs while we are at home. Often times we fail to recognize when someone of something with bad intent slips across the thresholds of our doors and windows. Other time it may subtly ride the coattails of a unknowing visitor. Or in the worst cases when it’s purposefully aimed at us, our family, or our dwelling. These direct attacks can cause all sorts of strange happenings around the family homestead including strange sounds, dark shadows passing, plants in the house dying for no reason, food not tasting as it should, and much worse.
What we can learn from this Full Sturgeon Moon by looking into the past, is very positive. The Native Tribes caught many giant sturgeon; huge powerful fish that date back to a time long before humans walked the earth. They found a way to capture that immense power and then utilized it as a key part of their lives; in their case it was food for survival. This object lesson show us that now is a perfect time to harness the energies around us and focus them on taking care of ourselves, our families, and those things which contribute to our well-being.
On each full moon, we cleanse and release all that which is bogging us down. We also search for things to refill that empty space – this is where understanding comes into play. It’s not difficult to identify the things dragging us down; we may not show it on the surface, but deep down each of us knows exactly what is the root cause of our troubles, but we don’t always do corrective action. We often opt for the easy routes in life, sometimes accepting or settling when we could instead be growing and languishing in a life which meets out spiritual and emotional needs. It all comes down to understanding, making choices, and refusing to compromise our core needs, for any reason.
So tonight, before we commence in our monthly cleansing through burning session, take time to think about the wisdom of the season. Think about how you can harness the positive energies coming from your harvests and late summer activities. How can you keep that magick alive in your life during the hard months of winter which are right around the corner. Look for ways to excel rather than just settle. Seek out those energies and store them inside your spirit, so that you don’t regress when things are dark.
<Offer participants pen & paper to write down anything they wish to permanently banish from their lives – then allow time for each person to approach the fire and burn those notes or any other items they have brought into the circle>
Cleaning and releasing is only half of the job. Do not allow negative energy to refill the spaces you’ve created. Trade the bad for something better; something enlightening and pure. Leave here with a smile on your face, the understanding that there is more to life than just existing. Stop sitting on the sidelines and engage with the things that take existence to living. Blessed Be!
Moonlight Magick
Instructions were previous offered to anyone who wanted to prepare a bottle spell to Preserve the Magick in their growing areas over the winter months. We just spent time reflecting under the full sturgeon moon, on how to focus our personal energies and keep our spirits strong over the winter. This spell is focused on our gardens/farms/growing areas. So, tonight, under the light of this full moon, we’ll consecrate our Winter Preservation Spell Bottle and later tonight, after the circle is closed, inter them into our growing areas to complete the rite and preserve the magick we’ve created in our gardens, over the long winter months.
Winter Preservation Bottle Magick Incantation
First place your unsealed spell bottles in the glow of the moonlight.
Recite this with intent!
Sky tonight – Full moonlight
Hallowed ground – Our power found
Energy flowing – Ever growing
This sacred circle – Universal
Hear me now – My solemn oath
Infuse this blend with fertile growth
Potency of nature – Stay in this ground
Protect these lands – Hereby bound
Day and night – Through dark and light
Ice and snow – Cold winds blow
Herbs and flowers – I now empower
Magick planted – Fields enchanted
First to bloom when springtime comes
Breath of Life – My words are sung
Once the spell has been spoken, uncork the bottle and breathe into it (your Breath of Life). This step matters more than any other ingredient as it has your energy included; the same energy that was infused into your gardens in the beginning.
Seal with wax. After your circle is closed, immediately bury it in the middle of your collective gardens so it can radiate outward throughout the winter months. If you wait until the sun rises, the spell will lose its energy and will necessitate being re-worked.
Blessed Be to the Garden Witch !
Closing the Sturgeon Moon Circle
Power of Earth, stronghold of life, thank you for keeping us grounded through the busy months spent in the fields and for inspiring us to grow and develop our growing skills <extinguish green candle>
Power of Water, cleansing and quenching elixir, thank you for providing that which we cannot exist without and ensuring the survival of those who will come after us <extinguish blue candle>
Power of Fire, source of all passion, thank you for showing us that sharing warmth with one another does more than just comfort our bodies, but also wraps our soul in a protective blanket <extinguish red candle>
Power of Air, where wisdom resides, thank you for reminding us that nothing is impossible unless we surrender our ambitions and choose to fail <extinguish yellow candle>
Beloved Goddess, Mother of all living things, we thank you for your comfort in times of sorrow; your compassion in times of weakness, and your never-ending wellspring of spiritual love for each one of us <extinguish Goddess candle>
This Full Moon circle is open but never broken!
Huzzah!
- March’s Full Worm Moon, 2024 - March 24, 2024
- Ostara 2024 – Celebrating Life - March 15, 2024
- Mysterious Waterfalls Around the World - February 16, 2024
